“Debt is normal. Be weird.”

browneyed_girl

Thanks for the tip @WinterWarrior.  I’ve just had a look at the NSD challenge - I think I’ll get a bit of practice and then join next month.  It would be nice to set 12 NSDs as a target for September.

And yes - behind the bookcase was an excellent hiding place, hence not finding the crumpet until it was barely recognisable!  

@savingholmes - we have just the cat in our household who only shows interest in licking out yoghurt pots and is absolutely no use for scoffing leftovers!  She’s an excellent hunter and more often than not will add to the household clutter with a mouse or two - often still alive!  

[Deleted User]

I honestly don't know how you do it. I can barely look after 2, let alone cook meals.

browneyed_girl

[Deleted User] said:

I honestly don't know how you do it. I can barely look after 2, let alone cook meals.

@[Deleted User] - it must be sheer willpower and the ability to survive on 5 hours sleep a night!

browneyed_girl

Evening fellow debt-busters!

Need to update on the past couple of days after my exciting NSD of 2 days prior (sadly, already a distant memory ).  

Yesterday, DH took the kids out to see Nanny as we’d arranged for DD1 to stay the night and help Nanny with a few bits around the house.  DH spent £3.49 on a much needed energy drink and sandwich (which had a YS - the boy done good!), whilst kids were all given lunch at Nanny’s house (bonus).  DD2 was then dropped at a friend’s house for a sleepover, meaning I only had the two youngest at home for the evening whilst DH was at work (a fact I had completely forgotten when sorting the meal plan for the week).  No drama though, as the freezer lottery found some veggie sausage rolls and just the right amount of potato smiles for a couple of fussy eaters .  It also means the meal plan stretches to an extra day - smiles all round!

I managed to make further headway with clearing the freezer prior to Defrost 2021.  Bread rolls and some soup taken out, then found a solitary veggie burger which was perfect with aforementioned bread roll and some salad for last night’s dinner.  Soup had to wait its turn but will be very much enjoyed today.  

Just as I was considering the day had been pretty successful from a spending point of view (only other spend was £20 put in nephew’s birthday card), DH made an excellent case for a takeaway on his way home.  Less worried about the £14 spend (he works hard and deserves it), more concerned by the pounds I’ve been adding on by joining in with this venture, despite having eaten already that evening.  Concerns proven to be accurate after weighing myself this morning to find out that I’m now 20lbs heavier than I was this time last year!!  I knew I’d put on a bit because of how my clothes felt, but I wasn’t expecting quite that number.  Time for some serious changes methinks - sadly, I think the biscuits will have to be the first thing to go!

Today, picked up DD1 from Nanny’s house and lunch for kids once again donated by Nanny.  Also found myself taking food home that had been bought for DD1 but never got eaten (mother does like to spoil the kids when she has them - I’m not complaining as it saves me a job!).  Dinner for kids was macaroni cheese with garlic bread and veg that were both salvaged from the freezer.  Spends today were an unspecified amount on a new dashcam for DH (though I’ve been assured it’s covered by refunds he has received on other items that were faulty) and £68 on some anniversary gifts for DH and an engagement present for a friend.  Might seem a tad pricey, but I shopped around for each item to make sure I got the best value. 

Have got my fingers crossed for a NSD tomorrow, but might need a few top-up items.  Friday is likely to be very spendy - for one, my car is going in for its MOT

Ooh!  Almost forgot - £10 from surveys landed in my account and was swiftly added to the EF (now at £167.61 and signature updated accordingly).  I’m also only a few points away from another £10 - pushing hard to reach £300 by the end of September! 

WinterWarrior

I think I’ve put on 20lbs this week if that’s any consolation 😞

browneyed_girl

WinterWarrior said:

I think I’ve put on 20lbs this week if that’s any consolation 😞

I’m sure that’s not true - I’d be secretly impressed if it was!

I did miss my biscuits with my tea today - it just wasn’t the same.  I think I’m going to have to find some healthy snacks that will go with my afternoon cuppa - dunking an apple just seems wrong!

WinterWarrior

Calorie counting works best for me…biscuits are essential!! When I’m counting calories I get the mini bags (party rings, cookies, iced gems, Jamie dodgers, animals, etc.) as they are measured (usually about 100 cals), you feel like you’ve had a fair deal as there are a number of small ones per bag and you can’t overdo it when the bag has gone. You can see I’ve thought this through 🤣

browneyed_girl

Once again I find myself typing from the floor of DS’s bedroom, waiting for him to go to sleep.  He’s never had the best sleeping routine and is always coming into our bed, so I’ve set myself the mission of nailing it before preschool starts.  First task is getting him to put himself to sleep in his own bed without wandering around the rest of the upstairs.

Not a huge amount to report on the spending front - in fact, I was almost positive we had our second NSD of the week!  DH then reminded me that I’d asked him to organise the phone for DD1’s birthday and so followed the instant disappointment.  DH then informs me that the best deal (he did show me all his workings with prices of different phones plus monthly costs to figure out which was better value in the longer term) was one with a 24 month contract at £12.99 monthly (with 5GB of data) and no upfront cost.  I was immediately delighted again at our new found expertise in achieving NSDs, only for DH to then tell me that he’d made an offer of £13 on an eB@y item that was listed for £30.  Didn’t expect them to accept...but they did.  I’m sure they did it just to spite me

Anyway, still feel the day has been a relative success.  Freezer is getting emptier by the day (last of veggie sausage rolls and some veg, plus more HM soup used up today) and I managed to hold off on the top-up shop.  In my hunt through the freezer, I did find a portion of stewed apple from when I inexplicably found myself amongst an excess of apples.  Don’t have the butter to make a crumble (yes, I know I could pick some up with the other top-up items, but I’m trying to be more MSE than that!) and am scratching my head with what to do with them to make them more enticing.  Am currently thinking of using them in a cake recipe, much like one uses bananas in banana loaf.  I have a foolproof recipe that uses oil instead of butter which I suppose might work and I have all the other ingredients in the house.  Alternatively, I’m open to suggestions if anyone has any ideas!

DS now asleep and I need to get prepping for tomorrow.  Car going for its MOT at 8am and then have an appointment to sort out DS’s paperwork at the preschool at 10am.  That gives me 2 hours to run some errands with DS in tow.  Already know that I need to post an item for a £95 refund, drop some clothes off to the charity bins, take toys to our local hospital (and some chocolates for the nursing staff who were lovely), pop to Mr T for the top-up shop (Clubcard vouchers already safely sat in my purse) and return some borrowed items to a friend.  Then be home in time for elevenses - simple!

browneyed_girl

WinterWarrior said:

Calorie counting works best for me…biscuits are essential!! When I’m counting calories I get the mini bags (party rings, cookies, iced gems, Jamie dodgers, animals, etc.) as they are measured (usually about 100 cals), you feel like you’ve had a fair deal as there are a number of small ones per bag and you can’t overdo it when the bag has gone. You can see I’ve thought this through 🤣

Absolutely!!  My worry would be that I could indeed overdo it by reaching for another bag...followed by another...and another...until I’m surrounded by nothing but wrappers in what looks like a biscuit graveyard!

Really need to get me some of that willpower...

WinterWarrior

Is there anything more tragic than a biscuit graveyard? 😢🤣