Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

Sun_Addict

At work we have a permanent food bank collection point for a nearby very deprived inner city area. We are opposite the train station so you will know which area that is. They’ve told us that we donate more than any other collection points they have. Volunteers from work take the food to them on a regular basis and our employer also allows them to spend some time helping out. I dropped off some Christmas treats in there on Friday only to find out later they’d already done their last run for Christmas 😐 Oh well I’m sure they’ll be just as welcome afterwards. 

foxgloves

Yes, I can make a very good guess at the area, @Sun_Addict. Many years ago, when I was a student, a group of us went to look at a rented house there. Oh my days, I lived in a couple of student dives back in the day, but wouldn't have touched this one with a 10m pole. The walls around the downstairs sockets were surrounded with green algae & were visibly wet, & a large area of floor in front of the front door had collapsed into the cellar! The saddest thing was that the young couple living there, who had just had a baby & seemed to have virtually no possessions had nowhere to go. It has always been an area of high social & economic deprivation. Your workplace does a good job with foodbank support.
F

ladyholly

It is such  shame that slum landlord are still allowed to rent out properties in such an awful state. I saw some pretty horrible ones when my dd and sil were looking several years ago and some of those were in decent areas of our town.

foxgloves

@ladyholly - Yes, you are so right. It was dreadful that attempts to pass a parliamentary bill to make private rented accommodation fit for human habitation was blocked a few years ago. Just seems like such a simple right, especially considering the amount people are having to pay for renting these fleapits.
F

foxgloves

Just a quick drop-in from me as I gather Mr F is making me some toast!
Busy morning, although pretty random in terms of tasks. Not a no-spend day as I miscalculated bread so Mr F popped to get a loaf & he had to fill up the car with petrol anyway. I've found the tin I shall need to transport stuffing in & remembered to defrost the sausagemeat. I've fed the birds. I knew I could stretch their seed to another fill-up before re-buying & enjoyed seeing them tucking in. Cashed out our December PA earnings. Now added to our Personal Spends - £46-32 for me & £66-53 for Mr F. That's given mine a boost on the Spends spreadsheet. I took out a wodge of my Spends as cash, as I do always like to have some in my purse - it always comes in useful - so I was looking distinctly cash-rich & spreadsheet poor!
I've done my usual Monday morning budget updates & I do indeed have a £60 grocery underspend to carry over into January. I budgeted extra for groceries this month & expected to spend it all, but I think the reason we have so much surplus is that we are hosting a Christmas dinner next Sunday so haven't yet bought the fresh stuff required for that. Although next Sunday is still in December, we will be in January's budget cycle by then so this £60 is still going to feel like 'extra' money.
I've entered a prize draw & put out various bits & pieces ready for packing & added December's energy bill figures to my stats.
No need for much cooking tonight as Mr F made enough lovely lasagne on Saturday night to feed us tonight as well. 2 yoghurts in the fridge need eating up, so that's dessert done as well as a use-it-up.
Well, m'dears, I can smell toast & have also just heard the welcome ping of the coffee machine so I will leave you to your no doubt busy days.
Missing Soot & Ash already. They have been on their jollies precisely 3 hours. I'm sure I didn't used to be this soppy!
F x

Debsnewbudget

Reporting in 
the fudge is made and instructions were perfect, it takes a long time to boil though, which I had not factored in. 

Grandsons (age 11 and 7) and I made fudge, truffles, shortbread biscuits and chocolate fudge crinkle biscuits (BBC good food)  this will do for their mum  rather than going out buying a gift. 

Just need to stop my other half eating them before the big day 😂

foxgloves

How productive, @Debsnewbudget. Yes, fudge does need quite a lot of time to reach 'soft ball' stage, but even then it can vary depending on things like pan size & how madly-boiling you are prepared to have it on the hob. I've made it heaps of times now so have defo got braver on that score. 
Glad the recipe was useful anyway. 
F x

Cheery_Daff

I bought some evap today with a plan to try making your fudge 😊 Probably not til after Christmas though, or else I'll eat it all before we see anyone else 🙈

foxgloves

Dear Diary Readers,
Sending Yuletide Blessings to all. Wishing you a happy & peaceful time.
I know Christmas can be a difficult time for some people. If for whatever reason this includes you, a new year will soon be dawning - a time for new starts of many kinds.
Love & peace,
F xx

Moorviews

Merry Christmas Foxgloves and Mr F, wishing you a happy time with your family 🎄 Thank you for sharing your preparations with us. Safe journey xx