MF by Christmas 2024 - let's do this!

Suffolk_lass

You will recall from your days on the Grocery Challenge that a freezer week helps (along with substituted ingredients in recipes, to accommodate stuff you already have) to keep shopping down.

And, it is well worth running your freezer down in preparation for your move. 

Coxy11

Yes that's very true @Suffolk_lass - I had a quick look last night and it's mainly frozen veg and fruit but I did find 2 pieces of salmon and a chicken meal for 2.

I think the issue is DS2 works at McDs and gets fed when on shift, so that just leaves 3 of us for dinner BUT lately he's been coming home on his break and wants to eat 'better'. So we are back to making 4 portions of dinner and DH/DD/DS2 will have the leftovers the following day. Occasionally we are just us 2 but often don't know until the last minute which makes it difficult to plan.

Will have a proper look before I shop for the week.

Suffolk_lass

My go to is a sort of ragu of frozen veg with cooked pasta (penne) stirred through and served 3 ways:
1 as though it's bolognese
2 in a flat dish topped with a cheese sauce and grated cheese and breadcrumbs like lasagne
3 with a savoury crumble topping, using cheese instead of sugar

debtfreewannabe321

Hope you've had some good news on the job front 🍀🤞. And sounds like the house move should go quite quickly if it's a short chain!

Coxy11

Update time:

DH didn't get the job. He was up against 2 other candidates and the feedback was they felt he would have struggled being tough enough with one of their stakeholders - not mentioned at interview but heyho. It wasn't ideal as would have meant two days commuting to Guildford from Kent and the option of staying over/wear and tear on our car. Never mind. DH is okay about it and is now ploughing all efforts into our move.

With that in mind, DH phoned NatWest yesterday to discussing porting our £38k mortgage. We are on a tracker deal until January which would cost £95 to get out of in favour of a better fixed deal. However, given we will probably only move in December and we don't want to take further borrowing, we will stick with what we currently have. We may decide to chunk it off pretty soon after the move, but I'm wanting to keep a line of credit open in case we want to do something major to the house (en suite is a bit rubbish) and don't want to touch savings. We have an online appointment on 2 September.

DH also took all the legal paperwork to the solicitor this morning. I was working so they FaceTimed me to verify I look like the passport ID. We have paid over £600 on account so he can get started.

DH very chilled about the whole process which is fine but he's not working where I'm working which is very toxic and depressing. I honestly feel like I'm just existing at the moment, and nothing much gives me joy. I'm off on a hike with my DSis on Friday until 1 September (for those that know me from other threads it's a continuation of JOGLE) followed by a week at work then a week in Crete with DH. Trying to focus on those positives right now.

Food budget completely blown for the month. 5 week month did not help and was not budgetted for - need to get better at this but I'm very time poor right now. When I am home, the last thing I want to do is get on the PC to look at the expenditure spreadsheet, I just want to decompress and watch wallpaper TV!

beanielou

You will soon have time off & then a lovely week in the sun to look forward to. 

I take it you will be leaving job when you move? 

Commiserations for DH. 

Coxy11

Yes I’ll be handing in my notice once we exchange contracts. I will look for something part time once we’ve moved as don’t think the timings will work. 

Jessy103

You've got this coxy and when you look back it will have just been a little blip. Just keep focused on that holiday in the sun 🌞

Suffolk_lass

Jessy103 said:

You've got this coxy and when you look back it will have just been a little blip. Just keep focused on that holiday in the sun 🌞

What @Jessy103 said - you have so got this

South_coast

Agreed - keep on keeping on!!!