£67,031.92 is a frightening number indeed....

Savertobe · 9 October 2017 at 8:45AM

Hi

I don't think most people want to be critical its just that we have all been in similar positions either in debt or struggle to pay for the basics and have to find ways of managing. We do see sometimes perhaps issues coming down the line for you which might then cause you more financial problems. We want to see you succeed but I think its going to be tough.

Have loved all the xmas presy ideas and any secrets to making sourdough would be gratefully appreciated this end - I think I am a decent cook but bread defeats me every time.

Think probably for now supermarket clothes could be the answer and scaling back on present spending - big presents for birthdays smaller things at xmas - if grandparents buy big at xmas you could just do a super stocking as you do and that would be reasonable. However all those little things to make sound great. Have fun as always but keep an eye on the money! We enjoy reading your diary as you write so well so don't stop.

Fellow but 'aging' hippy

Treadingonplaymobil · 9 October 2017 at 9:35AM

Answers to various questions:

Mortgage rate: yes, 3.14%. I avoiding getting my hopes up about any kind of spectacular deal, as our financial situation on paper is very similar to/fractionally worse than (in terms of debt sum) when we originally mortgaged. The property value has gone up, but not a lot (£197k when we bought, maybe £210-215k now). Our original mortgage was 90% LTV though, so if we don't add on the tesco loan we may be able to get a better rate due to lower LTV. We'll see. Hoping for some numbers in the next couple of days.

Blog: yes, I do, but it's related to my business so for obvious reasons can't link here!

Sourdough: persevere, especially if you're creating a new starter. Despite what everything online says, it took me a good month or more to start getting a decent rise off my sourdough starter. Tray of water in the bottom of the oven essential for a good crust, or cooking in a roasting tin. Use a sieve or colander lined with a teatowel if you don't have proving baskets (I don't). Current favourite recipe, which I think I've linked here before is this one. Very involved, but the best sourdough I've ever made. I don't do the 'creating a leaven' bit, I just feed up my sourdough starter and use 150g of it at the first stage of the process. This is a perfectly serviceable recipe to start with, although I reduced it to 2/3 of the quantity as I found it was too much for one loaf and not enough for two.

Hiddenidenity · 9 October 2017 at 9:37AM

I'm ashamed to say I've never made nor tried sourdough bread.

I might have a try of those burges for smalls though! I think we get in such a routine with our food in this house it gets a bit boring

PurpleFairy26 · 9 October 2017 at 1:27PM

I know you bake TOPM so thought I'd share this with you. I found it a) as I had an excess of natural yogurt but also b) it uses a small amount of oil rather than butter so makes it cheaper than some other cakes to make

https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/easy-yogurt-cake/

Due to the cup thing, it's also very easy to make with smalls. I make it in a loaf so it's easier for lunchboxes.

Could you post the burger recipe please?

On the other thing, your journey, your rules. Remember people are only commenting on the 10% or whatever of your life you share on here, so often somethings seem out of context. When my eldest was small DH gave up his 2nd job (=less income) but we didn't see each other as a family at all and were like ships passing in the night. I know some wouldn't have done this, but for us the family time was more important than the relatively small amount he was earning from job 2 and didn't put us in financially difficulty, we just cut our cloth differently. As I said you make your own rules in this game.

Treadingonplaymobil · 10 October 2017 at 5:10AM

Week 35: Day 3

Well yesterday was a bit of a write off. Huge stressful work drama, exactly the kind of politics I try to avoid by being self employed. Not going to have any short term effects, but it's made me realise that longer term I need my income to be less dependant on the whim of one or two sources. It's made me realise I need to adjust my long term business planning to eventually extricate myself from one tricky business relationship. It was horribly stressful, but I am looking positive and seeing how important it is to (a) have several sources of income (I do, but one has become my 'main' one and the others have slipped to minimal levels) and (b) be as independent as possible in terms of how my money is earned.

Today is mostly going to be about doing all the things that I was supposed to do yesterday and couldn't because of that work drama!

Ooh, I did have a charity shop trawl yesterday. Not a great hit rate - only one nice hyacinth bowl and no stocking fillers. Going to give it another go in a different town tomorrow, then will need to order some hyacinth bowls/pots online to ensure I can get them planted in time.

