“Just Say NOvember; Batten Down the Hatches 2016”.

thriftylass

dolly84 wrote: »

Bob - I know what you mean, how can they get rid of stuff then ask for more. That thing with the cupcakes was absolute insanity and should not be allowed ever.

I'm doing my last grocery shop from my November budget tonight, we don't need loads which is just as well as we have a teeny budget. I've made a start on Decembers budget which starts on Saturday for us.

Do we have someone to run the challenge in December?

No, I don't think so. Are you volunteering

Anyone else up for it?

thriftylass

NSD again today.

Ravenous this morning. Had two slices of toast for breakfast rather than my fruit and nut muesli. Wonder if that's the reason. Only a tangerine and a salad left till 5 . Luckily no money on me. If I'm lucky someone has baked again and left a cake in the coffee room .

Finished the our christmas stockings last night. Better tick that off in my bullet journal. Still getting to grips with it. Trying to do an hour of crafting every night now to get all my projects done in time.

Till later

Bobarella

Hi Everyone

I have managed my 14th NSD today by being a total skin flint! I thought we were so low on groceries I couldn't squeeze another day out but I have! And by borrowing my husband's oyster card (he's WFH today) I can avoid a days travel costs too. Woo hoo!

So, to get through today I made a use it up soup with:
Home made chicken stock from the freezer
3 parsnips
4 small onions
2 cloves of garlic
Some frozen spagetti
A scraping of a Thai green curry dinner that had sweet corn, peppers etc in it
A few bits of potato
A few tiny bits of cooked bacon
Curry powder
Frozen stalks from two broccolis

Whizzed it up, very nice indeed. Served with some tiny bits of black olive bread I'd kept for crutons, just popped them in the oven for 10 mins to crispn them up.

Tonight I will make tomato sauce from scratch and serve with spagetti and leftover tuna for OH and I. Son can have the same with chopped chorizo as he had tuna last night.

Definitely have to go tommorow as we will run out of bread and butter at breakfast time.

I also cleaned another of the freezer drawers out. It's practically empty. Room for more bargains

Bob

Bobarella

dolly84 wrote: »

Bob - I know what you mean, how can they get rid of stuff then ask for more. That thing with the cupcakes was absolute insanity and should not be allowed ever.

I'm doing my last grocery shop from my November budget tonight, we don't need loads which is just as well as we have a teeny budget. I've made a start on Decembers budget which starts on Saturday for us.

Do we have someone to run the challenge in December?

I know and that was by the BBC!:eek:

thriftylass

Bobarella wrote: »

So, to get through today I made a use it up soup with:
Home made chicken stock from the freezer
3 parsnips
4 small onions
2 cloves of garlic
Some frozen spagetti
A scraping of a Thai green curry dinner that had sweet corn, peppers etc in it
A few bits of potato
A few tiny bits of cooked bacon
Curry powder
Frozen stalks from two broccolis

That sounds......interesting. But I can actually imagine once it was blizzed to be quite nice. Must've looked strange before the blending though, no?

Did anyone read the article about the JAM people (just about managing). Found the comment about not to be able to afford luxuries quite patronising. I think JAM people are more worried about having no extra money for debt repayments or savings. I guess that's what were trying to do, beating the JAM situation most of us are in. But not by relying on the state making changes but by us making our money stretch further.

dolly84

Bob - your soup sounds very inventive.

Thrifty - interesting article. DH earns a reasonable salary, we have a mortgage and two children, I work part time from home but the money I earn contributes very little. Apart from child benefit we get nothing in benefits, I'm not saying we should but it annoys me when people talk about the benefits that people receive but never mention all the things they don't pay for either which all adds up - prescriptions, school dinners etc. Most of us who work have to pay for everything and it would be nice if someone noticed that we are no better off for working.

Calling14

Quick check in from me, spent today few stocking fillers(found some tiddly winks game in HB a pound each) and some food used my 5 morrisons voucher so only spent 3 there. Steak and salad for tea! Using whats up in my freezer - loving it when you find something nice.

Had my 50 pounds you gov cash in my bank today, just keeping my bank afloat at the moment, plus got cashback for dentist check up with medicash last week.

Not sure if I could do Dec might be a busy month with dd baby due, work shut down - sounds relaxing but know have to work twice as hard beforehand plus going away few days, if no one wants to I will be be in reserve.

thriftylass

dolly84 wrote: »

Bob - your soup sounds very inventive.

Thrifty - interesting article. DH earns a reasonable salary, we have a mortgage and two children, I work part time from home but the money I earn contributes very little. Apart from child benefit we get nothing in benefits, I'm not saying we should but it annoys me when people talk about the benefits that people receive but never mention all the things they don't pay for either which all adds up - prescriptions, school dinners etc. Most of us who work have to pay for everything and it would be nice if someone noticed that we are no better off for working.

Totally agree. We both work full-time on a decent salary. But after childcare, paying our own way (housing etc, nothing fancy) there is not much left. Although it is getting a lot better now that the kids get older and cost less in childcare. It used to be 80% of my full-time income (1.2k) a month. Not complaining just emphasising the point that there are JAMers in a wide range of incomes.

thriftylass

Calling14 wrote: »

Not sure if I could do Dec might be a busy month with dd baby due, work shut down - sounds relaxing but know have to work twice as hard beforehand plus going away few days, if no one wants to I will be be in reserve.

No worries.

Any other takers? I could do it again, but we're away from the 25th onwards. Unless no one's here anyway really after christmas till normality resumes after New Year.

Bobarella

Thrifty It came out lovely. Curry powder always saves the day!

The JAM article is interesting. But some of it is a bit contrived. These days having a degree is more of a reason to be struggling not less so that point is iffy.