Future Proofing my life: Deposit saving then MFW journey in under 13 years

LadyWithAPlan

badmemory said:

Did you know that you can build shelves without a screw or a drill.  All you need is an alcove & a place like BnQ that will cut planks to size?  Mine are still standing, some after over 30 years & no-one seems to realise they are not conventional shelving.  I too do not like power tools.

I had no idea!! - Just googled wow ...no nails glue! who knew )  Very good to know thanks.  My knowledge of diy is small, having either  partners who did it or I rented so not much to do or got people in.

I do like the idea of such knowledge -   - all my light fitting are no drill ones - but never put  a ceiling light up - so learning how to will be amazing,

I accidentally bought a giant crystal chandelier when I was drunk after celebratory drinks after a big finished team project ...it was reduced .. and I had been eyeing it up for months  I then got someone  in to build  and fix it in my last place but he said the drop was so long I'd bang my head on it.. It is at my parents in a box still ... I will try putting another  smaller ceiling light  I have in first then may try the big one  - it needs building first. I am not sure how big it is ...


Saturday  Spending day so NSD 5/16 still

Declutter 10+/10 - helped by the magic book 

Grocery spending Sep 22 GC £51.81/£160  + £15/55.50 bulk - all paid from cash

I went for a glorious 40 min swim then popped to local shops after as I need to buy toilet rolls - on last roll. However so many YS deals  I did not buy toilet rolls as too much to carry so tomorrows job, 

Sains had really good reductions  £4 to 88p etc for meals - about 6.45pm - but a lot had wheat in - so had to ignore -  still oriental  veg stir-fry 44p, mushroom stir fry 39p  and 4 courgettes  34p  - came to £1.17

Coop - bought lots of reduced meat and fish inc GF baked fish, GF fishcakes, a piece of  YS sirloin ( a treat I rarely buy sirloin or rump), gf sausages, pork kebabs, organic potatoes, - all  50% + off - so have frozen loads 
Co-op came to 14.36 -Jackie O over on grocery challenge has really put me off buying crisps! I bought a reduced pack as it had a competition on and reduced ...so was the decider 
I did look at the 150g packet ingredients and then try and make 150g of a potato into crisps by sauteing them - not quite the same but I am going to try and re-create potato crips at home - I have a halogen oven so may try that next, They started out too damp cos of slicing them thinly.

I also had 75p of Coop offer weekly vouchers so have added 75p to my mortgage unicorn pig  from my cash purse.

Also popped to tesco  as they had some GF and DF CB items but for 4 GF white buns - 2,90 down to £1.50 with CB .. still expensive and the gf bread I made  was super tasty, more nutritious, less rubbish in it and came to the same rough cost as the mix was YS. Plus a long queue so I left them.


Food today was GF overnight oats extravaganza, apples from the tree I picked, lunch remainder of  batch chilli  with sugar snap peas, plus after gym I had pork loin fried in various spices with some YS mushroom stir fry  plus my attempt at making thinly sliced crisps - and sauted them in spices  - lovely but not that crispy - potatoes were a bit wet even after I dried them - maybe need to dry for longer first.

...and those v tasty bought crisps. All gone I can have one drink but not one crisp, one sweet or one biscuit. Crisps were actually very sweet - sweet chilli flavour - i guess they stack them with sugar and salt to make them moreish..
Expect a few diary entries as I try to make artisan crisps from potatoes.
Tortilla chips I can buy for 40p - the lowest brand ones I prefer as just corn, oil and salt  - lIDL/ald*,, Sains - all do great cheap corn ones 

savingholmes

I looked up the site you linked but some people seem to think the site is a scam... it seems to have mixed reviews... 

Your plans sound good though. 

savingholmes

savingholmes said:

I looked up the site you linked but some people seem to think the site is a scam... it seems to have mixed reviews... 

Your plans sound good though. 

The book is also free on KU

LadyWithAPlan

savingholmes said:

savingholmes said:

I looked up the site you linked but some people seem to think the site is a scam... it seems to have mixed reviews... 

Your plans sound good though. 

The book is also free on KU

it was fine for me I downloaded it fine. But glad you found it - let me know if you try the process and if it works for you

LadyWithAPlan

Hope everyone had a lovely Sunday.

