NST; January Challenge- The Money Saving Game

liltdiddylilt

I keep thinking I will have a bash at making a pie, but the blind baking is what puts me off! I have seen ceramic peas in the supermarket so might get some on offer sometime or find some online or in the works.

Bobarella Him grew up in a household where money equates love. His mum has often told me it will take her another twenty years to pay off the first twenty years of his life. He had designer EVERYTHING. Birthdays and Christmas had a standard £500-700 price tag. For an only child. And she works minimum wage as a carer and his dad worked mainly odd jobs as a bouncer and such like. So they didn't exactly have much money. She is doing it for both him and Jelly now. I despair, as I know they are in a lot of debt and have debt collectors at the door taking regular payments each week. My friends mum at school was the same. "Jam on table" she calls it. Because when they walk out of the house they look the bees knees, but they live on jam sandwiches to keep it up!

Not a SFD. Going to go away and do my totals tonight and come back and post up in all its truly horrifying glory lol.

mothernerd

lilt dried peas will work as well as the bought ceramic beans.

WelshKitty85

Evening everyone!

DD had a frozen theme birthday party last year. Everything was done to a budget including the homemade cake. It was a 2 tier white and blue design with an upside down goldfish bowl on the top to look like a snow globe. Food was all home cooked and spent £1 on some loo roll for a game. They all had a great time! If we had spent any more on the party then DD wouldn't have had a present and to be honest I don't think kids really notice, as long as they all have fun that all that matters.

Today has been a SFD. Have finished and handed in both assignment. I'm determined to make a start on the next lot this week so it's not another last minute panic next time.

Just about to make tonight's meal, which will be bolognaise. Will see if I can bulk the mince out enough to have some let for wraps tomorrow.

Today I am grateful for:
This round of assignments being over and done with.
DH making me lunch when I was tearing my hear out and going cross eyed reading from a computer screen about Marxist feminism!
i can spend this evening with children now assignments are done.

Bobarella

Lilt - I feel so sorry for all these people who try to live that way. It must be so stressful to keep up appearances. I do feel generally the tide is turning though don't you? More and more people seem to be seeing the light. Maybe why the Not Buying It thread is so popular on MSE.

Thrifty - I just keep mine in a jar for next time. I wouldn't try to eat them.

thriftylass

We call it spam valley. Where people have Mercs infront of the house, wear designer clothes etc but live of tins of spam.


Going the easier route. Found some ancient ready rolled puff in the back of my freezer but will definitely try it next time

mothernerd

Don't feel I have achieved a lot today except I can nearly see all the bed (it was a foot deep in places). Must give myself credit for ticking a few tedious jobs off the list. Also not spent anything.

Today I am grateful for continuing improvements in my health - can stand on one leg using the operated leg, walking further all the time, knee lifting a little, for this place in all its infinite variety (just received a slightly weird pm from someone who had just insulted someone else on one of my threads) and my bed (going back there in a minute as have spent so long trying to sort change of addresses through stupid websites, my back is aching).

Bobarella

Thrifty - nothing wrong with a bit of puff pastry. Spam valley & jam on the table. Both new terms on me, but we're all singing from the same song sheet I'd say.

Fmess

traveller - have you tried looking on gumtr33 or prel0ved for a kitten. I've always had my animals from rescues or friends but a friend of mine has always got her kittens from her local gumtr33 page (or she used to get them out of the paper). She said she just looks for an advert from someone who lives in a nice area and makes sure she gives them a good flea and worm treatment when she collected them.


Today has been a spendy day as OH needed bread for sandwiches tomorrow and its the norm to buy cakes for work when its your birthday so thought I'd better get them in for tomorrow. No exercise and had a jacket potato from the canteen, so that's 3 for 3 not achieved However tutoring started again today, so another bit of money off the debt

Synonymous

Hey everyone, lots of ups and downs over the last few pages, hope everyone is doing ok.

I'm up to 19 NSDs now and doing well with the budgets, although this month has been extremely frugal for me and next month will have some spends and outings to budget for.

I split up with my boyfriend at the weekend, which is really sad but was the right thing for us to do. I've been doing ok, but just had a little cry as I thought I would have a quick look at a dating website and it reminded me of the downside of online dating, the judgement and weirdos and self-marketing that I can't face doing at the moment, and the cost of dating as you say. I feel worse about the fear of not finding the right person for me than I do about the break-up, I guess that's some kind of conditioning that when you're single you're somehow incomplete. Even though I don't believe that rationally, it seems to pop into my mind unbidden. The positive to come from this is that I've decided to focus on myself for a while and not look online again, my research started this week and that is a big enough relationship right now

Things I am grateful for:
- meditation and mindfulness, which has helped me accept the sad truth that the relationship should end, and made me brave enough to speak up for myself.
- People agreeing to take part in my research without any personal benefit to them.
-Having friends and family I can rely on and that I truly cherish.

liltdiddylilt

Syn I am sorry to hear that. Obviously not the right one for you. Give yourself a space between people. I found it was only when I stepped away from the relationships (with a hugely broken heart) that I finally, after a couple of months found ME. I had spent the previous 10+ years being part of an us, and had no idea who I was on my own or what I enjoyed or liked to do. Now I have a Him (same old one recycled with the worst bits battered out) and I still find time to be me. I an no doormat any more, and I can be perfectly happy and content by myself. Moreover, if it doesn't work; I know I will be fine

I am grateful for:
-Knowing people on MSE who never fail to make me feel humble and inspired by their generosity and creativity
-Escaping antibiotics to fight another day on my own, and the same for Jellytot
-Knowing the value of time spent over money spent. £100 of toys is not worth 20 minutes of running around a park in the cold, wrapped up like snowmen and climbing, sliding and swinging until we are breathless