Now or never

Its_time

We have cut back drastically already we have gone from a weekly grocery bill of around £90/£100 to £50 and often have some left over, we will continue to do this, DH is very supportive of our new joint venture so is more than happy to have frugal meals, telling me quite happily he will have egg and chips.  We have cancelled all subscriptions for tv programmes, have changed my mobile phone from a £23 monthly payment to £7.  I spent last Sunday batch cooking lots of meals which I then froze.  Everything that is left over has been put in the freezer for another day.  We have an aga which is obviously expensive to run, this winter we will not be putting it on ticking over in the back ground unless we are absolutely desperate.  We will use the heating and hot water part of the boiler and blankets.  We have also decided to go to bed early around 9 ish and watch telly upstairs which cuts down on feeling cold.  DH is delighted that I suggested we share a shower :0 for frugal reasons only I reminded him!! 
I already make our bread so will continue with this and next year I will make sure we have runner beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, lettuce and maybe a few sprouts or cabbages.  We have two tomato plants this year but they are not doing that well although we might end up with around 20 tomatoes in all, the runner beans we put in a bit late so they are still growing and probably wont come to anything. 
Our holiday in September is already paid for and we have most of our holiday money already but need to order some more although we are very frugal when we are away and always bring about half of the money home again, this time we might have one boat trip.  Our breakfast is included and we will either make our lunch or buy a tuna roll or something whichever is cheaper when we are out there, sunbeds are included with the hotel which is brilliant for me, the last few times I have struggled laying on the beach on a towel due to my back issues.  Holiday clothes will be whatever is in the wardrobe. Lots of plans to make but for the first time in a long time I am beginning to start to feel a bit excited about life.  

Its_time

Up this morning relatively early as DH is working again.  I've done half my ironing and put away the line dried clothes this week.  I am off out in a bit with my DDIL for a walk with my grandchildren but am going to change our bed first so it's washed by the time we come back.  It's a beautiful sunny morning 😍

WinterWarrior

Loving all of your plans. I hope your walk was good.

Its_time

Thank you @WinterWarrior it was lovely.  I fully intend to try to keep up to date with your diary but it doesn't half move fast
This morning I went with DDIL to the nearest shopping centre it is about a mile away.  I restricted my spending to absolute necessities.  I bought padlocks for the suitcases at 99p for 2 so I got a pack each, miracle gro so our tomatoes might produce a few more as the year goes on, deodorant for me and a few bits in Lidl.  Decided to have homemade burgers which were in the freezer, bake pots out of the freezer and coleslaw.  I refused to pay 90p for a pot of coleslaw so I bought a white cabbage, carrots and some red onions.  They have since been sliced and frozen in bags and will come out when we need coleslaw and just have mayonnaise added.  Whilst we were at the till we noticed some 2 good to go boxes, to be fair I was quite impressed, it's the first time I have looked in them, two very large bags of spinach, 2 beetroot, 1 cucumber, a 2.5kg bag of maris piper potatoes and two tubs of organic vine tomatoes all for £1.50.  Well we couldn't leave it.  Once home we made the colelsaw bags, carot bags, onion bags and then boiled the tomatoes added them to a few in the fridge that were on the turn and made a tomato sauce for bologneses, 5 sauce bags in all.  I am going to get some white vinegar and pickle the beetroot and tomorrow I will boil and roast the potaotes and then freeze them.  A very good haul all for around a fiver.
This afternoon we decided to walk the fields again and DDIL picked a bowl of mushrooms for their tea tonight, we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and have made a date to do it again when the blackberries are out in a few weeks time.  DDIL pushed the pram and my DD's little dog came and got tired so we put him in the canopy under the pram where he lay down and happily relaxed as we pushed the pram back up to the yard, ooh to be so spoilt
DH was paid today and earned more than the base line amount I hoped he would for us to stay on track, I am very happy at this.
This evening I watered the tomatoes and runner beans with some miracle gro (I can hope) and weeded the beds by using the hoe, it was hot so the weeds should shrivel up, they will come up again as I only took the tops off but it was better than nothing.
Although we had a lovely day today it was non stop and I am shattered, tomorrow we are looking forward to a lie in and then we are off to the local show for a few hours with our picnic then its back to freezing the potaotes and catching up with some housework.  I did get the bed changed today so will remake it later after my cuppa and biscuit.  

