And so it begins: The Pig Vs The Mortgage

wishingthemortgaheaway

You can leave the sloes in the gin when it's bottled. (If they fit through the neck of the bottle of course)

Cicatriz_2

pinkypig wrote: »

Batch cooking has changed my life (sad I know:o). It saves so much time not to mention money. It's taken so much stress away when I get home from work tired and uninspired. I'm terrible for vast quantities of soup. Maybe we could do some trading, I love curry:rotfl: xx

Nothing wrong with batch cooking! Saves money, saves time, and leads to the opportunity make good food. Cooking is good when it's not a chore. What's not to like?

Food trading is not a bad idea. I've thought a few times whether there is an opportunity for this in the gig economy or even on a communal scope for trading, like curry for soup, or roasts for pastas

pinkypig

A rather manic end of term has slipped pleasantly into the holidays:)

I've now got two weeks of relaxation and family time stretching ahead of me which is just bliss. I'm feeling very grateful:A
One of the many benefits of having a full and busy life is how much i truly value my time off. The first day of the hols was spent decompressing and gathering my thoughts but today has been a good balance of restful and productive.

In money news my only spends this week have been milk and £2 in the pound shop on my last two stocking fillers. I've had a couple of Christmas events but they've been at friend's houses so I've taken along wine and food from home so no spends at all:). I also got my expenses cheque for this half term so that has been paid into my os account.

Other successes this week have included;

Made ( and have nearly eaten ) mince pies using the last of last year's mincemeat.

Bottled and labeled sloe gin and vodka for gifts and put the sloes in the freezer until I decided what to do with them

Eaten out of the cupboards and freezer which has been cheap and easy.

Two long country walks and two runs. I'm still struggling a little with my running post flu so its going to have to be little and often until I get back to fitness.

House is tidy and clean (enough)

Laundry is up to date

Meal plan and shopping lists done for Christmas week and new year week.

Mse plans made for new year's eve and day

Received loads of lovely teacher gifts and my class seemed to really like the gift bags of hm tray bakes. They took a bit of time but they looked really pretty and Christmassey and the ingredients cost just over £6 which was great for 30 gifts:)

Tomorrow's to dos are;

Food shop
Assemble hampers
Wrap last two stocking fillers
Spin class
Visit mum and dad

Other things to do over the holidays are;

Clean car
Tidy garden
Calculate December's expenses and payments
Set 2018 long-term goals and January's short term goals.

By the end of this month I'll have a full year's spending diary so I'll be able to calculate exact spends in all categories against my budgets. I'm hoping this will help me to real nail down my spending for 2018 as I'm sure there will be opportunities for more savings once I get a really firm grip on exactly where my money has been spent.
I've signed up for the MF 2018 challenge and my target is to reduce my mortgage capital by £15k so I'd better find some ways of saving:eek:

PP xx

pinkypig

Cicatriz wrote: »

Nothing wrong with batch cooking! Saves money, saves time, and leads to the opportunity make good food. Cooking is good when it's not a chore. What's not to like?

Food trading is not a bad idea. I've thought a few times whether there is an opportunity for this in the gig economy or even on a communal scope for trading, like curry for soup, or roasts for pastas

Don't know how I ever managed without it. Even when I'm MF I'll never stop meal planning and batch cooking. It's ingrained in my DNA now:rotfl:

wishingthemortgaheaway

Have a lovely Christmas holiday PP. enjoy the slower pace of life.

CathT

Great target for 2018. Have a wonderful Christmas break.

pinkypig

wishingthemortgaheaway wrote: »

You can leave the sloes in the gin when it's bottled. (If they fit through the neck of the bottle of course)

wishingthemortgaheaway wrote: »

Have a lovely Christmas holiday PP. enjoy the slower pace of life.

CathT wrote: »

Great target for 2018. Have a wonderful Christmas break.

Thank you both, I hope you have a lovely Christmas break too:)

pinkypig

Seriously , its Crazyville out there:eek: After a rather lazy start and a leisurely, late breakfast (is this what retirement is going to be like? I hope so:D)I braved Aldi clutching my list. It was horrendous:eek: The carpark was full, I had to wait to get a trolley and then queued to get in.

Once in I was so glad of my list which I write in aisle order (:o sorry!) because the thought of having to double back because I'd forgotten something would have been horrific! It still took me twice as long as normal and they'd sold out of smoked salmon and lemons so I had to brave asda as well.

My shop was £42.67 and included ingredients for three desserts, everything for our Christmas eve meal (except the duck which is in the freezer), Christmas day breakfast and a few treats for nice nibbly lunches and dinners. My trolley looked pitiful compared to those around me and I did have a little 'Am I being a miser?' moment. I'm pleased to say that once home and seeing the fridge, freezer, cupboards, veggie basket and fruit bowl literally rammed I was glad of my list and my self control. Thank you mse:A:rotfl:

I had no other spends other than food and have requested £33.20 from tcb:j. As my final dd of the month had gone out I transferred the surplus £140 from my current account into the os account. I'm also only 3p off requesting £5 from my loyalty account. I've also been paid early as we always are in December but I'm going to pretend its not there until the 28th or January will be a horribly long month money wise.

Other success included;

Final pressies wrapped and hampers assembled ready for delivery tomorrow.

Spin class done and two more booked for next week ( got to counteract my excessive eating and drinking somehow - three bottles of wine drunk since Friday :eek:).

Daily clean done

Visited mum and dad

Started adding up my annual grocery, fuel, personal, holiday, car, house and gifts/Xmas spends for 2017 using my spending diary. Bracing myself for some eye openers:(

Tomorrow's plans include;

Deliver gifts

Lunch with friends

Get ds organized with his wrapping:D

Make white choc cheesecake for Xmas eve and prep veg. Must remember to defrost the duck.

Make sausage rolls and scotch eggs to have with hm pickles for easy lunches and suppers.

Night night

PP xx

Betterthanever

Oh my, you put me to shame with your productivity!! I must try harder!!!

pinkypig

Betterthanever wrote: »

Oh my, you put me to shame with your productivity!! I must try harder!!!

You must be joking - I just don't report the days of sloth in between:rotfl:

Happy Christmas to you and yours xx