Menu planning

Busy day today - took all the deccies down and packed them away (this time learned my lesson and invested in 2 storage boxes with attached secured lids - lost most of my deccies in the pit of a shed and broke quite a few trying to get them all out as they were just kept in open boxes last year!!!)
Was going to do an inventory of the big freezer but it was too cold so have made up a rough menu with just the things that I got in my Asda shop and stuff I know is in there - when I'm feeling brave I will go out and have a proper root about and see what's in there!

Menu plan (not in any order and have already eaten the first 2!)

1 – Gammon, bubble and squeak
2 – Chicken curry
3 – Mince tatie pot
4 – Vegetable cobbler
5 – Egg and chips
6 – Bacon & cheese lasagne
7 – Beef olives
8 – Roast turkey, sausagemeat stuffing (yes, leftovers!)
9 – Pasta with cheese
10 – Lentil soup and pud
11 – Roast lamb
12 – Left over Lamb Shepherds pie
13 – Frey bentos pies (haven't had these in years!)
14 - Lasagne

Trying to sneak a few vegetarian and cheap meals in - hopefully the troops wont take to badly to them!

Freedom account adjustments

Took me an hour but I have re-jigged all my Freedom accounts and am happy with the result. This year I had to put more into the Birthday accounts due to extra babies in the family so as I am not earning any more that money had to come out of other accounts. I have re-jigged my Christmas budget by spending a little less on some to fit the new ones in!
My new housekeeping budget is £250 per month - if I can get under that I will be very pleased but at least it gives me some leeway for treats (nothing worse than feeling deprived!) Got my Asda delivery and will go through my cupboards and freezers tomorrow to make up a proper menu and see how long it will last.....

Tea was left-over gammon from freezer, bubble and squeak (left overs again!) and baby spinach

Jan houskeeping left - £149

Looking back at my blog...

The joy of doing a blog is you can keep looking back on what you have been up to! Last September my eldest dd went to college which cancelled out our Tuesdays which was the main day I always went out and had lunch, mooched round shops and generally spent money. Which is probably why my bank balance is a lot better!
Today we had our traditional New Year visit to the pictures and a nice meal - did manage a bit of frugality in that I used a cinema voucher bought for my xmas and the last of my luncheon vouchers I got from on-line surveys (which seem to have dried up over the last couple of months)
So tomorrow as they say is the start of my new Financial Year. I am going to have another look at my Freedom account as I need to start adding in my cars insurance and road tax and also its due its MOT at the end of January. I have done my Asda on-line shop - spent £101 and used my Asda credit card so I get points and free delivery (both my Tesco credit card and Asda credit cards are on direct debits so the whole balance is paid off in full every month) so its just like using a debit card but getting extra by saving points. It will be interesting to see if I get the 4 packs of Finish dishwasher tablets I ordered that were on special offer for £5. I need to post off my Prima subscription that I got with my Tesco points while they were still doing the 4x deals - have bought that magazine since it first began and still think its the best all round one (I love magazines but have been very good and only get the Prima) I am also starting my youngest dds clothes allowance so will have to juggle a few of my Freedom accounts to accommodate this.
Happy days!

3 years of Xmas savings

I am very sad but for the last 3 years I have kept a spreadsheet of everything I buy during the year for Christmas ie presents, cards, crackers, food, drink etc - I never go over my budget for presents but might go over a small bit for food (nothing to worry over). Actually, even my food bill has been going down as I only really buy for Christmas Day and Boxing Day and don't buy any extras "just in case".

So the last three years I have used up my budget of £540 per year and saved the following on presents and Christmas paraphernalia by buying carefully during the year and in sales etc

2008 - £247.98
2009 - £110
2010 - £268.5

My budget for the last 3 years has been £50 per month i.e. £540 per year. I am going to stick to the same budget this year but its been getting harder and harder - and this year I have more children to buy for so will have to juggle the budget to fit. I am really lucky in that my dd (who is now 14) doesn't want the latest phones, laptops, GHD's etc but that might change in the future! Luckily her birthday is just before Christmas and she gets mostly money for that so if she wants something she can buy it - she never asks for anything at Christmas - she's happy with all her surprises bless her!

I always buy my cards in the sales but don't always use full packs so I am going to put what's left from this year in a big envelope and mark 2010 on it and then not use those ones until 2012 so wont be sending the same ones 2 years running!

Homemade rasberry liqueur

Is the very business! made it 3 months ago (just adding sugar and raspberries - reduced of course!- to vodka) and brought the New Year in with it last night...mmmmmmmmm - mind you my head this morning does not seem to agree!

Happy New Year to everyone who reads this and hope 2011 is a good one.

Long time no blog....

Really thought I was going to cancel Christmas this year.....first my brother died and then I got a horrible dose of the flu - right up to Christmas Eve I felt dreadful...I am so glad I am always well in advance for Christmas because it really helped this year.
So - things that worked at Xmas

1 - Buying stuff in during the year - saved a lot of money
2 - Actually being ill was great for my purse - no last minute shopping as oh had to do it with a list and strict instructions nowt else! After the family came on Boxing Day for a left over buffet there was hardly anything left so very pleased indeed
3 - Trex makes the best mince pies ever! just like Mr Kiplings...mmmmm
4 - Homemade presents went down really well indeed
5 - Wrapping well in advance really helped too


Things to do better next year.....

1 - Try to buy every present in a sale
2 - Prepare more food in advance to put in the freezer
3 - Make more homemade presents i.e. knitting and chutneys
4 - Make homemade cards for family
5 - Accept help - I am not Superwoman and want to do everything for Crimbo myself - had to let go this year as I simply wasn't well enough

Managing number 1 quite nicely - my best bargains were Sainsburys on-line - 70% off toys so stocked up! Got all my cards, crackers and paper really cheaply (M&S cards for 50p)

So I am prepared for another Crimbo nice and early!

Will also be tweaking my budget this year - we are now running 2 cars and I need extra for my driving lessons so the food budget (which has been getting quite hairy) is the first to be looked at. Also I am giving my daughter a clothes allowance every month as from January so will see how that goes (will go to help her manage money when she grows up!)

We want to go away more in the caravan this year (I managed a total of 7 holidays last year so quite chuffed!)

I am also starting an Open University course in February - a bit of a dream but I would love to have a degree in History so this is a start at least. So need to be more organised as I will have studying to do as well as work.

So watch this blog for more of my attempts at frugality and making my money stretch as far as I can.....

I love Christmas.....

Busy wrapping up pressies with my youngest dd - snowing outside, spiced apple candle smells lovely - I luurrrrve Crimbo!