Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

vhalla1478

Morning All,

Congratulations on the boat, silvasava, although I sympathise about freezing after being outside for a long time - when I did the antiques fairs I used to come home and climb into a steaming hot bath to defrost.

I'm pleased you have good memories of Stamford, HowMuch, it is a beautiful town and I'm even more pleased that your DH is back home with you; your energy is amazing, but just remember to look after yourself as well. Health is a most precious gift.

Lynn, I totally agree about not counting coupons as spending money - good for you. And Cheerfulness, to save me reading through this whole post again, could you give me information re doing surveys, please? I know you did before but a quick search this morning didn't find them. I have the time and I certainly could do with the money, although whether I would ever earn enough to buy my underwear with them is a debatable point as my bra size is the same as Katy Price's, although mine is natural! Consequently I have to have super engineering to keep it in place, which is expensive.

Meritaten, I know how you feel about the garden being bare - as soon as the temperature rises I am going to be buying plants at least for all my pots and definitely some climbers. My daughter-in-law's father was at the tribal gathering yesterday and has banned me from buying anything until it warms up. And I have been asking around for cuttings and unwanted plants, so no doubt everything will arrive at once.

I'm going to touch up all the walls today as it is still grey and dull here and certainly not warm enough to do any gardening unless it brightens up radically.

Will post a nice recipe later as I've rambled on somewhat this morning.

Happy Easter to you all.

Viv xx

janb5

Hi Viv,

I am similarly well endowed . I used to go to Rigby & Peller but they cost a fortune. I recently went for a bra fitting at M & S and was very pleased. Certainly was cheaper than before and like you need `heavy engineering`.

In my next life I am coming back as a 34C!

vhalla1478

Hi again,

Jan, I've bought Empreinte, Rigby and Peller, Lise Charmel and sometimes manage to get the odd bargain on ebay. I know I could order M&S online, but am doubtful about fit and my local stores don't have a great choice of styles. People imagine that because you're well-endowed that you're broad shouldered etc but I'm only 32 inch. All suggestions would be helpful, bearing in mind I want nice underwear, not a liberty bodice! Thank you.

Viv xx

maryb

My DD2 is 28F!!!! Try getting bras for that on the high street! John Lewis is pretty good and their bra fitter at Bluewater was ex R&P. Not that cheap but not outrageous and that sort of small chest/large cup size often ends up in the sale

Prinzessilein

Evening folks!....I have had a rough couple of days (change of meds that did NOT agree with me...I have now stopped them and will see the GP for something different...it's trial and error sometimes...and this was definitely an 'error'!)


I have got pages and pages of posts here to catch up on!


I have seen the last posts seem to be about bra sizes......I rarely wear a bra. I am rather large....Before losing weight I was something like a 58F....couple this with really nasty psoriasis (sometimes under the boobs...)...and I couldn't get a bra o fit and even a 'near fit' would rub excruciatingly on the raw skin.....I have lost weight but am still on the 'larger' side (haven't measured myself in ages!)....High Streets just don't cater for the larger sizes....and specially-made has always been out of my budget.


Anyway...I am off to catch up on what else has been happening here!


Happy Easter folks!


(and for fellow Christians...He is Risen!)

silvasava

If it's any help DGD is 36ff and bought some pretty bras in Boux - don't know if they have an online store though. I was impressed as since a couple of boob ops ( not cosmetic lol) I've increased to a 38c and they had some to fit me too - sometimes Matalan do larger sizes - I've had a couple of bargains from there so it might be worth looking on their website.

janb5

I did try Boux...and liked their bras but the back of it `itched` all the time. I have a broad back and large boobs so I hate it. Depending on the bra, I am either 38 or 40 F . If I were younger and fitted the criteria, I would have a mammoplasty but cant say I have back pain. I am currently losing weight with SW so hope that will help.


M & S were surprisingly helpful. I think the tip is to fix an appointment at non busy times. I wanted smooth underwired bras and did get them and was impressed with the fitting.

cheerfulness4

vhalla1478 wrote: »

And Cheerfulness, to save me reading through this whole post again, could you give me information re doing surveys, please? I know you did before but a quick search this morning didn't find them. I have the time and I certainly could do with the money, although whether I would ever earn enough to buy my underwear with them is a debatable point as my bra size is the same as Katy Price's, although mine is natural!

Here you go Viv.

Survey sites details.

And I'll post the link on page 1 of this thread in case you or anyone else needs the websites and loses this post.

Am completely flagged out tonight. We've been gardening all afternoon and I'm delighted with the results but its hard work! Fences now all 'ducksbacked' and looking lovely.

Virtually all the grass is now up and DH has popped in some of the wooden border edges I've been staining and treating. DS has been busy helping me with all the fences. Its been fun working together.

Tomorrow will be more wood treating and the edging will all be placed around the borders so DH knows where to lay the ground cover fabric ready for the little stones to go down.
Then we will have all the fun of beginning the planting up!

Two honeysuckles have arrived that I ordered from ebay. They are lovely quality. I'm very pleased. The second one is evergreen so will make our arch look green all year round.



We also got a peony that I've always loved and never had before. Bowl of Beauty. Again the seller sent it in really great condition.


Waiting for a clematis to arrive next but just as well its not here yet as I'm horribly behind with all the digging out.

