Claire's OS house deposit quest!

Toonie

Cranky I've thought about commuting but I think I would find it rather difficult as I work awkward hours and all of my friends are in east London (my family have all moved away from London). Leaving London for somewhere new in a couple of years is where vague notion of a plan takes me at present but that's after learning to drive and developing my professional skills.

London is a hard place to save in but I do get to take advantage of some amazing grocery shops and I've got a good daily market and farmers market.

Brownsauce what does your grocery budget cover? My £100 per month is just for me and only includes food and drink. Toiletries and cleaning stuff come out of a separate budget. My slowcooker really comes into it's own in January as I try and make it through the month with £10 a week grocery spends and just eat from leftovers and my store cupboard as I always love soups and stews in January. At present I've some butter out softening to make up some shortcrust pastry and I'm going to make "leftovers pie" so any Christmas odds and sods can go in there.

brownsauce

the 450 quid was me just adding up mini trips to morrisons for lunch and including my spending in restaurants- basically money im squandering when I have a full larder at home.


I have put myself down for 50 quid a week to include everything. It is only for me but normally I have my boyfriend over a lot and will cook for friends. I will hopefully be reducing that amount in Feb but didn't want to overcook it my first month and feel defeated when I fail.

retromother

Hi, this is just the thread I'm loking for, over the last year or so I've just lost my old style ways. Well after a long stint as a stay at home mum I've gone back to full time work (both my children are in full time school now) and as per our 'life plan' OH and I are planning to buy a house in 2016.

We need to save at least £12k, meaning we need to cook healthy food from scratch for two on weekdays (the children will both get free school meals until Sept when we will have to pay for the older one) and for four at weekends. We want to keep healthy so we have the energy to keep up with two full time jobs and a frugal lifestyle.

I am writing a 'family book' that I can use myself and pass on to my children about saving and frugal living (just a handwritten notebook type thing)

Good luck to us all

skintmum2012

Retromum: what a fantastic idea with the notepad I LOVE it I think I shall do something like that for mine you said you did not need main meals during the week as the have a hot school dinner. Can I ask what you do feed yours? I have 2 with hot school dinners as they are free at the moment however when they come home they still want to eat I have often wondered if making a whole dinner that they don't normally eat anyway is pointless.

Toonie

I know what it's like squandering money. I went from a variable monthly paycheck (sometimes as low as £800 pcm) to a salary (which also included a raise for extra work) and for the first couple of months it all just disappeared as I didn't have to count my pennies and I loved that freedom. I have reeled that in a bit though I still have a treat per week, whether that be a bottle of wine or a really nice steak.

Retromother your book sounds like a lovely idea, I'm sure your children will love it.

retromother

skintmum2012 wrote: »

Retromum: what a fantastic idea with the notepad I LOVE it I think I shall do something like that for mine you said you did not need main meals during the week as the have a hot school dinner. Can I ask what you do feed yours? I have 2 with hot school dinners as they are free at the moment however when they come home they still want to eat I have often wondered if making a whole dinner that they don't normally eat anyway is pointless.

Well my two are at an afterschool club, when they get fed. Often they get things like a wrap station, where they build their own wraps with chicken, veg or even fishfingers sometimes. It allows the children who have a packed lunch have a more substantial meal and those who had a hot lunch have something smaller.

I would suggest something in between a lunch and dinner, soup, cheese and beans on toasts, wraps with chicken etc

Toonie

Skintmum2012 I work as a nanny and the kids I look after tend to have school dinners and then when they come home I give them either bagels, soup, fish finger sandwiches etc. Quite often they ask me for a "picky tea" where I'll do them bread and butter, cheese, slices of peppers, carrots, cucumber, sausage rolls, breadsticks and they get what they fancy and then I'll do hot custard or rice pudding for afters.

Miss_Purple_Hat

Morning all.

I'm spending this weekend helping my parents clear out their loft ready for trying to sell the house early in the new year. That'll be strange as my parents moved here before I was born and this has always been the place I really call home.

Some wonderful old things have turned up and had to be whittled down by my parents - little keepsakes like cards my brothers and I made for them growing up have had to go but particularly special things have stayed like our baby blankets.

I've gained a few bits like Tupperware. I'm also going to try to sell some of my parents' old vinyl records that were just going to be thrown away - I've been told I can keep all the money I get for selling them or half if I manage to get quite a bit! :rotfl:

My own stuff is all toys and books from when I was younger. I've managed to reduce it down to 2 large-ish cardboard boxes, which is considered acceptable to bring along! I gave my mum most of the books to take in to the small school she currently works at, which apparently doesn't have a very good selection. A few dolls and "vintage" Polly Pockets have survived the throw away and charity shop boxes. Also my first ever teddy and my favourite cuddle toy growing up - King Louis from the Jungle Book! He used to get pushed around in my toy pushchair whilst my dolls were left at home.

To think 2 cardboard boxes could hold so many memories in the objects inside.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend. Better get back to sorting through stuff!

Edit: Wow, I started typing this morning and had to come back to it and can see I've missed a whole load of posts from today! Will catch up when I can!

skintmum2012

Thank you Toonie and Retromum all brill ideas I have been doing them Jackets with Cheese and beans pasta and Sauce Pizza things like that I am just wondering if they are a little heavy. So far I am on track for a NSD day

retromother

I'm also having a NSD. MIL and her OH came over for their Xmas visit. They bought us all pizzas, which has basically fed everyone for the day. They also gave us some leftover ham joint which means we are sorted for lunches.

Unfortunately this morning I chipped my bottom tooth. I'm hoping my old dentist is open. I was planning on moving to OH's dentist as it's nicer, but they are only accepting emergency appointments until next week. These cost an extra £50 on top of the normal price. Thankfully it doesn't hurt, or look bad, but it's irritating me a bit!

MIL bought me a lovely dressing gown which I'm getting into in a bit and going to get myself into bed for the evening!