NST; January Challenge- The Money Saving Game

liltdiddylilt

Fmess... Jelly on the sofa. I have seen this twice. And both were in the last week when she was down with what I now have. Now that she is coming out of it... the most lying down I get from her is when she throws a strop, and lies down on the floor kicking and screaming.. :rotfl: I would be fine if it wasn't for the cough

I have made a big loaf of bread and a huge tomato, red pepper, cannellini bean & lentil soup. Dinner sorted for tomorrow and not a roast in sight. Soup will last through work this coming week and next

traveller I am so sorry but laughing away at mousegate. Yay to a kitten, but I am with DD on this one. Little creatures & really rather adorable. xx

Fmess

Afternoon everyone

It's so quiet on here, you tell it's the end of the month :rotfl:

Successful day so far; been to the gym and did a proper session on the treadmill, I'm on a fasting day so made lunch for today and tomorrow, just about to do a bit of cleaning and dog walking.

Hope everyone has had a nice day

shyspender

Thought I'd pop my head in quickly. Just got back from a lovely night in Lyme Regis. Surprise number two for the OH's birthday. The first one was me turning up a day earlier than planned. Simple things. Lyme Regis was lovely. We had a nice walk along the beach and round the Cobb.

Walked up and down the massive hill two times and had a lovely meal in a little Italian restaurant. My feet were killing me. I've walked eleven and a half miles i the last three days. OH has just bought me some walking shoes to save wearing my feet out. The rest of today will involve snuggling and enjoying the last day of my visit.

Debtdrowninglondongirl

Happy Sunday everyone.

This weekend has been a bit spendy as one of my friends is moving to the US so had a leaving party and I did quite a large food shop to last me a couple of weeks at Lidl (so no branded products) nor have I found any great discounted items yet... I am on the hunt! - am starting to hit my budgets now.

Although do think I will hit my no spend days this week now. I am on 14 (inc. today) and think tomorrow could be a spend free day too.

Positives today are:

1) I have had over 1,000 views of my blog since starting in September!
2) Spent a lovely weekend with a group of friends
3) am proud of how I am controlling my money for this month and how motivated I feel to do this forever now.

mothernerd

Sorry for lack of check-in yesterday - laptop has lurgy. What is usually an occasional occurence is happening 9 times out of ten, every time I try to move from page to page. Thought yesterday was going to be spendy as DS3 needed pasta, but he went to sleep. Couldn't get beyond my user page later on.

Today I went to buy his pasta (it's the last week of the month so usually start to stock up using next month's budget, if that's any help welshkitty). The wholewheat kg bags are still 98p so bought three.

YS goods included 4 leeks for 40p and spring greens (love them with chilli or curry) 29p instead of 68p (not great but better than full price. Also got a couple of things I really shouldn't including 4 cream eclairs for 47p (will have to come out of the £20 mum gave me for my birthday but am trying to save £5 for a cs cardi and £10 for drinks for cousin's birthday bash).

However my best bargain was an offer not a YS. My favourite low fat cheese spread was on offer at 87p. Sometimes I can get it for £1 or 2 for £2.50 (different offers) but mostly £1.50 to £1.87 at most supermarkets. So I bought 8 tubs, all they had on the shelves, which should get me through February and March. Usually I have to compromise and buy 1 or 2 and fill up with other types of spread (cheese spread and yoghurt make up my daily dairy fix - got to keep my other bones healthy). Hard cheese is a very occasional treat.

Made bacon soup, curried rice salad and turkey stew yesterday. Have eaten all the soup, started on the stew. Didn't think it was one of my best but it improved -can taste all the goodness from the veg in the broth. Aim to do more cooking and baking and have a jumper to mend (brought elastic for the cuffs back from mum's, found 'mending thread' at the bottom of the embroidery box).

Also saving money on my outfit for going to cousin's birthday meal. Was worried that although I will be off crutches by then, thick tights would be too difficult to get on and might rub against my scar. The two long skirts I have are both past their best. Yesterday I tried my black linen trousers. They fit and I can get them on without assistance, so can wear my 'best' dress (it's fitted' then looser from the waist so hides a multitude of sins). So only need a cardi - had already decided to retire my summer cardi but was planning to make a replacement but can't use the machine yet.

