This week's date night was at home but it was special to me as my Husband surprised me by making a special effort to look smart for me by dressing up into his suit complete with a shirt and tie. I love seeing him in a suit but we haven't been to any formal events for a while now, so I haven't seen him in it for ages. I am pleased that he was free enough to take the time to dress up just for me at home and not for other people's benefit at a party etc. I wore last week's purchase, my new red and white flippy skirt.
For our meal we both had a salad, I had hot new potatoes with pepper and melted extra strength British grated cheese, it sounds so simple but it really was gorgeous. My Husband had a hot cheese individual pizza (50p) with his salad along with some of the hot cheesey new potatoes that I had. My Husband said he couldn't believe he was actually eating all these salad items now that he used to hate and now enjoys! For drink I drank iced water with my meal while my Husband had a can of Bacardi and Cola. For dessert he had a Cadbury Dairy Chocolate ice cream (50p) and I had an apricot yoghurt. So our meal ticked the box for frugal.
For entertainment my Husband suggested a game of cards with new rules, it was interesting. We enjoyed our evening together and had a couple of Bailey's and ice while we were playing. We both like Bailey's so buy it in litre bottles, expensive initially but the cheapest way of buying it in bulk. The cost per glass isn't too bad and the bottle will last us several months as we are only light drinkers. Bailey's is one of our much enjoyed special treats.
Sunday 22 August 2010
Friday 20 August 2010
Baking & Tick Tock Timer
My brain has really connected it now, if the electric oven is on I feel that a cake should be baking at the same time to share the cooking fuel. I put on the meat for dinner and immediately thought 'cake', it is a strange feeling but real. So out came my mixing bowl, recipe book and ingredients even though I hadn't even considered making a cake before I started cooking the meal.
I made my cake, then thought I would make a second one to be even more frugal! The first cake was a fruit one containing marmalade and baked in a round cake tin while the second one was also fruity but cooked in a large oblong shaped tray tin. As the ingredients were similar I didn't even need to wash the mixing bowl inbetween and warned the children that they couldn't lick the spoons etc until I had made the second cake! They waited patiently, they definately love the tasting bit best.
My first cake took the longest to cook as it was in a deep cake tin and I was concerned that I would forget about it in the oven, not that I have ever done this before... actually I have burnt cakes in the past. As I had left the kitchen and was now on my computer I decided to use an online timer that had been recommended to me the other day. The Tick Tock Timer was set for 15 minutes then I just forgot about it and browsed while I waited for it to go off. The next thing I knew there was a loud 'dong, dong, dong'. The children and I thought it was funny andI got up and saved my cake. If you would like to use Tick Tock Timer it is a free tool and can be found at http://ticktocktimer.com/
My Husband got served a piece of hot cake with his coffee and declared it yummy. You can't beat home baking as it is satisfying to make, delicous to eat and you know exactly what is in it. Much cheaper than the bakery and better quality than the pre-packaged variety, so if you compare it by quality it is also good value for money.
I made my cake, then thought I would make a second one to be even more frugal! The first cake was a fruit one containing marmalade and baked in a round cake tin while the second one was also fruity but cooked in a large oblong shaped tray tin. As the ingredients were similar I didn't even need to wash the mixing bowl inbetween and warned the children that they couldn't lick the spoons etc until I had made the second cake! They waited patiently, they definately love the tasting bit best.
My first cake took the longest to cook as it was in a deep cake tin and I was concerned that I would forget about it in the oven, not that I have ever done this before... actually I have burnt cakes in the past. As I had left the kitchen and was now on my computer I decided to use an online timer that had been recommended to me the other day. The Tick Tock Timer was set for 15 minutes then I just forgot about it and browsed while I waited for it to go off. The next thing I knew there was a loud 'dong, dong, dong'. The children and I thought it was funny andI got up and saved my cake. If you would like to use Tick Tock Timer it is a free tool and can be found at http://ticktocktimer.com/
My Husband got served a piece of hot cake with his coffee and declared it yummy. You can't beat home baking as it is satisfying to make, delicous to eat and you know exactly what is in it. Much cheaper than the bakery and better quality than the pre-packaged variety, so if you compare it by quality it is also good value for money.
