Nst; fearless february

thriftylass

liltdiddylilt wrote: »

SFD #3/15 today. Leek and potato soup for lunch (*homemade) and chorizo and butterbean soup tonight. I've had a banana as well but am struggling slightly with my fruit so will have to start eating raw carrot etc to up my intake! I guess I am getting my *5* a day with the tomato etc I have in a lot of things but 7, probably not!
WTW completed... in the ice rink that was Kent this morning. Frightening!!
LTW as said, leek and potato soup with homemade cheese scones

Hope everyone has a lovely Wednesday. We are over the hump now!! xx

We had the same lunch today .

Check out what counts. I find it relatively easy (muesli/cereal with raisins and fresh fruit 1+2, potato and leek soup 3, an apple and an orange 4+5, a selection of roast veg with dinner 6+7 obv not counting the potatoes, plus the odd grape etc at home). Even tomato puree, half an onion etc count which I have in most meals. Take pasta with HM tomoato sauce, that could be 2-3 portions alone esp if you add some more veg like peppers, courgette. I think unless you live of meat and potatoes it is easy to get at least 5 if not 7 a day as pretty much anything counts even pulses.

Samiszel

Finally have time to post!

Set your DFD (Debt Free Day) - Currently debt free
Aim for 15 SFD (Spend Free day or No Spend day) OK!
Food budget should be set realistically (ideally at same level as last month or lower unless you have extra mouths to feed). Mine is £50. Base your purchases around basics range and yellow stickered items. £120 for the month
You will NOT use any of the following; takeaways, restaurants, cafes, work canteens, vending machines, Starbucks, Costa, Nero or any other chain cafe! :eek: Fine!!
Lunch to work everyday and plan for appointments and days out. Shouldn't be a problem now I have my amazing slow cooker!
Travel budget – petrol or public transport for work, leisure, hospital appointments. Can you walk/cycle? Can you combine journeys – shopping/ work/ gym? Petrol - £20
Healthy eating – up your fruit and veg. If you are already getting your 5 a day (if not why not?) go for 7. Will make you feel better (especially if free or ys) and may help ward off all those annoying bugs which come with the changing seasons. Really should focus on this as I often struggle to get even 1.
Make a food bank donation (choose your own amount). OK
Exercise 5 times a week, newbies and poorlies start with 10 minutes a day, get outdoors wherever possible. Oki doke!

abundant1972

Hi all,

Congrats too on the new job debtdrowninglondongirl - that's brilliant news!

I had issues with my boiler too stewby when i moved in - got that sorted, only to find the bath only runs tepid water and the mixer valve apparently has stuck!!! Grrr. Getting it looked at tomorrow.

Well - managed 2/15 SFD so far. Realised i needed a re-prescription so had to splash out on that, and accidently bought some bargain joss sticks when I was out and a few bits of food.

Totals updated. Keep up the good work folks x

WelshKitty85

Good evening everyone!

It's interesting to read how people organise the family finances. I was brought up thinking it was the norm for couples to have a joint account and share all the finances, so that's automatically what me and DH have done from pretty much the day we moved in together. I know lots of people now though who keep them completely separate. I think we would find it hard to have separate finances now, especially with DH not working at the moment and going in and out of agency work. I tend to take control of the finances though and DH tends to check things out with me before spending. I think if he was in charge of finances we would be in a lot more debt now!

Lilt I completely understand what you mean about the presents. Since DH has been out of work presents for his parents have come from my wages. At times like Xmas they always used to buy presents for everyone except me and say they had run short of money and would give me something in the new year - which they never did. I never said anything as I didn't want to come across as selfish but I always felt a bit left out and like I wasn't wanted in there house at Xmas. This year though I got 4 separate presents from them so I think they are trying to make up for it!

I have been completely disorganised again today. Rushed out of the house without breakfast and dinner. Luckily I had a cereal bar and pack of noodles left in my emergency stash in work. Not had a scrap of fruit and veg all day though and even though we stuck to meal plan, tonight's meal was not particularly healthy. I need to do weekly shop on Friday so will aim to get back onto sw after that. MagicCat I don't go to group either but have the books that a lovely friend picked up for me. Even if I don't stick to it 100% it's got to be better than what I'm eating now!

It has been a SFD today.

I almost forgot to mention, I have had some money just appear in my bank account and don't know where it has come from. It says ipa loans control. Does anyone know what this means? It's gone into an account that I just use for transferring money to and from savings so I don't see how a refund for anything could have gone into it. It's a nice little boost for my savings but would be nice to know where it has come from.

