The thriftyish way to debt freedom

MagicCat

Thanks so much for the info on surveys @f0xh0les and others who have suggested, I'm planning to sign up!

You've been so busy @thriftyish, lots of good stuff happening!  I think with something like the desks that you really needs it's well worth buying them if you can find a good value for money option which you did.

Hope you had a lovely beach trip, was it today?

thriftyish

janb5 said:

I tend to sell bulky items on FB and the easier- to- psot items on Ebay.  Sometimes I put the same items on both and if I get interest I remove the other listing!  It is quicker to list on FB but sometimes I find people jsut click the `automatic button` - is it available and then dont want it!

I don't usually have Facebook on my mobile as I find it really sucks my time, it definitely has a negative effect on my mental health, and the constant notifications are quite stressful, but I usually redownload it for selling, so I try to have a burst of selling so I can get rid quickly! It's a good idea to list on both and see which has an interest, I think I tend to underprice too - I hate waste so I wouldn't throw things away, but I've spent the last 12 years passing things on the friends or giving things away - I am awful at charging/pricing!

MagicCat said:

Thanks so much for the info on surveys @f0xh0les and others who have suggested, I'm planning to sign up!

You've been so busy @thriftyish, lots of good stuff happening!  I think with something like the desks that you really needs it's well worth buying them if you can find a good value for money option which you did.

Hope you had a lovely beach trip, was it today?

The beach trip was yesterday, and it was a lovely day, it was amazing to see the children running along the beach and having fun in the sea. My youngest DD hasn't been to the beach since she was 3, and now she's 5, I swear she might be a mermaid the amount of time she spent in the water. We shared fish and chips, took breadcakes for chip butties and bought doughnuts & rock, £20 + fuel & parking well spent! The beach was fine and that's where we spent 95% of our time, but there were a lot of people on the promenade and front streets, and none were social distancing. To my surprise, most of the shops/arcades and rides were open and busy too. 
Neglected Allotment
Due to the weather, homeschool and my financial jigging and sorting, the allotment has been a bit neglected. We visited today to dig up potatoes for a roast dinner. We found our first courgettes, more raspberries and a whole lot of weeds. Even fruit hating DS decided he liked raspberries and managed to find some more to eat that I had missed!
Quick Dessert
DH said he was starving before dinner so I quickly threw together a mixed berry crumble from the freezer for pudding. I am pretty sure we moved house with these berries in tow, so they needed eating too and it was a nice quick, cheap & filling dessert. I need to get a bit more organized, I have had a meal plan but realising at 4 pm I haven't made the naan bread or taken stuff out of the freezer isn't helping me stick to it! 
A chick update & DHs DIY
DH has been busy building himself a workbench in the old summer house from free pallet wood and is planning to start work soon on the chicken coop. We were planning to build a brooder, but OH started building a pentagon-shaped wooden one that was much too small, It will make a lovely shelf, so it won't go to waste.
We have decided to use our old dog crate as the brooder which saves money and time, we just need some cardboard for the sides now, to ensure the chicks can't sneak through the bars - I don't fancy play hunt the chick, and I really don't want our Labrador Loki to find any either! We have ordered a heat lamp to keep the chicks warm, the first set should hatch this weekend and the children are really excited. I hadn't considered they might be noisy, and its a bit late to change my mind now 
YS Shopping
I would usually have done my weekly shop last Friday, but just nipped to the shops this evening to buy milk and eggs. I managed some ys bargains including 4 packs of 4 galaxy cookies at 8p per pack, which the children will love for puddings if I can keep away from them tonight - I think they are calling me  
A birthday buffet and afternoon tea
Also managed foccacia bread(18p), some cheese and onion rolls (5p each), and some cucumber halves (12p), sandwich fillings (39p) and coleslaw (20p). It's my birthday tomorrow so we might have a buffet dinner and these will be perfect nibbles. I might get the children to help me put together a cream tea, and make some goodies to celebrate instead of going out for afternoon tea.
Reducing waste
I have been checking on 'toogoodtogo' for deals but the one shop nearby that uses it has usually sold out by the time I remember to check - I've set an alarm to remind me at the right time tomorrow has I would love to see what this is like. I found another app to help prevent waste called OLIO. If you have any food that would otherwise be wasted you can list to see if anyone else wants it, you can also browse to see if anyone has anything you might like. Most things are left on the doorstep so it's contactless which is nice. I didn't find anything nearby, but will keep a check and will definitely be listing if I have anything I cant use.
Fitbit
I had a quick online chat with Fitbit earlier, and they are sending a replacement Fitbit out in the post, which is brilliant!

Wow, that was longer than I expected, I must stop writing essays!

Bluegreen143

So glad the beach went well! Sounds a lovely day, money well spent as you say and to be fair quite a cheap day out for a family of 6. Really want to get my kids to the beach soon. Until last week we were still only allowed to travel around 5 miles for leisure in Scotland and as I live in Glasgow there aren’t any beaches in that distance! Though they have done quite a bit of paddling in the river and indeed puddles 😂 I do want a trip to the beach before my husband gets unfurloughed though (as think a weekday will be better for it being quieter). 

