Turning Straw into Gold: Creating Long Term Security & A Solid Home

MillQueen

In other news, I forgot to mention I got a light but warm jacket from the middle aisle bargains for £4.99. It's a men's size XXL (huge size for comfort), a little black thin puffa jacket style one. It will be brilliant for wearing as an extra layer around the house in the winter, so I don't have to put the heating on high.

This weekend is a low/no spend weekend (no spend at all so far), as I don't have anywhere to be, so I am spending it at home catching up on work and house tasks in between naps.

MillQueen

I have to decide what to do about the job interview, which is next week. I don't think I'm going to go, as it would cost £100 to travel there and I'd have to pay for a hotel as well. I haven't got the money as I am trying to come out of my overdraft this month. If I'd had more spare cash I might have gone just for the trip and it would be interesting to see another place. But I'm exhausted and just the idea of creating the presentation and travelling all that way for a job I don't really want seems like a waste of everyone's time and effort. I can't visualise myself even going to the interview, never mind packing up and moving.

Well that's decided that then 😂

MillQueen

Today’s MSE action was joining a challenge thread to buy no unnecessary toiletries. It’s here if anyone is interested. I’ve joined as a way to focus my efforts on enjoying and getting value out of the stuff I have rather than getting more. I went through a phase of buying lots of makeup and still have a lot even though I haven’t bought much for years.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6666790/no-buying-unnecessary-toiletries-may-2026#latest

I’ve also been thinking about how I can get the most in other areas too and I’m considering trying automating some meals (where I just keep making the same cheap thing on repeat until I’m bored of it, then I’ll try a different thing). This was inspired by one of my friends, who is very repetitive with food. A similar strategy has worked for me with clothes, where I have a work wardrobe I rarely add to and at home I just bulk buy cheap plain hoodies and leggings from whichever supermarket stocks them for least. I then wear them all the time, as they are plain. They last for years.

For the foods, AI advises me that I should eat eggs, porridge and either sweet potatoes or actual potatoes on repeat. I’ve got all of those, so I’ll eat them for a few days and see how I feel. I love a weird experiment.

P.S. I haven’t spent anything again today.

ArtyJ931

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81986069#Comment_81986069

I eat overnight oats with frozen berries and a banana for breakfast every day. I make a wholemeal loaf in the bread maker and have wholemeal toast with marmite every day for lunch.

dinner wise - have you exhausted the newbie offers for gousto etc? I have and have a stock of delicious recipes I now use for my dinners. :) left to my own devices it’s roast dinner, spaghetti, Dahl, jacket potato and pizza on repeat. (With quiche in summer)

MillQueen

@ArtyJ931, this is admirable how well you have automated your breakfast and lunch to the same thing every day. I think for my repeat breakfast I will choose weetabix, as it's my favourite cereal and easy to prepare. I've been using what I have, so I am currently eating granola each morning, then I'll be going onto a half-used box of smooth porridge, and then a box of overnight oats. After that, I'll start the "weetabix forever" plan, or I could alternate. I might even get "wheat biscuits" that are a supermarket own brand for maximum cheapness.

No I haven't looked at Gousto, that's a good idea thank you. I used Hello Fresh years ago and loved it, as it was like an adventure making new things. I like the idea of using it to get recipe ideas. I've mostly eaten sandwiches, jaffa cakes and frozen pizzas this past month, so I need to get back on track nutritionally. For lunch it's going to need to be something that my disorganised self can make ahead with little effort and remember to take to work. I am not consistent with energy and motivation to make food and it's currently the main way I waste money. I might roast 4 sweet potatoes for Tuesday-Friday since I have some already.

MillQueen

Ended up having to throw away the sweet potatoes, but I have two bags of normal potatoes in the cupboard, so I have put 5 in the oven, for weekday lunches. I'll have today's with some salad and I have got 4 of those small sized tins of beans to add with the others with some cheese to take to work. Lunches sorted 👍️

I have got 6 oven bottom muffins that need using, which will be ok for the evenings to save time this week while it's busy, to just put something into easily. I have got some ham and a bag of salad, veggie burgers in the freezer, or maybe a fried egg. I have an avodaco too. All of that with the predictable breakfasts will mean I don't have to buy anything at all until the weekend, perhaps not even then.

I had a look at what's there in the kitchen and I could probably manage ok for a few weeks to be honest, though I may have to get milk. I have tins of soup, several different types of tins and jars of beans, sweetcorn, tomatoes, pasta sauce, a tin of pinhead oatmeal, a pack of bran, pasta, rice and grains of various types, seeds, lentils, soup pearl barley mix, pack of dates and cashews, plenty of white potatoes, tins of tuna, couscous, quinoa, bulgur wheat, huge bag of black eye beans, buckwheat groats, jars of pesto, sundried tomatoes, freezer full of vegetables, frozen fruit, bread, pizza, tofu, quorn nuggets and pieces, vegetarian sausages etc all frozen. It's making me want to have a buy as little as possible theme for a while.

Chocolatefund

I could live off Weetabix for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yes, that's how exciting my food life is. 😂

MillQueen

@Chocolatefund every time I post something where I think I'm being a bit weird, it's nice how you all show up right there with me on the weird behaviours 😂.

Eating more weetabix will pay off your loan faster for sure - the own brand stuff is £1.46 for 24 of them.

FootyFanDan

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81986548#Comment_81986548

haa same 🤣

MillQueen

@FootyFanDan, I have done careful research on the weetabix topic now and the best cheap brand is the Stockwell & Co ones, for your info. Hope you have had a lovely bank holiday.