MeandO's money-shuffling

badmemory

If you do go to watch DS will your ex use your presence as an excuse to create an atmosphere. Perhaps I should phrase that as a worse atmosphere than if you do not go.

MeandO

badmemory said:

If you do go to watch DS will your ex use your presence as an excuse to create an atmosphere. Perhaps I should phrase that as a worse atmosphere than if you do not go.

It’s unlikely, badmemory. He will be surrounded by many others so will be on his best behaviour!

MeandO

Monday again and a mixed weekend was had here. DS and I spent some really lovely quality time together on Saturday and then on Sunday OH and I managed to take some time out to wander round a local garden admiring the vast range of fruit and veggies growing there, all tended to by volunteers. The latter help reduce stress induced by a situation with OH’s family that I won’t go into, but greatly upset OH. Being out in nature is good for the soul.

We picked up a great value TGTG sushi bag on Sunday which fed us for two meals and felt like a real treat! I used the last of it up for lunch today. I had to pick up some groceries but managed to keep it to a minimum. Today I used a £6 voucher in asd&’won’ on the app to pay for the bits I couldn’t get yesterday plus some ingredients for DS’s cookery lesson I was notified of today. I ended up paying just 59p so am pleased with that.  

Another two items sold on vinted over the weekend, one for £20 which will go towards the current sporting costs and one for £18 which was DS’s. He very sweetly said to put that towards the expenses too, but I will put it in his junior ISA.

I have contacted the antique guy about some silver/silver plated cutlery my parents gave me to get rid of. He seems interested so is going to pop over later in the week. I also have some other silver items which I will show him to see if it’s of any interest/value.

I’ve made a mental meal plan for the next few days and will try not to buy any more groceries this week unless absolutely necessary. We should have everything we need, I hope. I will need to stock up on chicken/meat soon though as I am down to the last portions in the freezer and am irking those out as best I can at the moment. I am not looking forward to that grocery shop as it will no doubt be a lot more expensive. 

MeandO

Oh flip. I must have failed to update my freezer list at some point as I just went to take the last pack of chicken we had out to defrost for tomorrow but it's not there. I must have already used it up.   i have found some BBQ range cajun chicken escalopes in there that were a yellow sticker buy some time ago and i have never really known what to do with them, so they're now in the fridge defrosting. Perhaps a jambalaya type dish? It's gettting to that 'interesting meals' time now! 
I'll be honest on here, I have been giving DS most of the protein and I have been eating the basic ingredients for a while just to save a bit of money and make sure he has enough. Today he had turkey meatballs with hm tomato sauce & pasta. I just had a little of the pasta and sauce as I had the legtover sushi for lunch (which DS wouldn't eat anyway) and made sure DS had all.the meatballs. He'll never go without, but I am finding it increasingly expensive to make sure we have enough protein in our diet and I rrally have to shop around for meat etc. I feel fortunate i can still afford these things but the price of groceries now makes me fearful for those who are struggling. 

Mrs_Money_Penny

I find it annoying when I haven’t updated the freezer list and can’t find what I’m looking for. It is so expensive now shopping for food. I need mince and chicken as I have none. Been busy using up odd portions of things frozen. Well done on the vented items. I want to go through my clothes have lots I don’t wear xx

Ordinary_Yet_Unique

Do not get back on food for yourself! It can lead to other issues. If the budget is tight at the moment cut back on mortgage overpayments. You have a life to live too. Making overpayments can be well intentioned but is not the be all and end all of everything.It is a choice not a necessity.

MeandO

Mrs_Money_Penny said:

I find it annoying when I haven’t updated the freezer list and can’t find what I’m looking for. It is so expensive now shopping for food. I need mince and chicken as I have none. Been busy using up odd portions of things frozen. Well done on the vented items. I want to go through my clothes have lots I don’t wear xx

It sounds like you're playing the same 'freezer roulette' game as myself at the moment, Mrs_Money_Penny. I hope you can find some good buys with the shopping. I tend to stick to Ald! for mince as I usually buy the lower fat versions and they're normally reasonably priced. They have quite a range at the store I go to with lower fat beef, pork, turkey and now chicken mince available. Chicken tends to be bought from there too although I I find the quality of chicken from Sainsburys is much better, but only buy from there when there are offers or reductions.