Dawlish Air Show
Yesterday was the Dawlish Air Show. It was great fun and a real family day out. We took a picnic and enjoyed munching our tasty Cornish pasties. The weather was kind to us, a bit windy as we were up on a hill beside the coast but we had brought our warm coats so it didn't bother us. We were well armed with technology, this was our first air show and we didn't want to miss a thing! We took our portable but powerful binoculars, the video camera and both my Husband and I took a camera each. We weren't disappointed and came away with fantastic coverage of our day out.
These are a few of the things that we saw:
However, the most memorable and fantastic display we saw at the air show was of course The Red Arrows. They were just amazingly fabulous and showed off continously for about a quarter of an hour non-stop! The sky was full of planes dashing about everywhere but all coming together at the right time in perfect sequence. You can't doubt the pilots skill and precision when you have watched them in action. The sky was full of beautiful colours of red, white and blue for the british flag. (Don't tell my four year old Daughter that it was red though as she thinks it was pink, her favourite colour! Lol).
It was also a frugal day out as when we got to the park which was in a field we had the choice of paying £10 a vehicle to park and ride the bus to town for shopping or 50p a vehicle to park in the next field and watch from the field, use the onsite loos and facilities and attend the car boot sale after the show ended. Obviously, we chose the latter! So apart from the diesel to get there, about an hour's drive and a picnic it cost us just 50p, amazing!
At the car boot I was very good and didn't buy anything but my Husband wanted to treat the children to some heavy duty golf clubs that he found, we got three for two pounds. Also he bought a bag of candy floss which we all shared followed by freshly made hot doughnuts for early tea before we left for home. We ate again when we got home but we skipped afters as we had already eaten the doughnuts. We couldn't believe how much sugar they put in the doughnut bag, my Husband saved it and put some in his hot drinks saving our sugar pot, I am impressed as that is very frugal of him!
On the way home there were traffic jams but as we were beside the coastal railway, famously designed by Isambard Brunel, that had trains passing every couple of minutes my Husband told the children that we were train spotting and they enjoyed watching for trains instead of being stressed out about all the waiting around. We also liked watching lots of geese and several pairs of swans swimming around at Cockwood and the boats at Starcross.
These are a few of the things that we saw:
- Hawk T.1 - 19(R) Sqn/4 FTS
- The Breitling Wingwalkers - Aerosuperbatics
- Jet Provost
- Dash 8-300
- The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
- Lancaster and Spitfire
- Sea King HU.5 SAR helicopter
- The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team - The Red Arrows
- Tornado GR.4 Role Demo - XV(R) Sqn
However, the most memorable and fantastic display we saw at the air show was of course The Red Arrows. They were just amazingly fabulous and showed off continously for about a quarter of an hour non-stop! The sky was full of planes dashing about everywhere but all coming together at the right time in perfect sequence. You can't doubt the pilots skill and precision when you have watched them in action. The sky was full of beautiful colours of red, white and blue for the british flag. (Don't tell my four year old Daughter that it was red though as she thinks it was pink, her favourite colour! Lol).
It was also a frugal day out as when we got to the park which was in a field we had the choice of paying £10 a vehicle to park and ride the bus to town for shopping or 50p a vehicle to park in the next field and watch from the field, use the onsite loos and facilities and attend the car boot sale after the show ended. Obviously, we chose the latter! So apart from the diesel to get there, about an hour's drive and a picnic it cost us just 50p, amazing!
At the car boot I was very good and didn't buy anything but my Husband wanted to treat the children to some heavy duty golf clubs that he found, we got three for two pounds. Also he bought a bag of candy floss which we all shared followed by freshly made hot doughnuts for early tea before we left for home. We ate again when we got home but we skipped afters as we had already eaten the doughnuts. We couldn't believe how much sugar they put in the doughnut bag, my Husband saved it and put some in his hot drinks saving our sugar pot, I am impressed as that is very frugal of him!
