I wanna be mortgage free!

slowlyfading

Looking at those rates, providing you do go, it looks worth it to me

twinklie

Garage just called....they are setting off back to me in 10 mins! It came it a tiny bit cheaper as well...only by about £12 but it's all less out of my pocket. Wish they'd hurry up though...I'm starving!

twinklie

Car is home!!! Feel so relieved.

Break down of costs.
Break lining cost £53
Rear tires £93.49 each, Total = 186.98.

Total materials = 239.98

Labour for brake pads £70
Labour for rear tires £20

Total Labour £90

OVERALL Total = 329.98 + 57.75 VAT = £387.73

We were quoted £400 - saved £12.27 on quoted price.

They also washed and vacuumed the car for me which saves me a job!

twinklie

Right, decided I AM going to join the gym again! I reckon I'll use it more than enough to recoup my money. It will be my luxury item...since I don't really have one at the minute...unless someone else can point something out for me!

Going bouldering later so I really need to crack on with some school work today. However, a shower is needed first I think.

Had a bit of a nightmare parking down at DH's flat...we can't get our car out if the guy below us is parked in his space because our car is too long. Well I was meant to collect DH last night from work because he was locked in (he'd left his pass key at the flat) and everyone in his building had gone home except him!

Anyhoo, someone with an even bigger car than the guy who lives downstairs had parked in his space and I couldn't get the car our (there are no buses by this time either). So I had to go door knocking to find out who's car it was. Found out...but the guy was out. So a team effort of 4 people managed to help me get the car our "EVENTUALLY". A random man from across the way jumped in, and we all stood giving directions...:rotfl:

Anyway, this morning a similar thing happened (but DH was with me so we managed together) so I'm now parking round the corner in future. It's our parking space and if we had a little car it wouldn't be a problem...it's just cos we have a MASSIVE estate! Doh!

twinklie

Feeling really good after yesterdays little climbing adventure...tackled something new and not done before and managed it! So I'm a happy bunny! :j

Made a start on my year 11 lessons yesterday, by the end of today I plan to have my yr 11 lessons done and dusted...and my ideas and contexts stuff done! I've had a late start because we were late getting up this morning! Very very tired.

Also I think I'm going to get a slow cooker. So any hints, tips or recipes you want to throw my way please do so. Are they safe to leave on while I go to work? Or should I do it when I'm at home in the evenings?

cha97michelle

With slow cookers, there is a great big thread on the old style board full of recipes. You can also goole one pot recipes or slow cooker recipes, and i noticed there is even a facebook group with them.

It all depends on what i put in it as to if i'd leave it. If it is stew or something with a lot of liquid i am happy, but i have put in rice in a casserole and between that absorbing the liquid and the fact my slow cooker has a loose fitting lid that lets steam out, and i nearly had a disaster.

I'm of the chuck in what you fancy brigade and i keep meaning to check out some different recipes myself.

Also, check whether you have one that can go on the hob too. My MIL has and it means you can brown meat/onions off in the slow cooker pot before setting it off, whereas i have to do it in another pan and then add it to the slow cooker. I learnt the hard way. I tried to brown in my last one and i cracked the pot.

I love mine and would not go back to not having one now. Cheap to run as well, and we usually get some leftovers out of it to save for another meal, so all helps.

Courgette

Slow cookers:

• check freecycle first, they come up quite often in our area so might in yours too.
• yes, can be left on all day, cost about the same as a light bulb to run
• loads of ideas on Oldstyle thread for recipes
• funnily enough, I swapped my 1.5L SC for a 5L one this weekend and it's on now making leek and potato soup. The thing is with them, and what probably stops me using mine more, is that you have to partially cook some bits before bunging them in there. This morning for example I have chopped (obviously) the onions, celary, leeks and potatoes, fried them off for 10-15 mins then put them in the SC with the stock. For a day like today that's easy and not a problem but I am not a morning person and don't know whether I'd realistically do that lot on a morning before school

Hope that helps

Courgette

Wow, who knew there'd be so many people just waiting to post about SCs :rotfl::rotfl:

twinklie

Yeah I could technically chop the stuff the night before though surely! Anyway I think I'm going to go for it. Even if I only use it at the weekend it should hopefully make enough to fill my freezer and then I won't have to "cook" mid week!!!! I'm soooo lazy!

Courgette

you could chop the night before, yeah then it'd be all ready for the morning. I think they're really good for cheap cuts of meat too (I'm veggie though so wouldn't know) and basically for cucking in random bits and pieces. I definitely want to get to grips with mine and I think it will be especially useful when Munchkin is born