MeandO

Ordinary_Yet_Unique said:

Do not get back on food for yourself! It can lead to other issues. If the budget is tight at the moment cut back on mortgage overpayments. You have a life to live too. Making overpayments can be well intentioned but is not the be all and end all of everything. It is a choice not a necessity.

Thank you Ordinary_Yet_Unique, sorry, I probably made it sound much worse than it is. I am fortunate that I can afford to buy us enough food but I tend to be more aware of giving DS enough of everything he needs before myself which I think most parents would do. He is a 6ft tall 14 year old now (!) and is training 5+ times a week for his sports so he definitely needs the protein more than me presently! I'm not a huge meat eater anyway but do love fish so I am getting my protein from things like tinned tuna and beans which DS will eat but chicken is his favourite. I don't go hungry I've lost 3 stone in weight over the past year which was needed, but am still trying to shift the last 10lbs with diet and exercise but haven't been able to go to the gym for a couple of weeks due to illness and being with my parents so have missed attending. I'm back there this week all being well.

I've decided to pan-cook the chicken portions tonight as they are from T£scos BBQ range and are meant to be served whole as 'steaks'. There are two in there but they are very thin, so DS will easily eat both. I'm going to serve them with some jacket potatoes & sour cream (my favourite!), coleslaw (DS's favourite!) and some salad. I'll have everything except the chicken and perhaps a little cheese or some beans on my potato so we will both eat well.

MeandO

Good morning all, it's grey and a bit miserable here but there's washing in the machine which needs to be dried for tomorrow (DS's sports kit), so I'm hoping the sun will show itself soon.

I slept like a log last night and the alarm actually woke me up, normally I'm lying awake way before. I can't say I feel any more refreshed for it but I'm sure it's done me good. Another hour wouldn't have gone amiss, but I'm just being greedy!
I'm on my first coffee of the day and will have my yogurt and fruit for breakfast shortly, I'm not feeling hungry at the moment so will wait a little while.

I'm going to try and get a few more items listed on ebay/vinted after work today. I don't have a lot earmarked to sell but there are a few things that can go and would hopefully make a few £'s to go towards everything. It's a few less items in my possession too and although I'm not a hoarder of things and our house is not cluttered, I'm striving towards owning as little as I need. I find it quite freeing to not have too many possessions and to live with just enough. 

No spends are planned for today, other than a stamp to post my Dad's Father's Day cards. I will not be buying a book of them as I rarely send items in the post now due to the expense of it so will be walking to the post office to buy what postage is needed. I think I will still have a shock at the price of that one stamp...

MeandO

I listed 9 items on ebay and 2 on vinted so hopefully some of them sell and make a few more £'s. Some of the items are a bit random and may be a long term listing - if they sell at all, but at least they're now listed. Any money made will go towards the sports fund atm, although DS was incredibly lucky to be sponsored by a very kind individual today for which we are eternally grateful. That money has been sent towards the next round of payment which was due for fees, insurances and towards DS's accommodation and travel. There are some very thoughtful people in this world. 

It turned out to be a lovely day weather-wise after it rained on my washing! It all dried eventually though and I was able to get a 2nd load washed and dried too. 

It was a NSD today as I didn't get to the post office, it's now on tomorrow's to do list. 

I will sign off with a picture of one of my pots containing some cheap yet cheerful plants I boight from Asd& and planted a little while ago. Just some marigolds and lobelia, but they have been bringing me joy every time i look at them. I have a row of troughs planted up along a wall in the garden and I'm so pleased with them. They have been bringers of joy! 

My lavender path is also now in bloom and the bees are loving it. These were bought as plug plants from Ald! a couple of years ago and cost me a couple of £'s. Money well spent.