2021 Frugal Living Challenge

roblou27

Well, good and bad news. My test came back negative but DF is positive so looks like we are self isolating for a bit longer. Poor old hubs was desperate to get back to work on Thursday as he is going stir crazy in the bedroom. After tomorrow night at least I can join him and have a proper bed and sleep once decontaminated! Bless him DF will now be confined in his room for another 9 days. It’s a bit of a challenge in a small house but we will get there, trying to stay positive but sadly as a comfort eater my waistline is expanding every day! Yesterday I made some lovely chicken and veg soup. I simmered up the chicken carcass with a bay leaf carrot, celery, peppercorns and onion then picked the bones clean and reintroduced the meat with some more chopped carrot, more onion, half a leek, potato and a quarter of a floppy looking swede, simmered till the veggies were soft then blitzed with my stick blender, just till thick but leaving some of the veg whole then some herbs and seasoning. It was delicious, we had it with a slice of cheese on toast. I also used up the last 3/4 of a jar of mincemeat and made into a tart. I have got some sausages out for today, not sure what to do with them, possibly toad in the hole and veg and then using up the extra 2 in a pasta dish for tomorrow. Still eating out of the freezer but will have gone over budget on grocery this month, mainly because of cleaning products, wipes, antibacterial stuff as well as more bread, fruit and vegetables. As we have had to have deliveries mainly from MrS it is quite expensive. Where as we would shop at MrL or get hubs discount at MrT but no available slots so had to go with it. Pay day coming up next Friday and have a click and collect order for then which became available before our isolation so we can take advantage of the bigger discount then. I think we will just be out of it the day before that thank goodness so will be able to pick it up. I do like a plan and have found that my day goes relatively quickly unless I have had a bad night like tonight! Meditation, a house run every other day, breakfast, banking, spreadsheet, tidy round, dinner prep, tidy up, 4pm is a crossword that I do with neighbours. It is printed out and put through the door then at 4 we say go via Whatsap and see who finishes quickest. Interspersed are games of battleship with hubs via Whatsap. I have found that having control of the things I can control of, if that makes sense helps with the anxiety of the situation. I have found it has not been wasted time and have found a certain calm in it, simpler is better for me and although I miss family and being by the sea it has reinforced in me that all the external guff, money to buy stuff and more stuff and debt and the stress that that brings is unsustainable physically and mentally. Hubs and I have chatted about this and although we have been of that mindset for many years the uncertainty of this current awful situation have bought more clearly into focus that after the debts have gone monies and time should be spent on things that we love to do and the memories they make.
Sorry for the long post, bad nights sleep and just mulling. Stay safe all.

AskYouWillGet

@Robolou Such a challenging and scary time for you, good you have comfort in food and glad you are getting slots, that has been an issue for us and is so expensive shopping online but needs must in the situation. 
I made a chicken soup for the soul  too (have been ill for 5 weeks with a really bad sinus infection), it tasted great but then I added pasta and then blitzed it with stick blender - total disaster! Had throw it away as was disgusting gloop! 
Love the crossword challenge at 4pm and Battleships via WhatsApp 😁what a great idea! 
Hope you get a better sleep tonight and DF. x
I also feel like a reset button has been pressed, finding out what makes us truly happy and going back to basics when able. 

roblou27

AskYouWillGet said:

@Robolou Such a challenging and scary time for you, good you have comfort in food and glad you are getting slots, that has been an issue for us and is so expensive shopping online but needs must in the situation. 
I made a chicken soup for the soul  too (have been ill for 5 weeks with a really bad sinus infection), it tasted great but then I added pasta and then blitzed it with stick blender - total disaster! Had throw it away as was disgusting gloop! 
Love the crossword challenge at 4pm and Battleships via WhatsApp 😁what a great idea! 
Hope you get a better sleep tonight and DF. x
I also feel like a reset button has been pressed, finding out what makes us truly happy and going back to basics when able. 

Aww bless you AYWG, I have had sinus infections before they make you feel terrible, get well soon. Eeeek to the soup......you make it sound delish 😉 stay safe.

roblou27

Bit of an update, spoke to track and trace and because we have all been quarantined within the house and because hubs has had the virus he can go back to work this week and work has agreed, and because I haven’t shown any symptoms up to press I don’t have to self isolate either so at least will be able to get a run in. DF is still quarantined obvs bless him. I am still going to be vigilant as I have an underlying condition that affects my immune system and this new variant frighten the dickens out of me.

