Cool Kid

WARNING - BOASTFUL MUMMY POST

First of all, welcome to my new follower: Donna Scott.

Up until this point, I have hardly mentioned my 2 children.

My [almost] 14 year old daughter [Alice, aka superscout] is super cool, even though I say it myself.  REALLY.

She properly does not run with the pack and is not motivated by money at all.  She is motivated by happiness.  She is into photography and writes her own blog.

Anyway, this week she used ebay for the first time.  She bid and won a pair of skinny jeans for £1.21 plus £2.99 P and P.  She is so proud of herself. 

She is now researching/watching DM boots, in preparation for a winning snipe.  That is so like her; she always does her research about things.

This is her, wearing my 'Underground' shoes, that we share!

Today, I hope to capture the skinny jeans look; so watch this space.

Right Place/Right Time

Not the clearest of photos, but great bargains nonetheless.

Found these yesterday - carrot and  coriander soup; reduced from £1.80 each to 36p each!

Ideal for lunches at school.  I have popped them both in the freezer.

[Wrote 30 writing and 30 'speaking and listening' comments yesterday.  Plus listed 2 pairs of shoes on ebay]  

TV Licence

It is half-term, so I have time on my hands to catch up on little tasks I postpone during term time.

Inspired by a tip I read when we were all writing our '30Ways To Save £1' posts, I rang TV licensing today.

I wanted to save £5 per year, by paying by monthly DD; rather than quarterly [with £1.25 per quarter premium]

It is true you can do this, but there is a catch.  According to the guy I spoke to, the first time you go onto monthly DDs you must first pay £29.10 monthly for the first 5 months - IE the full licence. Then you are allowed to pay monthly.  I pointed out that I have a proven track record of responsible payments.  However, to no avail.  Apparantly, it is government regulation.. HOW SILLY?

As I now pay £37.62 quarterly, I don't want to go onto £29.10 monthly for 5 months; even though I would save the £5 in the following year.

WHAT WOULD YOU ?
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Mortgage

Just overpaid another £100.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next month - my target is to make £100 on ebay to cover the overpayment.  Have a few things to sell [This is an ambitious target]

Must get the sliders in the sidebar sorted.

Anyone got any recommendations?

The one I have at the moment is not easily updated.  You seem to have have to go back to square one each time.  Must be doing it wrong!

Anthem

Hey........................
Found an anthem


DISCLAIMER
DO NOT WATCH IF SWEARING OFFENDS YOU.

Fantastic Bank Holiday Monday/Whitson Half-Term

When I woke up this morning, an email was waiting for me offering a composter, through Freecycle.  I was delighted. It was very timely.  Only yesterday, I had found a composter on Ebay; collection only.  The current bid was £1.75, with 24 hours to go.

I set up a snipe bid; max. £3.00

I had previously ordered one from a supplier offer a concession to my local council. However, I had received an email to say that there had a problem with the check out on their website and my order had not gone through; would I like to re-order? NO!

Then the Freecycle offer came.

Superscout and I went to collect it at 4:00PM, from a lovely lady.

On the way home, we stopped at a Marks and Spencer 'Simply Food' store.  We planned to buy a £10 'Dine In For 2' offer, because it was Bank Holiday.

WELL WE ARRIVED AT THE RIGHT TIME ....................... JUST LOOK AT WHAT WE BAGGED!

ALL 10P!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All in all it has been a great Bank Holiday.

Plus, I wrote 30 ICT comments and 30 Art and DT comments.

Added to which, we re-arranged Superscout's bedroom and did a major spring clean in it.

The Ebay composter finally went for £19.

I also have a chicken carcas in the slow cooker. #stock

Ridiculous Price Increase

At this time of year, I am partial to coucous, occassionally.  

The last time I bought some, it was approx 35p.  This time it cost 62p!  At first I thought it was a mistake.  Sadly not.

