Away From The Madding Crowd

jwil

That book sounds good, thanks for the recommendation!

Humboldt

jwil said:

That book sounds good, thanks for the recommendation!

Hi @jwil, thanks for taking the time to comment. I am now reading another light, fun, festive book that is set in Lapland.  Cheesy, but lovely nevertheless. 

Today's simple pleasure - I attended a productive meeting with other local volunteer's this morning.  A lovely bunch of proactive people, who give their time freely to aid others. 

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

This week’s motivational quote.

Be the curator of your life.  Slowly cut things out until you’re left only with what you love, with what’s necessary, with what makes you happy.  – Leo Babauta.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 4 spend for November was £73.64.  Total spend for November is £251.10, so £1.10 over spend this month.

Took advantage of a Black Friday deal, saving £63 on hair straighteners. Delivery was free. These are a Christmas gift, so paid for with monies from the Christmas/Birthday account.

Took advantage of Bo0t’s Black Friday deals on calendars, saving 50%.  These have been sent to family and include a selection of photographs taken throughout the year.  Paid for with monies from the Christmas/Birthday account.

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Cheesy butternut and bacon orzo (P!nch of N0m recipe).  This is a meal swap from last Thursday when we had broccoli and tuna bake (from one of my recipe scrap books).  Broccoli was reduced in price.

Tuesday –  Cassoulet (Shirley Go0de recipe).  I will adapt the recipe and use what I have – a couple of chicken legs and sausages from the freezer, and various vegetables, plus a glug of red wine. Chicken legs were reduced in price and frozen until required.  I will reduce the liquid content, and cook in the slow cooker.

Wednesday – Mushroom soup (G0od Fo0d recipe).  I will use a mixture of white and chestnut mushrooms, swap the cream for half fat cheese that needs using up, and use mushroom stock (cube) rather than chicken stock.  I will serve with homemade focaccia.

Thursday – Salmon in chilli ginger sauce (H@iry D!eter’s recipe), vegetable stir fry, and noodles.  I will use a homegrown chilli.  Salmon was reduced in price and frozen until required.

Friday –  Chilli and rice. I will use a small pack of beef mince and add a tin of green lentils to reduce the cost and make the dish a little healthier.  Chilli will be cooked in the slow cooker.

Saturday – Redcurrant leg of lamb (slow cooker recipe), dauphinoise potatoes, roasted carrots, savoy cabbage, Yorkshire puddings, and gravy. Chocolate truffle torte (G@yna J@ne Y0uTube recipe), defrosted black forest fruit (Ald!), crème fraiche. We are celebrating a special occasion with family this evening.  The leg of lamb was bought when on offer for half price.  I will plate up 2 extra portions for us to enjoy tomorrow.  The chocolate truffle torte is very rich (so small portions), I will freeze what is left for our New Year’s Day dessert.

Sunday – Ping meal (as above).

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 52,002.

Completed 2 free online workouts last week.

Completed 4 free meditations last week.

Simple pleasures.

To avoid the Christmas rush, all gifts that required posting have now been sent.

A meet up with friends in a local town to exchange Christmas gifts.  We enjoyed lunch, the festive lights, and a mooch around the independent shops.

Visited the Christmas tree festival in the local church. 

Caught a glimpse of a barn owl sat on a fence post.

Book’s read 19/25 – The Christmas Escape – Sarah Morgan (a charity shop find).

It was supposed to be Christy Sullivan’s perfect Christmas escape – a dream trip to Lapland with her family and best friend, Alix...

Another lovely, light, fun, Christmassy read.

Thank you for dropping by and taking the time to read my diary.

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

This week’s motivational quote.

Waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both – Benjamin Franklin.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250. Week 1 spend for December was £66.16. 

December’s premium bond win was £0.  Total won in 2025 is £675.

Took advantage of ‘buy 6 bottles of wine and save 25%’ in S@insbury’s, saving £10.01.  In addition, Nect@r price savings on the wine that we bought totalled  £7.50.

Reducing our energy use between 5-7pm on weekdays, gained us a few entries into a prize draw.  Whilst we did not win free electric for a year, we did win £2 credit towards our bill.  Not a lot, but every little helps.

I won 2 free VuE cinema tickets via my mobile network provider’s free prize draw.  A low-cost evening out for DH and I over the festive period.  

Took advantage of 2 hours free heating via our energy provider.

Bought some clearance bargains in H@B – 500g golden flaxseed £5.89 reduced to £1.47, 500g sunflower seeds £5.75 reduced to £1.43 and 500g Oat Bran £1.99 reduced to 49p.  The shop is relocating in the same town, and all the items have an excellent BBF date, so unsure why they did not just transfer the stock. Their loss is my gain.