I went to Buckingham Palace with a friend to pay my respects and (accidentally) saw the tail end of Charles  III car entourage. Thousands of people laying flowers everywhere so  was hard to get in front of the actual palace - We got to 30 feet away eventually, and gave up as they had lots of gates and queues but all the statues, gates, iron railings nearby and the  trees in St James Park had hundreds of flower bunches around, some messages that brought a tear to my  eye  and so many kids hand drawn queen pictures. Very moving and everyone was very respectful, friendly and quiet -no pushing.  It ran the gamut of people with flowers - as in every shape, size, gender, age, dressed from uniforms, pearly kings and queens to punks.- even young men in their 20s holding flowers - shows what an impact she had on us all.



Central London, Soho and the Southbank has screens everywhere with the Queen on there and all the flags were half mast. I won't buy flowers but I will get some extra for the food bank in lieu.
I may go and visit Westminster Abbey - i gather it will be open 23 hours a day but 100,000s of people expected (200k for the late Queen mother) so may pop one evening late. I will never forget seeing William and Harry walking after Diana's coffin - I watched from the corner of the Mall - some things stay with you and I feel the ritual of being with my fellow Londoners as we all pay respect is important.

Really not ready for a King..(and don't get me started on Camilla being Queen). Three kings in succession is I think not a good look in the 21st century.)
I don't like Liz Truss but at least currently we have one female in  a position of power.
The days of seeing mainly/only  men in power has to be over. My favourite story of the Queen was in 1998 when entertaining a Saudi (then Prince) King Abdullah - where women driving was illegal  (til 2018!!-) so she chose to drive him herself in her Range Rover at Balmoral - at serious speeds through the Scottish narrow highland roads - he apparently implored her to slow down through his interpreter

Gym today - some hard leg weights and worked on cross training functional core strength as I am focusing on building  muscle and a strong torso plus stretching after. 
I did not swim as was planning to walk in the park later- Done 20,532 steps today my watch tells me My friend was exhausted and said her legs were sore???  but I was easily hitting 18500 steps a day with my Ms Doolittle phase so I was fine. Plus after all that horse/dog/hay/fence jumping I am definitely feeling stronger.

The only alcohol I had all week (and indeed in the last 11 days) was a (free!) hard seltzer can - tastier and more thirst quenching than I expected - and a small vodka on Friday

Food A YS prawn and salmon fishcake with halogen oven  roasted YS potato and YS grilled courgette  but I looked and discovered there was hardly any protein in it 7.7g v 39g carb - So  this eve I had 4 YS chicken koftas with salsa. I had a couple coffees out today - one a vanilla thing and it was too sweet. Oh and some Squash sweets  - first since last weekend   No food out - the GF thing is either super expensive or saves me a fortune out!

If I only eat one pack of sweets and one pack of bought crisps a week I will be very happy with myself. Nearly bought some chocolate but I still have all the weight of the dairy sitting on my chest from last weekend - so my body said no. It takes a few weeks to shift - i think I am more allergic to dairy than I want to admit  - I could feel it when I was swimming it affects my breathing.. Luckily sugar is fine!

I am getting the halogen out again despite my recent love affair with my 6 in 1 especially the pressure cooker. I have a separate slow cooker and also one in this 6 in 1 but not used at all  - loving the pressure cookers speed. However for crunch the halogen is great - only using my oven for the hob since my 6 in 1 arrived.

Recipe ideas 
Loving being back on the  Grocery challenge as great for watching budget and advice but also great food ideas. A Mary Berry Earl Grey teabread  was mentioned - I will try a GF version however sultanas and raisins last 2 days max in my house as I eat them  cos they are sweet ... so I will need to buy a small packet!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/earl_grey_tea_bread_48452


 Also a tested crisp recipe has been added for me - woohoo!- I now need a mandolin and oil spray and I will be off.  I do have a random  fun pot £20 a month and it has £35 in so  I could afford a mandolin and a reduced price tortilla press - but that may be going extreme!
 https://food52.com/recipes/18123-homemade-potato-chips

DIY CLASS
Tomorrow is my first DIY class ! No power tools but I am excited   
Plumbing here we come!! I will need to catch a bus back as after 9pm  but will walk there for exercise, sunshine and save the bus fare

MB - I am focusing more on horse extra places now and after a run of losses I had a nice few wins today - Casino is as always up/down.