On the other hand, following on from a post and comment by Frugal Mum, instead of buying these:

£2.00/kg

I have bought these:

£0.63/kg

£1.37/kg saving.  

I plan to grated/slice them and freeze them ready for use.

Busy Saturday and Sunday.

Yesterday, I got so much done. I:

• Cleaned the kitchen;
• Cleaned the lounge;
• Cleaned the stairs and landing;
• Had lunch with a friend;
• Food shopped;
• Moved my raised bed to a sunnier spot in the garden;
• Planted some chard in it;
• Spring cleaned my bedroom;
• Sorted through all my clothes and have organised a pile for charity.

Well done to me.

Today, my aim is to:

• Write 30 RE comments in reports;
• Go to see the Great Gatsby; - CANCELLED - NOT BY ME
• Cook a roast dinner;
• Maybe spring clean Superscout's bedroom and sort through hr clothes too. - ROLLOVER TO TOMORROW.

We shall see.

Frightening

Last night, at approximately 11:00 PM, superscout and I were both asleep in bed.

We were woken by the doorbell ringing and someone banging on the front door.

Because, I was woken from sleep, I stumbled around, shaking trying to find my dressing gown.  I think I would have gone down stairs initially, but superscout told me not to.  Instead I opened my front bedroom window and called down 'who's there?'.

NO ONE.

There was no car; no person; nothing.

It really shook me up.  Then I started to get paranoid:  Had I locked the front and back doors properly?  Was my car locked?  I dare not go downstairs.

Plus the battery was flat on my phone.  If I had needed to call the police, we did have superscout's.

Anyway - it has been a lesson on being prepared and taking care with security.

[The teenager is not here.  He has gone on holiday with a friend.  His bedroom is downstairs and had he been here, there would have been lights and music on]

#scary

Not Having A Car

Last Friday, I took the teenager to the station to get the train to London, to see his dad.  I did a naughty thing and pulled into a disabled parking space................I know bad.

Anyway, as the teenager was getting his suitcase out of the boot, a man tapped on my window.  'Oh no,' I thought, or words to that effect...............'He is going to have a go at me!'.

In fact he asked me if I knew that I had no brake lights working.  I had absolutely no idea ................no warning lights; nothing.

Superscout and I drove home, very gingerly.  When we parked on the drive, Superscout sat in the driver's seat and pressed the brake peddles.  Sometimes they came on; sometimes they did not; an intermittent fault.

On Saturday morning, I rang the mobile mechanic, who looks after my car.  He is a great guy; comes round at the drop of a hat and is very reasonably priced.  I think he said it would be the brake switch.  However, he was not able to get hold of one until Monday.

On Monday, he came round and fixed it; total cost £45.  How good was that?  It seems like a very fair price to me.

Back to the weekend - I was left without a car:

• I ordered my food shopping online;
• I discovered MyHermes, instead of the PO.  They came and collected a parcel from school on Monday morning, so I didn't have to go to the PO;
• I went for a walk to the local CO-OP;
• Superscout went into town on the bus;
• The teenager walked back from the station;
• A lovely colleague took me to school and back on the Monday.

If I didn't need my car for work, in theory I would not need it at all.  I only live 5 miles away, but there is no direct public transport.  I would need to catch 2 buses, which would just take too long.  

If we did have no car, when I needed one for a long journey, I would simply hire one.

Beetroot, Bulgar Wheat and Lamb Burgers.

Tonight, I prepared these:

Not bad for a school night!

We did not eat them tonight; maybe tomorrow.

I followed this recipe.

Beetroot, bulgar wheat and lamb burgers

I used to not rate Nigel Slater, but now I do: very much.

x

Contact lenses

I wear daily disposable contact lenses, which I buy on a monthly basis from Tesco.  They cost £18 for a month's supply.  Surprisingly, they recently came down in price slightly.  I mean what comes down in price these days?

Anyway, I have decided that I shall stock up, whilst Tesco Clubcard Exchange is on; thus bringing the cost down to £9 per month.