Its_time

Had a lie in this morning without meaning to, DH got up and left me in bed 😊
We were a little late for the show and I had a meltdown on route because I forgot the picnic blanket!  I had this perfect vision of us having the most idyllic day and for some reason that had to include the picnic blanket.  DH was patient when I accused him of rushing me making me forget it and said it's hot the grass is dry, we don't need one...a few deep breaths later and I realised actually we didn't need it.  Just goes to show how important it was to me for the day out to be perfect because we have been starved of days like today.  Anyway it was blissful!  Picnic on a bench by the lake and then coffee and crisps under the trees mid afternoon.  Grand total spent £2.60 on parking and £50 on diesel.  The car hardly used any of the diesel and as we probably won't use it again now before our holiday our diesel to the airport is practically paid for, maybe just another £20 or so.
Once home we cut the lawns, DH on the lawnmower and me emptying the wheel barrow, weeded the veg patch (again) and had tea.
A thoroughly enjoyable frugal day 😊

lucielle

Your day out sounds lovely.  We've had a kick up the bum this year and had to make some difficult choices, I'm hoping they're the right ones.  Enjoy your holidays.
L

Its_time

Thank you @lucielle I think only time will tell but sometimes it feels like your hand is forced and there is only one way to go, at the moment it certainly feels like the right decision.
It's been a really busy day today, usually I am at the sanctuary working around 9 ish, today I had to take an hour off so I could water the garden, peg out the washing, quick tidy up and muck out the horses, all things that desperately needed doing and would have been on my mind otherwise.  Spent all day working in the sanctuary and then did my evening shift.  Worn out now but still more content than I've been in a long time 😊.
Spends in Lidl today of £5.82, some white vinegar, butter and milk, hopefully we won't need anything else until the weekend.
We have planned an at home weekend this week, lots of housework, gardening and catching up on things that we are behind on.
Today has been a better day food wise, I haven't eaten every biscuit in sight.  

Its_time

I have to pop out this morning for sanctuary work....actually I am going to change this....it's my business so from now on its my business.  I called it the sanctuary because that what it was when I hated the old job that I can not even speak about, time to rejoice in new things. 
This morning I have to pop out for my business 😊
Force of habit made me think I needed to food shop but I stopped and reminded myself that I had hoped to make it till the weekend.  Checked my list and there is no need to go today, it's amazing what habits and automated thinking can do, not always good....
The weather here is beautiful, sunny and hot.  Later DH will bring in the horses so they can have some shade even though there are plenty of trees they all huddle under the shelter so there are some bums and noses poking out.
DH and DS's work is increasing, they are always busy but lately they are booked up weeks in advance and slotting more in besides.  
Lasagne for DH for tea tonight, I will be doing my evening shift so we will have tea after that, I am having Weetabix as I don't often feel like eating when I finish.
I've been knitting a jumper for me for about 4 years now but it always seems other things get in the way.  Since my head is more peaceful I've started it again.  It's a lovely loose rib in a greener shade of mustard, very autumny.  I can't see me finishing it until the winter as I only manage about 5 or 6 rows each evening, but it's something I enjoy doing and will be lovely and warm for winter nights 😊
Right off now to tidy up quickly and put on some make up ready to pop out 😊

Its_time

I've had a good shift tonight and feel quite positive about it.
Tea was lasgne and chips for DH, I had Weetabix and a few Chips I couldn't resist.
Spent a pleasant half hour weeding and checking my tomato plants which seem fine and have a good handful of tomatoes on them, then checked the beans which now have flowers on then, so all good

crunchy_time

Its_time said:

We have cut back drastically already we have gone from a weekly grocery bill of around £90/£100 to £50 and often have some left over, we will continue to do this, DH is very supportive of our new joint venture so is more than happy to have frugal meals, telling me quite happily he will have egg and chips.  We have cancelled all subscriptions for tv programmes, have changed my mobile phone from a £23 monthly payment to £7.  I spent last Sunday batch cooking lots of meals which I then froze.  Everything that is left over has been put in the freezer for another day.  We have an aga which is obviously expensive to run, this winter we will not be putting it on ticking over in the back ground unless we are absolutely desperate.  We will use the heating and hot water part of the boiler and blankets.  We have also decided to go to bed early around 9 ish and watch telly upstairs which cuts down on feeling cold.  DH is delighted that I suggested we share a shower :0 for frugal reasons only I reminded him!! 
I already make our bread so will continue with this and next year I will make sure we have runner beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, lettuce and maybe a few sprouts or cabbages.  We have two tomato plants this year but they are not doing that well although we might end up with around 20 tomatoes in all, the runner beans we put in a bit late so they are still growing and probably wont come to anything. 
Our holiday in September is already paid for and we have most of our holiday money already but need to order some more although we are very frugal when we are away and always bring about half of the money home again, this time we might have one boat trip.  Our breakfast is included and we will either make our lunch or buy a tuna roll or something whichever is cheaper when we are out there, sunbeds are included with the hotel which is brilliant for me, the last few times I have struggled laying on the beach on a towel due to my back issues.  Holiday clothes will be whatever is in the wardrobe. Lots of plans to make but for the first time in a long time I am beginning to start to feel a bit excited about life.  

So lovely to hear that you have made some positive changes to your life! Sad about the car but yes, health is more important. Xx