Hows your gardening going, Viv? Made any plans for how you'd like it yet? Definitely cuttings and splits from others plants are the way to go when you start on a budget. My lovely mum and one of my new neighbours were great last year helping us out that way.

cheerfulness4

Caught up with my receipts for yesterday. I had a whammy buying spree and spent todays money in advance but when you see the list you'll understand why I took that decision. This lot has filled the freezer and fridge with some nice little bits to really help out this month.


SAT 4TH/SUN 5TH APR
DAY 4/5

Money Spent Today - £11.62 Vouchers Spent - £0
Money Spent in Total - £14.47 Vouchers Spent in Total - £0
Money left in purse - £0.53 - Float left- £7.89/£15
Jan non-foods left- £9.58/£15

Saturday was a big spend as I knew it would be because the shops were closed the next day and I knew there would be bargains to be had.. and there were!

We bought 2x uncut Wholemeal loaves @ 19p each, 1 x Pumpernickel uncut loaf@ 19p, 2x hot x bun loaves @ 5p each, 1x 6pk hot x buns @ 15p, 2x 700g chilled chicken nuggets @ 19p each (reduced from £4 each!), 1x 4pk butter crossiants @ 15p, 3x deli packs of roast turkey @ 50p each (the combined price of the bags was almost £9.00),
1 x savers blue creamy cheese @ 9p (from £1.49 and is so like roquefort), 2x 5pk doughnuts @ 19p each, 2x 5pk New york bagels @ 15p each, 4x bakery Steak n Kidney pies @ 9p each (reduced from 89p each), 2x bakery creamy chicken pies @ 49p the pair, 1x dbl pack of rocket @ 9p,
1x fresh pasta and chicken/ham layer salad @ 49p, 1 x milk @ 88p and finally they cleared out the salad bar and I picked up one of the large salad boxes filled to the brim with cherry tomatoes @ 9p and also they did the same with a large salad box filled with chopped green/red peppers with sliced red onion @ 9p and 1 large salad box filled with falafels @ 9p!

I could have grabbed all the salad boxes because there were others filled to the top with crispy bacon pieces and others with those lovely crispy onion toppings but I know the calories of those and the depths of my greed when I get near them. I couldn't take the risk! It killed me to leave them at 9p each, though.

So that little lot came to £6.20. The cashier at the till knows us well and is always thrilled for us. She said she loves to see someone getting a good bargain and she a fellow YS shopper herself.

Now this was my second shop to Morries that day as we had taken M &D shopping in the morning and I picked up some bargains then, too.

We got 1 x YS fruit basket @ £1.99, 1 x milk @ 88p, 1 x evap milk @ 55p, 1 x lime @ 30p, 1x box of grapes @ £1.25, 1x digestive biscuits @ 45p.

So altogether the grocery budget items came to £11.62.

From the non-foods we got 2 x pack paracetamol @ 22p each.

From the extras budget we bought 1 x 300g dbl cream @ 85p to use for making our Key Lime Pie this week while DH is having a few days off work.


Now I have the interesting task of working out how to best use these bargains.
I already know that the peppers/onions box, which have now been bagged up into smaller bags, will be used for making pasta sauces, pizza toppings and stir fries.


The box of tomatoes are very welcome as we are out of those and I love them fresh and roasted with garlic and olive oil.


The chicken nugget things look decent, not cheap and nasty, and will be used in pittas with salad and tortilla wraps for quick meals.


Phew, time for a cuppa and bed I think. Another day in the garden tomorrow while this good weather holds.


Forgot to mention that we didn't have our lamb joint today as mum treated us to a chicken when she bought the 3 for £10 deal on them. Made a yummy lemon/garlic/thyme chicken with smoked bacon. Delicious!
Lamb will now be Wednesday I should think. DH doesn't go back to work until Thurs night so a little holiday for us at home.

Lynplatinum

Evening All

Very interested to see that you all consider using points as NSD days! So thats how I will count them - I just didn't want to 'cheat' as it were - I definitely needed the washing tabs (if not the Hot X Buns dieting????LOL) Friend is coming for coffee tomorrow so hopefully I can foist one onto her!!

Loved that pretty peony - do you go and look for them on line from some special supplier Cheerfulness?

HowMuch - glad you OH is home - hopefully you can enjoy a bit of the Easter time sunshine in your garden together!

Prinzelien (sorry couldnt get it to copy your name and spelling is not my strong point) Glad you are back and hope you are fully recovered soon!

Today is an NSD - used another bit of that frozen salmon I bough way back in January??? (the 3 packs of fish for £10). I have 2 tuna; 2 salmon and 2 haddock left out of that lot!! Fridge looks v bare at the moment cos next veg box arrives on Tuesday and am trying to hang out till then.
Thought I would pass on a money saving tip from an ex- fridge engineer - if your fridge or freezer has large empty bits in fill them up with scrumpled up newspaper put into a freezer bag and tied at the top (one in which you have previously stored bread is also good). This then prevents the fridge/freezer unit working hard to cool down air in that empty space!! Each time you open them the warm air rushes in and the cold air falls out (physics theory of convection).

I gather many freezers and fridges here are full up to the brim but if you have a space at any time - why pay to cool down hot air???
Thought - would it work if we stuffed politicians with scrumpled up newspaper - could we stop them giving off so much hot air??:rotfl:
Night all - hope you have frugal day tomorrow!