Escape to the country & living off savings

Tresinia511

Hope the antibiotics do the trick for you,  sya. I am continually amazed how your costs stay the same,  coming in under that magical £833 each month for what is now the third year running!

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks Tresinia 😊

Some bills have gone up but I reduced my water by getting a meter from £48 down to £21. Gas & electric was on standard variable rate and I was putting aside £100 a month and paying the bill on receipt and it was too much over the year so I am now on fixed rate paying by direct debit at £77 a month 

I knew that I could live off £10k a year after calculating the monthly bills on the higher figures and saving money in pots for several years before I gave up work. There was always a surplus left over which should cover increases.

SuzeQStan

Tresinia511 said:

Hope the antibiotics do the trick for you,  sya. I am continually amazed how your costs stay the same,  coming in under that magical £833 each month for what is now the third year running!

2nd this - on both counts 🥰😊

doingitanyway

I hope today finds you improving?
Looking at your gas/electric I should be able to get my bill down. Same for food...you eat very well on your food budget...

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks Suze and dia 😊 I am feeling much more myself today. Still some congestion and ringing in one ear but hopefully a few more days of antibiotics will sort that. 

I am planning on going to aldee this morning dia. I have a meal plan and shopping list. Budget is £160 for the month so I usually aim for £40 a week over 4 weeks or add another £40 from my remaining budget if I need to buy 5 weeks. I should manage 4 weeks in April. The remaining leftover in my budget usually buys me a hot roast chicken after aquafit but I have cancelled for today. I will see if I feel well enough later in the week to go on Friday. 

SuzeQStan

A bit of sun on your face today will do you a power of good - isn’t it lovely! We have finally been blessed with a beautifu Spring 🌷🐣

Skint_yet_Again

It’s lovely here too Suze ☀️

Aldee Shopping total £36.17 including some reduced items 
courgettes £1.39 - 30% (-42p)
mushrooms 89p - 30% (-27p)
diced lamb £4.29 - 50% (-2.15)
gammon joint 750g £4.29
sausages £2.49
chicken thighs £4.39
6 eggs £1.45
butter £1.99
mature cheddar £2.79
double cream £1.35
cottage cheese 79p
tissues 55p
tuna 65p
pears 99p
cucumber 89p
watercress salad 59p
brazil nuts £2.09
tomatoes £1.49
3 pack peppers £1.69
2 bottles peach squash 2x £1.09
bleach 69p

I have put the lamb in the freezer to use later in the week in a Moroccan sauce in the slow cooker with butternut squash, courgettes and peppers. 

Chicken thighs will be turned into tandoori with natural yoghurt bought last week & adding tandoori spices then roasted with tray of butternutsquash/onions/ mushrooms/ courgettes/ peppers or with salad. 

Sausages will be breakfasts on low carb bread or with eggs / mushrooms or omelettes. I have some weetbics left over. 

Have just had half a tin of tomato soup from stores with tuna & cheese salad and a pear for lunch. 

I have 2 x courgette lasagne and 3 x chilli left in freezer. 

Gammon will be cooked in the slow cooker and make various meals including with cauliflower cheese (cauli in freezer) 

Tresinia511

What a fabulous haul. You really should write a book about living well on a budget

SuzeQStan

Very well done on the aldee bargains - I find I have to keep my eye on them at the till as they sometimes get missed!  I remember when that peach squash was just under £1 not all that long ago! You are so jammy with the diced lamb!  I never fall lucky with delicious finds like that.  Although I did last summer get a whole side of salmon 50% off - we gorged that night!  

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks Suze and Tresinia. I rarely get reduced bargains and wasn’t planning to buy lamb but it was too good not to. 😁

I remember other supermarkets doing 3 packs of meat for £10 and I used to think 3 packs of meat at aldee are nowhere near £10 but now you are lucky to get a regular sized pack of meat for less than £4 each in aldee 😳 

I’ve been to my friends for a cuppa in the sunny garden. She had posh hotel chocolates for Mother’s Day and offered me one. Tested before ate it and 2 hours after and levels had gone down. If I had known I would have had 2 🤣

Have had sausages and veg tray bake for dinner and just made a microwave mug cake with almond flour and sweetner & half tsp baking powder (from stores) butter egg, 70% choc (left from last week), which was yum with cream. 90 seconds in the microwave. 😋 Will see what that does to me!