A pound stretching maternity

MrsSave

Got home from work all smug that I have the rest of the week off, to find a missed call 5 minutes before asking me to work tomorrow I had to say yes (especially after the weekend spends!). Overtime money will be very nice, getting out of bed to drive to work tomorrow won't be!!

Thank you both for making me feel better about the weekend spends. They were all things that would be needed at some point, it just seemed I needed to get them all now!!! :rotfl: The first parcel has arrived here today. Sleepsuits, bibs and baby's going home outfit. So cute!

I'm making a pasta and tomato based sauce for dinner tonight, it's a really simple one so will take less than 15 minutes from start to end. That's the kind of food I like!!

I have spotted that the Argos 3 for 2 is supposed to be starting on Wednesday. I still need to get a Christmas gift from ds to baby, and a gift from baby to ds when baby is born. I may just take advantage on 3 for 2 and get one other toy for someone (they always get used here!). I've literally only got 2 children (older children), and parents left to buy for then. Parents have been started, it's just vouchers to add to their gifts so that should be easy enough. Yay to being organised!! :j

MrsSave

Quick post before work to boast that yesterday was a nsd! :j

Today won't be as I need petrol and asda are delivering this evening.

I hope everyone has a good day.

[Deleted User]

Well done on the NSD and yay to the extra shift

MrsSave

Quick post before going to sleep (so she says before starting to catch up on diaries!!!).

No unexpected spends today, just £25 on petrol and the grocery delivery. I'll be putting the next load of dump bags together tomorrow.

My lower back is in agony tonight! I think it's 2 days in a row in the classroom and 2 days of driving quite a distance. I'm fine when sitting or lying in bed, but once I try to move it's not good! Hopefully it will be better after a good night sleep.

I was asked if I could do any more overtime tomorrow. I was a little tempted because of the money, but it would mean Dh would need to take time off work to look after ds and he earns more than me at the moment (it changes all the time!). I'll be very pleased I said no by tomorrow morning!

I had lots of parcels waiting for by the time I got home from work. My maternity coat had arrived, and a couple of other bits. As well as that I had my makeup (and a voucher for a free lipstick!) and some baby clothes. The baby clothes are so cute!

I've finally decided what to get ds from the baby, and have reserved it on Argos ready for the 3 for 2 that starts tomorrow. I've also reserved ds's gift to baby and one other gift for the baby. I'll collect them when ds is at school.

Dh put together the baby's wardrobe this evening (other than the doors, he said he'll do them again!). I'm so pleased. They look good and it means it's now time to start washing the baby clothes.....eeeeeeeek!

MrsSave

Went to sleep at around half ten. Woke for the first toilet break at midnight! The rest of the night has followed in the same pattern until around 5.

I checked the Argos website for the 3 for 2 to make sure the 3 I wanted were in the offer. One wasnt!! Typical!! I've found something instead now which means I've had to re reserve and can now collect tomorrow. I'm hoping that will make today a nsd and I won't be using unnecessary petrol. I'm having to go out in the car tomorrow anyway as I have a hospital appointment for my anti d jab :eek: Second one this pregnancy and definitely not looking forward to it. Will almost be passing Argos so will collect them on the way.

This morning will be about laundry and dump bags! It will probably keep me and ds busy for the morning! I bought asda freezer zip lock bags with the delivery yesterday. I had pound shop ones but they leak. Thankfully I put the bag into a bowl in the fridge when defrosting so all the juice has been caught and will go into the slow cooker. I'm planning on prepping 6 dump bags this morning.

I'll find out tomorrow exactly how much I'm being paid for the next 3 months before maternity starts. I'm not expecting much!! I should hoepfully find out soon what my maternity pay will be. Hr should have everything they need by now so it's just a waiting game!

I had a couple of surveys to do last night, one of which was for £1.60! Yippee! I'm almost up to £5 on prolific again (I'm too impatient to wait for £20!!!). One poll has been slow for a couple of days. I'm almost half way to £40!

hannahroberts1985

Morning,

Your sounding very organised....more than me and I have three and a half week left :eek:! I looked on next and didn't see anything I really liked as a going home outfit. Have you got a slot for tomorrow's sale? I love and hate the sales at the moment. Trying not to use my next account but it's silly not to stock up when bits are in the sale. I'm in two minds if DS needs a gift from baby too as he's still young but I guess anything that'll soften the blow will help. What did you decide on for your gift?