DH took advantage of a birthday offer on his Sp@rks App.  A free pack of chocolate chip cookies.  I tend to do the shopping in M&S, but I convinced DH to get his own card to take advantage of such offers.

This week’s main menu.

Monday –  Japanese Katsu prawn curry (The Spice T@ilor spice kit), small portion of brown rice.  

Tuesday – Vegetable stew and dumplings (Rich@rd and P@ul Y0utube recipe).  I will cook  the stew in the slow cooker.

Wednesday – Roast chicken, swede and carrot mashed, savoy cabbage, roast parsnips, and gravy.  Chicken was reduced in price and frozen until required.  I will make a large amount of swede & carrot mash, and freeze some for Christmas dinner.  To utilise the oven, I will bake a couple of sourdough loaves.

Thursday – Ping meal (as above).

Friday – Tuscan bean soup (slow cooker recipe), with homemade sourdough toast.

Saturday – Lamb tagine (H@iry D!eter’s recipe), with couscous.  Lamb was reduced in price and frozen until required. I will cook the tagine in the slow cooker.

Sunday – Vegetable bhuna (an adaptation of the H@iry D!eter’s chicken bhuna recipe), with naan bread.  I will use whatever vegetables I have, reduce the liquid content, and cook in the slow cooker.

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 53,749.

Completed 2 free online workouts last week.

Completed 5 free meditations last week.

Simple pleasures.

The Christmas tree is now decorated and twinkling in the corner of the living room.

A lovely weekend spent with family.  Lunch together in a very nice local café, a visit to a chocolatier for a few treats to enjoy over the festive period (real hot chocolate and chocolate dipped marshmallows), and a wander around the independent shops.

I found a set of 6 etched glass port glasses in a vintage shop.  At just £5, I would have been happy to buy them, but a family member purchased them for me. We will enjoy using them when we have cheese and crackers on Christmas day.

Books read 20/25 – Christmas cakes and mistletoe nights – Carole Matthews (loaned by a friend).

This Christmas, join Fay and her friends and indulge in a wonderful, cake-filled novel of romance and friendship.  Another light, fun, festive read.

Thank you for dropping by and taking the time to read my diary.

Working_Mum

You sound like you're all ready for Christmas humboldt - I can't resist a nice glass which has a specific use!! Alas I can no longer eat cheese but I still love a glass of port. This time of year sees me decorate my tree with a glass of Pedro Ximenez sherry in a lovely vintage cut glass.

Alas I didn't win the EV this year either

((WM)) 

Humboldt

Working_Mum said:

You sound like you're all ready for Christmas humboldt - I can't resist a nice glass which has a specific use!! Alas I can no longer eat cheese but I still love a glass of port. This time of year sees me decorate my tree with a glass of Pedro Ximenez sherry in a lovely vintage cut glass.

Alas I didn't win the EV this year either

((WM)) 

Morning @Working_Mum thanks for taking the time to comment.  I do like vintage glass, it's so elegant and inexpensive to buy.  A glass of sherry whilst decorating the Christmas tree sounds just perfect.

Having read on another thread about your efforts to reduce the cost of your own grocery budget, I just wanted to say go you!.  As I have mentioned previously, I choose to set a grocery budget, not only to make our money stretch that little bit further, but also to reduce waste, to be more aware of our food choices, and to add a bit more variety into our weekly menu's.  The money saved is used for other things, predominantly holidays. It takes a bit of practice, but it's so worth it.

Today's simple pleasures - the joy of receiving a Christmas card and update from friends and relatives who no longer live close to us.

Working_Mum

Thank you for the recognition Humboldt - I am very proud of my achievement in this area - food (or lack of) is a bit of a trigger for me and I know I over buy and over cater!!

I am going to have have to a similar focus on my socialising spends! I am divorced, single and my kids are in and out. I currently work fulltime (am self employed and plan to retire at the end of 2026). So this means I have to see friends either on a weekend or of an evening. I have spent an average of £800 per calendar month this year - some of this is weekends and nights away or theatre trips but wow I was shocked to see the figures. I do an awful lot of simple free stuff too so i definitely need to get my thinking cap on and start to say "thanks but no thanks" a bit more in 2026.

I am currently living to what my pension will be when I retire so I think that's a win - I just haven't seen my savings stack up so well!

I envy your meal plans each week I really do!! I love cooking and will make myself something lovely but I often have to have it a few days in a row as I always over-cater!!

(WM))

Humboldt

Working_Mum said:

Thank you for the recognition Humboldt - I am very proud of my achievement in this area - food (or lack of) is a bit of a trigger for me and I know I over buy and over cater!!

