Hypno's "bursting with energy" diary.......

ZTD

OliveOyl wrote: »

mine's shorter than me (just)

But he can stand closer...

lucielle

ZTD wrote: »

But he can stand closer...

OOOOOOH Matron!!!!!

elantan

oh i dont know mines is a good un most of the time ...the fact he's nearly eaten every bounty i have made well we wont go into that will we ...how you feeling now hypno?

millionaire_in_training

ok then Hypno I admit your huff can match mine and exceed it. Jeezo woman. The tide has got to turn soon, just hang on in there. I'll join you on the trying to buy all the household things for £50 per week if you want a partner. Take care x

Seaxwyn

Seriously, I would LOVE to join you on the £50 per week thing but I simply don't think I can do it. Could you post your shopping lists and meal plans? Or does someone on OS already do that? I do need to get to grips with this, we still spend a ridiculous amount on food.

taxi73

Go on then I'll give it a go as well...that's 3 for the challenge...

doodledo_2

Have a missed the £50 a week, what does this include? I may well be interested in joining you

Yorkielass

Sorry to hear about the problems with your OH and his job Hypno - I can really sympathise, mine finishes his PhD fairly soon (or at least the funding stops) and I seem to be more concerned about him getting a job afterwards than he is :rolleyes: there's something in the pipeline so fingers crossed but he doesn't seem to have the urgency and importance about it that I do.

I know others have said it but that petrol spend it pretty hefty. I've just done a check and ours for June was £142 and we have a 30 mile round trip to work each day (work/study on the same campus) and I sometimes have to work elsewhere (but supposedly get expenses back for this eventually) which is an 80 mile round trip. We've been trying to cut down on extra trips at the weekend's though/only going out in the car one day each weekend, which I appreciate would be much harder to manage if we had children. I think Gemmzie's idea of keeping an idea of mileage/journeys etc is a great idea - maybe a pad and pen in the car (I realise that would be harder on the motorbike ).

hypno06

Evening guys....just got in.....

Doodledo - £50 a week is my new "oh my goodness, we have to survive" budget for all my groceries. No messing, no playing, just HAVE to do this otherwise we may as well pack our bags now :rolleyes:

Good to see that others are happy to join in the "live for cheap" challenge.....I am more than happy to share my meal plans....although be aware, a lot of pasta appears on our menus!!

OS is a fab board for getting ideas for cheap and filling meals.....I would def recommend a trip over there if you are wanting to cut down.

I don't want to go to the supermarket for anything for main meals until I get paid on Wednesday (so in reality will go shopping on Thursday)...so meals until then are:

• corned beef hash - corned beef, potatoes and any veggies kicking around eg peppers, mushrooms, onions, courgettes, etc
• sausage casserole, with home made potato wedges
• pasta carbonara
• spaghetti bolognese (lots of hidden veg in eg carrots to bulk out)
• fish pie (using boil in the bag fish portions in butter sauce, a handful of value prawns to make it feel more expensive, and mash on top!) with brocolli
• slow cooked beef in red wine sauce, potatoes and sweetcorn/peas
• jacket potatoes, cheese and baked beans

none of the above cost more than £3 to feed all 5 of us, so that leaves £2 a day for breakfast and lunch - breakfast is cereal (weetabix, cornflakes or porridge) or toast - nothing fancy! Lunch is fruit, (probably the most expensive item on the shopping list) and sandwiches. No crisps or choccy biscuits, and maybe a yoghurt if the budget allows (need to get back into making my own again). And everyone gets plenty of fruit and veg incorporated into their day somehow.

So, I reckon it is certainly doable - just needs a bit of discipline

elantan

i wish i could do that ...does sitting doen with pen and paper and actually making up a list help? i tend to go to the shops and just say ...oh well i fancy this i fancy that and before i know it i have spent £95 for JUST the two of us and for a week....if i am to go to uni it has to stop