CRANKY40

Good morning all. I've been shopping this morning for my final food shop of the month. I've been reading this thread every day and it's served as a gentle reminder that by being careful I can save money and put what I do have to better use. 

From my January budget I had £149.50 left over so I added 50p from my "money in" account to make it a round figure then paid an extra £100 off my credit card and put £50 into my savings account. I've also cashed out £12.70 from Prolific and paid that as an extra payment off my loan. 

I should probably explain my "money in" account. My income appears from various sources throughout the month. Wages, widows pension, widowed parents allowance and child benefit. When I was first widowed it was a panic to figure out if payments would be in my bank in time for direct debits to go out so I saved until I had a months money in advance. Now, all of January's payments in go into my money in account and at the end of January I pay my current account the bills and spends money for February from what has come in during January. It means I have a month in hand but it also means so much less anxiety. Thanks for the company all of you 

willow_loulou

Sinus issues are horrid, I’ve just cleared mine after 3 weeks. I get a flare up at least twice a year but definitely think this was down to food choices. 

Today is a struggle getting going, I’m really at the wallowing in self pity point. 

But I need to plant up my back door seedling shelf and get them around the window sills so I can start more veg off. I’m going to empty another shelf by the back door for growing on as this seems a very effective growing spot. My DS got me more seeds so I’ve a different tomato I’ll start off today too. 

-taff

AskYouWillGet said:

I made a chicken soup for the soul  too (have been ill for 5 weeks with a really bad sinus infection), it tasted great but then I added pasta and then blitzed it with stick blender - total disaster! Had throw it away as was disgusting gloop! 
 

Try adding rice next time and don't blitz. Get well soon....:)

joedenise

I usually blitz the soup and then when reheating it add a handful of broken pasta to it to bulk it up.  Definitely wouldn't blitz after adding the pasta though.

pregnancy_parking

Morning
I love this thread, it’s my little treat with a a coffee when I have a work break.
loved reading all your brief histories. @nannygladys you got me thinking of how clueless I used to be and I do think financial ed should be taught in schools but in my case I blame my parents! They encouraged my debt at 18 and are truly reckless themselves with money. They have only ever paid interest only on mortgage, it ends next year and they have no pension either of them. I love them dearly but god knows what will become of them. They still spend like there is no tomorrow, new cars, m and S groceries (mainly binned). I can’t bear to think about it sometimes.
my own DD is a bit spendy but never gets into debt and knows all about frugality if she had to do it. She dropped two aubergines on my doorstep as she passed yesterday as they were turning a bit.
On that front my DH has just made hairy biker mousakka 🤤 . We have some halloumi that was gifted and found a yoghurt, halloumi and egg recipe for the moussaka top so should be extra 🤤 .
he threw out some milk that was only slightly on the turn so has had a warning about checking with me first ( scones 🥲)

money wise if you have mobile on contract I can highly recommend airtime rewards. It’s free and is linked to your debit  card where it then gives cashback on certain spends. This is then paid towards your phone bill. It’s not much but I’ve had about £30 in the last year for nowt!
My brunch was this green Thai goose noodle soup and I’m not gonna lie it was delicious! The rest of the coriander, a few carrots, lentils and other veg are just simmering for tomorrow’s soup.

MazzieD

Well yesterday was quite exciting, had a face to face with Nurse at GP Surgery.  I have a sort of MOT every year to check everything is ok.  The good news is I'm extremely healthy (including weight) and alive!.  Definitely not fit, the most I manage is a walk every day but not a concern.

So sorry to hear that people are suffering from Covid.  Hope you and your OH are ok @willow_loulou.  I also have awful neighbours and it really is stressful.  I moved 2 years ago to get away from awful neighbours and this lot are just as bad in a different way so I'm keeping a low profile - lockdown is actually helping!.

I had to smile yesterday, had a quick look at the 'just gone' section on Olio.  They had a root veg medley which I love but it was claimed in 40 SECONDS!.  I really think it's time for me to come off, one Brocolli and 6 oranges in nearly 6 months isn't exactly what I was hoping for.  I don't eat bread or pastries otherwise I would stay on the app. I'm really impressed with the L*dl F&V boxes though, £1.50 isn't much to pay for what you get. 

Nearly the end of January and time to see where I am with the budget and start meal planning etc. for February.