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Little by little, and with love

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  • RosaBernicia
    RosaBernicia Posts: 4,909 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I've only recently found Becky excell on Instagram, she has some interesting recipes. I've not tried any of them but do find it handy to see what other Coeliacs do and don't eat to get some ideas.  We have a very basic tower brand of air fryer and it's fab, it gets used so much.  
    Thanks Jellytotts, that's good to know. I also need some more ideas and things like the homemade fries and chicken strips would make nice easy lunches.  I'm keen to try making bread too as it is so expensive and not likely to get cheaper just now  :/
    Debt free May 2016... DFW#2 in progress
    Campervan paid off summer '21... MFW progress tbc
  • Jellytotts
    Jellytotts Posts: 502 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper
    I only have bread now if I can get it via olio or the local food pantry, I refuse to pay the endlessly increasing prices for it.  I know a couple of people that bake their own GF loaves but it works out so expensive I'd rather have something else.  GFblogger on Instagram is also a good watch for tips and hints.
  • kerri_gt
    kerri_gt Posts: 11,202 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Xmas Saver!
    Let us know how you get on with the air fryer. With this weather I've barely used the oven at all anyway.
    Feb 2015 NSD Challenge 8/12
    JAN NSD 11/16


  • EssexHebridean
    EssexHebridean Posts: 24,424 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Ummm....excuse me but....PUPPY PICTURES?! :lol:

    You've also just caused me to fall down a Dayvan internet rabbit hole. (Don't need one, don't need one, don't need one.....) 

    Another one here looking at air fryers - or rather something like the ninja foodie I think with lots of various options. It will have to wait until the hallway is finished and the microwave can go out there, though! (And more to the point, at that stage I can review whether I still want to keep the current combi microwave or switch out for a standard one that would be smaller....) 
    🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
    Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
    Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
    £100k barrier broken 1/4/25
    SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculator
    she/her
  • kerri_gt
    kerri_gt Posts: 11,202 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Xmas Saver!
    @EssexHebridean ours is going to have to usurp the microwave. OH won't use the pinger anyway so I hope the air fryer is worth it.
    Other option is the microwave out in the garage 🤣
    Feb 2015 NSD Challenge 8/12
    JAN NSD 11/16


  • RosaBernicia
    RosaBernicia Posts: 4,909 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 10 August 2022 at 9:39PM
    Ummm....excuse me but....PUPPY PICTURES?! :lol:

    You've also just caused me to fall down a Dayvan internet rabbit hole. (Don't need one, don't need one, don't need one.....) 

    Another one here looking at air fryers - or rather something like the ninja foodie I think with lots of various options. It will have to wait until the hallway is finished and the microwave can go out there, though! (And more to the point, at that stage I can review whether I still want to keep the current combi microwave or switch out for a standard one that would be smaller....) 
    :D  I try to keep identifiable stuff limited on here but message me if you'd like puppy pics 
    I think I need to do some dayvan research myself.  I'm thinking it is really the layout of my current van that is awkward and if money was no object I'd just upgrade to a similar, more recent vehicle with a different conversion layout.  But since I don't actually get a lot of use out of the camper fittings at present it may make more sense to downgrade a bit. 
    I bought a Foodi and am already in love with the thing after only baking a premade pie in it yesterday... it heats up in 2 minutes, automatically starts the timer once at the preset heat and switches itself off when the timer finishes.  Compared to my usual version of putting the oven on, faffing for 15 minutes, finding it hasn't put the temperature light off yet, going to do something else, realising the oven has now been on heating up for 30 minutes, and then either finally putting stuff in to bake or having already eaten rubbish instead... I may save half the cost of it just on the electric I was wasting :D
    (fyi, there is 10% off when you sign up to the Ninja website, and via the NHS discount sites). 
    I am similarly thinking of ditching a combi microwave and getting a small one, it's only really used for ready meals and defrosting.  It made sense to buy the combi when I was in a flat with very dodgy grill but it does take up space and perhaps someone else could make better use of it now.
    Debt free May 2016... DFW#2 in progress
    Campervan paid off summer '21... MFW progress tbc
  • RosaBernicia
    RosaBernicia Posts: 4,909 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I only have bread now if I can get it via olio or the local food pantry, I refuse to pay the endlessly increasing prices for it.  I know a couple of people that bake their own GF loaves but it works out so expensive I'd rather have something else.  GFblogger on Instagram is also a good watch for tips and hints.
    Thanks, I will have a look.  Food bills are always my downfall as I am both GF and fussy, and tend to end up not eating properly if I don't keep easy stuff in.  I keep saying I'll try to be more organised about cooking and shopping and if I can find a few more easy recipes that will help. 

