EH - Essex > Hebrides...the next step of the adventure?

Scott_Weiland_2

I had i think 2 surveys on pa over the weekend nothing since, i am worried since i became 38 and old they don't want me anymore lol

I will continue to keep checking it but luckily the back up money earners are working fine ie swagbucks and opinion outpost.

Tea&Kittens

Just wanted to say Hi! Reading your diary helps is quite inspirational and gives me hope that one day I'll be free from the current bind! I've subscribed to follow your updates

EssexHebridean

Haha Scott you're doing better than me - I'm still on just 1 for this week!

Hey Tea & Kittens what a great username! Glad you like the diary - it's great to know people are enjoying what they're reading!

EssexHebridean

Hey ho - half way through the week then.

NSD Yesterday and should be the same today. Campsite is booked for the weekend but they don't need a deposit or anything, we just pay when we pitch up.

Got a £1.25 survey on Prolific this morning which has already gone to payable - can't see me cashing anything out this week though unless this rest of this afternoon and tomorrow morning goes mad all of a sudden.

Inspired by Redo I'm really focusing on using stuff up this week - so the final bendy carrots got thrown in with loads of other veg to roast last night, and the last beetroot, some of the red cabbage and the final 2 tomatoes will make a mixed salad to go with egginess tonight. A cautious prod of the last bit of cucumber last night suggested it may be past the point of no return but we'll see. There are a couple of leeks and a courgette still needing used - one leek and the 'gette are destined for a veg-packed frittata tonight I think along with the last 'shrooms and a good handful of spinach. We'll certainly be getting our 5 a day today! :rotfl:

Plan for next week is to make time to audit the freezer so I can create a meal plan using stuff from it before I go shopping - I'm certain there is some mince in there, and I definitely have onions and tinned toms so I can see an overnight slow-cooked bolognese sauce being created at some point. After this weekend I'm around at home for the following few weekends so that makes it easier with food too in some ways - there's stuff in the freezer that will only get eaten on weekend days so I can start tackling that. It also however means I have no excuse not to get the houseworky stuff under control so from tonight I'll make time to slot my 15 minute bursts of activity in various rooms back in. The bedroom is a disgrace - there's barely room to sleep in there at the moment but I know a 15 minute attack on it will make a massive difference in no time at all. Also want to get back into the flylady routines of sorting out clothes for the following day, and S&S of kitchen and bathroom each day. Such a little thing but makes SUCH a difference.

Plan:
each week:
6 x 15 minute bursts in various areas that need it
3 x targeted exercise - shred, a run, or something else. This is on top of usual walking etc.
2 hours through the week working on photo projects (I have three projects on the go currently)
4 x days of logging food and keeping to calorie limits

(The second of those is a brave move as my arms and legs are currently reminding me that I did shred last night and they did NOT enjoy it!) :rotfl:

redofromstart

I really liked the sound of TOPMs green quiche for using up some of the green veg.

EssexHebridean

I did too Redo - especially the "throw in what:Dever you have" nature of it! My frittata tends to follow a similar route mind you!

LOVELY dinner last night - the frittata (which used up a good amount of the spinach, the tomatoes, the courgette, mushrooms and one of the remaining leeks) plus a sort of sweet pickled salad with the remaining beetroot and a quarter of the red cabbage and a big handful of chopped coriander. There is some of that left over to use tonight too. A flatbread each for carbs and we both thoroughly enjoyed our platefuls!

Plan for tonight is the rest of the chicken and roast veg from the other night - I'll add in the remaining leek and spinach too. The last of the cabbage & beetroot salad can go with that too. The final bit of coriander can be scattered over it no doubt...anything to use it up! :rotfl:

Gained half a marrow from upstairs neighbour who bought a bigger one than she knew what to do with - so that goes into the plan for next week, and I might well use it with bolognese sauce on Monday night I think.

Few little bits on OnePoll this morning, and a £2 study on Prolific...oh and just picked up another short one when I went to check so that helps! Definitely feels as though it's starting to pick up on there now. :T the monthly payment to the 0% card goes out in the next few days too so I'll update my signature once it's gone. Also just requested £5.59 that was showing payable from TCB - that was all stuff on personal spending so that will go across to the card as well once it lands.

redofromstart

Sometimes those use up meals are the best, and always the ones that cant be recreated.

