Countdown from £28k...

efes_shareholder

First months freedom always involves inflated spends , if you are anything like me you will throw caution to the mind out of celebration to be free and because you deserve it - particularly after a few glasses of vino 
The good news is you have tracked it and had a word with yourself in the corner ......... batch cook to stop those takeaway whims or throw a few posher pizzas in the freezer for those occasions when hunger strikes and a kebab is inviting 
Personally I would hold off of any new flat purchase for at least a month , just to make sure I prioritise the needs over the wants 
Outing the car will be a great help , you don't need them in London and on the rare occasion you do its cheap enough to hire one 

ryanm8655

enthusiasticsaver said:

Sorry about the bonus.
Good that you added up what you have spent but better is to subtract it from available money as it is being spent so you always know what is left from your budget.  As you say the groceries and takeaways are horrific for just one person. 

Haha, feel bad moaning in these times but it's the principle more than anything...

Yeah agreed...Going to allocate some time each week to go through and add things up like I used to in the debt busting days. I knew things were bad as I had that anxiety about checking credit card spends (though forced myself to ha). When my debts were at their height I just wouldn't look...would keep spending until the card said no...

No more £2+ per 330ml can beers (honestly think that was a lot of the groceries as on occassion I was paying more than that), far fewer takeaways (minded to say none this month but don't want to set myself up to fail), those have been the main issues. The fragrances were also needless. Just spotted bargains and couldn't resist but hopefully can make the money back if not turn a small profit.

Virgin are doing a bank account switch deal with 18 bottles of wine for free. Need to switch bank account and also put £1000 into an easy access savings account to qualify and has a rate of 2%. That'll be wine covered for a couple of months... My only reluctance is I have been with HSBC since 20...but it doesn't make any difference these days right? I don't get anything from them...I guess I'd possibly los emy overdraft but I don't use it anyway...

ryanm8655

gymgirl11 said:

How annoying about the bonus - you’ve seriously got to question why your manager thought it was necessary to share that with you though? Not the best way to motivate your staff! 

Oh wow! That is some spend on the groceries and the takeaways. At least you’ve tracked it and can now look at how to bring the price down for both moving forward. 

I know right...I'd gotten over the insult and then they emailed...it's like they want to test me/!!!!!! me off...it's not the first time they have said some really odd things...I don't know if they are just crap/socially awkward or a bit psycho and enjoy messing with people...mates that know them reasonably well think it's the latter...no wonder the whole team is leaving...

I know...takeaways were sort of expected although ate them far more than I realised...but those small shops really add up (a lot of them were topping up the booze to be honest...).

Onebrokelady said:

Why is Netflix £8.99 I pay £5.99 for mine 😊
Edited to add
Check out the site Affordable Art, they have lots of artists on there offering original art that varies in price from about £50 up to £6000 😊 

It's because I have two accounts. My old flatmate still pays for spotify and I pay for the netflix otherwise I would cancel to be honest. But I use spotify daily so can't cancel...

Awesome, will take a look on there. Thanks!

ryanm8655

efes_shareholder said:

First months freedom always involves inflated spends , if you are anything like me you will throw caution to the mind out of celebration to be free and because you deserve it - particularly after a few glasses of vino 
The good news is you have tracked it and had a word with yourself in the corner ......... batch cook to stop those takeaway whims or throw a few posher pizzas in the freezer for those occasions when hunger strikes and a kebab is inviting 
Personally I would hold off of any new flat purchase for at least a month , just to make sure I prioritise the needs over the wants 
Outing the car will be a great help , you don't need them in London and on the rare occasion you do its cheap enough to hire one 

Yeah, very true. Just thinking about the opportunity cost and how much more enjoyment I could have had for the cash when things are more normal ha. But good I've added it all up and faced it as you say.

Agree re: the batch cooking. Did a chicken tray bake last night to use up all the veg that was going to go off and have enough food for a couple of days now. Another weekend of more normal levels of booze and no takeaways is the plan...

Plan is to cook up a bulk load of bolognese on Friday.