Love how you broke your post up into headings! I love a nice long update myself, I find other people’s diaries so inspiring 🙂 

Bluegreen143

Also meant to say well done on the Fitbit, and you’ve reminded me I’m meant to be looking mine out and charging it!

thriftyish

Hope you manage your beach trip @Bluegreen143, a mid-week trip would definitely be better, we are stuck with weekends as DH works mon-fri, I can't complain though because it usually works really well that both he and the children are off together at weekends.

Had a wonderful birthday today, managed to avoid takeaway and decided against baking the afternoon tea as DH made me a birthday cake. The cake was honestly the highlight of my day because it's his first-ever cake, it turned out amazing and I know it would have been really stressful for him! The other highlight was the handwritten messages in the cards from the kids.

We all went out for a bike ride and my new bike still needs a bit more work as the arm keeps slipping too far, but for £35 I can't complain. DD3 managed really well without her stabilizers but is still incredibly wobbly which is nerve-wracking for me We went to the park for the first time since March and the children didn't want to leave

I cut my own hair again yesterday. Which is more work than it sounds as I have really short, pixie cut hair and have to use the hair clippers and scissors. I've done this a few times but went a bit shorter this time, the front and sides look really good, but the back near my crown is questionable, I need a second mirror so I can see better. Still, I get better each time, and I really dislike hairdressers so if I can make this work it will be a saving and less stress (I think). I prefer short hair, but it's more expensive to maintain as needs a cut every 6-8 weeks. Adding cutting my own hair into the mix means I now cut everyone's hair in the house 

I am really beginning to struggle with the lack of child-free time since March. I have been busier than ever before with the homeschooling and together with the lack of other adult interaction, and lack of time to focus on anything, and a huge list of daily repetitive jobs I am getting myself into a bit of a rut. I've not been sleeping well either which isn't helping, so this week I really need to get on with some of the bigger jobs, hopefully, this will help kick start me back into positive action! I need to finish painting the dining side of the kitchen that we lined a few weeks ago and put the fruit baskets on the wall - that's my plan for the rest of the week!

Our food spends for July stand at £215. I am hoping to keep it below £300 this month, the YS shopping is really helping, as well as avoiding buying pre-packaged snacks and planning cheaper meals. Should be doable with some creativity.

MagicCat

Happy Birthday for yesterday @thriftyish, it sounds like you had a lovely day 

You get so much done, even with 'just' your usual house/allotment/childcare/homeschooling, and your big jobs too, I'm always so inspired by your diary. Child free time is really important and so hard at the moment - work has become my escape! Can you and your husband take turns to give each other a couple of hours of alone time? Might be better than nothing.

I love that you're doing your own hair - I don't really like hairdressers either so have been doing mine since my eldest was born, but it's easy as my hair is quite long so I just chop a couple of inches off the end - short hair is much more of a challenge as I discovered when I tried to do DH's 

missymoo81

Hey Thriftyish, I’ve just read your whole diary! Well done, you’re doing such a great job. I hope you had a lovely birthday. I know what you mean by very little child free time. I’ve taken to walking to the shops for just ten minutes leave,
or letting everyone go into the house before me and I just stay sat in the car for 5 minutes just to catch my breathe before going in. I also hang the washing for longer than is necessary as it’s upstairs and it gives me a few minutes! The things we do!

Bluegreen143

@thriftyish I too cut my own hair (even pre-COVID) but it’s long like @MagicCat’s. I’ve always cut my son’s hair and have recently begun doing Red’s. He’s never let me before because he’s quite vain but he now says I do a good enough job I can keep doing it for the foreseeable. So that all saves us a bit. Bambi at 19 months has had a little trim but she’s not got masses of hair yet. I need to YouTube some girls styles for when she gets older!

thriftyish

@MagicCat We try to give each other alone time but its a bit of a juggle, the children come to us both equally though, I am really lucky that way. I am enjoying my YS walks I have cut DH's hair for years, I managed to convince him to go with DS to the barbers once, said it would be good bonding time:- he came away traumatised and has refused since. I think it was the way they said 'Eyebrows?' and then offered to wax his nose hair I panic most about DS who asks for specific styles, especially as he is getting older, I do keep reminding him I have no idea what I am doing!
@missymoo81 Hello Yes! I think without the quick breaks we might go insane, as much as I love my children they are absolutely exhausting!
@Bluegreen143 If you are already doing your DHs & DS, DD will be much easier! I love when they are at that age, and everything is new and amazing.

