Getting it together...one £ at a time!

doingitanyway

I agree. A lovely balanced meal plan.

I don't think the nuggets and waffles would feed the family. processed food and high carbs just triggers a more, more, more response so your children would be permanently hungry.

Do you use metal skewers?

Have you got a garden?
Could you plant some basic fruit trees or bushes this year?

Wishing the little one better.

kindofagilr

Homegrown0 wrote: »

Shopping list done!
I've been reading foxglove's diary (about 30% through) and have really picked up a few tips from her, one of which i used today. I wrote my meal plan, wrote the corresponding shopping list then went through all the cupboards, freezer and fridge to score off all the things we already have. I then substituted a planned meal (that we had nothing in for) for something we already had in the freezer.

I still eye roll at the cost for the volume of fruit and veg that we eat but I'd rather have a higher shopping bill and eat well than the alternative. It just grates me that I can get a pack of 50 chicken nuggets for £2 and waffles for £1 that would feed my two for over a week when I'd be lucky to get two days worth of meals for them eating vegetables. We eat frozen veg where we can to minimise cost and waste.

Anyway, I'm hoping that tonight/ tomorrow's shop will be less than £50 for the 32 items we need.

Meal plan:
1. Chicken, bacon and leek pasta with veg
2. Tandoori chicken skewers, cous cous and salad
3. Vegetarian sausages, gravy with onions, mashed potato and peas
4. Slow cooker beef stew (packed with veg) and potatoes
5. Chicken curry, rice and sugarsnap peas
6. Fish cakes, broccoli, peas and potatoes

Yay well done this is what I do too, it's really good at combating food waste, and just ordering the same things for the sake of it, your menu sounds lovely xx

Homegrown0

Thanks DawnW, don't get me wrong, they have chicken nuggets now and again! Just making the most of them happily eating the good stuff.

DIA - yes, we use reusable metal skewers. We do have a garden but it's a complete state. The previous owners left it to die years ago so all we have done it get rid of all the rubbish since we moved in. I also have no clue whatsoever about gardening and keeping things alive but funnily enough yesterday I was googling how to grow herbs outdoors. We are time poor and knowledge poor so if I can do some small things that don't cost a lot of money and time then I may do that. Thanks for the idea!

Thanks kindofagilr- I'm normally so disorganised that I go shopping without writing a list and doing a meal plan so I'm making a concerted effort to be more organised all round. It sounds simple checking the cupboards and amending the list before shopping but it's taken me reading it on a diary here to hammer home the importance.

kindofagilr

Homegrown0 wrote: »

Thanks kindofagilr- I'm normally so disorganised that I go shopping without writing a list and doing a meal plan so I'm making a concerted effort to be more organised all round. It sounds simple checking the cupboards and amending the list before shopping but it's taken me reading it on a diary here to hammer home the importance.

I used to be like that too then I started getting weekly asda deliveries and only buying what I needed that week, it's working a treat xx

Homegrown0

A new week...
My poor little guy is still not well, so it's been an interesting day trying to work with a 3 year old attached to me. Thankfully my work is pretty flexible so i got urgent things out the way earlier and will catch up when I can.

Good things:

• Dinner is in the slow cooker, simmering away (beef stew packed with veggies)
• Managed to get two washings done and hung up with the help of enthusiastic but sick 3 year old
• Husband's work are considering another round of night shift next week which is rubbish for him (zzz...) but good for the bank balance as he gets double time
• Husband has also got another couple of enquiries for extra work so if they come off then late this month/ early next month we should have some more money for the savings pot (which is right now going towards holiday spends)
• Reading someone else's diary made me inquire with my local library whether they do online services - they do! So i'm now registered and able to access the range of online magazines and audio books that they have! Can't wait to get stuck into them.
• I'm still using my planner that I got for Christmas and it's working really well. I put everything in there from important things like calls I need to make down to doing dishes and washings. I think ticking things off motivates me :rotfl:
• Managed a 30 minute run yesterday (with eldest son cycling alongside me) and booked in my next two days work of work outs to keep me on plan.
• Soup made, so lunches for the next couple of days sorted. :T

Not so good things:

• We decided we will take the kids to Disney for 2 days while on our summer holiday (we will be an hour away) - priced up the cost of tickets only for the four of us...£508!! :eek::eek::eek: Upping the holiday target as although expensive, it's a one off and they're at a good age to go
• Spent more than planned this weekend thanks to hubby - he took my son for a treat lunch for doing so well at school, and spent out on some snacks that weren't really necessary or budgeted for
• Pay day is still so far away...

Days until pay day: 16
Number of childcare payments: 19
Number of loan payments: 13

abba1772

Disney is expensive just to get in.....we took in packed lunches and the small diluting juices you get in homebargains and just asked for iced water which was free xx

Homegrown0

abba1772 wrote: »

Disney is expensive just to get in.....we took in packed lunches and the small diluting juices you get in homebargains and just asked for iced water which was free xx

We will definitely be doing all of that too Abba. We'd never go on a holiday just to Eurodisney so this seems like a good way to do it, despite being expensive. Also, who can turn their nose up at fresh baguettes, meat, cheese etc from the local LeClerc or Super U? We'll definitely be doing packed lunches.

Aside from saving up for the tickets, i'll be holding off buying them in case there's any deals to be had in the mean time. Fingers crossed...

Homegrown0

The wind is blowing a gale outside and I'm feeling a bit low (no particular reason why, just a bit blah...) so I thought I'd take a break from working before a busy afternoon of calls ahead and do a little mid-month recap of how things are looking.

Paid to date so far in 2019: £111.39 / £10,000 target 1.1% (and I still have two DDs totaling £586 to be paid aside from any other little payments I can make)

Qmee: £0 (just cashed out and paid to CC)
Onepoll: £5.60 / £25
PA: £2.05 pending
Topcashback: £101.21
Xmas fund: £100
CU savings: £200

£133 left in our spending account to cover two more weekly shops and a dinner out for me with friends at the weekend...:eek: Need to get my creative hat on for the next couple of meal plans!

I'm doing ok with my day to day list of stuff to do - the ticking off effect has a lot to answer for. And miraculously, i remembered to take chicken out of the freezer last night to cook for tonight's dinner! :money:

Off to grab some lunch, which is leftover stew with microwaveable rice. Nice and filling which will help later since I'm gymming at 6pm.

kindofagilr

I hope you had a nice lunch, I feel you on the money left in the bank lol, we have £115 left in ours and 2 weekends of food needed and petrol eep, I put a cheque in from christmas for £70 last friday so I am hoping that clears this friday, or monday then we will be fine

Trying not to panic though lol xx

doingitanyway

Disney sounds exciting and as you say the children are at the right age. Combining it with an existing holiday sounds like a sensible plan.

If anyone can make your remaining budget stretch it is you