Good shout on flat purchases. My other thought is to use it as a motivator, a month without takeaways and I buy one of the pieces of art or something...or perhaps create a pot for the wants and transfer £50 across each week for every week without a takeaway.

efes_shareholder

ryanm8655 said:

efes_shareholder said:

First months freedom always involves inflated spends , if you are anything like me you will throw caution to the mind out of celebration to be free and because you deserve it - particularly after a few glasses of vino 
The good news is you have tracked it and had a word with yourself in the corner ......... batch cook to stop those takeaway whims or throw a few posher pizzas in the freezer for those occasions when hunger strikes and a kebab is inviting 
Personally I would hold off of any new flat purchase for at least a month , just to make sure I prioritise the needs over the wants 
Outing the car will be a great help , you don't need them in London and on the rare occasion you do its cheap enough to hire one 

Yeah, very true. Just thinking about the opportunity cost and how much more enjoyment I could have had for the cash when things are more normal ha. But good I've added it all up and faced it as you say.

Agree re: the batch cooking. Did a chicken tray bake last night to use up all the veg that was going to go off and have enough food for a couple of days now. Another weekend of more normal levels of booze and no takeaways is the plan...

Plan is to cook up a bulk load of bolognese on Friday.

Good shout on flat purchases. My other thought is to use it as a motivator, a month without takeaways and I buy one of the pieces of art or something...or perhaps create a pot for the wants and transfer £50 across each week for every week without a takeaway.

Putting money you would have spent on takeaways to one side is a great way to take care of flat purchases 
As you say takeaways are often disappointing anyhow ....... get the pinch of nom cookbooks lots of great ideas in there and the reduction in calories allows for those in the beer and wine 

ryanm8655

efes_shareholder said:

ryanm8655 said:

efes_shareholder said:

First months freedom always involves inflated spends , if you are anything like me you will throw caution to the mind out of celebration to be free and because you deserve it - particularly after a few glasses of vino 
The good news is you have tracked it and had a word with yourself in the corner ......... batch cook to stop those takeaway whims or throw a few posher pizzas in the freezer for those occasions when hunger strikes and a kebab is inviting 
Personally I would hold off of any new flat purchase for at least a month , just to make sure I prioritise the needs over the wants 
Outing the car will be a great help , you don't need them in London and on the rare occasion you do its cheap enough to hire one 

Yeah, very true. Just thinking about the opportunity cost and how much more enjoyment I could have had for the cash when things are more normal ha. But good I've added it all up and faced it as you say.

Agree re: the batch cooking. Did a chicken tray bake last night to use up all the veg that was going to go off and have enough food for a couple of days now. Another weekend of more normal levels of booze and no takeaways is the plan...

Plan is to cook up a bulk load of bolognese on Friday.

Good shout on flat purchases. My other thought is to use it as a motivator, a month without takeaways and I buy one of the pieces of art or something...or perhaps create a pot for the wants and transfer £50 across each week for every week without a takeaway.

Putting money you would have spent on takeaways to one side is a great way to take care of flat purchases 
As you say takeaways are often disappointing anyhow ....... get the pinch of nom cookbooks lots of great ideas in there and the reduction in calories allows for those in the beer and wine 

Haha, funny you should say that, family sent me pinch of nom as a moving in gift. Have done a few recipes from it already (generally do one a week) and genuinely tastier than takeaway, even when microwaving left overs the next day...I do find they require a lot of prep and a lot of ingredients but definitely worth it! First dish I made was singapore fried rice...and having ordered the same thing from a takeaway recently, the home made version blew it out of the water even with my lack of skill...was loaded with flavour.

efes_shareholder

ryanm8655 said:

efes_shareholder said:

ryanm8655 said:

efes_shareholder said:

First months freedom always involves inflated spends , if you are anything like me you will throw caution to the mind out of celebration to be free and because you deserve it - particularly after a few glasses of vino 
The good news is you have tracked it and had a word with yourself in the corner ......... batch cook to stop those takeaway whims or throw a few posher pizzas in the freezer for those occasions when hunger strikes and a kebab is inviting 
Personally I would hold off of any new flat purchase for at least a month , just to make sure I prioritise the needs over the wants 
Outing the car will be a great help , you don't need them in London and on the rare occasion you do its cheap enough to hire one 

Yeah, very true. Just thinking about the opportunity cost and how much more enjoyment I could have had for the cash when things are more normal ha. But good I've added it all up and faced it as you say.