I am going to have have to a similar focus on my socialising spends! I am divorced, single and my kids are in and out. I currently work fulltime (am self employed and plan to retire at the end of 2026). So this means I have to see friends either on a weekend or of an evening. I have spent an average of £800 per calendar month this year - some of this is weekends and nights away or theatre trips but wow I was shocked to see the figures. I do an awful lot of simple free stuff too so i definitely need to get my thinking cap on and start to say "thanks but no thanks" a bit more in 2026.

I am currently living to what my pension will be when I retire so I think that's a win - I just haven't seen my savings stack up so well!

I envy your meal plans each week I really do!! I love cooking and will make myself something lovely but I often have to have it a few days in a row as I always over-cater!!

(WM))

Morning @Working_Mum, I guess it is always good to review where your money actually goes.  Given your positive results with grocery spends, I am sure you will succeed with whatever goal you choose to set for your socialising spends.

Having a buffer (savings), not only soothes my anxieties, but has proven very useful at times.  However, I now have to give myself a good talking to when deciding whether or not to spend our savings on non-emergencies i.e. replacing appliances, etc.  After all, life is short and we have to make the most of it.  

Thank you for your kind words about my meal plans.  I was so sorry to read that you can no longer eat cheese.  I have a savoury, rather than sweet tooth and would really miss cheese.  Hope you have a great weekend.

Today's simple pleasure - woke to a glorious raspberry ripple coloured sunrise.

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

Christmas isn’t a season.  It’s a feeling – Edna Ferber.

Money Saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 2 spend for December was £43.55.  Total for December to date is £107.71.

Interest gained on various savings accounts for November was £104.99

Took advantage of 2 hours free heating via our energy provider.

Descaled the kettle using the juice of 1 fresh lemon.  No nasty chemicals and much cheaper than shop bought descaling products.

I am a member of the M+S C0llective.  Feedback from members help M+S make decisions about products, advertising, packaging, etc.  It is free to join and just requires you to complete on average 2 quick surveys each month.  For each survey that you complete, you are entered into a monthly prize draw. Whilst I have not yet won a prize, this week, as a thank you, I was sent a £5 gift voucher to spend on food in store.

The non-fresh items (including beer and wine) for Christmas have now been purchased using ‘free money.’  We accrue points throughout the year via our credit card.  The full balance is paid each month so we accrue no interest, we then trade the points for a shopping voucher to help with the Christmas food shopping.

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Lamb tagine (H@iry D!eter’s recipe), with whole-wheat couscous.  This is a meal swap from last Saturday when we had meatballs in a homemade tomato-based sauce, with pasta.  Meatballs were reduced in price.

Tuesday – Hunters chicken with dirty fries (M+S flavour kit).  I will adapt the recipe, and use chicken legs and replace the fries with sweet potato wedges.  The flavour kit and chicken legs were reduced in price.  To fully utilise the oven, I will roast the butternut squash for tomorrow’s recipe.

Wednesday – Butternut squash and sage risotto (G0od F0od recipe).  Butternut squash was homegrown and gifted by a friend.

Thursday – Tuna pasta bake.  I will use ‘lighter cheddar’ when making the cheese sauce, and add fresh mixed peppers & tomatoes.  To fully utilise the oven, I will bake a homemade sourdough loaf.

Friday – Meatloaf with spicy tomato sauce (H@iry D!eter’s recipe), swede and carrot mash, and kale.  Pork mince was reduced in price and frozen until required.  Celery is homegrown and from the veg box.  I will save some of the kale for Sunday’s meal.

Saturday - Ping meal (as above) – cook once, eat twice – saves on energy costs and time.

Sunday – Peppered smoked mackerel and potato bake (from one of my recipe scrap books), with lightly steamed kale.

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 42,594.

Completed 1 free online workout last week.

Completed 4 free meditations last week.

Simple pleasures.

The garlic that I planted in the veg box have now germinated.

Cranberry sauce is made and, in the freezer, ready for Christmas. 

OH and I visited a Christmas Fair at the brewery.  Lots of locally made products and a very festive atmosphere.  A beer for OH and a mulled wine for me.

Books read 21/25 - Chocolat – Joanne Harris (I have had this book for many years).

When an exotic stranger, Vianne Rocher, arrives in the French village of Lansquenet and opens a chocolate boutique directly opposite the church, Father Reynaud identifies here as a serious danger to his flock.

For the first time here is a novel in which chocolate enjoys its true importance.  Rich, clever and mischievous, Chocolat is a literary feast for all senses.

This book is one that has earned its permanent place on my bookshelf, one that I read over, and over again.  Highly recommended. 

Thank you for dropping by and taking the time to read my diary.