A pound stretching maternity

MrsSave

:hello:

Good luck on your journey. I hope it doesn't take too long for you. It's good that you are planning ahead and thinking about your maternity leave now. People recommend living on what would be your maternity pay before actually going on maternity and saving the rest. Or working out exactly how much money you need every month and put that (and some) away.

With regards to the slow cooker meals, I find them fantastic. I spent an hour at the end of September prepping 6 meals. What that involved was putting all the raw ingredients from a recipe (other than stock just to save room in the freezer) in a zip lock bag (they can be bought from the supermarket, Poundland, amazon) and freeze them flat. They don't take up much room then. We have our slow cooker meal on a Wednesday night (and usually left overs on Thursday) so we take it out of the freezer Monday after work and then put it in a bowl in the fridge (in case the bag leaks). By Wednesday it has defrosted and I just empty the bag into the slow cooker (and add the stock or another wet ingredient if I have left it out - I write on the bag what's needed and the time it takes to cook) and then turn it on low. I've just invested in a timer (a couple of pounds from Wilko) so that if we're out for the day, the slow timer doesn't need to be on for too long. I sometimes add noodles or frozen veg then to the slow cooker around an hour before serving, which is just enough time for then.

I hope that makes sense and I've answered your question. They do need a little planning and remembering to take out of the freezer, but like I said it only took 1 hour to prep 6 different meals, which lasts us 2 nights each. Bulk buying the meat works out cheaper as well (even from the supermarket). I do cheat a little and use frozen chopped peppers and onions (though it could actually work out cheaper than fresh).

If you're on facebook there's the page "Dump bags" with a smiley face at the end. There are lots of recipes under files there and people often post pictures of their dump bags after prepping them. Any other questions please ask.

MrsSave

2 loads of laundry done today. One load has been dried on the line outside, the other on the indoor clothes horse. No tumble dryer has been used again :j I hope I'll notice a difference with the electricity bill!!

I have also decided on 8 different dump meals to make at the end of the month. I'm aiming that these will then last until the beginning of 2017 with the ones I already have in the freezer. I may add another 4 or so before December though! The dump meals I've decided on are:

• Beef with ginger and spring onions,
• Italian chicken,
• BBQ bacon wrapped chicken with veg,
• Sticky Garlic chicken,
• Pork and orange,
• Balsamic braised beef,
• Chinese beef noodles,
• Shredded Chilli Chicken.

I've placed a Tesco grocery order for 2 weeks time that includes the ingredients for all these meals.

Today hasn't quite been a nsd. There has been a book fayre at school this week and it's the last day today. I decided to pop in and buy one book for ds, particularly as the school get to keep a percentage of all books sold. The book we chose was £5.99 and then when I took it to the teacher to pay for, she said that there was a £2 voucher off that particular book so it was only £3.99! I'm pleased with that!

After that we went to the library and we've just had quiet time since getting home. We read through the book we bought at school twice, and now ds is watching a Thomas the Tank film on Netflix.

I'm having lots of movement up at the top of my stomach now, under my ribs, so I'm really hoping it means that baby has turned and is now the correct way! My next midwife appointment is in 2 weeks time so hopefully I'll find out then.

My matalan clothes haven't arrived, so hopefully they will tomorrow. They're my excuse for not sorting the hospital bags out today :rotfl: I'm definitely a lot more laid back this time with regards to getting things ready for baby!!!

MrsSave

Dh's pay today. The money has gone in and is waiting for the end of the month now!

I logged in to my swagbuck account last night for the first time in a very long time. I've managed to collect over 200 swagbucks since, and am almost up at 500. I think that when I get enough I will convert them to M&S vouchers as I already have a £25 voucher which will be spent on Christmas food so will be able to add to that. The only issue with it is how long the surveys take and how many you get screened out of! It's a long process!

I have no idea what our plans are for today other than ds in school this afternoon! Dh is painting our bedroom tomorrow so I do need a quick sort out so that it's tidy for him to move furniture. I've seen an advert for a local pyo pumpkin afternoon tomorrow, so I think I'all take ds along to that whilst dh is painting.

MrsSave

I spent the whole time ds was at school on swagbucks! I earned enough 'bucks' for my £5 M&S voucher. :j It takes up to 2 weeks for it to become available. After that I will have £30 in M&S vouchers to put towards Christmas food! :j Will have to arrange a time to go to a food one with dh and stock up on non-perishable foods. Drinks, pickles, meat to be frozen, nibbles, etc.

I've also had a letter today showing by how much our Dentist is going up in the new year. We pay Denplan, and I've always just figured that we'd need to pay for NHS appointments anyway, and then more for treatment if we needed it so there was no point looking for an NHS dentist. Well I've just totted up how much we pay per year now, and how much we would pay if we were NHS, and had 2 appointments each per year. Over the year Denplan will be costing us £326.88 (£27.24 per month). The NHS (just for appointments) would cost is £54 per year (£4.50 per month). That's quite different. If we needed a filling or something (dh has one, I haven't had one since I was in my late teens) it would be an extra £29.50. Still much less that going private.

I'm going to ring around on Tuesday (work Monday) to see whether the local NHS dentists have any spaces, and if not what sort of waiting list we're looking at. I'm then going to cancel our private care. Over £20 per month saved. (and free appointments for ds for lots of years, and for me until baby is 12 months old).

