From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

badmemory

When I was first married & working full time a friend used to buy bread for me & I had meat delivered & left outside all day.  The shops used to close at lunchtime on Saturdays & no Sunday opening really at all.  And I didn't have a fridge.  I have no idea how I coped.  Things had changed massively within 10 years, thankfully.  I now miss Tesco 24 hour opening which they stopped at covid.

kayannie

Greying_Pilgrim said:

EH - we count alcohol in the grocery budget as we 99.9% 'drink at home' these days - and I should add, relatively modestly.  We don't have a takeaway/entertainment/eating out/pub budget because we just don't do those things anymore.  DH has never been a big drinker - certainly not since we've been together, the last time he was "drunk" (my emphasis) was when I was pregnant with LG, and we went out with friends who were seasoned drinkers, and he tried to match the guy with real ale pints........ 🤣  I have never been so glad I was on corporation pop! 🤣  When I met up with a school mum last summer term - at a pub that had a 'good' play area for kids, I stood a round of drinks - 3 soft drinks for the kids and a wine for her and I was slightly aghast that the bill was in double figures and that the cost of the wine she requested (and I was happy to pay for) was more than I am used to paying for a bottle.......  But I accept, I'm a luddite, and I don't live my life like most folk do 🙁 

kayannie - Bravo!  I am so glad you are getting the 'wins' from the loyalty programme.  Interestingly there was an article on Yah00 detailing why supermarkets are shifting everyone to digital loyalty programmes, for the associated data harvesting.  The thrust of the article was that old folks were being excluded - the age of 75 was mentioned - so I know my place 🤣 At this moment in time, I wish loyalty cards were as 'eligible' as the digital apps, but I'm a luddite on this issue, I realise that.  

badmemory  - yeah, the till operative in MrL today reckoned that today was the second busiest to the last 'easiest' day before Christmas.  I accept if you're having folks around or are going off for the weekend, you needed to stock up today, but  I am old enough to remember shops closing for the 'whole' of Christmas, or the 'whole' of Easter - and we lived in the countryside, and went shopping to the local market town weekly, so had to 'stock up'.  Times have changed, people live differently - but we just about timed things right today in terms of not being too delayed, despite LG's propensity to lolly gag!

Tea this evening was 'plant balls' from the freezer (bought not made), HM tommie sauce and pasta, with a bag of the 15p green beans from MrL.  The green beans were lovely, steamed in the microwave.

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

a little car to pootle about in
inclusive, price based offers - helps us all
that I managed to get DH's work clothes the best part dried - total bonus given the weather forecast

Thanks for popping in.  Always appreciated, always.

Greying X

I'm over 75 & refuse to be excluded if it means stretching my state pension! 
Sorry to have quoted your whole text but I can't work out how to just quote the bit I want. Must be my old age!!
KA

badmemory

kayannie said:

I'm over 75 & refuse to be excluded if it means stretching my state pension! 
Sorry to have quoted your whole text but I can't work out how to just quote the bit I want. Must be my old age!!
KA

Me too!  To delete just click/highlight the bit you want to remove & then backspace.  Try it.  Once you've done it once it is easy.

As for the lolly gagging GP.  Unfortunately they still do it when they are nearly a foot taller than you.  DS is in his early forties & does not like leaving the house.  When we have to go anywhere I seem to always have to say are you nearly ready.  Does wonders for my stress levels.  It is a good job I don't have any blood pressure problems.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

A fair weather start for us, which is very welcome after the pouring rain of yesterday afternoon.

Should be a nsd today, although I am in danger of not having a chocolate egg for LG.  In previous years i have bought them one, and then they have had chocolate from various sources, to the extent that we could have opened a shop.  But this year there have been no eggs from external sources  🤔  Better rectify that, I guess.  There is chocolate in the house, it's just not egg shaped.....

Tea tonight will be pizza and wedges.  

I am confused by initial investigations into having a water meter fitted.  The computer says we will only save a couple of pounds a month with a meter, and yet the figures quoted are far less than we are currently having to pay by DD.  I'll get onto the company once the holidays are out of the way, and cross my fingers that I get to speak to a knowledgeable CSA.

I need to do some sums today to see what money can be moved where to ensure bills are paid etc.  Hopefully there will be something to go to the windows fund - there should be, but I have to bear in mind other bills have increased.

Can't think of anything else MSE relevant.

Ta for popping by.  Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Happy Easter Sunday!

