Missy’s full time working mum juggling act MF adventure

redofromstart

All courgette jokes aside it's worth trying a few pots of stuff. I bought a pot of leek seeds that I've transplanted and have a good 50 growing in the no dig beds as a result. C£1.50? 

If I grow one thing it is always fresh peas, so much nicer freshly picked and eaten with a guilty look round as you stand in the garden and eat them all. 

missymoo81

Thanks @jwil still in the depths of everything at the moment. I’m hoping by the end of next week we should have more of an idea of how to get out of it, and scary work trouble should be half way sorted.

@redofromstart i love fresh peas. I will def grow some!

I’ve done well on my budgeting, now I’m being super careful with food shopping and wastage, I keep having leftovers, but I have the world’s smallest freezer. So that is a challenge. Pulled pork turned out well although I wish I’d have taken the fat off before I cooked it, as although I took it off at the end it was still too fatty for my liking. But there is some now in the freezer that I will turn into a pie. I also froze some cooked chicken that I’ll use for fajitas. We were supposed to be having them tonight, but I don’t think I can be bothered to cook. So either beans on toast, or omelette.  

At work and losing the will a little, very much looking forward to a cup of tea and my duvet.

missymoo81

Have some leftover fruit for work to bring home, not much but 7 pieces which all helps. I really wanted to buy food today but I didn’t, so pleased with myself.

jwil

Well done on not buying food!  Free fruit is always good too.  Hope you get a positive resolution next week.

missymoo81

Hey everyone, 

so it’s my first day off all week, so I’m sat on the sofa under a duvet with the fur balls (cats not children 😁). I’m watching gardeners world, I have a cup of tea and the washing machine is on. Happy.

so budget changed a bit this week, me and Oh ended up going out for dinner on Friday, just to the pub on the way home from work, v much needed decompression time. Not budgeted for, so will come out of next months spends. I went to Lidl on my way home yesterday and spent £28 instead of the £20 planned, but I can take the extras out of next months shopping budget as I got tea and mayo and casserole mixes, childrens chocolate bars etc. that will last through the month. Also had to get cat food as OH usually orders it but forgot. Realised I should have checked on prices of washing powder whilst there.

I have so much food in the house it’s great, before I was spending £80 a week but seemingly had very little food. But now I do. A lot of that was because I was buying an awful lot of chicken but then not being able to eat it before it went off which was costing an awful lot. I’m also meticulously planning meals but actually finding it therapeutic. I’m enjoying the cooking and finding time but I haven’t done any sort of fitness though, which is prob why I have cooking time. Do need to get back into it. 

Pay day Monday so I will shift money around. 

Random thing that’s come up. I’m going to view a house today. One in the countryside. I know it’s not the best time to be buying and selling. But I think where we’re living isn’t helping our mental health. So I’m just going to look at this other house and see what happens. I of course have all these big ideas of paying off the mortgage soonest etc etc. but I think it’s easy to get lost in that. We need to be happy in what we are living in mortgage free or not. So we’ll see. 

missymoo81

Forgot to say I took the leftover fruit home yesterday,  so 7 more pieces of fruit, so I only had to buy bananas and 1 pack of apples at Lidl. Prices at Lidl compare to a lot of Sains prices which I was surprised about, but the tea was much cheaper, apples were too as on offer, but cheese and wraps, bagels etc were all the same prices. Wine is cheaper though. 

I’ve just put the dishwasher on and am on the third wash load. Menu plan has gone a bit off kilter so just done that, we’re having stew tonight as the veg needs using. So this week:

Sun - stew 
mon - stew
tue - chilli
wed - burritos
thur - omelette 
fri - fajitas
sat - just me so beans on toast
sun - just me again omelette 
mon - just me again pasta

will have a look at the rest of the following week.

hmmm have hung the washing out but it is hanging very limply on the line, with no wind and no sunshine….. not sure if that will dry! 

Thanks again for reading, I love coming on here and sharing my thoughts.

Idreamofplants

You are inspiring me to go and meal plan missy. I ended up throwing salmon away earlier (£4.50) which would have been eaten if we didn’t get a take out sat so a little cross with myself about that. I get caught out by the short shelf life on fish - OH will happily eat anything out of date but I’m a bit too neurotic about food poisoning to join him! Hope the viewing goes well. 

missymoo81

Thanks @Idreamofplants viewing didn’t go great, house was lovely, but damp and too far from school and work etc. 

Worked from home today so saved on fuel. Did however go and work in a nearby cafe for a bit as needed to get out of the house, had a huge cheese scone and 2 x coffee for under £10 so was pleased with that and meant I didn’t need any lunch.

Have moved some money around but still waiting for small business memberships to come in. 

This month is going to be difficult money wise as we need to go away for 2 event, one midweek, one a whole weekend, but I will try and save money where I can on food and coffees etc. 

I need to get an evening dress for one of the events but I’ve found one on FB for £5 so I’m hoping it fits

I have £28.50 for shopping on Sunday which is to last until Friday next week. Then I’ll see what I can do to get food for that weekend whilst we’re away. 

So meal plan for the next 10 days ish:

Sun - stew 

mon - stew

tue - chilli

wed - burritos

thur - omelette 

fri - pizzas

sat - just me so beans on toast

sun - just me again omelette 

mon - just me again pasta

Tue- shep pie

Wed - sausage and bean stew

Thur - cabbage carbonara

Fri - wraps

Trying to think about Christmas and Roos birthday, and new car, but it’s jumbling in my head. I need to come up with a plan.

missymoo81

Hey everyone,

I hope you’re ok. Sorry I’ve been quiet this week. So so busy, OH has gone away until Thursday  but he’s poorly so keep getting updated with messages with how ill he feels 🙄. I’ve been bad and have spent money on food and coffee. Prob about £30 😔. It was a combination of stress and tiredness and looking after OH who was poorly this week. I need to get back on it. Ended up using a lot of fuel as have had to go into work a lot and take the children to a camp 30 mins away. 

I’m on my own until Tuesday evening, so not sure what to do with myself. Any ideas? I never get any time in the house on my own. Currently laying on the sofa with the cats watching farming programs. I would love to have some land and a small holding or allotment type thing. But with work I don’t know how I’d get the time. I have found a house that’s more than ours would sell for so we’d have a bigger mortgage but it would be perfect…. But when would I get time to enjoy the land with a wacking great mortgage…… basically I want to retire now, which isn’t going to work being 43 with no pension and 2 children 🤦🏻‍♀️ lol a girl can dream!

Will go shopping on Tuesday after work instead of today as I don’t need to. I will stick to the £28.50 I’ve allocated. 

missymoo81

Can anyone recommend any thrifty blogs or diaries with small holdings or allotments and things?