Making savings before it's too late

Blackcatsreturns

I've followed the apostrophe instructions so let's see if I've done it right. Thank you gem gem for the info

Spendless

pigpen wrote: »

Apart from me... we have our moments but we have a laugh and conversations and I love that we can enjoy each others company... 6-13 is THE most horrid age.. whiny and naggy and so demanding and never a minutes reprieve.. And I've had the most evil toddler today.. she is vile when she is hungry or tired.. today she was both.

I've found I absolutely hate 14.5 onwards, DS seems to just be coming out of the other side, he was 18 last weekend.

Not much on the money saving front due to the birthdays we have this month. Popping out shortly for 2 mother's day gifts, but don't intend spending much. It's also one of my Gran's 94th birthday next week.

lessonlearned

Blackcat.......here is my basic banana cake recipe.......

I actually use less sugar than stated. It is a matter of choice. You can also jazz it up......with things like choc nibs or vanilla. I am happy with the plain version.

200g self raising flour
150G sugar
50g.butter
1 egg
3 ripe bananas

(The more ripe the banana the sweeter it will be, so just adjust the amount of sugar to taste).

Around 30 minutes at 180.

Enjoy.

Kittie..........are you may twin.:rotfl: .I am now monitoring my energy consumption carefully. I have a smart meter now so I can keep my eye on how much I am using without having to trek down to the cellar to read the meter. Last night I altered the time settings on the boiler and have turned down the thermostat. Hopefully the worst of the cold weather is over. Like you I hate being cold. I seize up.:rotfl:

I Supplemented the heat in the living room with candles. I also have a bioethanol fire for when it is really cold. Unfortunately the previous owner to this house blocked up the chimney and flue. I will make sure that my next house has either working chimneys and flues or an outside wall.

I chose bioethanol rather than electric in case of power cuts. Still undecided about whether to have a proper log burner in my next house. I can think about that one.

I think I was either blessed or just lucky with my boys. I loved their teenage years. We had such fun. We sailed through them with never a cross word, just plenty of laughs and good times. For me the first 5 years were the hardest. The eldest did not sleep much until he started school. The youngest had speech problems at first so the terrible twos were very hard because he found it difficult to communicate. I was just so tired all the time. Now they are In their 30s and they are just fab. .

Anyway better get cracking, went through my wardrobe, 3 Black bin liners ready to take to the charity shop. I will do another sweep when the winter is over and I have hopefully gone down a dress size.

Next week I am aiming to tackle the kitchen cupboards. Now that I live alone I think I can get rid of loads of crockery and equipment I no longer use.

janb5

Here`s a tried and tested one which is delicious!


BANANA CAKE

4oz butter or margarine
6oz caster sugar
8oz self raising flour
2 eggs
2 large or 3 medium, very ripe bananas
2 teaspoons honey
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Heat the oven to gas mark 4; 180C
Grease a 2lb loaf tin.
Mash the bananas with a sturdy fork.
Cream the butter and sugar together and mix in the eggs
Add the honey and cinnamon
Mix together the two yellow sludges you now have.
Mix in the flour.
Scrape into the loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes then lower the temperature to gas mark 2; 150C and cook for a further 30 minutes.

* I sprinkle demarara sugar on mine before baking *.

pigpen

I have loads of banoonies need using up.. alas I have no flour because I heard inkling of a squeaker and binned the whole lot.

I have a tummy bug still doing the rounds.. we are now halfway through week 2..

Ebeasting going fairly well.. I need it all to disappear super fast yet I never get chance to list anything new.. I just photographed one box full which will hopefully clear some of my gas/electric bill .. they are charging me double what my usual bill is and I think they are still running 2 meters, not just one.. I haven't used any more than usual.. I have gas CH and a hob.. I am certain they have messed up.

janb5

What you could do pigpen is to mash three bananas at a time and bag it in the freezer for when you feel better. Also forgot to mention that this cake freezes well.

janb5

I`m not sure which thread it was on but someone posted a link to an amazing fruit cake with condensed milk in it- absolutely gorgeous so thank you.( Nana`s fruit cake - and gave a link to a site called The Simple Things.) Slight mistake with conversion for gas oven but otherwise perfect.

mama67

Katieowl wrote: »

My grandmother always used to say a woman should have some money her husband knew nothing about!!!

If mine knows I've got any I don't have it for long, not that he's profligate, but it always seems to fall to me to sort anything. I prefer he makes the effort occassionally, so I keep quiet

I have the same problem. So I tell him I earn less than I do so can put the difference into a secret savings account.:money:

[Deleted User]

I need to do the annual cleaning up of statements etc I have a tidy file, in case I pop my clogs, having had to deal with the sudden passing of my husband. I did all the finances so knew everything but he didn`t, I tried to show him but he would have been very stuck if I had passed first.

I decided that all this would be too much for the children so decided to make life easier for them. I think it is called `dying tidy`

lessonlearned

Yes, I have done the “dying tidy” thing too. The only thing is I think we probably need to make sure it is kept up to date. So if our circumstances change for any reason then we would need to make any alterations. This is especially true of wills.

It might sound morbid but having dealt with 3 estates, 3 funerals, nursing homes and end of life care then I confirm it is better to be prepared. It can save your loved ones a lot of stress and heartache.

I actually felt better when I had done it.

I know I have mentioned this on the widows thread but one thing I would just like to advise.......

When you take out life insurance put the policy in trust. The proceeds bypass the will and go straight to the beneficiaries. This can be used then to pay for funeral expenses, clear any debts, pay any inheritance tax due, without your beneficiaries having to struggle to pay out up front.

It speeds things up and avoids a lot of unnecessary complications. When my husband died I sent off the claim on the Monday and received the cheque on the Friday.