Oops! I've fallen off the OS wagon.....

nabowla

There are some great suggestions here - thanks guys.

I've just managed to clear the hall of all the clutter that's been there for the past six months. It might seem like a tiny step (the hall's not been cleaned yet) but at least I can walk through the front door without climibng over an empty backpack, empty suitcase, random clothes dryer.......you get the picture! Tomorrow morning's task will be to tidy the bedroom before I go to work. I think there's supposed to be a carpet somewhere in there, not just a mountain of scrunched up clothes :rolleyes:

If I can get the place clean and tidy by the end of the week I might be able to start on long-term routines to tackle breakfast, packed lunches etc. It's going to be a long journey

Luis

Hello,

My name is Luis, and I am an OS who fell off the wagon

I am in the process of facing up to my recent drastic overspending habit, and part of my plan is to give myself a weekly budget for food etc. What I plan to do is draw out that cash on a Sunday, and make it last til the following wekend. Anything left (hollow laugh) will be put in my cash cow Colin (like a mortgage pig, only not so ambitious), and go towards overpaying on the CC and OD.

So, how much should I allow a week? There is me, the dog and the cat, and occasionally I feed the OH when he comes over. I am going to try and cut out the take aways, which have been causing mayhem to the bank balance. But want to allow myself 2 bottles of vino per week. I am going to try and stop buying lunch too, and take lunch to work with me.

So, suggestions please?

a) Any good ideas for lunch for work, as butties and box salads get boring.

b) Any advice as to a sensible weekly budget?

c) Any and all tips needed? The inspiration well has dried up and been boarded over

I'm relying on you guys!

moggins

I would say £20 to £25 if you are feeding the dog and cat too.

Try making different pasta salads to take to work, if I am doing sandwiches I always try to put some salad ingredients in them too or even a handful of sprouted seeds. These can be made really easily in a jam jar with a muslin lid.

p.s try Lidl for the wine, they do some very good wines for cheap prices.

scrimperjan

I've hopped on and off the wagon several times, Luis. I usually find an hour or two reading the entries on this board helps me get back on.

Why don't you treat yourself to a wide mouthed flask (cheap in places like Wilkinsons) so that you can take hot leftovers to work - stew, soup, chilli etc. would all be good. You'd soon recoup the expense of the flask. I make cheese scones as a change from sandwiches, also sausage rolls and pasties - you can bung pretty much anything in a pasty - cheese & onion, leftover mince & vegetables, all kinds of vegetables in a sauce, spicy bean mixtures... (Who ate all the pies?...Oh, yes - it was me!)

trisham_3

In a huge way, we are back to microwave meals and shop bought snacks.
I started ww and found it easier to count points in ready made meals instead of cooking, but realistically it can't be any better for me even if i do loose weight.
My 2 kids are eating separate meals at the minute as they are so flaming fussy, which is my fault, i know ,but hopefully looking to change these habits again.
I need ideas of low fat, healthy meals that is easily to prepare and make as i am such a bad cook and have little patience but i am working on.

Thanks

Trish xx.

Sarahsaver

Am I the only one who thinnks weightwatchers is a CON. The processed pre-packaged food to make you think you NEED it.
I eat what i want when I want and go to the gym twice and yoga once a week.
Get back on track and cook meals for the whole family, one meal for everyone.
It will be a lot better for you as a family, and your wallet.
You could do things like dry roasted spuds, roast chicken and steamed veg for example.

thriftlady_2

Sarahsaver wrote:

Am I the only one who thinnks weightwatchers is a CON. The processed pre-packaged food to make you think you NEED it.

No, I think that too ! but I am trying to count the points in my 'real' food and not be sidetracked by their processed rubbish.

One thing I've done this week is to soak and cook all the packets of (low-fat;) ) dried beans in my cupboards. I've portioned them up in bags for the freezer. So now I have ready-cooked beans for stews and soups-cheaper than tins.

I hate working out the points in my food, especially as I don't usually follow recipes. But I do lose weight if I count, and I find all the zero point veg easier to deal with than counting calories.

weegie_2

A while ago...good few months ago.....I posted ready to try to become an old styler. I did good for a while, but seem to have slipped back into my old ways of spending too much at the supermarket again and not visiting this site every day.

I have taken some things on, bulk cook a bit more, cook some more from stratch....but I still don't seem to have got the hang of it and my ASDA shopping bill already for this month is £260 and set to rise (for a family of 4).

I'm thinking it might take me a while to be more OS, and that maybe everyone else took some time getting to grips with it.

I work full time so time is limited to organise my self....:-)

Did everyone else stumble the first few times before becoming totally OS?

catznine

I definately stumbled while working full time but luckily had some support from a collegue who was very good about bringing in leftovers from night before for her lunch etc. It does help to have a friend who is also os and also to visit this board of course. Don't give up remember that every little os thing you do helps.

Bargain_Rzl

Oh weegie, you're not the only one

I suppose perhaps it's easier if you're on such a tremendously tight budget that you have no other option. But for anybody with enough slack in their finances to allow a bit of freedom of choice (for example, if you know that if you cut your household costs down, you could afford a holiday/new telly) it really takes a bit of willpower.

I keep my basic food costs down quite low by buying yellow-stickered stuff, but lately my meal planning's really gone out the window and I've also been buying a lot of luxury food items - it doesn't help that I work 5 minutes away from Borough Market!

I can't offer any suggestions I'm afraid - I just wanted to reassure you that you're not the only one!