I have to say, that this month, despite having an unforeseen leak in the bathroom and a problem with my brake lights, I have managed to save money.

Thus on the 24th [the day I receive my salary] I shall overpay another £100 off my mortgage.

Well done to me.

My Hermes

I have just used MyHermes for the first time.

I have done this because I read about the service on another blog and I like the fact that they will pick up the parcel from a designated collection point, or that you can drop it off at a designated shop.

I think this level of convenience will help me sell more on ebay.  In the past I have been hampered by not being able to get to the Post Office during the week, or indeed before 12.30PM on a Saturday.

I have compared the price with the PO and it has worked out no cheaper:  I have paid £3.30 for a 30 x 20 x 10 cm parcel, weighing 0.925 kg. 

Anyway, this little transaction has made me £3.55 for the sealed pot.

Compost Bin

Have ordered a compost bin.

Made it almost cost neutral in the end, because I have just sent back a bra I had bought from M and S.  I bought 2 identical, but only really need 1.

Really looking forward to getting started with the bin.  I already have some kitchen waste that I have been saving.  Plus I shall be mowing the lawn tomorrow and will put these cuttings to start it off.

Have been reading about how to successfully make compost on the Garden Organic website.

A Busy Day/Weekend Lies Ahead and COMPOST BIN DILEMA

Since last Sunday I have been wrestling with my frugal self about whether to buy a compost bin.

I have put a post on Freecycle, but to no avail.  My local council are selling them for approx £20, including p and p. I do have a green wheelie bin, into which I can put my mown grass.  However, as I have re-started cooking from scratch, I am generating more kitchen waste and like the idea of composting that.

Is it worth buying a compost bin?  What do you think???

Today I have to/shall:

• Clean the kitchen;
• Clean the lounge;
• Clean stairs and landing;
• Clean the bathroom;
• Write 5 personal report comments;
• Calculate current personal finances position.
• Take a parcel to the Post Office;
• Ring mechanic about brake lights not working;
• Food shopping
• Mow the lawn.
• Laundry.

What a fun life I lead.

Hair Cut

I used to have my hair cut at a local salon.  The price had gradually crept up over the years, to £45.00.

I really enjoyed going: the magazines; the head massage and the nice coffee.

However, my stylist, who is a lovely person, has left.

This got me thinking, together with my reinvigorated frugal fervour, that I should re-think my hair cut approach.

Thus I contacted a mobile hairdresser, whose name I saw advertised in the Post Office.  She charges £20.00.

When she was actually cutting it, I wasn't sure.  However, I have had so many positive reactions - far more than normal.  So, I am now quite pleased.

As I have my haircut approximately every 10 weeks, that is an annual saving of approximately £130.00.

Not bad.

Finally, a very warm welcome to my new follower: Kirsty.

Chickpea and spinach cuury

Last week I cooked a delicious spinach and chickpea curry.  A very economical meal it was too; stretching to several lunches at work.

I followed this recipe:

Grating And Slicing

 

 I love the way I am pushed on/gently encouraged and inspired by other bloggers.

Today, I mentioned that I have being buying grated cheese and carrots.  Frugal Mum then kindly left a comment, which inspired me to look carefully at 3 food processor blades I have had in my cupboards for years.  They turned out to be: a finer slicer/grater; a thick slicer/grater and a chipper. [I Googled them - how else would I have found out?!]  Indeed, if I wished to buy them separatley, they appear to be selling on ebay for approx the £10 each mark.

So, I had a little go, using a carrot and a courgette.  I AM SO PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME.

I love my blogging friends.
x

Sealed Pot Sunday

DRUM ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL ... £1.68.

I thank you.

Food budget

First and foremost; a very warm welcome to Scarlett, my new follower. Wow - I now have the grand total of 6.  Sign up, if read but don't follow.  It is so exciting when I get a new follower.  I realy like knowing you are out there!