Hiddenidenity

I want to come for dinner :rotfl:

It always sounds so good!

Scott_Weiland_2

EssexHebridean wrote: »

I did too Redo - especially the "throw in what:Dever you have" nature of it! My frittata tends to follow a similar route mind you!

LOVELY dinner last night - the frittata (which used up a good amount of the spinach, the tomatoes, the courgette, mushrooms and one of the remaining leeks) plus a sort of sweet pickled salad with the remaining beetroot and a quarter of the red cabbage and a big handful of chopped coriander. There is some of that left over to use tonight too. A flatbread each for carbs and we both thoroughly enjoyed our platefuls!

Plan for tonight is the rest of the chicken and roast veg from the other night - I'll add in the remaining leek and spinach too. The last of the cabbage & beetroot salad can go with that too. The final bit of coriander can be scattered over it no doubt...anything to use it up! :rotfl:

Gained half a marrow from upstairs neighbour who bought a bigger one than she knew what to do with - so that goes into the plan for next week, and I might well use it with bolognese sauce on Monday night I think.

Few little bits on OnePoll this morning, and a £2 study on Prolific...oh and just picked up another short one when I went to check so that helps! Definitely feels as though it's starting to pick up on there now. :T the monthly payment to the 0% card goes out in the next few days too so I'll update my signature once it's gone. Also just requested £5.59 that was showing payable from TCB - that was all stuff on personal spending so that will go across to the card as well once it lands.

pa is slowly getting there again i have had 3 surveys on there today :-)

I think i might buy a laptop with my emergency fund i am at about a 25percent computer says no rate on pa lol

EssexHebridean

Redo I LOVE a good "use-up" meal! Hidden - did overnight bolognese in the slow cooker the other night - inspired by your regular use of yours! Scott I only do surveys on the PC or the Laptop - I find the phone way too fiddly and just get bored! :rotfl:

Cracking weekend up in Norfolk - if a bit wet and muddy! :rotfl: Food was a mix of takeaway options, a rather tasty crab & sweetcorn chowder cooked on the camping stove on saturday night, and we treated ourselves to a nice meal somewhere we ,love for lunch yesterday. other than that it was just tickets for the event we were up there for, a bag of logs for the campfire and the diesel to and from. :T

Made our usual visit to Sheringham Market on saturday morning - got a bunch of beetroot for 90p and the most fabulous local corn on the cobs for 6 for £2 - 1 got used in the chowder on saturday night, two got eaten for tea last night and I will probably hack the kernels off the other three and freeze them I think. Also bought free range eggs and a big bag of Norfolk Pink potatoes from the campsite (it's on a farm!) so we're well stocked up for those for the time being too. :T

Planning to shop tonight I think for the basics, rough meal plan for this week looks like:
M: Baked marrow with bolognese sauce
T: Roast chicken potions, baked potatoes, sweetcorn
w: Couscous salad with chicken & coleslaw
Th: Mushroom omelettes - possibly frittata style with some cooked cubed potato added.

Planning to repeat the pickled salad effort from last week in place of coleslaw actually =- that worked really well and as I now have beetroot again...AND the remaining red cabbage needing using up...

Shopping list has been put into the planner app on my phone which - HURRAH and HALLELUIAH the designer of has FINALLY updated in the nick of time for the new Apple iOs being released - it was on the brink of becoming non-functional and I've never found another as good! :T

In other MSE news I called Sky on Friday morning to beat some sense into them about our TV/Phone/Broadband deal. Struck a deal for a fraction over £50 a month for all three for a period of 18 months which will do - although I was extremely miffed to then be told that I had to pay a £10 admin fee on top to allow for the package being changed. :mad: Ho hum - it's a £20 a month saving so that amount has been added to the sum that trips across into savings each month for "saved money" on bills etc. I'll need to make a diary note for 18 months time that the deal will end. I got the figures to the level I wanted anyway - similar to that which would be paid by a new customer.