What small DFW things will you do this week - w/c 18th September?

carrielovesfanta

Good morning from a very rainy north west!

Ally - glad you're in the new digs. Sorry about the car though. We had a rattly exhaust too but luckily it was just some sort of heat shield that was loose. Garage said it wasn't required (begs the question of the purpose of its existence surely?) and removed free of charge.

DNMS - did you sort the washing machine? Did you check the belt to see if it had slipped off/broken? Replacing the belt should be quite easy. OH says the trick is to put it on using a spoon. Also check the pump filter as they will stop if they sense a blockage.

Sorry I've been awol for a couple of days. Came down feeling ropey on Monday night and had a dreadful sleep (very unlike me so def something wrong). Would have rung in sick on Tuesday but had 2 days' important training which I had organised. Dying most of Tues but got through it with paracetamol. Bit brighter yesterday after 9 hours sleep and almost right today. On the plus side, go two free dinners out courtesy of company doing the training :money:

Today's mission:

• Rest to fight off bug - OH horrified to realise that he was cooking dinner
• List some more bits on Facebook to sell
• Sorted holiday paperwork into folders and put with passports - done
  
• Keep an eye out for OH's cc statement. It currently seems to be AWOL (although no post for a couple of days?) - done
• Tidy round house and make it presentable - done
• Dust room of the week!
• Encourage OH to tidy his music room
• Ends of doom - have not finished d/t mystery illness - done!!
• Meal planning for following week - done
• B/L/D from stores - B/D. Lunch out.
  
• Kondo a few items. I am on a mission to potentially reduce the amount of furniture (at least, the furniture that I can... a lot belongs to the LL) - done
  • Two videos that have been replaced with DVDs
  • Five N64 games that I don't like (will take to specialist shop for sale)
  • Getting shot of the PS2 as we don't play it
    
• No drink day. Have been listening to a app that is supposed to help me cut down/stop drinking (thanks Ally for the Andrew Johnson recommendation). Early days but I think it's helping. I did have some drinks out last night, but only had halves, and sipped them (normally would have been gagging for a pint). Also did not feel hard done by by seeing others with pints etc. 2-4-1 cocktail a slight mistake although didn't realise that ordering 2 cocktails would lead to 4 arriving (2 for me, 2 for training chap! not 4 for me!!) so kinda felt wasteful not to drink them. Did sip them slowly though as opposed to usual guzzling. - done
• Research printer cartridge - done

I'll add more if I think of it.


Have a good one all


clf x

carrielovesfanta

CC statement has arrived! and today we pay one of OH's cc's off in full. I already posted about it because we knew there was budget to do it, but today is the day!

:T:j

FatVonD

Woohoo to another debt busted, CLF!

I have a YS sandwich and YS strawberries with me today. I downloaded the Job Spotter app last night and photographed 3 job ads on my way into work and I'm going to go out at lunch time looking for more. Only one has been approved so far but it has earned me 1.68p, I had no idea it paid so well or I'd have been doing it all summer!

I have another batch of books to take home tonight, my running total on WBB is 38 quid at the moment but I will run them all through Zapper also and split them if any pay more on there.

Just had an ebay item end with 18 watchers but no bids, what is wrong with people??!

I'm not sure what to cook for dinner tonight, I have a couple of packs of YS lamb mince so may make meatballs.I could use some of the mint from the garden.

Have a good day all!

