Stopping the backsliding… a family of four no longer living beyond their means

Floss

Ooh that's a lovely view even with the mist x

debtfreewannabe321

Morning Blue green, I've had a read through your diary. 
Lovely picture it looks very serene there 😁

Going back to your post about kids birthday's both being in December as well as Christmas expenses. I read the Marie kondo book when I was first on the boards years ago and followed her advice on decluttering. Then it was coming round to kids birthdays and my house would fill back up (2 out of three of mine are July birthday so I had summer expenses as well as two birthdays 😂 we need to plan better). And I eventually came across an idea that I still follow now even though my kids are 25, 16 & 15.... Four presents for Christmas. One to read, one to wear, one they need and one they want (like a wish I could have but it's really expensive!) if the wish was too expensive I would give them money as they got older and they had to save for it from other gifts of money or jobs around the house etc. I also did a stocking of course and sometimes a few extras. They're still happy with the way I've done these presents and always have their list of four things read for me when I ask. It meant we didn't have overwhelming amounts of presents and I didn't have overwhelming amounts of cash leaving my account nor CC debt. For their birthday I asked for a list of presents but I say to them how much I'm willing to spend. DS2 this year chose a computer chair and some protein powder and that's all he got for the money. DD opted for several presents and cash. I think getting them into this kind of routine young helps them to budget better. DS1 has his own house now and budgets accordingly for it and expenses....I wish I'd been taught at a young age. I wouldn't have found myself on mse on the debtfreewanabe forums 😂

Anyway, Hope you have a lovely holiday 💕

missymoo81

Loving reading your diary @Bluegreen143 we are also on holiday, it’s my time to reset and rethink. And I really like the way you do things, I wonder when you have a moment, whether you would write your sour dough starter and bread recipe and your pitta one? And also if you have a list of go to
dinners, you always seem to eat really well and I really want to take a leaf out of your book. 

Thanks so much and enjoy your holiday.

Cornish_mum

Hi Bluegreen, I just saw your new diary. I haven’t read all of it but wanted to chip in regarding the life insurance discussion up thread. I completely agree with Red that it’s a very good idea to have both life insurance and critical illness cover, independently of your work policies. I would definitely not stint on insurance.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. CM

Floss

Cornish_mum said:

Hi Bluegreen, I just saw your new diary. I haven’t read all of it but wanted to chip in regarding the life insurance discussion up thread. I completely agree with Red that it’s a very good idea to have both life insurance and critical illness cover, independently of your work policies. I would definitely not stint on insurance.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. CM

Would income protection be better for you?

Bluegreen143

Hi Missy! I use this recipe: https://foodbodsourdough.com/ - she tells you how to make a starter too. Though my current starter came from the friend of a friend who is a baker! But I used the method from this website previously and it worked. The actual bread recipe in this site is fab and works really well. You can substitute some of the white flour for wholemeal or add 50g seeds/chopped nuts. 

Our current top meals are:

Chicken kebab things (usually a shawarma type spice mix and serve with hummus, salad, olives and pittas, sometimes roasted veg) OR swap the chicken for falafel for a veggie version 

Chicken fajitas 

Various pastas (meatballs or spag bol, mac & cheese, tomato pasta with chicken or veg/beans, pesto etc) - lasagne too 

Weekend treats - HM pizzas or BBQ hot dogs or burgers 

Soups (especially lentil, minestrone, chicken) - usually have a soup night once a week

Usually have salmon once a week, either I bread it for HM goujons and chips or rub in a spice mix and cook in air fryer to serve with rice or new potatoes and veg 

Curry, usually mild (eg butter chicken or korma) as the kids don’t do spicy/hot food yet 

Chilli or veg chilli with rice occasionally, leftovers are nice in wraps as burritos or enchiladas 

Big mixed salad with something protein eg cooked chicken - was trying to do salad once a week for health but have fallen of the wagon

Roast chicken - usually don’t do with gravy, trimmings etc but do lighter sides like new potatoes, asparagus or roasted veg or a big salad etc

Risotto (my favourite meal but Monkey hates it so we don’t have it lots just now)

HM chicken kievs too but they’re a bit of a faff! Or sometimes I bash chicken or pork to make breaded escalopes

Beef stew or pot roast brisket (both cooked in the instant pot)

HM chicken pie

Atm I love this site for recipes: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/ - I really like Mediterranean flavours like Greek/Spanish/Italian/Middle Eastern currently. I’m not so drawn to Asian food right now but we very occasionally make fried rice or stir fry. 

Hope this helps. If anyone has any meal ideas they’d like to share, please be my guest! 

Bluegreen143

Fabulous day today - got out on the water to kayak first thing when it was calm. It got too windy to kayak or fish but remained dry and sunny most of the day so I had a dip in the sea with the kids and we went for a walk and a short play at the playpark. Picked up a couple of bits in the local convenience shop because Morrisons literally didn’t deliver about 10 items from our shop! 

Felt like one of those days where I got a nice balance between time spent with the kids (a hilariously loud game of ludo, playing in the sea) and time to myself (reading and knitting). I did make the kids do 20 mins of reading, writing and maths because I’m a mean mummy 😆

Did get up at 6.40am though - the place is so small I could hear the kids sorting out their breakfast, and the curtains aren’t amazing so were letting light in. So I’ll be ready for an early night tonight! Red and I are NOT morning people 🤣 

Re the fabulous suggestions on Christmas. I really want to do the four present framework and have suggested to Red numerous times but he thinks it’s mean. But I personally love the idea so will pitch it again.

LittleGem

Thanks so much for sharing your meal ideas @Bluegreen143, I’m so inspired by how well you eat as a family. 

Your holiday sounds wonderful, enjoy. 

Floss

Have you tried using orzo instead of rice? Monkey might like it as it's pasta 😉

Spendless

I've done presents based on the senses before (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell) gives you 5 overall categories and you can go as cheap or as expensive within them.

Enjoy your hol