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

MillQueen

I've been reading further about the no buy year and decided I'm going to do it until the end of this year and see how I like it. The rules are that I can only buy essentials, food, utilities and petrol, and I have to maintain what I have. I am ok to repair things or replace things that are used up, but I have to use what I have first, unless it can only be replaced by rebuying. I won't be buying clothes, shoes, or makeup. The only exceptions may be if there is something cheap that's needed for the house or any maintanance. It's sort of what I'm doing now anyway, so shouldn't be too much of a stretch and will help me pay my debts.

@Dakota_Rose, the pebble colour sounds lovely, and the stair runner. I know what you mean about it being too big to think of all the stuff you would like or that needs doing. It would be too much to focus on all of it at once. Plus, I think most issues with homes are aspects that can be lived with. People forever have lived with non-asthetic homes that are functional rather than pretty. I am focusing a bit on keeping things plain and gradually getting items I want when the opportunity arises. Trusting that over time things will move towards where they need to be!! I didn't watch anything in the end as I am struggling to get the use out of the netflix account 🤣. I got it under peer pressure as people around me kept saying it would do me good to watch TV. I don't much like TV though and have never owned a television before. The netflix isn't costing me too much, as it's now only £1 on top of my broadband bill.

Today I've got huge amounts of work to do and I want to go out for a walk as well. I need to re-set the kitchen, by tidying, washing the dishes, and sorting the bins and recycling. I've just put the washing machine on as a start. I like Saturday mornings doing those bits, as it's a nice routine now.

MillQueen

I forgot to mention that I got a massive bag of sliced mixed peppers from the supermarket for only 52p. I think they were the leftover pizza toppings from the pizza counter where you select your own toppings. I have just stir fried them with a pack of shitake mushrooms (82p) and I'm now mixing in a bag of gnocchi (£1.80) with a bit of fajita spice. That will be my lunch for 3 days, £1.05p per portion 😁.

I saw something on social media about five lunches for a fiver and wondered about that too.

MillQueen

I've done a few rounds of washing up, wiped down some surfaces, laundry, and thrown away a few things from the cupboards that were well past their use by date. I've also taken a nap and read a bit of a book ("After He's Gone" by Katherine Bolger Hyde, for free on Borrowbox). I get so many small things done when I am avoiding effortful work that I don't want to do 🤣. I'm now having a break with a chopped up pear and apple (yellow sticker bargains) and trying a cup of the Victoria Sponge flavour tea. I'm also still getting a lot of joy out of my sustainable water bottle, I've been carrying it around the house with me and filling it up before I go to bed. I am drinking more water now because of this and feel better for it.

Small things are so nice, I've really been discovering that over this year since I started this.

MillQueen

Still in work avoidance mode, I have been cleaning the bathroom, and laid out some things I already own next to my bed so I can make a point of sleeping better. I have put out a soft eye mask that blocks the light, depuffing eye gel, a silk hair cover to protect my hair (it's ridiculous), some mouldable ear plugs, and a magnesium foot spray. Using the things I have that feel luxurious instead of my money saving having the austerity vibe that I don't enjoy. This combined with all the drinking water and eating better food should hopefully help my energy to return, as I am sick of being permanently tired. In between all of this, I have put some sweet potatoes in the oven to eat over the next couple of days. I love weekends like this, just faffing around in the house 🤣❤️. I'll put some oil on my hair later and a friend has just said she will visit my house over the next month or so, which will encourage me to clean all of it 👍️

leftatthetrafficlights

I'm with you on the no buy year! 😉 my exceptions would be on more jars/necessary equipment for my pressure canner which is arriving in November.

I have more than enough food, household products and a reasonable amount of personal care products (I will need to get a shower gel refill within the next couple of weeks) so I'm confident that I can reduce my purchases and buy only the essentials. I'll also try to reduce my use of electricity and oil - more checking the weather before I put washing on; turning off/unplugging appliances; using up what I have and making everything possible from scratch; eat through as much of my food mountain as possible by meal planning around it etc.

Anyway, if you want company on your no buy journey, I'm in! 😁

MillQueen

I did sleep better with all of those things and a bit less tired today. It's a no spend day today and I am liking the low cost routines of weetabix, refilling my water bottle, emptying the bins and sorting the recycling. I've just had the next portion of peppers and mushrooms with gnocchi for lunch, and prepared my food for work tomorrow (the rest of the peppers and mushrooms with fajita spice, half a roasted caramelised sweet potato and two mini tortilla wraps, with a pot of overnight oats with frozen raspberries). All of that except the oats and raspberries was yellow sticker, even the milk I used was reduced 👍️

I can't be bothered to work out the price, but it's a cheap lunch. I am enjoying not paying full price for most things, I feel like I'm winning a little bit against the exploitation of the working classes 🤣.

I've got a cup of spearmint tea while I read a few chapters of a book now, then I will do a few hours of work, answering emails and some paperwork. I can make something with the potatoes that need using if I feel like cooking something, e.g. low fat chips or a loaded potato bowl. Ideally I ought to do potato soup with the cavalo nero, as that needs using up and it will do multiple portions for a few days. I'm considering getting a pack of frozen battered fish, so that I can have a cheap version of fish and chips next Friday as a treat. This would bring me joy. I could have it 4 times, for the price of 1 portion from a chip shop.

MillQueen

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82165223#Comment_82165223

@leftatthetrafficlights, a pressure canner sounds exciting! What will you be canning? Yes, feel free to join in on the no buy journey. At some point I need to inventory all the stuff I have in the cupboards so I can use it all efficiently and not waste anything. I have already done this for my shower, makeup and beauty products. They are all on a spreadsheet now so I can work my way through.

Blackcats

fish and chips sounds like a nice Friday treat. Do you like egg and chips? Whenever I have it for tea it reminds me how much of a simple and cheap but delicious option it is.

Did you like the Victoria sponge cake tea?

MillQueen

@Blackcats, yes, I do like egg and chips, this has just reminded me that simple pleasures are nice ❤️. I've recently been doing chips the lower fat way, where you boil them first then finish them in the oven with spray oil, which feels like a treat but healthier. The Victoria Sponge tea was lovely - I actually preferred it to the sticky toffee one. It's neck and neck with the biscuit one as being the best, although I haven't yet got the cherry bakewell one yet. I am currently cooking potato soup, not sure what that will be like. It's just a handful of frozen chopped onion cooked in butter, salt and pepper, 6 chopped up potatoes, and 2 litres of chicken stock. Once it's cooled a bit and I've blended it up, I'll stir in the cavolo nero so it wilts.

That will be teas sorted for the next couple of nights as I am on a late shift tomorrow and won't be able to cook again until Tuesday night. I've already done lunch for tomorrow. I always feel happier and healthier when I do a bit of cooking and spend time doing things at home. It's really grounding.

MillQueen

Hmmm I'm really not sure about the potato soup at all, as I left it to cool so I could blend it, and the texture is now sort of like glue. It's rapidly getting more gluey as it cools, so I expect by the time I eat this after my evening shift tomorrow, I might have to cut off a slice. I do not recommend potato soup 😶.