NOT BUYING IT! 2015 - A consumer holiday

Coulddobetter

Had some lovely friends round today and had another NSD. We had homemade soup, lamb and trifle. I usually put too much cream on the trifle and throw it away so this time I used only half. The other half we will use on NYE when we have some other visitors joining us.
I am going to search through the freezer tomorrow and find something for NYE. I think it might be beef in ale/ wine as we have both in the house at the moment. DS Gf has bought me some YS veg so will pick that up in the morning, so proud of thier frugel ways. Just wish they would find out what cleaning is.......
DH has to give a raffle prize in the next few days and he has said he will donate his gift from work that way we don't spend any additional money. :T
Declutter 2 PC tower decks that have been in the hall for about 4 years. My friend and I were discussing the amount of stuff we have in our houses, no children any longer but so much stuff. I am determined to cull some of it this year.
Could do better xxx

debtmess

Morning all!. Just sunk into bed after what seems like a crazy 2 days.

Have started to declutter and early spring clean. Amazed at how much is now bagged up to pass on or send to the charity shop just from the 5 children and their bedrooms, their rooms are now clutter free and squeaky clean apart from their carpets. Dd has enough clothing to grow into and not far off not needing much more of the size we currently look for (50p basket at local charity shop is always worth looking through or it's only brought when on sale)

Cut up the test of the Christmas Ham and now have 17 sandwiches in freezer along with chocolate muffins and a cake cut up ready for return to school lunch boxes.

Made mcdonalds style pancakes after the kids were asking will be one a Saturday morning staple without having to pay stupid prices for the once a month breakfast we normally buy for them.

Need to find a use for a double set and 4 single sets of bedding not quite past there best but not far off, still toying with idea of buying a sewing machine and the bedding may become perfect fabric to play with but ideas of simple things to make are needed, one of my plans was to source cardboard boxes and cover with the fabric to make storage boxes for wardrobes, I normally make these with wrapping paper and really need some more.

On the Christmas present subject of a cinema voucher how rude of the recipient family time is worth so much more than the latest wants/toys/and tat that is thought to be needed at Christmas (and I will be pinching this idea next year when family members request what would we like)

2 no spend days here tomorrow will only be petrol to take the boys to their dads (4 hour round trip) but cannot see that we need anything also plan to turn the unused fruit into pur!e for dd to use alongside the baby rice she seems to dislike, also to find a use for some carrots and onions on the turn (not keen on carrot soup) and freezer space is limited. Need to also try to get my saucepan sorted, burnt milk in it on Christmas Day and 2 boil and soaks of white vinegar and bicarb have still left a nasty brown staining on the bottom (cast iron) had them 12 years and would love them to last another 12 at least.

I should go to bed dd teething so last 2 nights have been long to say the least

fuddle

For me no clutter feeds my need to be organised, and my need to be organised goes hand in hand with trying to stave off anxieties and stresses. Those issues are due to the loss of security through bankruptcy over 5 years ago.

I guess it could be down to consumerism, in a round about way.

[Deleted User]

When I was younger with 3 small children, I remember trying to do one `positive` thing each day, not routine cleaning and not shopping, in the days well before internet. I often made something or sorted something and I used to end the day feeling good. I think I carried this through the years, sometimes it was just reading a book or studying something or crafting.

I have to be honest in that I had to wean myself away from an mse addiction, so much time wasted just browsing on here, this is one addiction that I am still working on and I try to come on mse only once a day, so that I can keep on with my precious time being used productively. The older I get, the less there is left

CEW

Hi Everyone,

Well, I have spent the last few days reading the 60 odd pages of this thread and would really love to come aboard, with my chicks to help with the egg production :rotfl:

Have a few projects for 2015 including property renovation and a house move / relocation later in the year. These will involve spending money but I'm hoping that with everyone's help I can ensure all spends are essential, considered, beneficial and as economical as possible.

Loving all the talk of decluttering. I have been doing this, somewhat half heartedly, for a while now but with all the upcoming changes need to step this up a gear or two. I have decided to declutter a little every day, even if it is just one item. This starts as from today so wish me luck. I have a LOT of stuff to go through.

Good luck to everyone with your own personal challenges. You know you can do it.

