We are half way through the Stretch it out September Challenge and things are going really well. I am managing to use things up that have lingered for too long, I'm determined to keep stock piling to a minimum once I have finished using up. It was crazy the amount of food we had in stock. Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to have to shop each day because there is nothing to make a meal from, what I mean is to stop buying 20 or 30 of something just because its a good offer. Sometimes I think I forget that there is only the two of us!! I think we will easily make it to mid December when we will have a bit bigger shopping budget to include a few extra treats for Christmas.
Its been cold this week and we have eaten quite a few carbs, I need to balance this out with some salads over the next few days. Wednesday I could have been temped to put the heating on but I made a hot water bottle and wore a cardi and socks, I made spicy soup too and that soon warmed me up.
We had an email regarding the direct debit for the electricity, it needed to be increased by £5 per month to £37 which is now sorted, BT also wanted to increase our bill by £3.45 per month but my hubby was on a mission to get that reduced instead, at the end of a phone call he managed to go from £41.60 (plus £3.45 increase) down to £29.10 for the exact same package!! the robbin s*ds!! Next bill is hubby's car insurance :-( paid monthly by direct debit :-)
Friday I joined Thimbles, its a Stitch and Chatter, Knit and Natter group, that should take care of all the bits of fabric and wool I have lurking about and keep me busy over the winter months. It costs £1 for coffee and cake and passes a happy couple of hours with like minded ladies, its also a chance to get the local gossip lol I am looking forward to going again next week.
Saturday Hubby was at his voluntary job at the flying club, I had a day home alone, so a chance to get another pile of beans picked and frozen, sort out some more fabric for hexies, sort out some baby wool to knit prem baby hats and I finished my design for special Christmas cards, again using craft stash I already had.
Another good week all round in the Chelmarsh household :-)
How has the first half of September gone for you, have you done anything that's money saving or discovered something new or have you bumbled along being too busy to think about anything.
Total spends for this week are £25.56
I am determined to make it to the end of the month with my minimum spends, are you?
Take Care and Good Luck
Love
Wow! Half way through already! Since we got organised at the start-,making our monthly meal plan- things have gone well. There have been a few changes and meals swapped around but we are on course.
ReplyDeleteI really do hope we managed to save the money we would have spent in the last week-£15. It would have been more if we had not self catered in Cornwall but bearing that in mind, I think we've done brilliantly!
Enjoy your Thimble sessions. That sounds heavenly. And well done to hubby sorting out the BT bill.
Sft x
There have been a few changes to our meal plan due to extra leftovers or a more simple meal so we will be carrying one or two over to Stoptober :-)
DeleteI have every faith in you being able to save your £15 you are such an expert in managing your money. K. xx
Thank you Karen.
DeleteWe have a few things to carry over to October too. I'm quite excited about that.
Sft x
My beans were late starting and early finishing. This cold seems to have put them off. I think I have only managed to freeze around 3lb and eaten maybe 2, but hey, better than nothing.
ReplyDeleteOur dwarf beans have been really heavy croppers this year so I have saved some of the beans for seeds for next year, lets hope we have similar weather. I think its great to be able to freeze some no matter how small the amount.
DeleteConsidering that I haven't been able to join the September challenge I have done pretty well, using up stuff "under the stairs"
ReplyDeleteI am however, starting to get my winter stores in too. I always keep in extra flour, sugar, yeast and uht milk in case of emergencies in deepest winter!
Your tomato chutney is currently simmering away!
Gillx
I think if I lived where you are I would want a good winter store cupboard too. Hope you enjoy the Pickle x
DeleteThis month is flying by. We're not doing Stretch it September officially but everything just seems to be lasting and we've found a few bits in the cupboard (toiletries) so we haven't had to shop for them either - always a big chuck of the budget.
ReplyDeleteThe weeks are certainly flying by and it will be Christmas before we know it!! Its always lovely when you find something at the back of the cupboard, its like finding treasure lol Well done for stretching your budget.
DeleteI find it hard to believe that we are half way through September, my spending will hover round the £10 mark for a while. Like you I have indulged in some "doomsday prepping" I found Feta cheese and sundried tomatoes in the corner of the freezer yesterday, they have been there for 9 months and were a freebie. They are now in the upright freezer and earmarked for the weekend there is enough for 4 meals at least. Spanakopita anyone?
ReplyDeleteSeptember is flying by and you have done brilliant with your shopping, you have also been lucky with the freebies at work. Oooh Feta cheese and Sundried tomatoes a marriage made in heaven!!
DeleteHi Karen,
ReplyDeleteLovely to hear things are still going well. Still ok here too in Hampshire - on target for a 3/4 month spend. It is currently up to just over half the budget spent for the month, but when I checked yesterday as to how much there is in the fridge and ice box there is at least 10 days worth of main meal bases! I was genuinely surprised, although it will probably mean eating a similar meal twice in the same week, but as long as we are fed... Had a lovely time making jam and pasta sauce out of 'free' and 'foraged' food, especially unexpected goodies from around our current campsite - a few yellow plums, enough damsons to make a small pot of jam, various size and varieties of apples for stewing to accompany porridge for breakfast. I am only shopping for what we need, although I do try to use my £3 off a £20 spend vouchers when I can. Did you try the tomatoes? I am keen to know if you found much difference (at present I am lucky enough to have been given some plum tomatoes, so using those instead of tinned) Enjoy your crafting sessions, looking forward to seeing what you produce in the winter time! Xx
It is amazing just how many meals we can make out of whats in stock, especially when we think there isn't much to play with, we don't mind eating the same meal 2 days running we have even done it 3 days with a big casserole. Pleased you were able to make use of the foraged fruits, its amazing how much nicer things taste when they are freebies lol. I did try the tomatoes, Chopped Tomatoes from Lidl 31p v Chopped Tomatoes from Sainsbugs 35p both excellent and no difference just the price. I have been busy knitting premmie baby hats for craft group this week xx
DeleteThanks for the test Karen, very useful to know, as I need to get some more and would like to buy them from Saisbury as I have another money off voucher, and its always good to stock up with 'basics'. I am still crocheting, 2 blankets on the go at present, but would love to make some knitted socks in time to benefit from this cooler weather. Enjoy the crafting. X
DeleteTime is flying by, and our freezer is so full it's taking a long time to empty, it still looks as full as at the start of the month, but I think that's mostly because it's not as tidy as it was, rummaging down through a chest freezer is not good.
ReplyDeleteAt least I know there is some space in there for the beans that I will be harvesting and blanching today. I don't want to waste anything if I can help it.
I too forget there is just the two of us, I was so used to having a very hungry, gym mad son to keep fed at all times that the volume of foods went up and has never gone down since he left.
I think we could easily last until Christmas on what we have in store, in fact NOW is the time for me to do that :-)