Dizzy_Imp

Congratulations debtdrowninglondongirl - brilliant news! I bet you're celebrating :j

I managed a SFD today - sadly the first one this month for me, but the next few days are looking good.

Spent half an hour sweeping leaves in the garden. Just debating if I can bank 15 minutes of it to "use" tomorrow

Made a really yummy honey, garlic and soy chicken dish with noodles for dinner this evening. I cooked loads, hoping for some leftovers for lunch tomorrow, but SS polished off his peaceful and a second helping, so none left. Bonus is that he filled himself up too much to manage all the plum crumble, so I've got that to look forward to instead

Got a glass of Shiraz and snuggled up with my boys next to the woodburner - life is good x

nannygladys

Hi all

Sfd no. 4 achieved, I should have gone shopping today but ran out of time so I'll do it tomorrow.

The other targets haven't changed either. I walked to SW so that was today's exercise and my 15mins to myself was spent visiting a friend which turned into an hour and a half!!!

Back to work tomorrow so made some veggie soup, for today's lunch and tomorrow's and cooked a bean and sausage casserole to last the next two days. For Friday's lunch I will take hard boiled eggs as I have a glut of them.

Sticking to menu plan of which I'm proud of because I don't eat very healthy but between SW and the menu plan it seems to be going well. Anyway off for a lurk elsewhere before I go to bed, have an early morning shift tomorrow so need an early night, long gone are the days I can burn the candle at both ends lol

Nannyg

LoveaDove

Hello, Lovelies!

SFD Numero 3 for me today. Less stressful day at work today so no stressed out spends here!

Have spent 15 minutes this evening printing out statements and filing them neatly away- I am about 3 months behind. Seems like a daft job, but I like to know that they are printed, filed and to hand if ever needed.

Loads of fruit and veg consumed today. I believe I easily hit the 7/7 today! Lots of fruit at breakfast and lunch, salad at lunch, veg with dinner and fruit with dessert.

Still no word on the uni application, I keep checking my emails religiously throughout the day. There's that little voice in my head that is trying to knock my confidence, but I am trying to ignore it. Without being given a specific time scale for a decision regarding my application I feel a little in limbo!

Should really focus on my next steps as to where I am going to live in the very near future as my housemate's sale of the house progresses (but with no moving out date). I did have a quick look at rent a room sites which did not lead to anything particularly fruitful. I think my issue is renting a room from somebody I do not know as I have always rented with friend's or partner's. So many unknowns, I need to start taking the reigns and getting some control back!

Positives for today:

*Less stressful day at work.
* Although starting early at work it was lovely to get home early and whilst it was still light for a change!
*Hiding under my fluffy blanket and being warm on such cold evenings.

mothernerd

Very interesting discussion on shared/split finances especially poor treatment by in/out-laws. All your food sounds great, it's making me hungry.

Not had a great day. No NSD as bought a choc bar and crisp for 90p. The boys have polished off all the apple crumble and carrot cake and not replenished the stocks yet. I have been eating raw carrots all day but caved in the end. Still bothered by the questions from yesterday, brought up things I would rather not let out of their box.

However I have not struggled through the last year to let depression take me down now so fighting back. Squirted on some perfume, ate my treats and also gave in to putting the heating on. Hot baths and long walks help but they are both off the agenda atm. Fell asleep shortly after putting the heating on so going to be kinder to myself tomorrow. if putting the heating on means I can work through the list of cooking I have planned, it will be worth it.

Did 15+ minutes litter picking in the yard and the backs as thought grumpiness might make me stomp around rather than walk and think stomping is not good for new or old hips.

Trying to think of a couple of treats for tomorrow. I brought a pot of soil and a couple of seed trays back from the other house, so might get my seeds planted (2 trays and a mushroom box worth anyway). Will try for an early night and a good sleep.

See you tomorrow turtles.

mothernerd

Today I am grateful for clear skies on a bitterly cold day, for good books to read and my lovely double layering of quilts (yes fully clothed under the bed clothes again and wondering whether to go get the panda hat - if I ever got a burglar he'd run away screaming).

apple_muncher

I made my own special version of salmon fishcakes and thus far they have provided me with 8 meals! :j Guess I'm lucky not to be easily bored by the same food - but they are yummy!

I'm aiming to eat veg and not fruit - but am struggling with where the chocolate should be allocated - and want to get 10+ per day. Veg, not choccie bars! It does require a modicum of planning, so I ensure my soups always comtain 5+ for starters.


Today I am grateful for the chemist getting dd's prescription stuff in so quickly, for nectar points giving me 'free' shopping, for Monopoly, for lovely fabric to cut up to make bunnies, for just 3 more sleeps until dh gets home.