Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2016

HOWMUCH

Savingpennies, when I was preparing for early retirement last year I'd been keeping a log of all our expenditure over the previous 12 months 2 regular saving accounts. The annual expenditure figure I added 10% onto it and pay the bills money into account A ( council tax,water,gas,electric,car tax,house insurance,car insurance, mot, car service, all those type of things, things we must pay). I then set up direct debits if I pay no more my paying monthly then this is what I do. House and car insurance is more expensive paying monthly so I pay the annual fee. BUT shop around each year for best deal. Other expenditure account B this is holidays,birthdays,Christmas,hair cuts,petrol,happy cash(treats days out,meals out).
I divided annual expenditure by 12 and set up a monthly payment into account A and B
Food expenditure I get the monthly budget out in cash from our money source account.
Money source account is emptied at the end of each month into a savings account. This is emergency money and renewal items money.
You are right to plan and think ahead for when your earnings are reduced, people have kept saying to me you're lucky to be able to retire at 60. I just smile but my brain is saying no I've been planning for it and still do.
April will soon come, I know my September date did, I'll soon have been retired 5 months, roll in the summer.
Be back later to do my usual MMM post and welcome CH1979

savingpennies

Floss wrote: »

Was that Marton Mere, at the back of the De Vere & Lawsons Field?

Yes, it was. I sort of knew it was there but hadn't realised what a little gem it was. We will certainly be returning.

MrsCD and Howmuch - We've always had two accounts: one for bills and one for other spending. This morning I've opened a Tesco 3% account and will start to squirrel money away in that to pay for insurances/car/birthday/dentist/optician.
MrsCD - I've looked at all the DD and cancelled a few last month. You do forget what you are forking out for. Next job is to monitor what we watch on Sky to see if that is worth keeping up.
Howmuch - Yes, we've been planning for a while. OH semi retired at 56, just taking on jobs he fancied. But at 60 last year he packed work in all together. I'm off on ill health at the moment but already my health has improved enormously since I've been off.

Ch1979

Thanks everyone for the welcome and some inspiration for the scarves (my friend asked me to make her a roll up shopper bag so that's one down! Plus a bit of income) Great ideas...
Also trawling through previous posts and this really tickles the inventive side of me. Just have to make sure I don't "destroy it myself" when I mend stuff.

nicki_2

Thanks for the ideas. Unfortunately its a kingsize blanket so a coat is out of the question and the way our dog sheds it'd be pointless having cushions on the sofa. I'll keep thinking as its cream with thick green stripes across the ends which I'd like to incorporate if I can.

mrs-moneypenny

Afternoon all
Went out to see my mum today, she had a lump minimised from her hand so we made sure she got home and settled ok.
Have just minimised the last from a bottle of sherry while we wait for the him veggie lasagne to cook then I'll do some knitting while we watch a couple of things we missed last night on catch up.

Hope all are well.

I think the blanket sounds lovely I'd be tempted to keep it as a settee throw to snuggle in on cold evenings

Ch1979

nicki wrote: »

Thanks for the ideas. Unfortunately its a kingsize blanket so a coat is out of the question and the way our dog sheds it'd be pointless having cushions on the sofa. I'll keep thinking as its cream with thick green stripes across the ends which I'd like to incorporate if I can.

You could use it to reupholster chairs or stools, ottomans etc. Use the ends to incorporate into a scarf, edging on a throw or even make a bag? You could see waterproof backing the other side and have as your official family picnic blanket? Or how about a wall hanging if you or someone you know is arty? Gloves, slippers and socks, bed runner, headboard recover, toys. There's loads of material so you could use for multiple projects.

Ch1979

Christmas stockings!

silvasava

MrsCD & Howmuch - I think I've probably mentioned this before. DH & I take out a credit card with zero interest on purchases. I then pay all my big bills like insurances, road tax, car servicing on it. I tot up how much they cost the previous year and divide by 12 and pay that amount by standing order to the CC. It saves us having tight months when some bills arrive together. I've done this now for the last 3 years & its worked well for us.

wildthing01

Haven't posted for a while, super busy as usual, but had a few days off this week, and am quite pleased with myself as have:

Minimised (with DD's permission!) yet more kids' toys, and got another small stash now to go on ebay or to CS. Interestingly, the toys are mostly electronic-based ones that had been asked for as XMas pressies and looked good on TV but actually weren't as much fun in real life, while the old non-electronic toys (lego and playmobil etc) are still going strong and are played with every day!

Made do by altering a top of DD's - she never wore it as the buttons on the cuffs were uncomfortable, so have removed them and sewn the cuffs up instead. Was pleased too today as she wore a skirt I made for her out of a pair of shorts that she also found uncomfortable (the bit between her legs) - she prefers it as a skirt and it's had its first outing today!

Yesterday made myself some home-made sweet potato soup - although I cook a lot (mainly pasta etc) have never made soup before. I didn't really follow a single recipe as didn't have all the ingredients for any of the ones I found, so just followed the basics and made up the rest: sauteed onions and sweet potato with bit of chilli powder, added veg stock, whizzed till smooth and added dollop of soft cheese. Have not tried it yet, it's frozen into portions, hope it's alright! If it is, will do this regularly (and with different veggies) as for me this is an easy way to get one of my 5 a day, which I usually struggle with.

Also roasted a beef joint (again, I don't usually do roasting) and sliced it up for DH's lunches this week, to have with bit of salad/coleslaw - he's needing to eat more healthily and we thought home-made roast beef slices would be better than preservative-filled shop-bought cold meats and it's worked out cheaper too.

Best of all, we have made do with moving our too-small dining table up to DS's room for a desk (now that he's getting homework from school - and he's only in infants!). We do now of course need to replace the dining table, but we needed to anyway, so keeping a look out on ebay. In our old house we had one far too large, so sold it and replaced with much smaller one, but went too far the other way as this one really is too small when we have family round etc, so need something in between, that is extendable I think.

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

I am trying not to fall asleep early evening and then be reading this at 4 am which is what I did yesterday (well - early this morning then) instead when I have felt dozy infront of the TV I have trid to give myself chores to 'get out of the way' - which dont require any decisions or brain power!:p So tonight I have: cleaned my boots; filed some paperwork; put clean covers on the bed; relined the kitchen bin; put on some incense (which I have wanted to do a) cos it smells nice and b) cos I need to use up my stash before I move - how much I ve got is ridiculous!) moved around money from purse to purse (Im going shopping tomorrow so Im getting purse loaded and list in ready to go.

House is tidier and I feel I have accomplished something tonight!

Make do: cooked tea from stuff I had in after saying to myself 'oh I ve got nothing in for tea!!' also did the same for breakfast - no I hadnt got the usual ingredients in for my oat toasted museli. But I did have oats + almonds and cashews (rather than pecans and walnuts) + dried apricots, dried blueberries,dates (rather than sultanas and raisins). Tut - this thread has changed me - previously I would have gone over budget and nip to local shop for stuff!
Mend: well cleaning my boots mended the scuffs on them!
Minimise: hopefully me as i went for another walk today + some of my more obscure dried fruit stash!!
Gotta go shopping tomorrow because I need loo roll! (second time this month!) Frugalling onward!
Nite all