Pay for the future and not the past

MissRikkiC

Money spent (not DDs):
Joint:

Friday, top up at Aldi. Mostly alternative milks. I saw they were doing a new barista style oat milk so made the decision to bulk buy 6 cartons before the prices inevitably go up. I thought it was okay for £1.09 a carton since the similar are approx £1.50 else where. I also did the same for almond milk but can’t do it for soya milk as it’s not fortified with iodine and it’s for my 2.5 year old so necessary. The cost for the milk will come from Marchs grocery budget minus whatever I use this week. I was also roped into buying marshmallows 😂


Today: Swimming for my girl and a sausage roll for her and my OH (he’d usually pay for that but the JA owes him already for something apparently!) £12.25 total 

Personal spends: 

Saturday night £9 on a bottle of very nice and enjoyable wine. 

Today £2.95 on another fantastic brownie from the farm! 

Money made: 

No money made this weekend but I have taken pictures of a hat I need to sell. 

Frugal tasks completed/attempts made to not spend/save money: 

Cooked from freezer all weekend.  Friday was fish and chips. Saturday was bean burgers and chips (always wedges made by husband) and today we were out for dinner at my MILs. Loaded the oven with Mondays enchiladas, a sourdough loaf along with the chips and burgers. 

Olio pickups Friday night were lots of Freeform bread products, stir fry veg, soup casserole cubes, vegan bacon and some oat milk. Score. 

Round up done. Daily routine of this would help!

Suffolk_lass

I also like following house projects and we have done a few so I sometimes chip in other things to consider (sorry!).

Have you considered getting your conservatory doors resealed? Getting a quote would confirm your best option (especially if it isn't your forever home).

You also mention cupboard  at the bottom of the stairs. My friend had some understairs space converted into pull out cupboards for this sort of thing (think kitchen larder-style) We have used under counter drawers on wheels to add storage and with a bit of handy woodwork the bottom panel under the stairs could serve as useful storage (depending on whether you use this for other things) - hers look like panelling with push to release catches but a bit like this

MissRikkiC

I really welcome that @Suffolk_lass as there are so many things I’d have done differently in my kitchen now it’s all done that I wished someone had mentioned before hand. One is not having put the washer and dryer in the conservatory. We don’t have a utility but we have a huge conservatory (by normal standards) that could fit a utility area in which is another job to add to the list. 

I haven’t heard if resealing them? I’ll Google what it is and if ours are past the point of repair! 

The cupboard thing you mention is exactly what we’re doing. I’m very lucky to have a carpenter who’s my best mate so he will help with that.  And everything else 🤪

MissRikkiC

Blackcats said:

Hi MissRikkiC - I find your diary really interesting.  I thought your headings were good - a balance of wins and slightly less than a win.  Like @KajiKita I'd be interested in the house upgrades.

Thanks blackcats. I didn’t see your post last night, I was far too engrossed in listed all the jobs I need to do 🤪 

MissRikkiC

Money spent (not DDs): Joint/Personal 
Zero. First non spend day in a little while I think. 

Money made:  None once again but yesterday I fibbed because I did a prolific survey. Will pop on before I go to sleep to see if there is any more. I’m also due a voucher for having done some product research this week I think. 

Frugal tasks completed/attempts made to not spend/save money:  

Dinner was cooked at the weekend so enchiladas. Lunch was at a friends as we went over for the day with the children. It even included a glass of wine 🤪 

Washing dried on the line. 

Need a few fresh bits to last us until Friday tomorrow. We could cope but when the only veg in is frozen, except a chunk of cucumber, I feel like I’m neglecting the smalls a little 😂 I also need to think about Marchs budget. I really want to spend a low amount again (£150 Jan, Approx £270 Feb vs. our usual £350/£400 target) but we really have depleted stores. The larder isn’t too bad but the Tins, spices, fridge and freezer actually are bare. We are also out of foil, baking paper, baking powder whilst I remember, olive oil and rinse aid! 

Pancakes tomorrow, which my daughter will love. I’ve said about them for breakfast lunch and dinner which might be fun (2 days into half term and this is as much imagination I have left!)

Sourdough discard pancakes for breakfast (providing I can omit the baking powder… whoops), and we might try for a savoury pancake roll at lunch (omelette wrapped up right??) with traditional pancakes for after dinner. Must add lemon to the list.

joedenise

Please don't feel you're neglecting the children if you give them frozen veg!  Frozen veg is actually more nutritional than "fresh" as it's frozen at its peak.  The so called fresh veg are often a week or more old before you actually eat them so will have lost some of their nutritional value.

I never put baking powder into my pancakes so I wouldn't worry about not having any for the pancakes today!

Suffolk_lass

joedenise said:

Please don't feel you're neglecting the children if you give them frozen veg!  Frozen veg is actually more nutritional than "fresh" as it's frozen at its peak.  The so called fresh veg are often a week or more old before you actually eat them so will have lost some of their nutritional value.

I never put baking powder into my pancakes so I wouldn't worry about not having any for the pancakes today!

Same here. 1 egg, three tablespoons of flour, dash of milk and pinch of salt, whisked to a smooth paste then slackened to thin gruel consistency with milk and left to stand in the fridge for several hours. If you use a whisk there's enough air in the eggs and flour for either thin of drop scone (USA-style) pancakes

MissRikkiC

I give them frozen green veg at most meals alongside whatever we had. I meant easy snacking things for just grabbing like peppers or tomatoes that’s all @joedenise maybe neglecting was too strong. 

I used a bit of bicarbonate in our sourdough pancakes this morning, but didn’t need baking powder. ‘Cheese’ pancake (omlette) for lunch so 2 down 1 to go!

Blackcats

I like the sound of lunch at your friend's!

perhaps you could keep your lower monthly grocery budget but also have a bulk buy or store cupboard essentials annual pot?  Some people do this really well on the grocery challenge thread and it takes the pressure off the monthly budget. 

MissRikkiC

I have previously had bulk funds for both butchers/meat and for buying extras of stuff but am guilty of dipping in if we’ve had a spendier month on the grocery front. I was quite new to it back then though so maybe it’s worth considering. 

Spends today:

Personal: £1. 

I was on the way taking the children to a new to us park and my 2.5yo asked to go to the charity shop 😂 I didn’t refuse since it’s free entertainment. We pottered and both looked around and then went to the books section where I got 3 books for reading, 1 plant/flowers encyclopaedia by RHS and a collection of farm stories for my daughter. For £1. I nearly choked. I know it’s a charity shop but 5 for £1 is crazy! I was made up! 
Anyway, I’m more of a non fiction reader but my husband suggested yesterday that we do our own book club to get us both back into reading so I picked up 2 of the same book in the CS and another which he already has a copy of. A very cheap way of reading something together. Even if it doesn’t last. 

Joint spends; approx £12 on necessary essential food items, baking parchment, 1 stock up (DF butter), which I will charge to March come Friday and 1 YS item.  

Money made: £1.90 on surveys

Frugal tasks completed/attempts made to not spend/save money:  

Washing dried on the line. 

Visited a new to us park 
Charity shop for fun🤪 
Made bolognese with small amount of meat, added 1 scoop lentils and veg and it’s made enough for dinner tonight (we both had seconds), 2 portions again for the freezer and another meal each for the children. 

Conversation started with hub about future aspirations for savings/not spending. 

Non frugal wins:
Oven, Grill, DW, car charger all used today. 
Conversation started with hub about future aspirations for savings/not spending **

** Hub had been awake since 3am for work and conversation escalated and didn’t go as planned. Should’ve timed it better.