Struggling along as best I can

nannygladys

retiredinfrance -   you have a fair distance in any direction to go shopping etc. I always wanted to live more rural and have a large garden or a smallholding but other people weren't so keen but it happens for a reason I suppose, but I am content with growing in my garden and manage to grow quite a bit in such a small space.

nannygladys

Today has been a lazy day, I've basically just pootled around the house, doing a bit of this and that, I did manage to put in one load of washing and mostly dry it outside but I have had to finish it off inside, this over the radiators as it's too expensive in the td.

I made lentil dhal and had a bowl for lunch and just a snacky tea as I was still quite full up.
I haven't spent anything yet but I withdrew all the cash needed and put it in various purses! but I still haven't decided how much money to put into the savings pots, I'm thinking of combining some of the pots into just these three areas until decent amounts are saved, until I decide I will leave them as they are, I'm not intending of using any of it this month, and I'll make my mind up before I get paid again. Hopefully they will all a lot healthier if I combine some of the others with them.

I've also decided I will paint the front room myself, perhaps not the ceiling though, but it will save me some money if I can manage it. I've always done all my own painting and decorating in the past and I can take my time doing it, and I have the paint sat in the hallway!!

I've completed my Xmas jigsaw this week and finished a Xmas gnome decoration for youngest dd (a freebie) and restarted to knit an unfinished jumper, so keeping my hands busy and when I've finished the jumper another one to wear and then I have a skirt to shorten that I bought from a cs last year!!! so plenty to keep me going.
Nannyg

nannygladys

PS I still haven't made anymore bread in the bm!!

nannygladys

I've been busy the last couple days. I attended my youngest dgs's school nativity where he was a sheep!! and my youngest dgd has been poorly again so I looked after her whilst her mum worked!! Poor little love seems to be having continuous bouts or earache that clear up with antibiotics but seem to come back a couple of days later, but she's now on them again thank goodness and lets hope they will kill those pesky bugs off.
Yesterday whilst I was looking after dgd, I wrapped her up well put her in the pram and went a walk into the town where they live, and it was market day, so bought some fresh fruit and cheese from there and went into a coffee shop for a free coffee that dd had a voucher for! Poor dgd slept all the time, but as she had been awake numerous times throughout the night so I think she needed it. I was really pleased with the fruit but the cheese was quite expensive but at least I knew where it came from and I had plenty of free samples to try
Today I've had a catch up at home and made a couple of jars of onion marmalade, I've never tried it before but was tempted by the fact it was done in the slow cooker and even though it took all day in the SC it seems to have worked out and now I have two jars or yummy looking onion marmalade, I'll be making two more tomorrow with the rest of the onions.
Money wise I'm still within last weeks budget but I will be doing the bulk of my Xmas food shopping tomorrow so that will probably change  It'll mostly be veggies and a few treats. Over the weekend I'll be making shortbread, Xmas slices for youngest dd and myself and some fudge!! I bought the pooch a couple of treats/toys for Xmas and hid them in a top cupboard where he can't possible smell or get to them! It seems so near now but I feel I'm on top of it and looking forwards to having eldest dgd here for a couple of days.
So I'm gong to get changed for bed and have a wash, make a drink and a relatively early night.
Nannyg

nannygladys

The shortest day and longest night today, which makes me happy as I'm not a fan of the long dark nights. Happy Yule everyone, I haven't properly celebrated Yule with family for quite a few years but always take time out to ponder on the old year and the new coming year and have plenty of candles alight one for each member of my family.

I have completed all my Xmas shopping and feel confident that it's all done now. I managed to keep in budget on food with the help of the Tesc@ vouchers and cheap veggies, and now have two full freezers (one fridge size and the other a small chest one) so hopefully that should see me through to my next pay day and hopefully beyond

The menu plan is still being followed and I've found out I keep to it much better if I only plan one week at a time and make sure I create the plan from the fresh/frozen food I have in. It sounds a bit daft but I buy my standard food etc and then create meals and not the other way round, I know its sounds irrational but to me it makes more sense!  and I mainly keep to it which is what I want. The last week I've had risotto, veggie pasta, lentil dhal, omelettes and beans on toast!!! For lunches I make soups, toasted sandwiches or sometimes miss it out altogether if I'm not particularly hungry or out.  I very rarely eat breakfast but most days I make a dessert ie fruit and hm yogurt and sprinkle hm granola with honey on the top. The weight has stagnated but that's ok as long as I don't put it back on. After the Xmas period I'll review my eating and see if I really need to lose any more weight and keep eating similar or put a few changes in place.