    Debt free May 2016... DFW#2 in progress
    Campervan paid off summer '21... MFW progress tbc
  • RosaBernicia
    RosaBernicia Posts: 4,909 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    End of the month round up...
    Electric bill is more than usual but I suspect that's partly due to the amount of washing and tumble drying that has happened with a puppy in the house (I use washables to avoid disposable puppy pads). I will be sorting out the rotary thing in the garden (it was moved, long story) as that's not being used, and have bought a heated airer.  It has a timer so doesn't have to stay on all night and I've also just bought a cover for it as one of the things that puts me off them is the issue of having my undies on display if I get a sudden visitor!, plus castors so it can be just rolled into the cupboard.  Hopefully that will mean most of my clothes can go on there and it will just be bedding and towels that get tumbled if it's too grotty to put them outside and the house isn't warm enough to dry them.  I have been finding recently that because I don't have the heating on, sheets etc just don't dry indoors before they start to smell so that is partly why stuff has ended up in the dryer while the airer was out of action (and the weather here has been variable).  Puppy is now just about housetrained so hopefully not causing so much washing, but there are always dog blankets and sofa cover etc that need doing. My tariff is fixed til early March, thank goodness, so I am hoping to get through the worst of the winter on the fixed rates and the hike will hit as we get into spring. 
    My food bill is bonkers even by my standards so that needs looking at.  I was already planning to, and have some leave coming so will spend some time with the Becky Excell cookbooks and use some time off to experiment  :)
    Progress has finally been made with the garden.  Really pleased, it's absolutely been worth paying someone else to do the difficult bit (digging stuff out) as it looks so much better and I am happier looking at it so am much more motivated to do the rest.  I'm thinking I will pay out for some turf and a bit more work on another part as that should make it fully functional before the winter, even if not as pretty as I'd ultimately like - it will give me time to figure out what I want to do from the spring and get growing things in advance.  Then I can get more work booked early next year. 
    Car and van are both due MOT shortly so fingers crossed that won't be too expensive.  Still dithering a bit over whether to sell the van or both and what I might want instead... spending far too much time on AutoTrad3r and FB groups. 
    Technically overspent this month due to some professional fees, but that will mostly be caught up with next paycheque. 
    Thinking I must book the roofer for a maintenance check next month - also going to ask for a quote on sorting the gutter downpipe to fill a water butt.  Less necessary here than further south but I'm interested to know if it could be done at reasonable cost. 
    Mortgage offer has been confirmed, thank goodness.  I need to double check the ERC expiry date and ask the broker to check if the current lender might come up with anything better, but am very glad to I did sort a new option as soon as it became possible - I think it's saved me at least 0.5% and possibly 1% at this point.  And was delighted to find that the statement was £1500 lower than I thought, so have given up on YNAB's madly confusing loan account thing and now just have it as a tracker account. 
    TopCa5hB4ack are being a pain - the last three things I've bought through them have all had to be chased to show up and taken months to come through.  It's worth doing as it's a decent chunk of money for a few minutes emailing, but I'm fed up of having to chase them. 

    Hoping this coming month will be less spendy.


    Debt free May 2016... DFW#2 in progress
    Campervan paid off summer '21... MFW progress tbc
  • Sooo...
    Progress with garden continues - rotary wotsit now sorted (and set at a level I can actually reach, hurrah!), one part should be sorted this week, and that leaves one more area I want done before winter.  Then I can figure out what next and plan for spring. 
    TCB hopefully sorted for another £65 to turn up eventually. 
    Change of plan re roof check, several of us are getting together for check over and some other work - pleased as that should save a bit. 
    Heated airer bits arrived and it all looks good, however realised I now have a ridiculous amount of airer type things so need to rearrange the cupboard it will live in (and shove at least one of the current ones in the loft). In the process realised I have a couple of bits of furniture to rehome and have hopefully got a charity coming to collect them next week.  Pleased about that as I've been putting off the faff of wrestling things into the car, finding parking near unfamiliar store, etc. 
    Still being spendy, blush - ordered another robot hoover and mop as spotted a good deal on the rainforest site - it has a remote control (may be an older model, but looks to do everything I need), so hopefully no app issues this time.  The floor is a state with dogs coming in and out with muddy paws as well as shedding fur, so the plan is to run the mop bit in the evening after the dogs go to bed - this is tidy up time when I sort the dishwasher and washing for the next morning etc, so it can just run while I get on with other things. 
    Currently putting off sorting clothes - I know I should figure out what I have for the winter, and there's a load to be sold as well... will get to it eventually. 
    And van etc plans all on hold til after its MOT, so send healthy happy van vibes for it please!
    Debt free May 2016... DFW#2 in progress
    Campervan paid off summer '21... MFW progress tbc
  • Alchemilla
    Alchemilla Posts: 6,252 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Was the robot mop not good?
    I couldn't get it to work Alchemilla - it only spoke Russian to me and refused to connect to the app. 

    Sounds like my Ukrainian family !!
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