Before, I get started about my food budget, I will just let out a little frustration - GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR- for about 5 days now I have being trying to upload a photo.  It is just not happening - hence a lack of posts.

I made myself an ace spinach and chickpea curry, but I don't want to blog about it without a photo.

#frustration.

Moving on; I am pleased to say that I have significantly reduced my food/supermarket expenditure over the past month.  I have a budget of £70 for the three of us [2 adults; one almost adult; including a certain teenage  boy who tends to think it is not a proper meal unless containing meat.]

The last 3 weekly shops have cost: £35; £35 and £40.  The first 2 were reduced to that figure because I had £5 off when you spend £40 vouchers.

Notable successes: I used to buy 5 'eat me' bananas for £1.  Now buy 5 loose ones for about 60p.  I also used to buy 250g grated carrot for 50p/£2 per kg.  Now buy loose ones for 80p per kg.

Why did/do I buy grated carrot or grated cheese?  I have been using the grated carrot to make lentil burgers,  which create a very cheap meal.  So although within that , the carrot is not the cheapest, the eventual lentil burgers are a heck of a lot cheaper than my previous bad habit of nipping into the COOP on the way home, when tired, and blowing around £10 on ready meals - if you follow my logic.

I also buy frozen chopped onions, for £1.  They enable me to make quick meals from scratch.  It is all about being smart and saving money in ways that work for you.

Mowing The Lawn

Last Sunday, I gave the lawn its first cut of the season.  I was very pleased when the lawn mower started first time.

I took these before and after pictures, which, in fact, don't do the after justice!

It got me thinking about looking after my lawn mower, so I contacted the local supplier, from where the mower was bought, in a former life.  To service it, they wanted £130 pounds!!!!!!!!!!! Apparently  this is not excessive.  Well to me it is.

So, I have been doing some research: basically, I should change the filter, top up the oil, change the spark plug and possibly get the blade sharpened.  I don't have the manual anymore, so am trying to find info on line.  Once I know where things like the spark are and how to get to them, I should be well away.

Today, I have topped up the oil.  It took a bit of asking around, but I have now established that I have a 4 stroke mower and have bought the correct oil.

I have just cut it again and it is starting to look lovely - although have not taken photos this time.  

Learning a bit every time - am now using the shorter cut setting.

Driving Lessons - Not

First of all, a very warm welcome to my new follower: Lisamaywalters

Well, today I had a great day and came home feeling really good.

When I pulled up on the drive, my nice neighbour was in the front garden.  He is, I believe, a bit shy, and, I believe, does not find it that easy to make polite conversation with me.  Nevertheless, he did engage with me.

Last year, at about this time, I informed him and his wife that Aidan was going to be having a 16th birthday party in the garden.  I was pre-warning them, just in case of any potential noise.  They were lovely about it and, as it happened all went v well, as expected, and there was nothing to worry about.

This evening, the guy asked me if Aidan was looking forward to driving lessons, as he was going to be 17.

I am an honest person and said that we are not planning on driving lessons.  I think he felt awkward that he had raised the subject and I have pretended for a few hours that everything is OK.

However, everything is not OK.  I feel like a complete failure because I am not giving Aidan driving lessons.

I live in quite an affluent area.  The house we have is lovely, but quite modest relatively speaking.  The reason I strive to live here is for the school and sixth form attached.  Both my children are benefiting from a great education.  However, they are poor in comparison.

Aidan IS the only child not having driving lessons in his friendship group.  One of his friends, who is a lovely gir,l and who cannot be put into some stereotypical category of being an unpleasant girl by any means, not only has had driving lessons, but has also had a car bought for her - a brand new Mini.

This post is not about how I should feel, but how I do I feel.  When I had my wanted children, I wanted to give them at least what I had, perhaps a little bit more.  Reverse is the case.

I feel awful.

In so many ways I they are privileged, but still I feel I failure,
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