:( jamiedodger's back again

donner_kebab

Meal planner for the month! Wow! How do you do that? Do you try and have similar things each week? I wish I had a bigger freezer really...several years back I had a chest freezer which was amazing but there is nowhere to out one in this house I miss it! I am going to try and clear out all the leftover bits to make room for soups etc as I like making soups at this time of year and taking them into work for lunch!

Those muffins sound yummy! I haven't heard of banana bread before...is that like a banana cake?

Good luck with your Xmas shopping! I am starting to plan things now as I know what my dad, brother and nephew want so that is a start!

JAMIEDODGER

i have about 10 different meals i like to cook, i do them 3 times each a month voila, 30 days meals:D

i must admit having a chest freezer is a godsend! yes the banana bread is kind of cake like i got the recipe from the bbc site i think, but will put it on here tomorrow if you like? i buy the tubs of frozen raspberries from tesco and they do a few muffin batches, love em':)

i love soup although im quite fussy, my fav is HM mushroom soup, i have a great recipe for that hmmmm, maybe i will make some more this month as only have one portion left in the freezer. its great for lunches and really filling and cheap!

donner_kebab

10 meals x 3...never thought of it like that...doh! I might make a list of all the things I like to cook and see how many i can come up with. I am thinking of writing down all my fav recipes as I am a nightmare at forgetting them!

The recipe for the bread would be fab, thanks! Sounds yummy!

I too am fussy when it comes to my soups! I only like my own which is good!!! But I don't like lumpy ones so blend them all. I used to make a yummy spicy tomato and red lentil but lost the dam recipe...need to find it again as have a packet of lentil in the cupboard and then that would be something else I could get rid of!

JAMIEDODGER

donner - will write up that recipe later:)

kids back to school today! I have a busy morning ahead. Post office run to do, lots of orders over the weekend which is good:) and xmas shopping!

Have done my payment a day,

£3.50 to credit card
£1.00 to pot
£6.00 to Isa (which brings the total to £100 now:)

Ive been thinking lately about what level of emergency fund would make me feel comfortable. If I take a look at the last 12 months, my car died last december, and although I managed to go nearly 3 months without one it was very hard with the kids especially ds3. I would like £500 in an emergency fund so that either I could get my car fixed or buy a very cheap runaround if this ever happened again! Also, my laptop died this year, if it happened again, I wouldnt buy a new one but get a mate to put a new harddrive or whatever in for me. I would be happy knowing I had £100 in an emergency fund to cover this.

My washing machine hasnt died, but if it was to it would be a nightmare for me, so knowing i had money put aside for this would make things easier. say £400. That all adds up to £1000. If all three things happened at once, I would be able to get it all sorted. So thats the level of emergency fund I am looking at.

At the moment my emergency fund stands at £100 (my Isa) From January I am hoping to put away £80 into the Isa and £50 into another account, which will eventually become my emergency fund as I dont really want to touch the Isa money unless I have to. When this reaches £1000 I will be happy:)

I have waffled havent I lol

Anyway, it wont be a NSD today but will update on my xmas bargains later!:D

Cat_Addict

Hi Jamie,

You're up early like me! Your posts are very encouraging and I look forward to reading them (I'm new).

Tell me, what is an NSD? Is it a no spending day?

I have my Christmas fund put by, as I save each month for Christmas. My anxiety is I want to get it all done LOL. I'd like to have it all bought and wrapped by end of November.

Have a great day!

Wendy

JAMIEDODGER

Hi Wendy and welcome to MSE:)

a NSD is a No Spend Day, yes:) Im in a challenge and this month I want to do 20:D

Im always up early as I make sure I get up before all the kids so I get a bit of me time and a proper chance to wake up:)

I like to have xmas wrapped up and finished early too although I will probably be finished about 2nd week december this year.

Hope you have a good time browsing the boards, they are full of moneysaving stuff and interesting info!

jamie x

donner_kebab

Can't wait to hear about the Xmas shopping as I get sooo excited about anything Xmassy! Really hope you can find some bargins! I must remember to contact my stepmum and ask her what she wants this year as she always wants something very obscure! I am on strict instructions not to spend hardly anything from my dad and that is fine with me!

The emergency fund sounds like a fab idea. Once I have this debt all sorted, that is what I would like to do, put some money away each month to have 'just in case' something happens!

20 NSD! I think I might have join the challenge and see how many I can do! Will see how I get on this month and then try in December I think!

Right I am gonna pull my finger out and get sorted out for the day! I have today and tomorrow off and back to work on my birthday on Wednesday...boo hiss! And DD if back to school then too! Good luck with those shops!

JAMIEDODGER

Been to woolworths to get presents so I can tick off:

niece
nephew
best friends little boy and girl
both brother in laws
babysitter

what a palava! when i came to pay, none of the staff even knew you could use the post office savings card to pay and kept me waiting over 20 mins (looking like an idiot) while they phoned head office to find out how to accept the payment, oooh was i annoyed!!! anyway, eventually they figured it out and i went home with my stuff! nevermind, total cost £53.20!!! so have £11.80 left to spend on the card. these figures arent included in my budget as I counted the money once when i put it on the card. I may go back next week and get some sweets for my grandad....if i have the patience lol

I also spent £11.19 in tesco on bits i needed and some ingredients for a new recipe i wanted to try. Have the delivery booked for wednesday 6pm.

have you anything special planned for your birthday donner?

JAMIEDODGER

Payment a day done already:)

£3.50 to creditcard
£1.90 to money pot

Ive paid £31.25 so far in 4 days:) Really pleased with this. I love seeing the total go up:D

Sent DS1 up shop yesterday teatime to buy some hot chocolate, so £1.45 has been added to my grocery challenge total spent.

will be withdrawing cash today to put on my CC+ for my delivery tomorrow but hopefully wont be spending any other money so today should be a NSD:) will update tonight if ive managed it!

I am popping to see friend at her work this morning to give her birthday pressie:) Looking forward to that!

Sorted out contents insurance last night through quidco, £45 cashback coming my way:)

Off to make another cuppa now.....

Cat_Addict

Mornin Jamie!

I'm just doing my internet banking before taking my daughter to school for 6.50am - London Trip.

I'm starting a money jar today. I've got a pound coin and a euro - does that count LOL?

Which insurers did you use through Quidco? I need to rearrange my home contents too.

Have a wonderful day and I hope it's a NSD - hope mine will be too!

Wendy x