We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
The Forum now has a brand new text editor, adding a bunch of handy features to use when creating posts. Read more in our how-to guide
From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future
Comments
-
You don't get a choice now EH - it's building regs to have them - since.... 2022?? 2023??? So yes, we will be having trickle vents 😁EssexHebridean said:That's extremely exciting about the windows Greying - how ace that it came in at less than you initially feared! I can pretty much guarantee you'll be amazed at the difference! I take it that you have specified trickle vents as standard?
Greying XGrocery Spend May 2026 £195.52/£200
Grocery spend April 2026 £199.95/£200 +5pence
Non-food spend May 2026 £58.44/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 5/12 - £5.98/£93.54 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends6 -
thriftmonster - report back - let me know how you get on 😁
Greying XGrocery Spend May 2026 £195.52/£200
Grocery spend April 2026 £199.95/£200 +5pence
Non-food spend May 2026 £58.44/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 5/12 - £5.98/£93.54 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends2 -
So LG helped form the lentil burgers. We managed 9 x 100g burgers and one 64g burger (just formed by hand). I try to get the burgers to weigh the same, so that when they are pressed, they are the same size, and will (hopefully) cook evenly.
LG liked the process, and got quite adept 😁 They were willing to humour me reusing the wax disks for each burger (I always put them on a sheet of g'proof to freeze). And they listened to my instructions to how to tweak and turn things to get them out of the burger press without mushing up their efforts to make a patty. And how to 'offset' (what does offset mean, mum?), the burgers on the narrower tray so that we could fit more on.
Just need to stop them running away at the end of the "interesting" bit, when it's time to do the washing up........ 🤣 I don't recall being any different when I was young, although there wasn't "instant" hot water from the tap with our old-fangled immersion heater system........
Greying XGrocery Spend May 2026 £195.52/£200
Grocery spend April 2026 £199.95/£200 +5pence
Non-food spend May 2026 £58.44/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 5/12 - £5.98/£93.54 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends8 -
Great news on the windows. What did you decide in the end about the door?I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.
Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.
***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** in ~~Japanese proverb. ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger.
One debt remaining. Home improvement loan. 19months left.4 -
Squeeee! So excited for your new windows 😊🤩🥳🎉🎊
Hope the install goes smoothly. Do you have a start date?KKAs at 17.04.26:
- When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £216,847
- OPs to mortgage = £18,925 Estd. interest saved = £9,670 to date
c. 16 months reduction in term
Fixed rate 3.85% ends October 2030
Read 33 books of target 52 in 2026 as @ 20th May.
Produce tracker: £119 of £400 in 2026
Watch your thoughts, they become your words.
Watch your words, they become your actions.Watch your actions, they become your reality.3 -
Hopefully the work will all be completed by December and we went for the composite door, as we need the thermal efficiency (such as they can offer) on that side of the house. It's not cheap, but it's within the margins of other suppliers - one of the quote companies tried to take the mick with a door quote, but it was no bother to bin them off for a number of reasons, not restricted to just this element of the job.
Greying XGrocery Spend May 2026 £195.52/£200
Grocery spend April 2026 £199.95/£200 +5pence
Non-food spend May 2026 £58.44/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 5/12 - £5.98/£93.54 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends7 -
So the stew got munched for tea. Not too sure if I'd bother making it again. DH and LG both liked it. There was something "missing" for me - I used passata, rather than chopped tommies. I wonder if I'd used baked beans instead of black beans, it might have been better. Although also, I did wonder if it would have been different if I hadn't cooked it in the SC. I thought it would have helped the flavours 'meld' - perhaps I should have cooked to eat tomorrow.
I served it with 2 sachets of MrT GH microwave wholegrain rice. I had bought them for the holiday, but not used them. I was pleasantly surprised - I'd used the MrT GH white basmati microwave rice, and didn't like the taste nor consistency, but the wholemeal version was much better. I would buy it again if I was in MrT and needed storecupboard 'cheat' staples. I also microwaved some frozen broccoli. At least it all felt a little bit more 'whole food' than recent meals.
There is a portion leftover - and I'm thinking that it will be tea with a baked tattie on a club night, when DH and I can enjoy a baked tattie without worrying LG doesn't like them.
Does anyone know if 'Junior Choice' will be on R2 this xmas day? Hopefully lovely Anneka Rice will be doing it - she's an ace choice to present it, just the right mix of warmth, and childlike incredulity, and wonder, whilst also innocently delivering double entendres........ 😉
Greying XGrocery Spend May 2026 £195.52/£200
Grocery spend April 2026 £199.95/£200 +5pence
Non-food spend May 2026 £58.44/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 5/12 - £5.98/£93.54 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends7 -
Good Morning MFW'rs
Damp start with us.
rt's wedding day 😁 How wonderful 😁
No laundry today, I don't think I'd stand a chance of getting it dry, although worryingly, the pessimistic beebeecee forecast has it raining all the way to next Monday for us 🫤 Shall I go all mystical meg, and say "I forsee a laundrette in my future....."?
I can't think of anything specifically MSE to report on at the mo, so I'll shuffle orf.
Greying X
Grocery Spend May 2026 £195.52/£200
Grocery spend April 2026 £199.95/£200 +5pence
Non-food spend May 2026 £58.44/£80
Bulk Fund 2026 Month 5/12 - £5.98/£93.54 (reducing balance - start £120 pa)
""Mother Nature don't draw straight lines
The broken moulds in a grand design
We look a mess but we're doing fine
We're card carrying lifelong members
Of the union of different kinds..."
"Union of the Different kinds" - R Christie & T Gilbert, Fisherman's Friends10 -
Soggy here too Greying, and foggy. No washing here either!5
-
Soggy and dull here too.5
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 354.6K Banking & Borrowing
- 254.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 455.5K Spending & Discounts
- 247.5K Work, Benefits & Business
- 604.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 178.6K Life & Family
- 261.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards