Missy’s family of 4, paying off debts, saving for a house and just trying to survive!

WinterWarrior

I like porridge with honey or with a generous sprinkling of brown sugar over the top.

missymoo81

@MsPennyMinder @Cheery_Daff @WinterWarrior I’m loving all of the porridge chats! I LOVE porridge…. Well I used to. I fell out of love with it, I think I was trying to dull it down too much to save calories and money. 

I’ve been successful with oats with hot water in a Kilner jar, then adding protein powder and tinned peaches. I guess I could try the above with the porridge powder. I have nothing to lose.

And thank you for reminding me of the pleasures of different toppings!!!! I used to absolutely love banana and peanut butter porridge! Oooh and honey….. I have a huge vat of peanut butter actually……. Right will endeavour to try when I get home on Saturday. I guess if it’s a texture thing. I could always do half powder half oats, it’s would still get used up in the long run. I’ll also try making it with milk to see whether the children will eat it.

OH has transferred me the £100 😊. I think he felt bad me huffing and puffing over my note pad 😁. I’m just looking at my budget now and trying a different tack, i usually do 1st-1st but my money doesn’t work like that and nor do my bills. I’m going to try and see what doing the 7th-7th does!

Ive almost forgotten it’s OHs birthday next week 😳. Too preoccupied with mine! I have already got his present and given it to him a few weeks ago. I would usually go and spend another £100 I didn’t have on things for him to open. I’m going to instead get him a little cake (we’ll be away so prob won’t be able to make one) will check though… in fact ignore that. I will make him one. I’m
also going to get him a new key ring as his broke and I’m going to get him a new hat and stitch a motorbike patch on it as you can’t buy them as a oner. Hopefully he’ll like them. I will also buy him some sweets and maybe a book. So in total maybe £20. That is my limit. I have £40 in my incidentals now, it changed from the £31 from yesterday as everything got moved around! So will sort those out when I’m home to be delivered to cottage address next week. 

WelshKitty85

We had a hot tub for a while. I loved it but they take a bit of looking after. It definitely bumped up the electricity bill quite significantly & you also need to factor in the cost of filters, water testing kits and chlorine etc. I found it quite stressful trying to manage the water quality - it was either turning green, or feeling like it was burning my eyes out. There was no happy medium. Also think about where you would keep one. The inflatable ones need to be out of direct sunlight otherwise they can warp. And if you put it under a gazebo, be prepared for that to take off in high winds! Don't want to put you off (we'd consider another one in the future) but be prepared for the maintenance they need.

missymoo81

Thanks @WelshKitty85 it’s good to have someone who has owned ones perspective on it. 

Ok sooooo I’m reading a frugal OS thread, ‘Frugal living challenge 2021’. It’s great for ideas. I’ve seen a few of you lovely people over there. What I’m thinking is….. I have 4 current accounts. I set them up as a sort of envelope system but never used them. I have cards for all of them. So what I’m going to do is transfer the £120 for my half of the shopping into there and use my card for shop 2 and 4 I’m going to use OHs card for every other shop. Then if there’s any left over I can move it to the extras account. I’ve moved bits and pieces over today to make it easier to see what is going where. 

Feel a little more in control and have allowed myself £100 for spends or misc next month which is reasonable. I’m trying to be realistic, as I’ve said before, else I fall at the first hurdle, and that £100 is for everything, clothes, parking, treats, school trips etc. 

oooh I meant to say Pact coffee came through! I had to set up an account but they have honoured the £50! I will get coffee once a week, I just need to remember to cancel it before I get charged when it runs out! 

missymoo81

Ah just had an email to say someone has cancelled their membership. That’s £34 a month gone 😢🙄. So frustrating. The business isn’t breaking even at the moment 😢. 

joedenise

@missymoo81 if you contact Tesco Customer Service they can link all 3 accounts into one so it won't matter which card gets used.  My DH and I had the same problem but now they're all together and the vouchers come through addressed to us both.

missymoo81

@joedenise that’s great! Who knew! I will indeed call them! Thank you! I know I say this a lot, but I love this forum! 

Have made a little faux pas with my workings out 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️. I’ve got an extra week of food to get, I thought I could get away with it as we’re here there and everywhere but we are actually back for a week as of a week tomorrow, and I forgot that OH is going to be coming home every day from his course! Soooo the £240 needs to last 5 weeks not 4…… but, it’s not as bad as it sounds…… I’m trying to put a positive spin on things 😳. I have a stock of some things and the children aren’t here until 6th Sept either so I won’t need yoghurts, as much fruit for that extra week etc. I will just have to make it work! I like a challenge. 😳😁

dawnybabes

Late to the discussion but porridge oats added to soup make it ‘creamy’ 

we’ve a fixed hot tub, adds about £1.50 to the electric every day plus chemicals etc 

missymoo81

Eek I may have a rethink….. maybe a small one might suffice……

missymoo81

Last day at cottage today, we’ll I say last day we need to be gone by 0930. Have packed all of the kitchen stuff, just having a quick cuppa then breakfast then leaving. Have a 5.5 hour drive to get home, but it’s a glorious day. Just sat outside it’s typically the first nice day we’ve had all week 🙄. Have a big list of things to do when I get home. Nothing major just things to help my journey to living within my means!