Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

Tescodealqueen

Brilliant idea about the labels and as an aside I love your handwriting !

Cheery_Daff

Love your labels! 😍 I said I would do a similar clothes sort out, but I haven't, so I will get on the case. 

We are currently 'solving' the heating dilemma by having a broken boiler 🙄 However, it is still cold and depressing in our house, so I'm afraid we've resorted to plug in electric heaters 🙄 I can cuddle up on the sofa with a hot water bottle happily - but I can't enthuse myself to do the washing up when I'm too cold! 

Having said that, I'm currently in a nice warm hotel room anyway 😂

foxgloves

Thanks, @Tescodealqueen - It seems to have motivated Mr F, as he says he's planning a good sort-out of his wardrobe very soon.

Well, I've just done next week's meal plans & the grocery shopping list. I think I'm going to wrap up for a couple of hours in the greenhouse this morning, as it'd be good for my mood.
Onwards.....
F x

themadvix

Another loving the labels and your handwriting! They are really lovely!

 Enjoy your greenhouse time 🪴

EssexHebridean

Uncomfortable isn't good but functional at least helps - just don't push yourself to do all the "usual" stuff you do at the moment - this is definitely a time to listen to your body! 

I'm still thinking that it might be heating off with us at the weekend - we'll see. I did turn the hallway heater down another degree of output this morning, and the front room one got its dial swizzled backwards another notch too... 

Humdinger1

@foxgloves hope things are improving for you? I have recently recycled various pairs of trousers bought during lockdown.   They were way too big and didn't have easily moved buttons; I didn't like them enough to pay for alterations. I now have room in my wardrobe and can see what I have...a big step forward. Love Humdinger xx 

foxgloves

@themadvix - Thanks. And yes, I think that greenhouse time gave me the mental lift I needed.
@Humdinger1 - There seem to be quite a few of us enjoying a good clothes declutter atm. I didn't do my big chest of drawers properly, so will be adding the contents of that into the mix soon.
@EssexHebridean - I think I'd say that I'm being reasonably cautious with regards to throwing myself into things atm......largely because I haven't felt as full of beans as usual.
F x

foxgloves

Afternoon Campers,
Dr rang me nice & early this afternoon so I've ended up with some unexpected free time.
A bit of on & off sunshine this morning, but this has turned into squally showers & a biting wind. Heating has not been turned back on. We both decided the other day that 'the energy account credit rebuilding starts here & now' & unless we are suddenly visited by stupid unseasonal nonsense like snow, we are sticking to our decision. Thermostat said 14°C first thing this morning. Surely that is ridiculous for mid-April!
Anyway.....has there been anything approaching money-saving activity today?
*Wrote next week's meal plans.
*Wrote shopping list.
*Mr F on a half-day close-to-home today instead of furthest barren north of county, so he called in & did the Waitbl00m portion of our shopping on his way home. Way under this week's budget so far, but will need meat & cat food from town on Sat.
*Watered all greenhouse babies.
*Sowed 4 types of courgette, squash, coriander & chard.
*Potted on cucumbers.
*Pr i cked out 2 dozen cerinthe, which I grew from saved seed (bees seem to love these & if you can scrounge just a single plant, you'll be able to save sufficient seed for next year. It's easy to gather & dry & germinates reliably).
*Tweaked tonight's planned meal. Was intending to do something with smoked mackerel, but we have lots of milk so I'm going to make Normandy potatoes instead, served with salmon & peas.
*Froze half a loaf to keep it fresh. Since eating according to our Traffic Lights/TRE weight-loss method, the "Resident Bread-Based Goods Hoover" has been very restrained, & I'm certainly not baking as frequently.
Well m'dears, I think that's my lot for today. Layers on for these gales, please!
F x

Oh...will just add that while I was busy out in the greenhouse, Soot managed to stage a major biscuit heist. I can see I shall need to up my game where biscuit-wileyness is concerned.

Makingabobor2

I agree about keeping the heating off now. We had ours on low the last couple of days, but I've had enough of it now.  Still wearing winter layers, but that is the way it will have to be as the Tentacled ones energy reading is due in a couple of days and I want to keep our quite good amount of credit that we are in. Our fixed tariff finishes in August and I don't want it to have to go up by too much.   
Glad you had a productive day in the greenhouse and hope the Drs phone call was encouraging. x

foxgloves

@Makingabobor2 - Yes, same here. Tentacled statement due about 21st. I know we should have some credit left on our account & with our monthly DD finally going up in recent months, I want to build as much credit as possible ready for Autumn/Winter. We went into Autumn 2022 with over £600 credit, which is why our DD didn't need to increase for a long time. I don't think we will build that much up again, as part of it was historic reasons to do with a new CH system, but I do feel the global energy market is still volatile (& I don't trust these big industries to pass on the full extent of reductions in wholesale energy prices). I will feel more secure knowing I have some credit built up. Yes, it's cold. 18°C in the greenhouse when I went out to put the plant babies to bed, & 14.5 in our hall!!! I am, however, wearing a jumper, warm hand-knitted socks, have a blanket over me & Mr F has announced he's making me a hot water bottle when he goes through to give the cats their supper. It can't stay this cold for too.much longer. 
F x