Did you mention a dump bag Facebook page? The bags sound like a good idea do you throw them all on the slow cooker? I've chilli's and spag Bol in the freezer but having stews etc prepped would be great I love comfort food when it's cold.

Xx

MrsSave

The Facebook page for the dump bags is 'dump bags : )' without the gap in the smiley face! Under page info, you'll see files. There are loads of recipes under files, though people also post pics and often include the recipes underneath! We're eating one a week (which lasts 2 days) and they're so easy! We're having orange chicken tonight with either rice or noodles.


Basically how they work is I'll get all the ingredients I need for a meal, put them all in the dump bag, label and freeze. I then defrost in the fridge and then empty the bag into the slow cooker the day we want them and cook. I find it much nicer than reheated food which I used to do by batch cooking. It's all fresh, you've just saved the prep time on cooking day!

I've got a next sale slot. I usually buy ds his jeans from next as I find them good quality. I usually pick up a couple of pairs of shoes for him in the next size or 2. They work out at around £5-£6 in the sale instead of £20 in Clarks for more casual shoes. Usually this one isn't a big one though I don't think, the December one is where I usually spend a complete fortune and kit ds out for the year! Will be buying for 2 this year......need to put some money aside!

I've decided to get ds the Vtech robot from Argos. It's different from anything he has got, but isn't in the 3 for 2. Looking elsewhere though it is much cheaper in Argos. It is £19.99 instead of £39.99. I think he'll love it. I've had 3 different people tell me recently that they got a gift to give the first born from the baby. It should definitely soften the blow!

hannahroberts1985

Thanks I'll have a look at the page. Sounds like a great idea especially as time will be limited soon. We ate rubbish quick pastas etc when DS was born as we couldn't find time to cook. Looking back now I don't know how as babies are easy right?!? Or have I forgotten the madness. I don't want to be eating crap this time as DS will need feeding. I'm going to make him some small fish pies up to freeze etc. I don't eat meat but am conscious to get fish and meat into his meal plan a few times a week.

You can't beat next jeans they are so lovely and soft. Fingers crossed the sale isn't too good so we don't spend much.

Just googled the robot he looks good. I may need to get DS something to distract from the fact a baby is stealing all his attention.

MrsSave

Babies are easy. That's all they do is sleep, and when they do wake all they need is a quick feed, a nappy change and they go back to sleep. :rotfl: I don't have a clue what we ate last time. It's all a blur. I remember my mum stopping by a couple of times with food that just needed heating, or the fresh pasta and sauce from the chilled section in tesco! Thankfully ds eats the same as us, which makes it a little easier.

That's 6 dump meals prepped this morning. I did cheat a little and bought ready chopped onions! Though it was only 50p for the packet and it stretched between the 6 bags so was probably cheaper than using 6 onions. I used frozen chopped peppers as well to save chopping loads of peppers up. Even with those extras it cost around £20 for 6 bags, which will do us 12 meals each. Bargain! Just need to add rice or noodles or potatoes or something on the day.

One load of washing has just finished, I just need it hang it out now. It's very cloudy so I'm hoping it doesn't rain! One more load to do today, a load of washing up and then that's it for the day! I'm feeling a bit funny today, so a chill out afternoon will be good!

MrsSave

Didn't manage to update last night!

Yesterday turned out to be a nsd. Yippee!!

Didn't pick up the things from Argos as there was a problem with 1 item. I've contacted them online and it looks like they'll sort it out for me that way instead of instore. Fingers crossed.

I've had a quick look at the next preview before tonight, and there's actually not much there that I'm interested in. Nothing for my eldest, and just a couple of possibilities for the baby. That'll make things a little cheaper!

I've checked online banking this morning for my pending transactions as I'm being paid tomorrow to see how bad it was going to be. It was actually £100 better than I expected so I'm wondering whether that is because the sudden drop in income means that I've overpaid tax and it is a refund. I wouldn't mind a bit of that every month!

I've got a hospital appointment this afternoon for my anti d Jab. Ouch. It's going to hurt big time! Think I have to have a blood test as well so it'll be a fun afternoon.

No other big plans today, I'll probably dust the house and that's about it. Dinner will be last night's leftovers with a little extra veg to bulk it out.