On the way home there were traffic jams but as we were beside the coastal railway, famously designed by Isambard Brunel, that had trains passing every couple of minutes my Husband told the children that we were train spotting and they enjoyed watching for trains instead of being stressed out about all the waiting around. We also liked watching lots of geese and several pairs of swans swimming around at Cockwood and the boats at Starcross.
Monday 16 August 2010
OXO Cubes Stock Pile
I have just found a highstreet shop where I can get oxo cubes for my Winter stews and casseroles in large boxes of 24 for £1! Each cube cost 4p at this price which actually still sounds quite a lot but gives me a saving of 51p per box compared to my usual supermarket prices as they only sell them in smaller boxes of 12 or 18. I decided to buy a stash of them for my pantry as they have a long date, 2012.
Sunday 15 August 2010
Double Lock Canal Walk
Today was a sunny day so we had a picnic outside after Church and drove to Exeter Quay to walk about two and a half miles in total along the Double Lock Canal. We walked at the pace of the youngest child who is a fit four year old but it still took a lot longer than it could have done. It was nice and we got to see the bridge opened for the boat to go through. The worst bit was after I got home and realised I had sunburnt my nose! Lol.
Freecycle Computer Games
The children picked up a few computer games in this week's freecycle. One Son picked up a wallet, empty of course! I found a couple of cds and books, think I should have a listen and a quick read then return them for someone else to enjoy before I get too attached to them as I have too many here already! For disposable items I must treat it more like a lending library.
Picnic Date Night
Our date night this week was a picnic in the car. I simply packed a healthy salad and a can of fiery ginger beer which we shared. We drove to a picturesque location which was about half an hour away. We went on a short walk and watched several squirrels scampering up and down the trees. I had purchased a new short flippy red and white skirt as my Husband had wanted me to buy one. I wore it with a white t-shirt and my white crochet cardigan.
This week's date cost us the fuel for the car, 1 hours drive, £3 for the skirt and 17p for the can of ginger beer. All the food was already in my pantry and not bought special for the date. Our car is very economical on fuel as it is just a little runabout and we got 5p off per litre when I last refuelled due to petrol vouchers we were given at the store. The flippy skirt will be reworn for other dates and was purchased at our local charity shop, so the charity benefited from that purchase. Yet another successful reasonable cost date with emphasis on togetherness rather than expense.
This week's date cost us the fuel for the car, 1 hours drive, £3 for the skirt and 17p for the can of ginger beer. All the food was already in my pantry and not bought special for the date. Our car is very economical on fuel as it is just a little runabout and we got 5p off per litre when I last refuelled due to petrol vouchers we were given at the store. The flippy skirt will be reworn for other dates and was purchased at our local charity shop, so the charity benefited from that purchase. Yet another successful reasonable cost date with emphasis on togetherness rather than expense.
Ten Loaves of Bread for £1!
At the weekend I went to the Supermarket and found reduced bread, I was so pleased to be able to purchase 10 loaves of bread for just £1!! I still can't believe it. We have eaten some and the rest is in the freezer. It is such as huge saving on my weekly bill as I would normally pay about £5 for that many loaves and these were Hovis which are a lot more expensive than my usual store branded loaves.
Saturweigh
Last week I did lots and lots of walking as well as eating mainly fruit, salad, meat and vegetables. Even though I knew I had worked hard and was desperate for a good weigh in reading today I still wasn't prepared for what I read; I weighed in at 11:09!! The last weigh in was 11:12 so that means that I have lost three pounds in one week, awesome. I am so thrilled with this result.
On Saturday 10th July I set myself the challenge of losing 21 pounds in 21 weeks, ending on Saturday 4th December. My starting weight was 12 stone, today's reading was 11:09, I am so pleased that I have now lost the total of 5 pounds in 5 weeks. This means that I am back on track and in line with my challenge, that is absolutely amazing and the best results I have had for ages. Here's hoping that I can keep up the good work over the next week.
On Saturday 10th July I set myself the challenge of losing 21 pounds in 21 weeks, ending on Saturday 4th December. My starting weight was 12 stone, today's reading was 11:09, I am so pleased that I have now lost the total of 5 pounds in 5 weeks. This means that I am back on track and in line with my challenge, that is absolutely amazing and the best results I have had for ages. Here's hoping that I can keep up the good work over the next week.
