Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

cheerfulness4

Giggling at the CRB checks comments.:rotfl:

Getting to grips with my spends over the last few days. Bear with are I post them or a get in a terrible pickle with my spending and I can't have that, I'm not yet half way through this challenge I set myself yet.

SAT 2ND MAY
DAY 2

Money Spent Today - £4.95 Vouchers Spent - £0
Money Spent in Total - £7.28 Vouchers Spent in Total - £0
Money left in purse - £1.28MINUS - EXTRAS Float left- £13.30/£15
non-foods budget left- £8.26/£15
Today we bought 3x milk @ 88p each, 1x cooking bacon @ 81p and 1x 300g smoked bacon @ £1.50.

From the extras budget we got 1x President butter @ £1.70.

From the Non-foods budget we bought 1x Cillit Bang @ £1.74 (Morries offer), 1x Spray Viacal @ £2.00 (Morries offer), 1x 12 Duck fresh discs @ £3 (offer, I LOVE these!)

Sunday 3rd May
DAY 3
NSD

MON 4TH MAY
DAY 4
NSD

TUESDAY 5TH MAY
DAY 5
Money Spent Today - £8.38 Vouchers Spent - £0
Money Spent in Total - £15.66 Vouchers Spent in Total - £0
Money left in purse - £0.66 MINUS - EXTRAS Float left- £4.73/£15
Jan non-foods left- £7.91/£15
1x 750g morries 'readybrek' @ £1.79. From Aldi we bought 1x Malted Wheaties @ 79p, 1x Baked beans @ 24p, 1x mackerel fillets in Sun' oil @ 59p, 1x bag Sweet Potatoes @ 49p, 1kg chicken breasts @ £3.82, 1x savoury rice @ 35p and 1x plum tomatoes @ 31p.
From the extras budget we bought 1x 300g Nescafe @ £4.89, 1x Rum, raisin and nut choc @ £1.19 and 1x box variety crackers @ £2.49.
From non-foods budget we bought 1x 200 cotton buds @ 35p.

WED 6TH MAY
DAY 6
Money Spent Today - £0 Vouchers Spent - £0
Money Spent in Total - £15.66 Vouchers Spent in Total - £0
Money left in purse - £2.34 EXTRAS Float left- £4.73/£15
Jan non-foods left- £7.91/£15
NSD

Hope things are getting better with you, Prinzess. I've done some dodgy knitting patterns in the past, too. I can't remember the make but I tried 3 times with one for a baby cardie before I realised it wasn't me.
If this weather doesn't warm up I'll be getting my knitting out again. Far too cold to do anything in the garden for me.

Making a bread and butter pudding for a treat tonight. If the weather wants to pretend its winter still I might as well join in and make a hot pud.

silvasava

Haha - Yes MrsL - can I frame it as an endorsement please?

Cheerful - you've motivated me to start checking on how long it takes me to use certain items. I've done it on some things but now I'm extending it. Bought fabric softener, soda crystals, toilet rolls and kitchen roll in HB and a large squeezy bottle of golden syrup to do treacle tarts ( xxxxx Viv) so I'm going to do a little spreadsheet to keep better track - need to save the pennies for a meet up now!!

cheerfulness4

Hark at you with your tech-wise spreadsheets records, Silva. I'm feeling totally inadequate with my sharpie marker pen dates on everything.

silvasava

Its only 'cos I can't very well write dates on the toilet rolls!

[Deleted User]

I'll sign it if you want me to SS and you can hang it on the wall for all to see xxx.

vhalla1478

Hello again, All,

Had to giggle about using a marker pen on the loo rolls - I'm more boring (and low tech) I write it in my page a day diary.

Silva just mentioned fabric conditioner and it reminded me of something I've wanted to ask Cheerfulness for ages and kept forgetting. Cheerfulness, quite some time back, I think you mentioned that you didn't use fabric conditioner - is there a particular reason? I'm not being nosy, just wanted to know if I'm using something unnecessarily.

And talking of washing, Prinzess, how have you got on with the laundry ball? and I hope you're feeling much better.

