Digging my way out

Doing_it_my_way

A better diet day today I need to go shopping, again it's all about balance. I don't want to go shopping because I will end up going over my budget for the month, but then in turn it's ruining my diet as I don't have the right food here.
I definitely need to up the shopping budget, I have been trying to stick to £150 a month and it's not enough. I am going to go with £9 per day which is £63 a week and approx £270 per month. I have set up a buffer account so any money that I don't spend goes in there for a bit literally as a 'buffer'.
DH is on the brink of increasing his work load which in turn will increase mine, I know I will be much more stressed as I will be dealing with office work daily again which means I will be much more likely to run to the chippie, get a takeaway and become behind on my daily housework all of which will weigh heavily on me and it will be like a vicious circle - I need to break it.
So shopping budget is set.
Meal planning is done on a 4 weekly rota and written up into my diary for the next 4 weeks.
Virtual accounts are set up and as long as I balance them daily they will run themselves, payments are scheduled into savings and emergency funds etc.
I have never done this before, just had the money and spent it and haven't given a thought for the future.
This time must be different.
By Christmas next year so 2020, if everything works out we will have paid off all the debt, saved at least £5,000. Have money in emergency accounts and also money allocated in areas like house maintenance, garden, smallholding, car maintenance etc. I have 12 of them in all
I would like to keep on top of the house work and stop cluttering cupboards, I need to deal with things on the spot rather than throw them in a draw or cupboard to sit for years....sigh.
I also need to stick to my healthy eating plan.
It's a lot to do and a lot to think about, staying focused.
So today I have frozen the mince pie I made yesterday, I cut it into 6 slices and DH had a pastie type piece yesterday so not bad. I have frozen tomatoes from the greenhouse whole, apparently once defrosted they will be fine to use in meals like spag bol and curries, but not in salads, they will be like tinned tomatoes, which is fine.
DH had lamb and mash tonight which has been sat in the freezer for months so it felt good to get it out and gone.
I have two major cupboards to de-clutter but I am going to need storage tubs so will look at getting them when money improves.
Tomorrow I am going to muck out in the morning, then run to the shops (go me!) and then I will be home babysitting all the furbabies again. I am going to make biscuits, Mary Berry fork biscuits and another loaf of bread as I still haven't managed to get one into the freezer.
We have had the water on the last few days which means the upstairs radiators are hot, I have used them to dry washing so they are not completely wasted and of course it is nice to have some warmth up there. The Aga will probably go on during the next couple of weeks, October usually sees a drop in temperatures.
I am hoping Friday will be a better day weather wise and I intend to tidy up the garden, cut down the runner beans, tomatoes and flowers which are over, but I will probably have to dodge showers
Tea for tomorrow is sausage, egg and chips for DH and if I do manage to get to the shops I am going to buy a cooking apple or two and make an apple tart, one piece for DH for afters and the rest for the freezer

Doing_it_my_way

Very busy few days. Been over to DS's for a meal, and we went out for a meal last night just me and DH.
Lots of chatting later, DH has decided to reopen his business to the public so that will bring in more income for us, although it means I will now work in the office all day. Never mind it's money and that is what we need. I think we are in for a very very busy next couple of months. As long as it means we can meet our expenses and pay off the debt then it is worth it.
I need to keep posting on here to keep track of where I am.
Balance my bank accounts daily.
Meal plan and shop to the list.
Freeze and preserve as much as possible.
Grow as much of our own things as I can manage.
Keep on top of the housework.
Keep sewing as it keeps me sane lol
Look after myself somehow or other!!!
They should re-open within the next few weeks, it is all in place and only shut before as we just had too much to do, but DS is here all day now as well so the two of them can manage, it's just me that has to do more. I don't mind as long as the money is there and I did want to increase income. Be careful what you wish for!!
Horses have been out again today, rugged though as it has been torrential. It is a clear night now though and cold.
Runner beans have been taken down and the canes stored for next year.
Not sure if any more tomatoes will ripen so it will soon be time to taken them out as well.
Have made bread and tomorrow will cut it and freeze, a fruit loaf which is sliced and frozen, tomatoes from greenhouse have been washed and frozen whole, have made another batch of soup for me and frozen 8 portions in all, used 4 rotting bananas in a banana cake so DD was delighted as she loves it . Spoilt DH and DS and his fiance this morning I made them a sponge pudding and custard for 11am coffee, went down a treat.
No change on the money front other than I did go shopping for food and I have blown the budget. I havn't decided whether to take it from next months or whether to just accept that the budget I set wasn't enough. Will mull it over and decide, I would like to have a fresh start next month without any payments from last month being deducted.

DebtFreeMonkey

Great to read your updates and see your progress. You're super motivational to me and I enjoy checking in with how things are going.

Quick question, how do you decide/draw up your meal plans? I'm terrible at things like that but need to do it to avoid wasting food and to meal prep in advance because of limited time. Haha.

