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

missymoo81

Ok I’m up, as have early class, really didn’t get v much sleep and have 2 classes and need to spend much of the day cleaning at work and find time to home school. Would like to get 2 loads of washing done today. Need to sort food out. Fridge is bulging but I’m struggling, as always, to find things to cook due to time etc. Made chicken and pasta last night, but had let done chicken go off in the fridge (very cross about this) so then had to use the chicken thighs. Which is fine but wasn’t expecting to use them and had to deskin and Debone them, and although it was ok, it took a while. I’m not the best butcher let’s say. Out of the 1.2kg box of chicken, I got 550g of meat off of it which is ok as they’re only £1.88. I do think I need a meal prep hour or so at the weekend just to make the week days easier.  But for now just need to sort it and make sure we have enough food for Dinners for the next week or so as next order is 30th. 

Signed up to Martin’s swag bucks incentive last night. This is the first survey site I’ve ever been on. But keep getting screened out of surveys after a long time which is annoying. Can anyone recommend any survey sites that are better? In the evening when I sit with OH it actually helps switch my brain off from work, and if I can get Amazon vouchers or similar All the better! 

Do need to go to the post office as didn’t yesterday.

Right must make myself look presentable for work. Thanks so much for reading.

MagicCat

Hi Missymoo, I've been reading along for a while, trying to focus on our finances and diaries like yours are really inspiring. I do surveys with prolific academic, it's lots of studies for research projects rather than commercial ones mainly, and they generally only appear if you're eligible - keep popping on throughout the day and something usually comes up, I find I can make around £5-7 a week if I keep checking. Also lookout on here for when pinecone research is recruiting, they're only occasional surveys but it's £3 per survey, I make around £40 a year with them. Good luck with it all!

redofromstart

I haven't done Swagbucks surveys for ages, like you say kept getting screened out. I do the odd Very/Zooplus order via them, the 'Play' for 10 points a day if remember (Swag Run, just let the dinosaur run don't bother jumping.  Give it a minute between games), and for the search I have an old Facebook link saved that is for a Collectors Bill, clicking on those searches seems to return points more frequently than normal searches.

Second Prolific Academic, better return for your time.

I would say no to the pressure cooker, its a luxury at the moment and you have to save a lot of time and money to recover £30 that you haven't really got spare.

Great price on the chicken thighs, and usually more flavour to them. 

PurpleFairy26

I would also recommend prolific. 

As for chicken thighs, I find them easier to strip of meat when cooked and then use the cooked meat.  Quicker to make meals with too. 

missymoo81

Thanks so much magiccat redo and PF. I will have a look at prolific.
And PF I will cook the rest of the thighs just in the ovrn with some potatoes for dinner I think. Have spent all day cleaning at work, then the announcement came that we can’t reopen. So no more money coming in for at least 5 more weeks. But I have calculated for this so it’s ok. Just annoying and OH is devastated.

missymoo81

Crazy day only just sat down! Have managed to get 130 points on Swagbucks today so that’s something. I do get screened out an awful lot. Had something sell on EBay, so need to post that tomorrow. My other listings end tomorrow too. So announcement today means that As we can’t open all of my workings out SOA etc are correct. I still don’t think ex will pay any maintenance Next month but again I’ve factored that in.  

So Positives from today I managed to cook one of last weeks Gousto meals, it was delicious! Chilli chicken thing. Would def make again. Managed to get outside chair cushions and another load washed and dried today. I’m liking using my timer on my washing machine. Had to go to Tesco for work but had OH’s card and found lots of reductions. Managed to get 17 bananas, 30 eggs and 3 heads of broccoli for £2 something. So happy with that. Can’t think of anything else for now. Hope you’re all ok.

joedenise

Some great bargains there missymoo!  I'm paying nearly £6 for 30 eggs at the moment.  3 heads of broccoli usually cost more than £2!  Just make sure you use it all rather than just leaving them in the fridge like the Gousto stuff!  Otherwise it's not really a bargain, is it?  I've not been to Tesco much since lockdown because it's the shop with the longest queues even though it's my usually SM.  Morries just never seem to have anything I use in the YS section!

missymoo81

Ok things to do today.
Home schooling with children, 1 load of washing, must go to the post office to post 2 Ebay items. Work, clean and get toilet room painted at work. Try and get some of the washing sorted! Will be at work most of the day again.
Not sure what to have for dinner today, possibly one of the Gousto meals from last week. Trying to get my Tesco shopping for under £53 for when I pick it up on the 30th but I’m struggling, have some vouchers which I can use to bring the price down to fit it within budget, so will prob have to do that. Just need to meal plan. I have some UHT milk. I’m going to try and make slow cooker yoghurt with it. But I’m not sure how it will turn out as never done it. If anyone has a recipe I’d be very grateful Will research!

Children will have porridge for breakfast, me and OH have overnight oats someone kindly made us. I’m going to make the children a packed lunch as we’ll be at work a while. Children are driving me mad today, not sure why! Just loud and annoying eachother! 

missymoo81

OMG just lost my huge post argh!

missymoo81

Basically, home now been at work all day. Have got up to 288 on Swagbucks so far. Didn’t get much done at home, left my phone on the car and drove away Today though!! Didn’t even realise Went back to work twice to try and find it, but the wonderful guys  At the garage opposite had picked it up! Thank god! And it just needs a new screen protector! Bullet dodged there! As I absolutely can’t afford a New phone right now! 

Saw some lovely friends who bought us cookies and lunch today at work. Oh and Might have sold my old car. So fingers crossed on that one. 

eBay sales are finishing tomorrow. I’m hoping to make £100, if I do make anything over that I’ve promised myself I can buY 2 new t-shirts...... actually I can get three as I then get free delivery and 10% off so 3 for £18. But eBay is at £94 at present. So a little way to go yet, but we shall see! 

Had jacket potatoes with cheese and beans for dinner, children ate last nights chipotle chicken so that was a win! Sure I have plenty more to say but can’t think right now.