My plans went totally awry again for the second time and I spent the day cleaning the house, making soup and doing my rug quota. I'm going shopping after tea with the tribe. I don't normally get the opportunity to shop when there might be YS bargains so will report back later, together with recipe - a winter one if the weather continues like it has been today. Where is all the sunny weather we were promised?

Viv xx

cheerfulness4

silvasava wrote: »

Its only 'cos I can't very well write dates on the toilet rolls!

You have a point there. :rotfl:

Have you done the squash the roll trick so it won't whizz round on the holder yet?
I used to do this when the boys were young but later I came over all Hyacinth Bucket and like my rolls to look plumpcious. (The culprit when it came to using reams has now fled the nest so we're safe!)

It really does help when calculating your budget if you know how much of certain things you'll need, factoring visitors, of course. I find this particularly the case with coffee and loo roll.
In those situations, if its a busy social month, you just have to offset it with a bit of visiting of your own, if you get my meaning.

Must post that pic of my tomatoes. I'm so excited. You'd think no one had ever grown tomatoes before. I'll be unbearable when the cucumbers get going. I ADORE growing those! :j

cheerfulness4

Opps, posts crossed, viv. I stopped using it for two reasons. The first was definitely economy. I realised that the real reason I was personally using it was because I associated the fragrance with clean washing and thought it didn't smell clean without. It was much less to do with the affect it had on softening my clothes. As things got really tough for us at one point I decided I could part with that easier than losing something else.


The second reason was because I suddenly became sensitive to the smells. My neighbour must have used heaps and the overpowering smell made me feel a bit nauseous.
When our situation changed and I could afford it again I found that I didn't like the smell on my clothes anymore and preferred the outdoors smell or even nothing but the washing powder smell.


I'm relieved really as I was spending masses on conditioner and now I have money in that budget to spend on other cleaning products that I think give me better results.
For instance, through trial websites ie, those listed in post one, I was sent Viacal to trial free. Wow! That stuff is amazing and brings up my bathroom like no other product I've tried.
It repels grime and water and smells completely fresh and clean. Now I buy it when its on offer despite it not being the cheapest product out there.
Cleaning products are one area that I can be loyal to brand if I find a good one. Cheapest as we know isn't always the best. (but it can be sometimes. I love Aldi thick bleach @ 49p:D )

silvasava

Cheerful - many years ago i had the foresight to buy a double toilet roll holder. Its just like a chrome bar with caps on each end. The loo roll stays in place by gravity and its so easy to replace the empty ones! A must when you are the only female in the house!
The conditioner I bought today was Morningfresh in Poundlnd - its very concentrated so I dilute it 50/50 - no strong smell 'cos I'm like you Cheerful - prefer the smell of fresh outdoor dried washing (when we can!)
My encouragement of my veg seems to be working as I've just noticed two teeny weeny cucumbers started - I must have scared them lol

vulpix

Hi all,I don't use fabric conditioner either but I have got some which I use on hand wash woolens occasionally.I hardly use any washing powder either and always wash on 30.I find that my clothes are not hard because they are not washed harshly or spun to death.If stuff is actually dirty I soak first in a bucket and may even wash on 40,showin off eh?

Well!! house news.This house is now sold and I have promised the buyers a quick sale.We made an offer on 1 of the houses we viewed. today.Strange set up at the estate agent,reluctant isn't the word.Very off putting.the house is at the back of the main street in the next town to here.Down a little lane that also leads to the park.It is a 3 bed barn conversion.I was surprised OH went for it as there is no storage and not a massive garden for sheds either.It does need a bit of work but the kitchen is ok and I like the carpets and can live with the bathroom.Yet again only grass in the garden.Exactly what I want.Older house in the middle of town but quiet.We shall see,very odd estate agent indeed,nothing like mine who have been fantastic.If we get it I will have to let my baby blue smeg go.Was only from eeeeeeeeeebay but I love it so.Also one of the sofas and the mahoosive wardrobe I just restored.Will find out tomorrow.

Back to real life.I am enhanced CRB just means they haven't caught up with me yet!

I looked on the coach company site and got nowhere.It seems to only tell you if there is a direct route,I would have to change.Perhaps I could drive to MK ,think that would be 3 hours.What time were you thinking of meeting up?
Laters Vx