Agree re: the batch cooking. Did a chicken tray bake last night to use up all the veg that was going to go off and have enough food for a couple of days now. Another weekend of more normal levels of booze and no takeaways is the plan...

Plan is to cook up a bulk load of bolognese on Friday.

Good shout on flat purchases. My other thought is to use it as a motivator, a month without takeaways and I buy one of the pieces of art or something...or perhaps create a pot for the wants and transfer £50 across each week for every week without a takeaway.

Putting money you would have spent on takeaways to one side is a great way to take care of flat purchases 
As you say takeaways are often disappointing anyhow ....... get the pinch of nom cookbooks lots of great ideas in there and the reduction in calories allows for those in the beer and wine 

Haha, funny you should say that, family sent me pinch of nom as a moving in gift. Have done a few recipes from it already (generally do one a week) and genuinely tastier than takeaway, even when microwaving left overs the next day...I do find they require a lot of prep and a lot of ingredients but definitely worth it! First dish I made was singapore fried rice...and having ordered the same thing from a takeaway recently, the home made version blew it out of the water even with my lack of skill...was loaded with flavour.

Google the spicy chilli pasta bake....... its honestly to die for and once you get the basics which are the basics you will only have to buy the mince and veg for a good few bakes ....... its spicy and a man's dish, my boyfriends favorite , I usually cook it for him to have before work and one batch gives him 3 - 4 either lunch or dinner servings
Most of the ingredients are transferable to the chicken fajita pie which is also pinch of nom and my fave dish and his 2nd and again one cook up gives 3-4 servings
I usually go through the book and identify 2-3 dishes with very similar ingredients as there's nothing more frustrating then buying a bottle of say oyster sauce ,for one recipe that you then decide isn't a keeper and your stuck with it forever 

ryanm8655

efes_shareholder said:

ryanm8655 said:

efes_shareholder said:

ryanm8655 said:

efes_shareholder said:

First months freedom always involves inflated spends , if you are anything like me you will throw caution to the mind out of celebration to be free and because you deserve it - particularly after a few glasses of vino 
The good news is you have tracked it and had a word with yourself in the corner ......... batch cook to stop those takeaway whims or throw a few posher pizzas in the freezer for those occasions when hunger strikes and a kebab is inviting 
Personally I would hold off of any new flat purchase for at least a month , just to make sure I prioritise the needs over the wants 
Outing the car will be a great help , you don't need them in London and on the rare occasion you do its cheap enough to hire one 

Yeah, very true. Just thinking about the opportunity cost and how much more enjoyment I could have had for the cash when things are more normal ha. But good I've added it all up and faced it as you say.

Agree re: the batch cooking. Did a chicken tray bake last night to use up all the veg that was going to go off and have enough food for a couple of days now. Another weekend of more normal levels of booze and no takeaways is the plan...

Plan is to cook up a bulk load of bolognese on Friday.

Good shout on flat purchases. My other thought is to use it as a motivator, a month without takeaways and I buy one of the pieces of art or something...or perhaps create a pot for the wants and transfer £50 across each week for every week without a takeaway.

Putting money you would have spent on takeaways to one side is a great way to take care of flat purchases 
As you say takeaways are often disappointing anyhow ....... get the pinch of nom cookbooks lots of great ideas in there and the reduction in calories allows for those in the beer and wine 

Haha, funny you should say that, family sent me pinch of nom as a moving in gift. Have done a few recipes from it already (generally do one a week) and genuinely tastier than takeaway, even when microwaving left overs the next day...I do find they require a lot of prep and a lot of ingredients but definitely worth it! First dish I made was singapore fried rice...and having ordered the same thing from a takeaway recently, the home made version blew it out of the water even with my lack of skill...was loaded with flavour.