Going to try for more YS bargains in the week - I have some meat so will try for veg and top up the bread - could have got 4 seeded 'genius' soft rolls for 57p but can probably do better. Should be able to get to Tessimo's this week.
Lilt please try to look after yourself, congrats welshkitty, abundant great to have you back, but not great that you are in debt again - don't give your debt free symbol back, just work hard to make it true again.

Bobarella

Hi Everyone

Got back from work about an hour ago. Pooped. For the 4th day in a row I have managed to not spend a penny of my own money on food. This has been possible through spending nectar points, a brand match coupon I found, roadkill & the amazing £7.50 I have made in tips this weekend. Plus the odd leftover from work (stale pastries, bread ends) all goes down the same way, am I right
It has led to a jumble of meals but not fussy so long as my family have full bellies. I am putting in for slightly over the 50p best bargain, but still worth a mention - 26 frozen cocktail sausages in Mr Ts freezer section for 72p. Has just fed 3 of us as part of a main meal & enough left for Mr Bob to take in a sandwich for work. They have more I may go back....

Today was also NSD 14/18 so I should hit it by saturday yippee!

Edited as have just made another debt overpayment of £50 using the focus group money. So thats £60 in overpayments on top of the £110 I started off paying off. Next month I ought to be able to kick it under £5k just on standard repayments. Which makes me feel cheerful. Thanks for reading

I have been grateful for generous people tipping me.
For my focus group finally paying up - £50 in my paypal today
For my lovely husband doing both days of childcare so I can work & earn for us this weekend. He is blooming brilliant.

Bob

Bobarella

shyspender wrote: »

Thought I'd pop my head in quickly. Just got back from a lovely night in Lyme Regis. Surprise number two for the OH's birthday. The first one was me turning up a day earlier than planned. Simple things. Lyme Regis was lovely. We had a nice walk along the beach and round the Cobb.

I grew up in the west country & love Lyme Regis, but havent been there in 20 years. Do they still have the little aquarium at the end of the Cobb? We used to go out fishing for spratts on a boat out of Lyme. We always had some for tea when we did. Rolled in flour & fried for tea that night, then some for the freezer. Like whitebait but a tiny bit bigger.

Calling14

Hope all having a lovely weekend and Lilt your feeling better.
Had a horrible sore throat last few days and no energy.

Today usual dog walks and bored home alone. So went and visited local factory outlet and treated myself to a roast dinner. I could not face mince I had defrosted which looked brown. Tomorrow I will start dreaded diet. It was last pig out, raided coins out of jar tut tut.

Popped into Lidls on way home,fruit and some veg.Needed washing liquid.

Loveadove going to try and avoid supermarkets this week plus tend to just use Lidls who never have any major reduced items. Always used to pop in Co op. They always had great reductions Sunday night.

Mothernerd had lovely cardigans £6 in primark.

Going to behave this week. No spending except bread. Wish I had a breadmaker and a heavy pan - want to make marmalade.

sazzlebgood

nsd today. Forgot to mention yesterday that the course provide a cold buffet and at the end there was loads of leftovers, quite sad really all that food going to waste:eek:. So i asked the leader if i could take the chicken(over 20) legs home for the dog. Dog very happy as once stripped off the bone its fed her for 2 days:j. Another course on saturday so whats ever left i'm going to bring back for the dog, saves me some money. Had a lovely walk with the girls and oh. Still eating out the freezer so food budget well within limit this month. Makes up for last month when i really over spent.:mad:
1)DD1 enjoyed her friends birthday sleepover and she behaved herself
2)A supportive OH who told me to go to bed this pm when i had migraine
3) free food

Charly27

Hi all I've spent the last three quarters of an hour plus trying to catch up with all the ups and downs of everyone's life. I've been a naughty turtle and need to log on everyday otherwise I miss so-o-o much. You are an inspirational bunch so try to remember that when you feel bad. On the 19th January I was up to 10 SFD's; I'd like to add another 3 to that so 13 to date in January.
My 3 things I am grateful for are:

1. DH driving us back safely from our friend's B & B
2. Feeling better; 3 days off work last week high temperature and NO voice but now I'm well YEAH and without antibiotics - lucky me
3. A warm home

Have a good night one and all:)