A (nice) slow start with us today.  DH has hurt his back so we're even slower than we might otherwise be 🙄

We're still a household without egg-shaped chocolate - I took the decision not to buy any yesterday, as we do have sufficient chocolate, not to mention adequate 'treat' foods in the house, so it would be folly to buy any more - just in  a particular shape.  LG has had, and will have, sufficient treats.

We didn't have pizza and wedges on Friday, I did burgers and wedges instead as we were engaged in some cooking of other things to ensure nothing was wasted, and we ran out of time to prep pizza dough.  Tea last night was buffet-style wraps which incorporated/used up the last of the HM falafel.  It was a popular choice, and every last morsel was eaten up!  I still have the other small lettuce that was in the pack of 2 left.  

As the shops are shut today I won't be spending anymore of my grocery budget for March.  I think the (nearly) £250 spend isn't so much a blip, more a reflection of what food and non-food spending looks like (now) for our family of 3.  I think £250 is going to be our 'all-in' level of expenditure going forward.  Obviously, if - having made adjustments - I then start to spend £300, £350, £400 a month, then I would point to my ineptitude to budget and firstly give myself a kick up the bum, and then severely audit my kitchen cupboards!  But I think that we've just passed the point where £200 is 'achievable' for us - for most every morsel of food and drink that we consume inside and outside the home + cleaning products, loo roll and toothpaste etc.  Of course, this doesn't mean that i don't budget going forward, as we all know that most of the other household bills have increased, and we - like many, many others have a relatively fixed income coming into the house.  I will just have to be better going forward at siloing food spend, non-food household spend, and any 'bulk' purchases I make.  My target will to still be to keep it around the £250 mark.  

Contrary to the initial weather forecast, we are at least supposed to stay dry today.  I have put a load of washing out - to benefit from the breeze rather than wall-to-wall sunshine, and thankfully am just about caught up with household washing for the time being.  Yesterday was particularly lovely weather-wise and I managed to get towels washed and dried 😁👍

Right, I am getting moithered for 'elevenses', so I best go and pop the kettle on and dig out some treats for the 'workers' 😉

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

On an MSE related thing;  I have just submitted my meter readings to the energy co, as per Martin's advice.

Greying X

rtandon27

Thanks for the meter reading reminder GP - it's on my list for today which is going painfully slowly - LOL

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

1st April - where is the year going?

I'm assuming no money movements today, as the banks are closed, but hopefully we're all set up for everything to be in the right place. Yesterday, as anticipated was a nsd, today should be likewise I think.

I took myself out for a walk this morning.  Didn't do much that active yesterday, so I thought I best shift-a-tail feather.  It was just the job, as although I wasn't as early doors as I would have liked, there was no one really around, it was raining lightly which was causing the birds to be in joyful tweety mode and I randomly chose a route that wasn't arduous, but does contain some inclines and (I've just mapped it out) was about 2.25 miles all told.  I feel better for having got some fresh air, some movement of limbs and for having seen lots of lovely blossom and flowers.  The blossom on one patch of Cherry Laurel was particularly fragrant.

DH is pressing on with painting..... despite his bad back 🙄LG is 'helping' 😬 I am helping by keeping well out of the way........

We ended up using one pack of the cold-ron YS'd veggie sausages for tea last night and had hot dogs and oven chips.  I had got the bread rolls YS'd some time ago and stashed them in the freezer.  LG said it wasn't a complaint, but "are you absolutely sure these aren't meaty sausages mum, as I don't like meaty sausages" 🙄 Says the sausage connoisseur, who has had all of about 2 meat sausages in their entire existence - one when about 12 months old, the other when school messed up and gave out meat sausages to the veggies...... 🙄  

If I get onto it soonest, I might have a go at making potato soup in the slow cooker just now.  I have a can of evaporated milk in the cupboard.  I think it is a soup kinda day, and I have everything to make that.  I haven't had any thoughts about tea yet, well, I had wondered about maybe pizza and wedges, as we didn't have them on Friday.  We'll see.  

Can't think of anything else MSE related 🤔

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

It does indeed feel like a soup day! I made some yesterday, and there's plenty left for lunch 😊

Giggling at your sausage connoisseur 😂

peb

Looking at yesterday's post I agree that unfortunately your budget of £200 is simply no longer achievable for three, without living on 15p swede 🙄.  

I haven't worked out what I spend now but pre COVID £25 a week for one was achievable to include treaty things, now not.  I'm not vegetarian and have to avoid pulses but salads are really much more expensive and some veg have really increased.

Enjoy your day, no soup making here today. Still plenty in the freezer though