New here and really need to sort myself out(please move if in wrong place)

cheel

Morning.

I dont kbow about you Gemma, but this money saving journey (we started about the same time i think) seems to be having a knock on effect through the rest of my house. I've sorted all the kitchen cupboards, defrosted the fridge freezer and the other freezer, sorting through my sons too small PJ's for cleaning cloths and so on. Did that happen to you tiddlywink?

It feels to me that money saving and being organised go together!!

Here's to keeping it up and going even further!

I'm hoping to start sorting out things to sell next. But that will have to wait a bit till my sons birthday parties are out of the way. I think tho that I will start investigating selling sites on face book, ebay anywhere else I can find. I can think of a few bits and bobs I have in the loft, I wish I could drive as I think now the summer is getting underway a car boot might be the best option to start with!

Have a great day!

Cheel xx

maman

gemmajenkins0208 wrote: »

Now, as I take a quick glance into the cupboards/fridge/freezer, all I see is the handful of tubs of ice cream. But this may prove useful if the weather stays nice!

gemmajenkins0208 wrote: »

Will continue with the using up theme and have some ice cream for dessert after

You've confused me gemma (easily done;)) but are the cupboards and freezer now empty (except for ice cream) or are you still using things up. I don't mean stuff like sauces and spices but ingredients for meals.


I completely agree with writing a plan and only buying essentials. I'd also suggest that you don't buy snacks out of the family food money. You seem to have fairly substantial meals including puddings so I'd suggest anyone who wants to eat between meals buys them themselves out of their own 'pocket money' rather than the family budget. It'll concentrate the mind and may help your brother's GF lose weight. To begin with you'll probably have to buy meat on 3 for £10 or in Aldi/Lidl to get the best value but if you see anything YS that can be frozen then go for it.

Rachel2016

These guys have minimalisim and minimal living down to a T

Search 'The minimalists' on google - first web page

You may find their blogs and podcasts useful, many do, including myself.

Tiddlywinks

cheel wrote: »

I dont kbow about you Gemma, but this money saving journey (we started about the same time i think) seems to be having a knock on effect through the rest of my house. I've sorted all the kitchen cupboards, defrosted the fridge freezer and the other freezer, sorting through my sons too small PJ's for cleaning cloths and so on. Did that happen to you tiddlywink?
xx

I'm basically a lazy slob so if I didn't have a system stuff would sit in a heap forever .

So, years ago I went through all of my cupboards and put in a rigid system. Good job too as there were bits in there I'd forgotten I had and were so old they were almost collectables.

All dry goods are put in Lock & Lock boxes with a label and I write the best before date on the back using a chalk marker which washes off easily.

Electrical items like the hand blender, sandwich toaster etc are in Really Useful boxes on top of the kitchen cabinets and look neat and tidy - plus that releases cupboard space.

All tins are stored by type -baked beans, pulses and veggies, fruit etc and stored in baskets in the cupboard. These act like drawers so you can pull them right out to see what you have. Any plastic boxes that fit your cupboards will do.

I only keep one or two of each type in the kitchen cupboards - I keep my stash upstairs on a tall rack. I try to buy when there's a BOGOF or in bulk from Amazon or Costco. For instance, I love spaghetti hoops and I've just bought 24 cans from Amazon and it worked out at 51p a can. I even buy bags of toffees in bulk and then top up the sweetie jar when I need to.

I then keep a flip pad upstairs on the rack and write down when I'm using the last but one of something.

I use Amazon Subscribe and Save to buy loads of my dry goods like nuts, cereals, rice, cans, veggie sausage mixes etc as you can save up to 15% by doing it that way. Plus, it saves lugging heavy stuff from the shops.

I know buying in bulk takes funds but it's something to aim for once the money saving starts to pay off.

If you haven't got room for racks, you can always put boxes under the beds or on top of wardrobes.

Now I've organised myself I do use my food up and don't 'lose' or forget any like I used to.

So, that's what the Tiddlywinks house looks like - if it doesn't move, it gets stuck in a box with a label on it .

cheel

Hi tiddlywinks, that sounds great. My son has a tea love for tomato soup, once I have a bit left in reserve. (I'm hoping if I come in under budget to keep that money in a separate purse for stocking up on things) so that would be an ideal thing to stock up on at a better bulk buy price.

That suggestion has me thinking now! Lol! Xx

Tiddlywinks

cheel wrote: »

Hi tiddlywinks, that sounds great. My son has a tea love for tomato soup, once I have a bit left in reserve. (I'm hoping if I come in under budget to keep that money in a separate purse for stocking up on things) so that would be an ideal thing to stock up on at a better bulk buy price.

That suggestion has me thinking now! Lol! Xx

Heinz Tommy soup with cheese sandwiches to dunk - bliss . I have this when I'm feeling sorry for myself.

When you do feel flush again, have a look for all your favourites on mysupermarket.co.uk

http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/tesco-price-comparison/Tinned_Soup/Heinz_Classic_Cream_of_Tomato_Soup_400g.html

It's a good way of spotting where to go for the best deal - I'm off to the 'Big M' tomorrow to panic buy some tomato soup now I see it's on 4 for £2... it's bloomin' outrageous that the normal price is 95p :eek:.

gemmajenkins0208

All great ideas, and thank you for the suggestion Rachel

cheel - Yes! I feel you! i think if we take your sons too small pj's as an example - you need cleaning rags, you don't want to go and spend money on new ones as you're meant to be saving. Cue, your son's old pj's! Ta Dah!

maman - We are now 1 tub of ice cream down, as that particular tub had a lot less in it than i thought it did. As it stands, to use up(other than spices, condiments etc.), we have:

1 half tub of neapolitan ice cream
1 half tub of vanilla ice cream
a sealed pack of frozen berries
a tin of peach slices
the powdered custard
and a sealed pack of salmon that I've taken out to defrost as i have plans for that for my lunch or dinner tomorrow

gemmajenkins0208

Made a start on the Neapolitan ice cream after dinner last night which, again, like the last tub of ice cream is only half full so should be finished off pretty quickly.

Mums had a look at what is already in the house and she can do a toad in the hole for tea tonight and will only need to go and get spuds to go with it

I did notice something yesterday morning while waiting to leave the house to get the bus to work - there are 4 half empty boxes of cereals in the kitchen! Everyone's been in the mood for either toast or bacon rolls etc. lately so the cereals have sat untouched for a good week or 2 now. So my next project is to start on them as I don't quite know why we need 4 boxes, each one is a different cereal! :rotfl:

Edit: Also used the salmon for my lunch AND dinner yesterday! I flaked up a little bit of one of the layers(there were about 3 layers in the pack) to put into a sandwich, then for dinner me and my brother had the rest with some boiled spuds and I cut a tomato in half from a pack of tomatoes mum accidentally bought when I asked her to get things for me to make a lasagne on Friday and grilled it to go with it

gemmajenkins0208

Also mum, dad and i are going to use up the tin of peach slices tonight with some of the powdered custard, while the other 3 use up some more of the ice cream

maman

Good to hear of stocks being used up gemma. It all saves buying.


So what's the plan from here on the food front? I'm assuming that you all give 'rent' money to your mum and dad and then your mum does a food shop from that money. So, it's in everyone's interest to keep the food costs down as it'll make it easier for your mum and dad to pay off some of their loans.


Are you doing a meal plan? I'm still confused as you said you had nothing left but ice cream and sweet stuff (oh and salmon) but your mum found sausages to make toad in the hole. Great that she's cooking from scratch though.


Hope the toiletries are still being used up. Have you got into a routine with that?