foxgloves

Hello Frugal Friends,
Just caught up with all your posts. Lots of good money saving habits going on. Hope I can add to them in a minute. Welcome Mimi, too. A helpful friendly thread, this one. I've picked up all sorts of clever tips & we're good at supporting each other when we fall off the budgetary wagon too!
Anyway, today's efforts:
*Cleaned all of downstairs using only washable cloths, 'Stardrops' & a bit of bleach. I simply can't understand why people buy a different product for just about every different room.surface in the house. I bet the ingredients list is the same on 95% of them.
*Made a sourdough loaf....well, nearly, it's on its 2nd proving & will go in the oven shortly.
*Made tomorrow's packed lunch.
*Was going to cut some fresh salad to go with dinner but it is absolutely chucking it down with rain so I am going to do stir-fried garlicky courgettes as a side veg instead. A useful use-it-up opportunity as the courgette plants are still producing.
*Did 3 'Prolific Academic' surveys.....almost £4 earned for very little time. Also did a One-poll & a Toluna. Got out of the habit of trying to do at least a couple a day but am onto it now as badly need to recover savings which we unavoidably used recently.
*Knitting for my sales basket has picked up a bit. It's all yarn from my stash in case anyone was thinking I'd had a sneaky little trippette to the wool shop.
*Write shopping list. I did 2 week's of meal plans last time so have all the meals to hand, but I want to allow extra time for the shopping list to make sure I check stocks of things PROPERLY, not just half a look. And yes, I will get my little step out so I can see in the back of the pantry.
*Checked big brown paper bag of green tomatoes to see how they're ripening. Yep, not bad. Took out another 2 ripe ones. Will leave the others. It will take longer now the weather's cooler......
*......talking of which......no heating on. Oh no! Using heated towel radiator overnight (cheap tariff) to dry off towels but nothing else has been switched on as yet & won't be until Oct 1st at the earliest.
*Investigations involving refried beans. I like a small branded tin of these for making veggie fajhitas but I really do baulk at paying over a £ for such a small tin of something which is basically some bashed up cooked beans & some spices. Looked up ingredients list for the brand I like, then looked up recipes online & have found something very similar, so am thinking that I will make this in bulk & freeze it in fajhitas-for-2-size-portions. Tortilla wraps are usually available on offer & I currently have lots of peppers because I had a good crop of them in the greenhouse this year, so a bit of onion & garlic, home grown jalopenos, rolled up with a scoop of grated cheese & some home-made re-fried beans....that's a cheap filling, healthy meal. Will feed back on whether the recipe is any good. Oh my days, I can talk, can't I? How boring was that? I just can't do minimalist posts!
*Pay 4 x 50ps into my sealed pot.
And that, dear friends, is it! Must sign out now & get the oven heated for my loaf to go in or we will have no toast for tomorrow.
Love to all,
F x

determined_new_ms

Frugal_Saver wrote: »

Childcare vouchers accounts are now confirmed, just waiting on nursery confirming their account details so I can set up automatic payments. Between myself and OH we can cover the monthly fee with vouchers.

such great news! The vouchers made such a difference to our financial lives :T we went from some months paying £800/900 for CC to paying between £250-300 depending on how the month went

determined_new_ms

foxgloves wrote: »