Chez x

CAFCGirl

boultdj wrote: »

Yes you will, with 'planned' overcooking, ie: pie for tea and an extra 1 in the freezer, same with stews, or pre-prepared veg and sliced home cooked meat,all in the freezer and ready to put in the oven whilst you have a 10 minute de-stress from what ever is stressing you[in my case normal OH]

pm2326 wrote: »

Hi CAFC, have you tried batch cooking food and freezing it? I've currently got the lurgy and can't be bothered to cook so I've taken a chilli out of the freezer to defrost which I made last month....4 minutes in the microwave and I'll have a hot home cooked meal

Maybe this would help get you through the no supermarket challenge?

I'll admit I havent...... I dont know why exactly. I've never cooked in big quantities, its always just been the right amount for the 2 and then 3 of us, so itd be a conscious effort to cook extra for leftovers iyswim....
Its also going to be an experiment in getting DS to eat more/greater variety. Its not so much his fault, although i'm sure part of it is him casting some form of control but if he's not given it to at least try, then he never will so I need to step up to the plate

kittie wrote: »

I have to be honest in that I had to wean myself away from an mse addiction, so much time wasted just browsing on here, this is one addiction that I am still working on and I try to come on mse only once a day, so that I can keep on with my precious time being used productively. The older I get, the less there is left

I can see myself developing this again now that I've found this lovely bunch of people :rotfl:

Dee2

For anyone wanting the Van Gogh Starry Night crossstitch, its available on
Free Cross Stitch patterns online (my link not working or I'm doing it wrong sorry).

This thread is moving very quickly! Miss a couple of days and there's a lot of catching up to do - and its lovely!

Hardly spent anything over the Christmas period, we've eaten most of the leftovers so a food shop is imminent. If I'm going to be buying from the butcher, baker, candlestickmaker etc, much more planning is required. A good thing as it means I will have to meal plan more, there'll be less waste,less nasty packaging and I won't be chucking additive-laden ready meals into my trolley.

I will be spending some thrifty time rummaging through the christmas paper to see what can be salvaged for next year - I'm a closet womble.

pm2326

Morning

I had a bit of a wobble yesterday as I'm full of cold and panic set in that I may not get to the shop for veg for New Years day if I can't pull myself around. So I decided to do an online shop from asd* .

However when my 'trolley' was at £27 I suddenly realised I was being silly...I need veg for pity's sake which will cost £2 at most, why was I adding things I don't need? So I emptied the trolley :T

I may go get the veg in this afternoon then I can stay in rest of the week and get rid of this rotten lurgy... alternatively my mother can bring the veg on the day and I'll just cook it!

Have a lentil & sausage stew in the slow cooker using food from the freezer and cupboards so that's my contribution to the decluttering for today..(ignore the fact I'll end up freezing a few portions later)

ruby_eskimo

Wow this thread has moved on so much in the few days I've been away! Christmas was lovely this year and I was surprised with a Kenwood KMix from my parents which will come in very handy as I want to get back to making my own bread / cakes/ biscuits again but struggle with the mixing due to carpal tunnel and early onset arthritis (I'm not even 30 yet!).

We perused the sales but the only things I bought were some new hand towels as ours are literally falling apart - has anyone else had this problem? I though it was because we use a laundarette and the industrial machines are not that kind to clothes, hence the holes appearing in the towels but my mum is having the same issue using her machine at home. We don't use fabric softener on them and we live in different counties so I don't think it's the water.

Anyway I also picked up some new kitchen scales in the sale also as the current ones were on their last legs. Looking forward to a year of decluttering my life once and for all and not replacing the empty spaces with rubbish!

fevertotell

I'm going into the city today with a friend and our children, so they can spend their Christmas vouchers. DD needs clothes...she has growth spurt after growth spurt. And ds2 had vouchers for game so he's getting a new xbox game.

myself i only really need some warm socks so that's what i'll be getting. It's my birthday tomorrow so looking at sales then with birthday spends and we have lots of vouchers to use that were wedding gifts, so hubby and i will decide this evening what we actually need.

Hoping i don't fall too far off the wagon today, i have zilch willpower when it comes to m&s lol.

Hope you all have fab days and hello to all the new posters, welcome aboard x