Doing_it_my_way

Hello Debt free monkey
Well I have a diary and I write what we are having for lunch and then for tea. I do this for 4 weeks and hen rotate it. Then I go through the diary and write a shopping list taking into account every meal and then go and get it, but I stick to the list as closely as possible. I used to do it for the month but now I tend to do it weekly but the meal plan is still done. Sometimes I don't feel like cooking a full cooked dinner so I swop it for something else I have already bought and then swop the meals in my diary
It's a bit over the top I think but it works for me.
Last week lunch on one day was bacon sandwiches so I put a note next to it in my diary to save 2 pieces to put into the quiche which was for the next days tea, just things like that lol and I use the freezer a LOT.
Sometimes if we have pasta for tea, then it also becomes the next days lunch. But if I write it all out in the diary then you can do meals which double up the next day or at least use some of the same things, like sausage cooked dinner or toad in the hole, can double up the next day with sausages sliced on a homemade pizza. Once I have been shopping I know that I have everything in the freezer for every meal I have planned and usually a bit more. I find it saves me money and it is less food waste
This weeks menus, will not be healthy though
Mon: Ham rolls, Sausage, veg and mash and brownies (ham is gammon cooked, sliced and frozen
Tues: Pizza, hot dogs and victoria sandwich cake (pizza made with homemade pastry
Weds: Southern fried chicken in rolls, Chicken curry,rice/chips and naan bread, pancakes
Thurs: Cheese toasties, bacon egg mushrooms and chips, muffins
Fri: Tuna mayo rolls, chicken and bacon pie, peas and chips, and jelly and icecream
Sat: Bacon sandwiches, pizza and chip/bake pots, salad, sponge pudding and custard
Sun: Egg mayo rolls, pork chop dinner and maid of honour cakes and custard.
If we fancy something else I just factor it in but the 4 week meal plans just keep rolling on. I hate thinking of what to have for tea so it's just easier for me in black and white. Bet you wish you never asked LOL
Very lazy day here today, did some ironing, cleaned up and hoovered through, has rained very heavy here tonight in fact non stop.
Tomorrow I am going to do some sewing if I get the chance and pop to DD's for some cake

DebtFreeMonkey

Sounds a very productive day and indeed, I think I have some planning to get learn and get used to to be up to your standard of meal prepping! Quite daunting even thinking about it.

Hope you continue to have a good weekend.

Doing_it_my_way

Thank you Debtfreemonkey
So today did not go to plan, raining hard most of the day. Went to DD's for afternoon tea and DH had bacon and egg sandwiches, I ruined my diet with almost a packet of jaffa cakes, noooooooooooo.....
Home now though, watching the Grand Prix on catch up, I am not a fan of Lewis Hamilton, in fact I love it when he loses, so today is NOT a good day :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Doing_it_my_way

Runner beans and tomatoes officially over. Horses all out again but are in now at night and are rugged. Will be feeding hard feed again shortly.
We have a dry afternoon so far today after some really heavy rain this morning. The aga is now on and the oven is ticking over, that damp feel a stone house gets when it's time to warm it up.
Back after...............

Doing_it_my_way

Sorry my Mum called for a cuppa!
Well I have well and truly wrecked my diet, southern fried chicken in rolls and chips oh my goodness me!!! Well so what?? Tomorrow is another day
Lots of cleaning again today, washed all the floors downstairs after hoovering and within seconds the doggies had run all over it, and two of them were covered in mud, story of my life during the winter
Ah well..............went to the shops with my Mum, and had the first spend of October, week one of £15.90, stuck to the list completely so very pleased with that. This week I have a budget of £63 so I now have £47.10p left until Sunday. Monthly budget is £279 so £263.10 left.
Made biscuits, with digestive biscuits smashed up, butter and sultanas and melted chocolate, then fridge and cut up small, this is what wrecked my diet lol
Was going to make pasties for tea but basically could not be bothered so used a piece of pie from the freezer and will make pasties tomorrow.
Have washed all coats which hang on the rack all year round, so at least they are clean for now.
Have made a date with a friend next week, we just go for coffee and a natter, so that will be lovely as well.
Tomorrow is meant to be a dry day so that would be nice

Doing_it_my_way

Back on track today, have dieted properly, wont be long and I can have my jaffa cakes and a cuppa
First thing, mucked out the horses and turned them out, beautiful day today all day.
Then cleaned out the greenhouse and took down all the tomatoes and any other plants which were over for the year. The greenhouse looks empty, clean but empty.
Picked up the doggies doo doo again and then DH cut the grass.
Two loads of washing, small ones though but best to keep on top of it.
A new bedside cabinet arrived today for the spare bedroom as DH wants to consider doing bed and breakfast, we did used to do it and it worked very well, it's another thing that has gone by the wayside. So two rooms are ready to go but the other is waiting some furniture. Put the bedside cabinet together and at the last minute realised the first piece I built was wrong, luckily DH managed to undo three screws and we could alter the wrong piece. I do love cooking and feeding people so we will see, we are going into the winter now though so may not be quite so busy, let's see, a couple of nights a week would make a massive difference to us. Hopefully with all this going on and new ventures starting we will start to see an improvement financially, I just need to keep on top of things, remain frugal and pay off the debt!!!!
Not sure what the weather is giving tomorrow I think it is raining by about 4pm, so may be a day inside cooking
No shopping today at all, so that's good loan has updated, but interest needs to go on the mortgage and the credit card and then I can update.
Hope everyone has had a good as day as possible

Doing_it_my_way

Rain, rain, rain, nothing but...........
Made lovely chocolate cakes today, everyone ate them but me lol
Diet is going well and have now lost all my holiday gain so that's good.
DH did all the horses this morning as I have pulled my back and neck again, I hate it, just wish it wouldn't be there.
Currently sat waiting for them to finish for the weekend, hopefully they wont be working tomorrow as I fancy a good walk and a blow out, one of those clear out the cobweb walks.
Going shopping when DH finishes hopefully will be well within budget and will have some money left to carry over to next week.
Have had a delivery of hay today the other one lasted quite a while so pleased with that.
Can't remember off hand what is for tea tonight.................oh yeah, spag bol but I can't be bothered
I am having SW curry so maybe DH will have some of that with me, he can have some garlic bread as well.
Have given the bathroom a more thorough clean today, wiped skirting boards and cleaned out the shower drain etc. did the same to the kitchen yesterday.
So looking forward to a quiet evening with DH, something nice to eat and a good programme/film on the telly.