I always like to have a few goals for the next 12 months and when I look at this years I don't think they will be much different to next years 

I hope everyone is ready for Xmas or nearly there now and not getting into any debt for a celebration that should be a very happy, positive time. Please folks watch the spending if you can't afford it, I always say children and grownups remember the memories of the day not the presents that are given. 
Nannyg

Sun_Addict

That’s a great philosophy, it’s not about the cost of the presents but all about the memories. All my happy memories of Christmas are not definitely related to gifts. 

nannygladys

I was trying to open the can of milk to make the fudge and the can opener broke, so a quick trip to the shops were needed to buy a new one, I managed to buy the last one so I was well pleased not to have to travel further to more shops. I made the fudge but not sure yet whether its turned out OK, it's in the fridge 'setting', so unexpected money spent  but it was needed.

Hopefully that'll be the last spend for a while, that's my wish anyway. I'm getting fed up trying to make ends meet all the time but I suspect that's because it's the end of the year and I had hoped to be further along in my front room changeover but I think I was thinking prices were a lot lower than they really are and that has got me down as well, but come the new year I'll gather any spare change in the house and see what I have floating about and put it towards the carpet/settee. Its going to take a great effort  from me to get moving forwards again and it hasn't helped that some neighbours have had people in to do a complete overhaul of theirs and it was done in a couple of weeks, ah well they are both younger, work hard but it was only done a couple of years ago , I'm just feeing sorry for myself - it's that time of year I think. Right I'd better pull my big girls knickers up and get back on track quickly and start looking forwards again

Better go and feed the pooch and make something for my tea, not sure what though probably something with pasta, rice or a jacket potato.
Nannyg

cbsexec

Have an enjoyable Christmas and I look forward to reading your money saving efforts next year.  I hope to be doing the same 

Moorviews

I love that idea of lighting the candles for each person! Here’s to the lengthening afternoons 😊

When you are an experienced cook, as you obviously are, then you have a good idea of what to buy to make a range of meals. I think of it as having a strong element of unconscious or instinctive meal planning rather than it being irrational. It is what I do most of the time, however, if I want to make something new or special then it gets added to the shopping list. I like to have all my standards on hand then I can get creative with them. I rather enjoy the push to do that as the fresh food gets towards the end. Obviously I wouldn’t feel like that if I had no money to buy any more food to feed my family! One of my favourites is from a childhood cookbook and is called Friday Pie; it used up the last rasher of bacon, tomato and eggs. It is quite reminiscent of certain times in my childhood when cupboards and fridge would be bare by the end of the week. Well done for keeping to your plans and making your method work for you.
 

It is interesting how times and ambitions have changed. Neither I, or any of my contemporaries, could have refurbished a house in one fell swoop when we were young. It was all DIY and doing one room at a time as we saved up. Having second hand furniture was the standard too, usually cast offs from family and friends of our parents. Even now, we only do one room at a time as we do our own decorating. We rarely replace furniture either. I am going to be practising the one wall at a time idea too, having seen someone redecorate their kitchen this way. I don’t have the energy, or strong enough arms to paint right around the room in one go anymore. Also, unless you get a really good decorator they don’t necessarily take the care that you do when painting your own home. 

It’s understandable that you are going to feel despondent when you are having to work so hard at not only making ends meet but also working towards savings goals. I hope that you can start to appreciate how amazing you are and the wealth of wisdom that you apply to life and budgets. There will be more of us than you know willing and cheering you on xx

Moorviews

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas nannygladys 🎄 I hope you have a lovely time with your family. Thank you for sharing your Christmas preparations and wisdom on your diary xx