My journey to health, wealth (well, saving for works to house, so not really!) and hobbies

Humdinger1

@[Deleted User] fab to see you again! Not boring at all...this is what it's like, no? I sometimes think that the quest for excitement is behind a lot of debt; it certainly played a big part in mine.  Onwards and upwards love Humdinger xx 

Blackcats

Lovely to see you and glad you are doing ok.
the pie filling sounds yummy.
everyday tales of pie fillings etc are what keep all our diaries ticking over and are never boring.

joeyjimbles

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas, and part of the joy of the christmas feasting is all the secondary feasts to come with the 'leftovers' - a word I have a problem with, cos I'm sure that what is really meant is 'ingredients'. 
I remember reading a daft article last year about leftover bread, cheese and salad - doesn't that just mean lunch for another day? 

[Deleted User]

Thanks all - love the lunch for another day quote.

going to try come back here as miss you all and I def need to be kept accountable so we have enough to do our works

working today. Looonnnng day. DH has the kids as nursery closed until 4th(!). I will WFH though as don’t fancy going into office after all post-Xmas mixing as likely to be lots of covid!

will still be munching through the Xmas food for lunch/dinner as we do have reams and aim is not to do a food shop (other than milk and bread etc) until NYE. 

We also, after all
his assessments, received a diagnosis of autism for DC1. Still getting our heads round that and how we can best help him 

savingholmes

Glad you got the diagnosis through. Hopefully DC1 can now get the help they need.

Blackcats

Glad we will see more of you again in 2023
It is understandable that DC1's diagnosis will take a little while for you to get your heads round but you are giving him a wonderful childhood that will nurture, encourage and support him to be the best he can be.

Just curious to know the cost of milk for you now?  I recall it was exorbitant!

[Deleted User]

@Blackcats thank you for your kind words - we certainly try! It ranges from 1.40 - 1.55 a litre! 1.55 is typical but if I’m passing the cheaper shops I’ll pop in and grab there. DC2 doesn’t like milk (other than on cereal) and DC1 loves it (apart from on cereal!) so we don’t go through as much now!

So DH is being a little better with MSE. He made a whole bunch of pie filling out of leftover gammon we had cooked up Xmas eve - we already had everything bar leeks so bought those and we now have 9 tubs of pie filling (well 8 actually as had one last night!) so he then gets a tub out of freezer, puts in a dish and covers top with pastry. Had one last night with leftover parsnips and it was fab.

He also made a Mexican Mac and cheese over Xmas and there was loads so he froze it - having that tonight.  Need to do a list for a “big shop” to get us through next week but already have most of the staples for the kids so fingers crossed to being frugal!

DH also got a refund from the big online shop for a peppa sticker he’d bought the kids for Xmas. £21 (I had no idea it was this much!) but kept peeling off the wall. He annoyingly chose credit rather than a refund but it’s not too bad as we are always buying nappies etc from there so will be used.

Today is supposed to be a play date at ours with the kids second cousin but they’ve not been too well so may cancel. Got the DC on my own all day so not quite sure what to do with them! 

[Deleted User]

Friend cancelled play date as still not well. Stayed home in morning but by lunchtime DC were climbing the walls (esp as DC2 had refused his nap!) so took them to a soft play centre. £13.90 for entry and £3 on a coffee for me but meant they got stimulation and knackering out and my sanity was rescued!

Working today but only until 1230 as early close. Both DC with MIL and I will collect them at 130, after swinging by shop for milk (1.50 in there!) and some cheese/yogs for next weeks nursery.

Think we are having butternut squash, pesto and chicken lasagna from freezer tonight with home made chips from potatoes in store. 

Then I will do “big shop” tomorrow which will hopefully be under £50 as we don’t need much (food v expensive here) but includes some puddings to take to MIL’s on NYD 

Sun_Addict

My DGS recently received an official autism diagnosis after 3 years of tests. DS and DIL were relieved to know officially so can now start dealing with it and getting him the help he needs. 

[Deleted User]

@Sun_Addict -I bet they were relieved, it is good to know so help can be put in place as you say. Just waiting now to find out which school he gets into. We’ve applied for catchment school which also has the most LA’s of all the primary schools here but we are on border of it and worried we will get pushed out to schools which aren’t as good at dealing with additional needs. All ready to appeal if necessary and pre-school have said they’ll back me and I think early years team will too but won’t know until April!

did big shop. With yesterdays it came to £76.10 which was more than I hoped. Only things which weren’t “needed” were an extra pack of yogs for lunchboxes (they don’t always have them so I tend to get a couple of weeks worth when they do) at £1.65, peppa pig yoghurts at £1 and some Christmas crackers reduced from £25 to £6.25 so bought those for next year. So could have got it down to £67.20 which is still more than I’d have liked.

in that we got peppered burgers for tonight plus baps and a stone baked baguette. We are having a feast of a baked Camembert (already had in fridge) which we are going to upgrade by adding white wine (small bottle purchased for £2.07), garlic and rosemary. Then peppered burgers in baps with home made chips. Then a tarte tatin made from stores and also to use up leftover cream. And finally some posh cheeses with the baguette and some crackers we already had. Also had to buy 2 puddings to take to MIL tomorrow. So given it’s a “special” meal tonight it’s not too bad. Though maybe I am just making excuses!

We have worked out what we “should” have by end of 2023 (as if we start in September we will probs be finished then earliest though I suspect it may take longer!) but that’s if we stick to my budgets. We haven’t factored in bonuses in case we don’t get them (bar DH’s loyalty one he will get end 2023 if he stays) as we may not get them! Also not factored in any pay rises for same reason!

But we are going to stick to only doing the extension/most of ground floor as I just don’t think we will have enough to do the other 2 floors yet and I’d rather not be panicking about running out of cash!

but reigning in DH is hard. I get a lot of “but it’s only £x” but obviously all these only £x’s all add up to a big fat Y!