I'm really starting to run out of places to save money! :rotfl: With the new dentist cost per month (I'd save it every month), it would mean that I would need to bring in £478.07 per month for us to break even (but that's without us scrimping anywhere.......with money for everything we want). Maternity pay is more than that (and I'm supposed to be getting 90% for the first 6 weeks). It means that the pressure is off when I'm back looking for a job in September, and can work part time without the pressure of going back to teaching if I choose not to.

We're having a naughty dinner tonight.....pizza night. We were going to have the pizzas tomorrow once ds was in bed, but dh is now going out to a rugby game (that we won tickets to - and it's his favourite team!) with his Dad so we've decided to have them tonight after ds's swimming.

MrsSave

I had confirmation last night of ds's swimming amount for the next half term. £45.50! Paid that off with the money already sitting in the account. I'm so proud of my son with his swimming. They were practising the butterfly last night (I have never been able to do that) and diving in (or that either!) and his instructor said that he couldn't teach him fast enough. Ds has only just turned 3! These swimming lessons cost a lot but he is getting so much out of them. Worth every penny! Dh then went to Morrisons and bought 40 cans of lager for £20, which will now be put away for Christmas. All that has been updated on ynab.

I've been on swagbuck this morning already and have made around 30 swagbucks. There's no way I can dedicate the time I did yesterday to it every day, but if I manage 30 swagbucks a day it will mean a £5 voucher per month, which I'm very happy with.

I'm still waiting for my prolific amounts to become payable, which is getting annoying! It is done automatically after 3 weeks I think if it hasn't already happened, so will be done by the end of the month. I'm also up to over £24 on onepoll. It can take a very long time, but I'm aiming to be at £40 by the new year.

Dh is going to paint our bedroom today. I'm all excited about getting it done now and getting the new lampshades, etc up. I'd love a new throw to out on the bed, but it's not going to happen this month (or next probably!!). I guess it's not a priority, just something that would be nice!

Dh is going out to the rugby tonight, which means a quiet night in alone (well with ds in bed!). If only I could crack open a bottle of wine :rotfl: I have chocolates, I have a big bag of crisps, I just need to decide what could be dinner first!

I may take ds to pyo pumpkin this afternoon, whilst dh is painting. I think he'll enjoy.

Katzen

Morning MrsS!
Glad to see I'm not the only early bird. Been awake since my 20months old woke at 4 for a feed and just couldn't get back to sleep. I'm also 11weeks pregnant so that probably hasn't helped. I shall be following you carefully, as I'm also planning my mat leave from teaching and considering the possibilities of not going back. How is it even possible to be a half-way decent mother and a passable teacher?!? Well done on cutting your denplan, I hope you find a decent NHS dentist near you. Mine is lovely and there's always the option to pay for a private treatment, like a white filling, if you want to, which would probably still be cheaper as it sounds like you guys have pretty decent teeth!! Private insurance for stuff like that is a waste of time so long as you can find an alternative without long waits etc.
Anyway, things to do, I'm getting to grips with quidco and ziffit this morning. Enjoy the rest of your day

[Deleted User]

Morning,

Love your goals for next year Hun and well done on the the saving on the private care.

You've been fairly busy this past few days, hope you've managed to get some rest too.

hannahroberts1985

Sounds like you've a yummy Christmas planned. Your making me want frackers and cheese and chutney.

Hope your bedroom coming along. You'll sleep well tonight in your new pretty room. X

MrsSave

Katzen wrote: »

Morning MrsS!
Glad to see I'm not the only early bird. Been awake since my 20months old woke at 4 for a feed and just couldn't get back to sleep. I'm also 11weeks pregnant so that probably hasn't helped. I shall be following you carefully, as I'm also planning my mat leave from teaching and considering the possibilities of not going back. How is it even possible to be a half-way decent mother and a passable teacher?!? Well done on cutting your denplan, I hope you find a decent NHS dentist near you. Mine is lovely and there's always the option to pay for a private treatment, like a white filling, if you want to, which would probably still be cheaper as it sounds like you guys have pretty decent teeth!! Private insurance for stuff like that is a waste of time so long as you can find an alternative without long waits etc.
Anyway, things to do, I'm getting to grips with quidco and ziffit this morning. Enjoy the rest of your day

Congratulations! Teaching full time is difficult enough, but can be very difficult with a young family. After having ds I said I wasn't going to go back full time, but then got offered a 0.8 contract for 6 weeks. I thought the money would be good, but the 6 weeks lasted a whole year with an inspection in the middle. I'm not going to be back doing the same thing after this little one arrives. 3 days max, and whether it will be teaching or not......who knows.

MrsSave

I haven't been on much over the weekend.......was shattered yesterday and barely moved! Back in work today and have more energy.

I have cancelled the denplan, and phoned up our local dentist after getting back from work and they are taking on new NHS patients! I've signed the 3 of us up and we've got our first appointment in 2 weeks time.

Today has been a nsd (though I did buy Chelsea boots from Dorothy Perkins online Over the weekend when they had their 25% off. When I told dh how much they cost he told me to go for it and get them! I'd been after a pair for ages, and the ones I had my eye on were twice the price).

Tomorrow is my quiet day off home alone! Fingers crossed I'll manage to sleep in a little! Dh has finished painting, and it looks nice. Much brighter and lighter than before. We borrowed a posh vacuum cleaner from my mum with a whole shampooing bit to attach to it and have given the carpet a good clean this evening. Hopefully tomorrow night we can move the furniture back in and set up the Moses basket once the carpet is dry. It costs £30 around here to borrow a carpet cleaner for the weekend, so that's a £30 saving!