Friday 13 August 2010
350 Paper Bun Cases for £1!
Today while shopping in my nearest town I was really pleased to find that I could purchase 350 paper bun cases in a plastic storage pot for just £1! At that price it works out that I get three and a half bun cases for each penny, wow! I am going to try them out first to make sure they are up to the job but if they are good then I am planning to dash back to the shop and get a few more packs. Perfect for baking chocolate chip buns or iced cup cakes.
Redeeming Loyalty Points
Trying to think of ways that I could cut back on my saving reminded me that I had loyalty points for 'Boots' our local chemist which I hadn't redeemed for ages. We were running out of nail varnish remover and cotton wool again, there are several teenage girls here :-)
I took my card to the store and walked out with my items without having to pay for them out of my account, that felt good! I have been informed that I still have several pounds left on my card which is good to know. I will keep these for other necessities as and when needed. It is so easy to just keep paying at the till and never think about cashing in the points due to you, I guess that's exactly what the stores want you to do.
I took my card to the store and walked out with my items without having to pay for them out of my account, that felt good! I have been informed that I still have several pounds left on my card which is good to know. I will keep these for other necessities as and when needed. It is so easy to just keep paying at the till and never think about cashing in the points due to you, I guess that's exactly what the stores want you to do.
Walking for Books
My young Son is seven years old and has learnt to read well. He has been reading whole books happily and so I decided he was ready for a trip to the library. We drove to the nearest village then parked up and walked on a safe path to the library in the next town. There he chose six books and joined the Summer reading scheme called 'Space Hop' where he will get rewarded with a certificate if he reads, records and judges all the books he has read. Then we walked back to our car. Our walk totalled 3 miles, not bad for a seven year old, he didn't even complain once!
Reducing Fuel Costs when Cooking
Usually I don't have to economise with cooking fuel as we normally have our Aga range on all the time but as it is Summer we let it out to save on oil costs. Yesterday I fancied cooking the family a roast but didn't want to put on the electric oven just to cook a chicken. So, I cooked two chickens and a large cake all at the same time! We ate our lovely hot roast for dinner last night and a cold chicken salad tonight with chocolate cake and custard for desert. There will be another meal of chocolate cake tomorrow so I am happy with the return on the cooking fuel.
Wednesday 11 August 2010
Did I Really Start Running?
Today has been a sunny day with wind, perfect for drying the washing. Three lines full and an airer too, saving the dryer bill again.
Had to laugh this morning when my Son put down on his schoolwork that his Mum was an example of someone that was thrifty! I had to agree, it's been obvious to all the family lately, they can't miss it.
My Husband did something really frugal today. He has always been known to be good at fixing things but today my 16 year old Daughter brought her deodorant aerosol can to him to be fixed as it still had a lot left inside (she's thrifty too like her Mum). Off he went to his workshop, a few minutes later he was back and it was fixed again. How many people would have just tossed it in the bin. Anyway our Daughter was happy as she didn't want to have to buy another one.
I only did 200 steps on the LTT today as I am still feeling the effects on my muscles from yesterday. I served up a nice fresh healthy salad for dinner tonight and nobody complained which was good. There was plenty of different foods to choose from so everyone was happy.
This evening my Husband and I went for a quiet country walk, about two miles in total. I even did a spot of running, a miracle for me, even my Husband was surprised how far I ran without complaining afterwards - amazing! Lol.
Had to laugh this morning when my Son put down on his schoolwork that his Mum was an example of someone that was thrifty! I had to agree, it's been obvious to all the family lately, they can't miss it.
My Husband did something really frugal today. He has always been known to be good at fixing things but today my 16 year old Daughter brought her deodorant aerosol can to him to be fixed as it still had a lot left inside (she's thrifty too like her Mum). Off he went to his workshop, a few minutes later he was back and it was fixed again. How many people would have just tossed it in the bin. Anyway our Daughter was happy as she didn't want to have to buy another one.
