Needing to Stay Dept Free!

mumtoomany

Hello all, I have been on MSE for many years now, but don't often post. We are, fortunately debt free, but, as the title suggests need to stay that way.
My DH and I moved to Wales almost 7 years ago with our youngest daughter, our eldest daughter, her OH and now their 3 children.
Our meager income comes from 2 small pensions, child care from caring for the grandchildren and what little we can make selling lambs, hay, vegetables and eggs, and tax credits.
We are quite happy being "poor" in money but "rich" in life style. However the child tax credits for youngest have just stopped along with child benefit. She is going back to college next week, so we are still supporting her. On top of this our minibus is at the garage. It needs the gearbox rebuilding. This will cost over £1000. The barn roof needs replacing before winter sets in. And we have another grandchild due in a few weeks, this one to another daughter who lives 5 hours away.
I need to cut down on spends in any way I can to prevent us going into debt (the costs above will be covered by savings).
I want to use this diary to hold myself accountable, if I think others are following I will have to explain myself to them if I fail.

So today: this morning we took DGS and DGD1 to a carboot sale. Managed to buy a grinder for £15, the reason we had gone. Also some Duplo for DGD1's birthday. On the way back I managed to buy 18 tubs of double cream on YS for 30p each.

When we got back I cleaned out the chicks. We checked all the sheep and lambs for fly strike and trimmed the hooves on 3 of them. I blanched prepped and froze runner beans and french beans. Also cooked the beets I'd brought in and froze some blackberries DH had picked.

Back tomorrow if the internet is working.

mumtoomany

Back again. I saw that over 100 people have viewed this thread, maybe because I put dept in the title not debt! Flaming dyslexia!

Went shopping with DD1, Birthday party on Saturday for DGS and another twenty 3, 4 and 5 year olds. Bought myself 3 books, only £1 each.

Back tomorrow.

Socajam

I saw Dept and thought it was short for "department" but obviously you mistype.
Keep up the good work.
How about buying a chess set if you can play or know anyone who can. Trust me it will be a live saver for those young children and you are not too old to learn

findingthisdifficult

Happy New Diary, I love the fact you're debt free but wanting to keep yourself accountable to stop yourself from falling in to the debt trap. Good Luck, your lifestyle sounds idyllic.

mumtoomany

Hi Socajam, I may try chess with at least the older one. I can remember my dad teaching me to play when I was around six or seven, cribbage too. The older two (nearly 5 and 3) both enjoy board games.

Hi findingthisdifficult, yes it is an idyllic lifestyle, especially for the children, but hard work! for almost no income.

Another busy day today. Cut back all the summer fruiting raspberries, planted out some broccoli plants, gathered all grass cuttings (in the rain) and used them to mulch two beds.

Then a message from DD3 (youngest) gone to college, forgotten her work uniform, can we take it into town? Ahh! Had to borrow DD1's car, ours is still at the garage, 9 weeks now. Told DD3 she has to pay for the fuel. Twenty minute drive each way, longer if you're behind a tractor. Called in at the veg shop, spent £23 but got 25kg potatoes, 25kg onions, 10kg carrots, 3 pineapples, 15 peppers, at least 100 victoria plums and 4 punnets of strawberries. Back at home, sliced and froze the peppers, stewed half the plums and put the less blemished ones for eating, canned the strawberries, and cut and fridged the pineapples. Also froze the last of the peaches (8 punnets for £2 last week), some more blackberries and more raspberries from outside. My other problem now is both chest freezers are full. Oh well better than being empty.

Thanks for reading. Mumtoomany.

Blackcats

Hi mumtomany and welcome. I'm also debt free but hang around the debt free boards to pick up hints and tips and inspiration from all the great people here who are changing their approach to money and working so hard to pay off their debt. I could very easily fall off the debt free wagon by casual spending on things that I might want but don't need which is exactly how I got into debt in the first place.
It sounds like you and the family work hard and do a great job of living the more simple living lifestyle that many people crave but perhaps other people don't realise what continuous had work it takes to live that way.
Good luck

redofromstart

Happy new diary, and good luck with your journey. Lots of people read, wish you well but don't comment.

I loved cribbage as a child.

mumtoomany

More blackberries picked today! Also managed to pick half a bag of cob nuts, and six apples from our trees. More french beans,and more runner beans picked too. The beans are at the gate, along with a glut of tomatoes and some eggs. If there are any left in a couple of days, I'll bring them in and use them. If they sell even better.

Made around £200 this year on gate sales and hay sales, every little helps.

Frozen lots of cream today. I experimented, if you just freeze double cream as it is, it separates on thawing. If you whip it first it thaws ok. Also made two lots of ice-cream, caramel and strawberry. Used tins of condensed milk, so old I expected to see the best before date in roman numerals! Tasted fine though.

Cream of chicken soup for lunch, made with the bones from a reduced chicken (barbecue spatchcock chicken) I cooked on Monday. Tea tonight the rest of the chicken casseroled with carrots, onions and beetroot. Served with mash and home grown cabbage. One chicken has fed 8 of us twice and 5 portions of soup.

Back tomorrow, after i pick more raspberries and maybe a few blackberries. Mumtoomany.

mumtoomany

Forgot to say hi to Blackcats, redofromstart and anyone else who is reading.

MovingForwards

Charity shops are good for board games / toys.

Loads of us hang around on these boards as we support and encourage one another

redofromstart

haven't checked the cob nuts locally for a few weeks, good call. Must remind OH. He came back from last nights walk with a huge bag of damsons, first rule of walking is always have a bag ready.

I freeze the cream whipped too, or I make butter and freeze that in 1 oz portions. I also grate and freeze cheese which stops greedy people from eating it in great chunks from the fridge. We used to have hens and froze cracked, slightly beaten eggs too. My freezer is full of unidentified small pots actually