Hello Frugal Friends,
Just caught up with all your posts. Lots of good money saving habits going on. Hope I can add to them in a minute. Welcome Mimi, too. A helpful friendly thread, this one. I've picked up all sorts of clever tips & we're good at supporting each other when we fall off the budgetary wagon too!
Anyway, today's efforts:
*Cleaned all of downstairs using only washable cloths, 'Stardrops' & a bit of bleach. I simply can't understand why people buy a different product for just about every different room.surface in the house. I bet the ingredients list is the same on 95% of them.
*Made a sourdough loaf....well, nearly, it's on its 2nd proving & will go in the oven shortly.
*Made tomorrow's packed lunch.
*Was going to cut some fresh salad to go with dinner but it is absolutely chucking it down with rain so I am going to do stir-fried garlicky courgettes as a side veg instead. A useful use-it-up opportunity as the courgette plants are still producing.
*Did 3 'Prolific Academic' surveys.....almost £4 earned for very little time. Also did a One-poll & a Toluna. Got out of the habit of trying to do at least a couple a day but am onto it now as badly need to recover savings which we unavoidably used recently.
*Knitting for my sales basket has picked up a bit. It's all yarn from my stash in case anyone was thinking I'd had a sneaky little trippette to the wool shop.
*Write shopping list. I did 2 week's of meal plans last time so have all the meals to hand, but I want to allow extra time for the shopping list to make sure I check stocks of things PROPERLY, not just half a look. And yes, I will get my little step out so I can see in the back of the pantry.
*Checked big brown paper bag of green tomatoes to see how they're ripening. Yep, not bad. Took out another 2 ripe ones. Will leave the others. It will take longer now the weather's cooler......
*......talking of which......no heating on. Oh no! Using heated towel radiator overnight (cheap tariff) to dry off towels but nothing else has been switched on as yet & won't be until Oct 1st at the earliest.
*Investigations involving refried beans. I like a small branded tin of these for making veggie fajhitas but I really do baulk at paying over a £ for such a small tin of something which is basically some bashed up cooked beans & some spices. Looked up ingredients list for the brand I like, then looked up recipes online & have found something very similar, so am thinking that I will make this in bulk & freeze it in fajhitas-for-2-size-portions. Tortilla wraps are usually available on offer & I currently have lots of peppers because I had a good crop of them in the greenhouse this year, so a bit of onion & garlic, home grown jalopenos, rolled up with a scoop of grated cheese & some home-made re-fried beans....that's a cheap filling, healthy meal. Will feed back on whether the recipe is any good. Oh my days, I can talk, can't I? How boring was that? I just can't do minimalist posts!
*Pay 4 x 50ps into my sealed pot.
And that, dear friends, is it! Must sign out now & get the oven heated for my loaf to go in or we will have no toast for tomorrow.
Love to all,
F x

so much to respond to Mrs F! firstly - I know what you mean I can't for the life of me work out what people spend on cleaning products per month! I get a bottle of bleach & a bottle of WUL which will last a couple of months cost maybe £1.80. I buy the big bottle of bleach and decant into one with a rim thingy.

A bottle of cleaning fluid - can't find stardrops anywhere! - say £1 lasts months and months and months.

and some laundry powder - say £3 and last 2/3 months ( I use less than the recommendation and my washing is always clean!

re fajitas - make your own wraps 10x more delish than store bought, doesn't take too long and costs about 2p per wrap and can all be frozen check out penniesandpancakes.com for recipe I use

foxgloves

Cheers DNMS, I'll look for that tortilla wrap recipe & give it a try. I can make pittas, naans & garlic flatbreads, so I don't know why I've never thought of making wraps!
F x

carrielovesfanta

determined_new_ms wrote: »

check out penniesandpancakes.com for recipe I use

I did not read that as "pennies" the first time I looked :eek:;):rotfl:

carrielovesfanta

foxgloves wrote: »

Cheers DNMS, I'll look for that tortilla wrap recipe & give it a try. I can make pittas, naans & garlic flatbreads, so I don't know why I've never thought of making wraps!
F x

I have made wraps before. It was pretty easy but I just fell out of the habit

determined_new_ms

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Morning h My Gawd! I should have had a shower by now but I'm still sitting here nursing a coffee! And after waking up 20 mins late as well :eek:

Quickly then!

[STRIKE]* soup out of freezer for lunch - today is my 1 day where I get a lunch break taking apple & raspberries from the lottie with [/STRIKE]greek yogurt for snacks YUM!
[STRIKE]* hang out washing[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]* super quick shower[/STRIKE] used free shower timer thingy and finished just as it ran out
*[STRIKE] take note of mileage[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]* madam to after school club for the first time[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]* all meals from stores [/STRIKE]
*[STRIKE] speak to bff about madam's sleepover there tomorrow - a rare date night for oh & I [/STRIKE]
*[STRIKE] text my db about going to visit on Sunday[/STRIKE]
* flylady this evening nah just tidying
[STRIKE]* put stuff in loft this evening[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]* list 3 things on fleabay[/STRIKE]

Also:
* picked up 6x ys avocado. Going to slice & freeze 4 :money:
* picked up ys pork spare ribs chops for oh & madam - frozen
* got elle magazine for the £10.50 benefit lipstick - mag = £4.50 :T

Ok gotta dash!

Whoop! I actually completed my list :beer: