NST: September: the Turtles go Wombling

The_Only_Girl

Hi all, how's your weekend so far. Mine was spent in bed as I have just finished 3 night shifts in a row and spent most of the last 3 days in zzzzzz land, hence my absence. I will go through your previous posts properly and comment on them later. You've all been busy. I have only today as my rest day and back at work tomorrow on an early shift (7am - 3pm). Not looking forward to it having just come from nights (it's not fun to be a shift worker grrr) but needs must. Then it will be followed by 5 more days of lates 8pm and 11pm finishes.

I haven't had more NSD's as hubby kept coming with a "small shop" during the last 2 days. Not terribly expensive but another NSD would be nice. I am guilty of the same this morning. On my drive home my petrol light came on and I had to stop at sainsbob for a petrol top up. I saw a YS big loaf of bread for 24p and I had to grab one (tut tut). I also went to the SM and picked up some items most of which will give me cashback on shopitise (£3.35 cashback) and Checkout Smart (£1.35) Plus the receipts upload for COS and Clicksnap. I think £4.75 cashback for a £10.40 shop is not bad at all. Have I ever mentioned how OH is so into wombling now as well? He keeps coming home with a handful of receipts which he's picked up from wherever he goes to do a small shop. This is so out of character for him. He used to be a shy but proud man but since we've gone all gazelle intense about the debt repayment, he doesn't care about what people think. It's what stays in or comes into the bank account that matters for him. Result!!!!

Tomorrow will probably be another spend day. We need to attend a birthday party for OH's cousin's teenage daughter (they live 45 minutes away so we don't see each other very often and OH really wants to reconnect with them every chance we get.) I will see if I could find something I could re-gift before I go out and buy.

Mr. Sun decided to appear after a wet and gloomy week. Unfortunately I have no energy to go out and work in the garden. I do hope the weather where you are is good and you could spent your day outdoors.

traveller

apple_muncher wrote: »

nannyg - I hope you do get to have at least some of what you want at Christmas, and do not have to spend it all doing what other people want. Hugs x

Completely agree You deserve it!

Sorry everyone for the whinge yesterday I feel a lot more positive today and have decided I really need to decide what I want, work towards it and get on with it. Moaning is not serving a purpose,lol! There are so many reminders that tomorrow is not promised to anyone and I will aim to give myself constructive criticism and act on it with purpose

Mothernerd,lovely to see you pop in and Bob you really made me laugh. I remember the trying to get up bit. I must make sure I watch that Eating well programme, I've heard it all now, cutting chicken breasts a waste of time....

Welshkitty, I'll give it a go and will proably feel less pressured too, or maybe do it at the end of Dec and take advantage of the pressie markdowns,lol.

Have a wonderful Saturday everyone

stewby

Hi there.

I am here... haven't posted since the beginning as I was on a run of nightshifts (today is my first day off). Have read everyone's posts though and am plotting my plan of action.


I am part of the £1 a day group (both OH and I contribute £1 each)... so we are all prepared for Christmas and have already started buying presents. Sorry if that sounds smug, it comes from a "discussion" with my OH about presents (he expects to receive but not give however that is not how we do it). So the decision was made to have a Xmas pot and each put an equal amount in.


We did have a very very rocky mid - end of August. OH's debt repayments increased by £250 so it threw us a bit. However, with a bit of juggling we are now back on the right path.
OH is now steam rolling into budgetting and hopefully we will BOTH (yes both!!) have our credit cards paid off by the end of December!!
:j

Reading through the opening post, the one thing that really stuck out was why our spending goes out of control... it's due to a lack of lists. We go shopping with no meal plan and no shopping list which means we tend to just throw things in the trolley.
This month we are going to purposefully plan everything food budget related.


We are going to be brave and try for 22 spend-free days. We are trying to be strict with ourselves and only shop on a Tuesday which gives us five spendy days. However, I have decided to give us an extra four days which we have already used one of.
Total SFD so far: 3.