Quick update or I will burn the 'end of homeschool' celebration pizza!
Surveys
I signed up to valued 0pinions earlier this week and am £8.35 richer. I cant swap for an Amaz0n gift card till £15.50 but I am well on my way.
Too good to go
I found the ideal time to get a 'too good to go' box for the next day is 15mins after the collection window closes. I managed to buy one! It had 2 loaves of bread, 3 packs of various scones, a fruit loaf, new potatoes, 4 vanilla slices, a croissant and a chocolate croissant and 4 cheesy muffins for £3.09p. With a little bit of freezer mcjiggery nothing will be wasted.
Mr Lidli Wonky veg box
These arrive on the delivery and are put out soon afterwards so it took 2 visits to find the correct time. In our store, they actually store them past the till point (so beyond where you pay) I would NEVER have looked there. I bought one this morning and I am impressed, the fruit basket is looking healthy - I should have bought two!
Decorating
I am jealous of next door who have decorators coming daily at the moment, but the dining room has had its first coat. My friend said the other day 'they are old houses, they aren't meant to be perfect, its part of the charm' and in the space of two seconds I am now embracing the charm - Its probably me being fickle, but words sometimes have such a big effect on me!
Chicks
The chicks are due to hatch tomorrow. One has started pipping today, so we may even have a chick tonight. The heat lamp still hasn't arrived though, and I am heading tonight to pick up the wood shavings for their bedding. We keep the chicks in the incubator for the first 24 hours after hatching, but if this heat lamp doesn't arrive soon we are going to have to rig something up until it does!
Chest of drawers
I spotted my best friend selling 2 chests of drawers for £10 each, so am meeting her for socially distanced catchup up and to collect them tonight which will be nice. I hope I don't miss the first chick hatching! My two youngest don't understand the concept of a wardrobe and most of their clothes end up folded at the bottom for ease, so these drawers will be perfect after a coat of paint. No rush as the girl's bedroom is currently an awful shade of brown and is on the list to decorate!

thriftyish

Chicks!
We have 2 chicks! The third and final chick from this set has pipped, and we are hoping she hatches overnight. My eldest DD cried when it appeared, she was so emotional. 
Too Good To Go
We managed a second Morris0ns box on yesterday, and it was amazing. A punnet of strawberry and 2 containers with sliced/chopped fruit, a poppyseed loaf & a smaller loaf, a huge bag of spinach, 12 eggs, some cabbage, cucumber and 8 apples. 
Allotment
I spent a few hours at the allotment tidying, weeding and harvesting. Its really weedy. I had a few comments of 'thought you had left' but Rome wasn't built in a day and on the bright side I managed my 10k steps just from the one visit! One of my plot neighbours gave me 2 containers of blackcurrants and some baby leek plants, and another offered me some redcurrants, I harvested courgettes & spotted we have lots of green beans almost ready - they are my absolute favourite and I can't wait for the first harvest. 
Cooking/Baking/Preserving
Pesto
The spinach from 'tgtg' was looking a bit on the wilted side, so I whizzed it up into pesto using the basil that was in the l1dl box. I didn't have pine nuts so used walnuts and sesame seeds, but it was delicious. I've frozen it in portions for another day, but pesto always makes me want to make cherry tomato, pesto and feta cheese nibbles, so might buy and make later in the week - but it means buying the cherry tomatoes and the feta - not sure that's going to help the budget!
Beetroot
I harvested beetroot from the allotment early last week and hadn't used it, so decided to pickle it. The rest of the beetroot needs harvesting and picking soon, and judging by the 2 jars I made from what I harvested, I suspect I will need lots more vinegar! I have absolutely no idea where to buy for the best price, or what to buy. I used white wine vinegar in one recipe and normal malt vinegar in the other so might see how it the malt vinegar does as that's probably cheaper, does it make a difference?
Cakepops
DD1 decided to make cake pops while I was at the allotment. She did really well and they were delicious. The kitchen looked like a mini-tornado had stormed right through.
Tomorrow
Found 4 ys lemons for 20p earlier last week and will hopefully make lemon curd. I am also going to make some chocolate, almond and courgette cake  - my absolute favourite way to use courgettes, but I will need to find some other ways to eat them soon as we have lots on their way.
We never buy courgettes, neither myself of DH ate them growing up so they are still a bit of a mystery, but they grow so easily I am determined we will like them    I am going to use the blackcurrants to make some Jam, hopefully enough to make 2 jars so I can take one back to the guy whos shared. The children want to make cordial with any that remain.
Debt
Paid another £8.50 off the cc. The balance should be down to £145.01 when it appears. That's £7 from prolif1c and £1.50 from Shopm1um. It's well worth a check to see if there is anything you might use or like to try, we tried some blue cheese for 50p, and some fizzy water for free!
Shopping
We are up to £236 spent this month on shopping, still hoping to keep it lower than £300, we might be able to manage £270 as the freezer is full. It has been AMAZING having so much fresh food in the house with the l1dl box and tgtg. It's taken a little bit of creativity to try and plan meals around the food in the box but nothing has been wasted so far. I think I might try to get to the end of the month only buying wonky veg, ys, tgtg, milk and vinegar. 
Happy debtbusting!