Did someone ask for burger link? Here you go.

Need to make quiche before school this morning as have no packed lunch stuff for the DCs. I made the base last night, so just going to throw together a filling. Frozen veg has been a lifesaver since we started budgeting - we are terrible at using up a whole broccoli before it goes off, or leaving half a bag of spinach, and frozen veg means we always have small quantities available for things like a quiche or a meal for one without needing to use up the whole thing. I'm sure I've posted my green quiche recipe before, but it's basically:

shortcrust pastry quiche base (I make my own, loads of recipes online)
a couple of small cups full of frozen veg (I use spinach, broccoli and peas, plus I had half a leek in the frridge)
a couple of small onions
couple of cloves of garlic
about 200ml double cream
a good shaving of parmesan (maybe 25g?)
2 egg yolks (I make mini meringues with the whites for an after school treat or pudding)
1 egg
salt and pepper

make the quiche base according to instructions and blind bake. Take out the veg to defrost. Fry the onions on a low heat with oil of your choice for a good 10 mins, preferably more like 15. Add the garlic about 5 minutes in. Chop any of the larger frozen veg into smaller pieces - nothing should be larger than around 1" sqare Stir the rest of the ingredients (cream, eggs, parmesan, good dash of seasoning) in a mixing bowl, add the veg and the fried onions, mix well. Pour it all into the quiche base (if there is spare, I freeze it to add next time) and cook on 180 for about half an hour, until the middle is firm but springy.

I change the veg according to what I have kicking around, sometimes make quiche lorraine.

To do today
1. start sourdough (to bake tomorrow morning).
2. make courgette cake.
3. make quiche to freeze for lunches.
4. continue to plan stockings.
5. spend some time knitting instead of working in the evening.
6. rejig my week's working plans to allow for yesterday's write off day.

To do this week
1. Continue to plan Christmas gifts.
2. Plant hyacinth bulbs.
3. Charity shop trawl for stocking fillers and hyacinth planters.
4. Library ebooks

To do this month
1. keep the total spend for the month below £3,500. Currently budgeted at £3,349.
2. work a sensible number of hours, even if it means slower progress on the work and debt front. September was rubbish. This is going well so far.
3. make any homemade Christmas gifts.

missymoo81 · 10 October 2017 at 6:40AM

Sorry you had a rubbishy day yesterday. Chin up lovely X

Silver_Queen · 10 October 2017 at 9:15AM

Re: the hyacinth bulbs, could you plant them temporarily in whatever containers you have kicking around and then transfer them into pretty bowls once you've got them? That way you can be sure not to leave it too late for them, plus you can continue to look through charity shops for unique and attractive containers that are hopefully cheaper than ordering them online.

Cherryfudge · 10 October 2017 at 10:16AM

It does sound like one of those work relationships you could do without. Good for you, realising you can plan your way out of this one.

Here's to a much better day today - and thank you for the recipes.

Treadingonplaymobil · 10 October 2017 at 10:42AM

Silver_Queen wrote: »

Re: the hyacinth bulbs, could you plant them temporarily in whatever containers you have kicking around and then transfer them into pretty bowls once you've got them? That way you can be sure not to leave it too late for them, plus you can continue to look through charity shops for unique and attractive containers that are hopefully cheaper than ordering them online.

I thought about that, but I am so NOT green fingered, and if I killed them in transfer it would be such a waste. That florists supplies place that someone linked the other day was so cheap that it's not really much more than charity shop bowls anyway.

Treadingonplaymobil · 10 October 2017 at 10:44AM

Cherryfudge wrote: »

It does sound like one of those work relationships you could do without. Good for you, realising you can plan your way out of this one.

Here's to a much better day today - and thank you for the recipes.

It's going to be a really long process to give myself the independence, but I'm pleased in a way that I've had this stress, had the moment of epiphany and seen the vulnerability in my position before it becomes a problem in terms of income. Hopefully I've got plenty of time to figure out how to extricate myself and make my earnings more independent before there is any actual risk to my income.

£67,031.92 is a frightening number indeed....

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