There was an open day at our allotments today. Everyone was absolutely wonderful and very kind. We ended up spending £20 (my dad contributed £10 of it). However... we managed to get 20 strawberry plants as well as lots of different veg, two jars of jam, a jar of marmalade and some blackcurrants.
I feel that, although it sounds like a lot, it was very much worth it. All funds raised were for charity so we also got that lovely "feel good" factor.
:cheesy:

Will have to have a think about meal ideas... the meatball recipe sound lovely. Might have to try that one out... next week when we make the new meal plan of course.


Feeling a bit bad about not commenting specifically on what everyone has posted but I already feel that this is dragging on a bit and rambling.
Hugs to everyone.

academiablues

Evening all! TOG, hope the night shifts went okay. Stewby, hopefully the road will be a bit less rocky from now on
Been in the garden and kitchen most of the day today - taken all the tomatoes bar a few off the vines, as the frosts might be coming soon and I'm not here for the next few weekends. Means I've made 12 (twelve!!!) jars of green tomato chutney today and I've not even scratched the surface of the tomatoes! Going to make a chilli tomorrow and then hope that some of the others ripen so I can make soup and sauce not a NSD as I needed malt vinegar, had everything else though. Happy because Strictly's back tonight so night in front of the telly for me! Hope everyone has had a good Saturday.

Fmess

Afternoon all,

Today is SFD number 4 :j I was going to go do the weekly food shop but then realised that the only thing I need this week is dog food, and that can wait until tomorrow, when I might need to spend anyway as I might go to a local event.

Has anyone tried the Am4zon 'buy a £40 gift card and get £10 free' and it worked? I'm sure someone mentioned it on here. I bought the £40 gift card and I'm hoping my free £10 comes tomorrow. I only did it because I realised that I could buy my dog food cheaply from Am4zon and get it delivered for free. I will need to buy a small bag or two this week to keep the boys going until the big bags arrive.

Today the weather here has been lovely and breezy with some sunshine and I have done plenty of washing and put it out to dry for free I have also packed away all the garden furniture etc for the winter, mowed the lawns and tidied up various bits of the gardens. I now just need to do some school work this afternoon/evening and put the winter quilt on the bed.

I am also feeling grateful as my dog sitter has offered me a free slow cooker and is giving me some clothes that she no longer wears or were gifted to her. I used to have a slow cooker that I didn't use because my ex was never that keen on using it and he was the cook. Now I'm on my own I intend to make full use of it as it'll save me time and help me batch cook

I'd better go and do my school work

mothernerd

Tomatoes will ripen if put away in a brown paper bag. It has worked for me before, when I have put them into a kitchen drawer (think I may have wrapped them in a teatowel). Also had some success (and some failure) putting them in a row on the windowsill. Smaller ones can go along the top if you have a window at the top that opens and the dividing bar is wide/ flat enough (my kitchen ones are, bedroom ones aren't).

Green ones are sweeter, anyway - you could try doing the soup and sauce with green ones.

Calling14

Fmess I got the amazon voucher, the £40 arrived next day in the post and £10 voucher came via email at least 24-30hrs later. Both worked shiny new microwave in my kitchen.

My first Sfd today and sold rabbit hutch £20 up. Determined to get back on track now, house blitzed, had fun afternoon making Olaf cookies with gs, blackberry picking again and grass cut.

Wine and quiet night in felt flu like last few days.

Hope Mothernerd get some good news with yr house. Fmess sounds like a great dog sitter you have. Catch up ltr burning tea

misstara

Today has a been a quiet day, I've mostly been sleeping due to a horrendous hangover. Tea out with the girls last night turned into lots of wine and dancing.

I'm currently heading to the shop to get something for tea and supplies for my shift tomorrow. Then I'll look at my bank and see how much damage last night did.

apple_muncher

academia - could you post your recipe for green tomato chutney, please!

Fmess

Calling14 wrote: »

Fmess I got the amazon voucher, the £40 arrived next day in the post and £10 voucher came via email at least 24-30hrs later. Both worked shiny new microwave in my kitchen.

Damn it, think I did it wrong, as when I went to purchase the £40 I clicked on voucher (which is emailed) instead of the card