saving my future self from debt

pennyforthepot

mark88man wrote: »

Glad you liked my phrase - I'm not normally so forward, but I am trying not to overthink things and just be more chilled generally

Yes the investment board is scary, but I found the scariness is inversely related to the amount you are talking about. Although they do seem to require quite a hard nosed money first attitude, which I still struggle with (obviously read my signature)

The thing I learned though is that YOU need to decide what your investment agenda/requirements are and then use the IFA (or the internet) to implement in the most tax efficient risk managed way

good luck - will keep popping by

Thanks M88M I appreciate your advice.

pennyforthepot

beanielou wrote: »

Oh & I only managed half a hour of yoga before I left the class today

I didn't even manage half an hour today Beanielou, slept in till 6.45 which is unheard of for me. I have been cleaning and cooking all day so fairly active still

pennyforthepot

Full day of cleaning and batch cooking for me- my feet are killing me. I don't know how people can work on their feet all day, particularly if you wear heels too (not that I was wearing heels to do my cooking and cleaning )

Cooking wise today I:

• cooked up some more kidney beans for the freezer
• made some hummus
• large pot of rice, portioned and frozen
• several baked sweet potato halved, bagged and frozen
• made 8 x my veggie dahl curry
• several portions of sheperdess pie (without the pie).A vegan version made with green lentils and diced veg that is incredibly tasty
• made some gram flour flatbreads for DD as they are gf and I use them for felafel and hummus packed lunch.Just realised that is actually all made from chickpeas.
• flapjacks for DDs snack.Tried a different recipe as I found the jumbo oats fall apart so I comnined them with normal oats. Not bad considering they were made with dairy free butter, will add some dried fruit next time (obviously had to test one.

Very productive cookery day but the only problem is I'm struggling to get it all into the freezer, so will need to take everything out and see if I can jig it around a little.

I've been struggling to create a proper meal plan, mainly because I find when cooking vegan its just as easy to cobble things together based on what veg,pulses and starches are in the fridge and more times than not I totally forget what it is I've made. Well I have now solved the problem as I have started taking a photo of every meal I make and add text to the photo to remind me what I put in it and then keep it in my 'food album' on my phone. Its worked brilliantly for me so far.


Scores on the Doors Today:

Spent Today/Spent This Month/Monthly Budget

• £5.45/£103.36/£225 food
• £6.90/£22/£25 stockpot
• £0/£8.52/£60 kids
• £0/£3.64/£40 misc
• £0/£30/£85 petrol
• £0/10.00/£20 me
• £0/25/£25 replacement pot (glasses)
• £0/£25/£800 contingency pot (glasses)
• £0.65/£3.13 OP
• £1.18/£8.34 electricity
• £11.04 Daily Available Spend (down 9p)

Stockpot spend on nutritional yeast flakes which is a b12 replacement for vegans and and makes a great flavour enhancers for a lot of vegan food and 'cheese sauce'. Should last around 4/5 months I hope.

Off to relax now

PFTPx
124.5lbs (0.25 loss)
0.5lb total loss (not to be sniffed at - that's one pack of butter )

mark55man

recipe or link for the shepherdess pie would be much appreciated DD1 and DS1 are vegan. DD2 is a vegetarian but doesn't much like veggies and DS2 is an apprentice chef and will come and talk about how many lobsters ducks and fish he's boiled, roasted or filleted (and normally manages to eat some!!)

DD1 loves the cheese flakes, DS1 less so

doingitanyway

Lots of good ideas here. I prep food too as life is busy and otherwise I eat nonsense.

You reminded me to make falafel as they are good to eat on the go.
I've never baked sweet potatoes in advance but it's a good idea, I'll try that.

Thanks

pennyforthepot

Urm that's a good question M88M - I'm a kind of open the fridge, see what's in there and chuck it in sort of chef . I think the trick is to have fairly equal portions of everything and to dice the veggies finely, kind of pea size. So I think this is how it went:

• Chop up equal quantities of onion, carrot and celery - fry gently for approx 10 mins to soften
• Add as much garlic as you like and fry for a couple more minutes
• Chop up green beans, mushrooms courgette and add to pan
• Fry gently for another 5 minutes
• Add in a Large splodge ofTom puree
• Rinse a similar portion of green lentils and add to pan
• Add a couple of teaspoons of Swiss veg bouillon stir around pan
• Pour in around half a pint of water (best read the green lentil instructions for correct quantities
• Add in some fresh thyme (I only had dried marjoram so chucked some of that in but fresh thyme adds a lovely flavour)
• Turn up heat to high for 10 minutes as the lentils need to bubble away for a while. Keep checking the liquid levels as the lentils will absorb a lot of the water and you will need to top it up
• Reduce to a simmer for around 30 minutes - again keeping an eye on the absorption. Keep tasting to see if the lentils are cooked (they should be plump and soft to bite into. I added in some peas 5 minutes before the end
• Once cooked stir in a large tablespoon or more of nutritional yeast

This is a great base and can be served with a potato/sweet potato mash topping as in shepherds pie, on top of a jacket potato or with rice. Or add haf a tin of toms and eat it with spaghetti.I made it with saut!ed potatoes and fried leeks yesterday. You could also change the spices to Indian and make a nice curry too.And don't blame me if it tastes pants

PFTP x

pennyforthepot

Another extra day working for me today - I'm practically full time this week. (Not enjoying coming home to a load of chores I must say).

I'm not on my computer so I can't record my scores on the doors today. I know I spent £2.07 on electricity yesterday (that was all the cooking I did that bumped that up). I ordered some cheap cards (found a nice set on Amazon for around 50p a card) the other day and they arrived today. I think it was £7.50 so I will need to add that to my birthday pot spend. Other than that not a jot spent.

A busy busy weekend ahead of me into London tomorrow for the second round of deep cleaning DSs room (it includes a kitchenette and shower room) and carting back yet more of his stjuff all ready for check out next week. Dropping in to a friend for her 50th bday (need to pick up a pressie tomorrow en route). Then up to the midlands to stay with family whilst DD is doing a work placement at my DS work. Then down to London mid week for a funeral, back up to the Midlands then back down here on Thursday and aback into London Friday for DS check out and bring him home. Exhausted just writing it down, I can feel my credit card cowering in my purse too! I will try and post but I may go awol for a while but don't worry I will keep my spreadsheet up to date.

Happy weekend

PFTP x

mark55man

that looks lovely - I have my moments in the kitchen, and that could be one

thanks and if it tastes pants its the execution not the idea which is fabby

pennyforthepot

doingitanyway wrote: »

Lots of good ideas here. I prep food too as life is busy and otherwise I eat nonsense.

You reminded me to make falafel as they are good to eat on the go.
I've never baked sweet potatoes in advance but it's a good idea, I'll try that.

Thanks

my falafels fall apartwhen i try and cook them.its very disheartening

mark55man

went to Mr S for our weekend shop yesterday and noted they had Vegan Falafel pizza (Frozen £2.50), but your fall-apart falafel sound ideal for a HM Pizze topping at half that price