TT £1.51 as 51p felt too small

GC £16.32 spent on groceries today 

Sep  £68.13/£160  + £15/55.50 bulk

NSD Sept 5/16 as spend day again  - couple coffees out, travel, food only cos I ran out of toilet rolls. - Shows how just popping to a shop means you spend - it was all YS, stock cupboard or veg stuff but I can guarantee I now have way too much veg in

I had to pop into a couple shops on way home and I discovered that my Sain local had amazing bargains again (about 7.30pm) - I only went in as I had not got toilet paper yesterday as Li* had run out.. so I ended up shopping again- I did leave some for others but 6 chicken kebabs, lamb kebabs and pork kebabs all down to 84p each!
I did buy myself some sweets Sqush** as was starving - had refused to buy myself food when I was out - but that come from my treats pot not grocery spend.

Then  popped to Mr L to find again they had ran out of toilet paper  apart from huge 24 roll packets but bought some reduced GF sausages after the triumph of my GF toad in the hole plus some super 6 veg (avocados, peppers, lemons,), a red cabbage and some mayo (never tried Mr L brand so an experiment), some Mr L earl grey (not as good and I love Twinings but not going to shop again til next weekend)  ..some houmous, salsa, organic DF almond milk 85p each.
Also Mr L  bathroom cleaning spray.

I ended up finally buying toilet rolls from Mr T. No real bargains there. (Home cleaning stuff is in a different home pot) 

Everywhere seems to have run out of frozen peas and frozen blueberries!

Meal Planning for week - 1st time I have ever written these words with an actual plan!!

all with at least 3 portions of veg - got carrots, red cabbage, 3 courgettes, onions, salad in

- YS Chicken koftas and YS oriental stir fry
- YS fishcake with tin of tuna or mackerel for extra protein
- toad in hole GF made with YS sausages with  onions and mash. 
- YS lamb kebabs
- meatballs in sauce - in slow cooker or pressure cooker.
- oat protein pancake with vegan protein powder for healthy snacks and apple/summer fruits - make and batch
- tuna with mayo in baked YS potatoes
- cottage pie - yet to make as got loads YS organic potatoes and carrots that need using up. Will add mung beans to see if I react to them. Some pulses make my belly v unhappy
- A  (red) cabbage, carrot and celery soup as loads of all in - got a lot of HM chicken stock in freezer and finally bought some onions ...
- either HM bread attempt number two
-  a GF crumble with apples I have picked
- stew some apples to freeze or bottle 

I really need to buy a large bag of onions. May have to go to a world  shop ...


Big aims of week 
- some invoices paid this week
- movement on my side hustle and this possible brand collab .
- keep going with the daily cleaning book 
- get programme re-written
- gym 5 x a week
- no missing fingers or toes in DIY course
- go to friends memorial and not excessively drink
- get up to date with all work
- No food shopping til next weekend
- do some competitions for xmas gifts
- chase up my elec issue
- eat some frogs 

savingholmes

Hope your friend's memorial goes well. 

Enjoy the course.

Great YS bargains

Cheery_Daff

Gosh, lots of excellent things in there. Look at that meal plan!! I'm pretty sure you won't lose any fingers or toes in a beginners plumbing class (at least I hope not, as I have to plumb our washing machine in tomorrow!) 

Hope the memorial goes well x

LadyWithAPlan

Cheery_Daff said:

Gosh, lots of excellent things in there. Look at that meal plan!! I'm pretty sure you won't lose any fingers or toes in a beginners plumbing class (at least I hope not, as I have to plumb our washing machine in tomorrow!) 

Hope the memorial goes well x

Good luck with that - my lovely Polish neighbour plumbed in my washing machine . Took him 2 mins. I can only aspire to be as grown up as you )

Memorial ah .. he was only 46 .. 
We will all get to speak and I already have my 2 amusing and uplifting stories about the fun we all had... 

Cheery_Daff

Gosh,46 is no age at all. Sounds like it will be a lovely celebration of his life xx

I've done washing machines before so not anticipating too many problems (although it might take me slightly longer than 2 mins...)

Suffolk_lass

Love a good compression joint, me! The last bathroom washbasin taps I installed have one turning one way (counter clockwise) but the other turns the opposite way. Weird but apparently as it was designed