Google the spicy chilli pasta bake....... its honestly to die for and once you get the basics which are the basics you will only have to buy the mince and veg for a good few bakes ....... its spicy and a man's dish, my boyfriends favorite , I usually cook it for him to have before work and one batch gives him 3 - 4 either lunch or dinner servings
Most of the ingredients are transferable to the chicken fajita pie which is also pinch of nom and my fave dish and his 2nd and again one cook up gives 3-4 servings
I usually go through the book and identify 2-3 dishes with very similar ingredients as there's nothing more frustrating then buying a bottle of say oyster sauce ,for one recipe that you then decide isn't a keeper and your stuck with it forever 

Sounds yummy, will look for that one!

I've been doing that with the ingredients...have enough fish sauce to last a lifetime as bought a 750ml bottle as it was only about 30p more than a 250ml bottle ha! Didn't realise quite how big 750ml was when recipes only need a teaspoon ha...

ryanm8655

Looking into selling my car but reading private car sales are actually illegal...joy of joys.

efes_shareholder

ryanm8655 said:

efes_shareholder said:

ryanm8655 said:

efes_shareholder said:

ryanm8655 said:

efes_shareholder said:

First months freedom always involves inflated spends , if you are anything like me you will throw caution to the mind out of celebration to be free and because you deserve it - particularly after a few glasses of vino 
The good news is you have tracked it and had a word with yourself in the corner ......... batch cook to stop those takeaway whims or throw a few posher pizzas in the freezer for those occasions when hunger strikes and a kebab is inviting 
Personally I would hold off of any new flat purchase for at least a month , just to make sure I prioritise the needs over the wants 
Outing the car will be a great help , you don't need them in London and on the rare occasion you do its cheap enough to hire one 

Yeah, very true. Just thinking about the opportunity cost and how much more enjoyment I could have had for the cash when things are more normal ha. But good I've added it all up and faced it as you say.

Agree re: the batch cooking. Did a chicken tray bake last night to use up all the veg that was going to go off and have enough food for a couple of days now. Another weekend of more normal levels of booze and no takeaways is the plan...

Plan is to cook up a bulk load of bolognese on Friday.

Good shout on flat purchases. My other thought is to use it as a motivator, a month without takeaways and I buy one of the pieces of art or something...or perhaps create a pot for the wants and transfer £50 across each week for every week without a takeaway.

Putting money you would have spent on takeaways to one side is a great way to take care of flat purchases 
As you say takeaways are often disappointing anyhow ....... get the pinch of nom cookbooks lots of great ideas in there and the reduction in calories allows for those in the beer and wine 

Haha, funny you should say that, family sent me pinch of nom as a moving in gift. Have done a few recipes from it already (generally do one a week) and genuinely tastier than takeaway, even when microwaving left overs the next day...I do find they require a lot of prep and a lot of ingredients but definitely worth it! First dish I made was singapore fried rice...and having ordered the same thing from a takeaway recently, the home made version blew it out of the water even with my lack of skill...was loaded with flavour.

Google the spicy chilli pasta bake....... its honestly to die for and once you get the basics which are the basics you will only have to buy the mince and veg for a good few bakes ....... its spicy and a man's dish, my boyfriends favorite , I usually cook it for him to have before work and one batch gives him 3 - 4 either lunch or dinner servings
Most of the ingredients are transferable to the chicken fajita pie which is also pinch of nom and my fave dish and his 2nd and again one cook up gives 3-4 servings
I usually go through the book and identify 2-3 dishes with very similar ingredients as there's nothing more frustrating then buying a bottle of say oyster sauce ,for one recipe that you then decide isn't a keeper and your stuck with it forever 

Sounds yummy, will look for that one!

I've been doing that with the ingredients...have enough fish sauce to last a lifetime as bought a 750ml bottle as it was only about 30p more than a 250ml bottle ha! Didn't realise quite how big 750ml was when recipes only need a teaspoon ha...

these are the two I mentioned , never found the chilli bake in any of the books but its good 
https://pinchofnom.com/recipes/chilli-pasta-bake/
the fajita pie is below , its in the orange book but i cant find it o the nom site
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/699395017112176397/