NST: May the odds be ever in your favour!

Fmess

Stewby - well done on your budgets and showing your family that they can save money

Samiszel - how do you eat for so little? I struggle meet £160 a month for the 2 of us, and the cat and dogs have a separate food budget. I don't think we eat extravagantly and OH doesn't even eat breakfast.

Today is going to be another spendy day and think the rest of the week will be too OH has demolished a loaf of bread and 2.5 days so we need to buy another for his lunches this week.

Weather here is cloudy and disappointing but the washing is on the line and we're going to take the dogs out for walks soon.

Bobarella

Hi guys
Just checking in with NSD 18. I've been at work all day so no temptations there. I have my in laws staying who very kindly brought a chicken and salad with them for tea so I've just been able to walk in and sit down to eat. Marvellous!
Hope everyone is well.
Bob

WelshKitty85

Hi all!

Work for me today, but it was so quiet that I decided to take half a days leave and finished at lunch time. Children have been happy playing out with friends and shooting empty plastic bottles in the garden with a bow and arrow set from the pound shop. I'm back in work tomorrow but will then have 4 days off. We are planning on going to a nearby park for an organised 'play day' if the weather is good enough and may also do movies for juniors at the cinema one day. Once this week is over with we will be on final countdown to the holiday and cannot wait!

Calling14

Hi everyone. I am in kid at Xmas excited mode.
Off to London tomorrow 2 more sleeps to Fleetwood Mac.

Thanks messymare for trying to justify my max dress, I have one in wardrobe which is alright but this one looks fab. My daughter is amazed I am going to wear a dress rather than go in rock chick outfit.

On second glass of wine as finding 2 nights away is traumatic, rabbit sitter let me down last minute. Dog in kennels just come into season at 13!! rabbit refusing to eat. Anyway found a rabbit sitter bit deaf and had been drinking, hoping Henri still alive come Thursday.

Wondering why I am gettingsuch an early train, can see next few days costing a lot. Bought croissants in lidls for journey will buy a coffee.

Calling14

Welshkitty. Think your kiddies maybe too young but poster on dog walk - tree identification day 27th May need to pre book council local.

My food budget at 100 seems high, Stewby I need help. To be honest I find cooking for 1 boring. Endured lasagne two nights running. I do feed my drop in kids as well. My food cupboards and freezer look as if they may last June out.

Right excited off to bed, catch up Friday xx

WelshKitty85

Calling thank you. Will look up details in work tomorrow.

wishus

Hey everyone, hope you had a good bank holiday!


Well, my trip to Shropshire was not the fantastic showcase opportunity I had envisaged. In fact, the people were horrible, and I don't think I gelled at all well with the person I wanted to impress, so that's any future opportunities out of the window for me there. But I cracked on with some creative writing to exorcise the bad mojo I was feeling this morning. Also, the town was pretty and I had a nice time with OH, so it wasn't a total waste of my time.


In addition, it has given me and OH a bit of time together to talk about the things we value and enjoy together, and what I would like us to aim for in terms of our financial freedom. I have had some ideas about what we can do eventually when the debt is paid, and some plans for a business that will need fleshing out. A long way off yet, but what is great is that we are a little closer aligned in our thinking now.


Today, we tried to go to a local Buddhist centre for a cuppa, but apparently there's a big festival on, so it was closed. Instead, we walked down the road to a stately home, and though we didn't pay to get in to look at the house and gardens, we had fun walking round all the bits we could get to for free, including the church and boating lake, where we spotted some oak apples, and OH boldy (foolishly) thought he'd taste one because he didn't know what they were. Clue: not apples! :rotfl:


...at least they're not poisonous. I jolly wouldn't touch them though! :eek:


Because it's run by a charity, we bought a cuppa from their tea room. Seemed only right. The grounds were heaving with so many chestnut trees in bloom, I think we'll have to head back there in September!


Made a great Weight Watchers Chinese pork with green beans and rice dish for tea. Nice to know I can create food that is healthy and cheap. I was very impressed by Stewby's tale, and Samiszel, I'm the same as you with just me OH and 2 cats. I currently budget for £150, but maybe I can take it a little lower. Or at least try to!

The_Only_Girl

Hi all. Just came back from a weekend in Berwick. As expected the whole weekend was not spend free, although we kept the spending to the minimum. We managed to stay away from any form of take aways. All meals were home-cooked (well, caravan cooked really). We only popped in to Aldee and Asda to pick up some necessities which I have forgotten to pack. We did a lot of walking during the weekend or chillaxing in the caravan (much needed as my hubby and I worked flat out prior to the weekend.). The kids weren't up to swimming as the pool was extremely busy due to the school holidays. We visited the car boot and bought some books or games to keep them entertained during the weekend. The boys received £2 allowance for the car boot visit and they were as happy as Larry with their car boot finds. I bought myself some books and a nice fabric all for £2. The best buy has to be DS2's coat (SuperDry) for only £5 (with a herb pot included). He lost his coat in school just before the school broke up (this was his nth coat that he lost and never found). Because of this bad habit, we only buy him his coats in carboots, charity shop or the big sale and he doesn't mind.

On the way home, we decided to take the coastal route back to Gateshead revisiting Bamburgh, Seahouses, and Amble. It cost us a bit of petrol due to the scenic route but it finished off the holiday quite nicely. When we got the Amble we couldn't resist the charms of the local ice cream shop (spent £14 for the 4 of us with 2 scoops of ice cream each). We thought we would pick up some fish and chips as well before heading home but DS1 said we'll just eat at home. (How very MSE is he?). I cooked us a heavy breakfast before checking out of the caravan so we weren't really hungry and I also cooked a meal ready to eat when we got home, so we were glad of the suggestion to skip the fish and chips and head back home. There was another car boot in Amble and we picked up some books and CD's (spent only £4 in total) and the parking was free. That stop over in Amble didn't cost us more than £20.

We also decided to pass by Royal Quays outlet centre to pick up DS1's shoes. We reckoned since we were in the area, passing by the shops would save us the petrol and toll fee coming back some other time. We found the shoes! And it's within budget as well at £29.99 in Clarks.

Got home, unpacked, did 3 loads of laundry and ate the food I cooked in the caravan for dinner,

Even though it was a spendy weekend, I think we did well in any areas. Hubby and I are both off the rest of the week and we are planning to tackle the spring cleaning and diy projects we've been putting off. With this I bid you good night. Will catch up on your debt busting stories later in the week. Night night all!

The_Only_Girl

Oh I forgot to say we got a voucher for a free cup of coffee courtesy of Clarks. In the past I would have just ignored it, but MSE taught me to use every opportunity to spend nothing or spend less.

apple_muncher

tog - that sounds like one absolutely wonderful weekend! I had to laugh at only buying coats for ds2 from car boots, etc - but to get a herb pot thrown in is pure genius!

I'm off to Lunnun town today with dd - am working on doing the 'experiences not things' side of life. Have printed out my 2ofr 1 voucher as dd wants to go to the zoo. Just need to pack lots of food (2 coeliacs here so cannot rely on being able to buy food when out) and off we'll trot. Guess I should let dd wake up first...