I only did 200 steps on the LTT today as I am still feeling the effects on my muscles from yesterday. I served up a nice fresh healthy salad for dinner tonight and nobody complained which was good. There was plenty of different foods to choose from so everyone was happy.
This evening my Husband and I went for a quiet country walk, about two miles in total. I even did a spot of running, a miracle for me, even my Husband was surprised how far I ran without complaining afterwards - amazing! Lol.
Tuesday 10 August 2010
Thigh Toning & Moving
Today I managed to do 400 steps on the Lateral Thigh Trainer (LTT). I did it in four sessions of 100 steps each time. This means that I burned up the total of 56 calories on the LTT alone! You can feel it in your thighs while working out and when you walk up the stairs afterwards, groan. I also walked for half an hour so my legs got a total workout today. I am also working hard at the healthy eating too.
Trying to spend less money on food by eating less and eating local is going to be a challenge but I think it is very possible. The results are certainly encouraging so far. With all this healthy British meat and veg as well as lots of fruit washed down with tons of water and cups of redbush my body should really respond positively. I am hoping for even healthier skin, nails and hair. Also to lose weight, 21 pounds in 21 weeks, to end by December 4th. I have lost 2 pounds in 4 weeks so far but this added fitness activity may help the weight to come off a little faster, if not at least I will be healthier and fitter. I still feel positive about this challenge. Looking forward to Saturweigh.
Trying to spend less money on food by eating less and eating local is going to be a challenge but I think it is very possible. The results are certainly encouraging so far. With all this healthy British meat and veg as well as lots of fruit washed down with tons of water and cups of redbush my body should really respond positively. I am hoping for even healthier skin, nails and hair. Also to lose weight, 21 pounds in 21 weeks, to end by December 4th. I have lost 2 pounds in 4 weeks so far but this added fitness activity may help the weight to come off a little faster, if not at least I will be healthier and fitter. I still feel positive about this challenge. Looking forward to Saturweigh.
Monday 9 August 2010
Freecycle Fitness
This week's star freecycle find for me was a Lateral Thigh Trainer also known as LTT. This has a stepper action but it really does tone the thighs, everyone in the family likes having a go on it. It counts the number of steps you take and gives you the time it took so you can beat your score. Also it tells you how many calories have been burned during activity.
I did 100 steps on it today and burned up 14 calories in the process. I hope to have another go on it tomorrow. I didn't want to overdo it or else I would get muscle ache. I had already walked about a mile and a half during my shopping trips today. That's quite enough exercise for me at the moment. I just need to move as much as I can, every day.
I did 100 steps on it today and burned up 14 calories in the process. I hope to have another go on it tomorrow. I didn't want to overdo it or else I would get muscle ache. I had already walked about a mile and a half during my shopping trips today. That's quite enough exercise for me at the moment. I just need to move as much as I can, every day.
Son's 13th Birthday
My oldest Son became a teenager on Saturday! For his birthday he wanted a pair of work boots like his Dad's, I got him a black pair. His Dad found just the gift for him, a mountain skateboard which is a large skateboard only it is all terrain and has huge wheels and pneumatic tyres! First my Son had to build it, putting on all the parts of the wheels and filling the tyres with air. We all had a lot of fun riding down the grassy hill on it, I captured the memory on the home video camera.
I haven't used our video camera for a few years now, my Husband was considering purchasing a new one as the model is a bit outdated now but it is a good one and it still works. So in the end we just dusted it off and my Husband bought new rechargable batteries for it. The children will love watching it all when they are a bit older.
Both sets of Grandparents gave him money as gifts and it is now already in his bank account. For his cake I purchased a cake topper Bendos skateboarding figure with a large black skateboard just like his new one! He now has it as an ornament for his bedroom as a reminder, the yummy chocolate cake has already been eaten.
I haven't used our video camera for a few years now, my Husband was considering purchasing a new one as the model is a bit outdated now but it is a good one and it still works. So in the end we just dusted it off and my Husband bought new rechargable batteries for it. The children will love watching it all when they are a bit older.
Both sets of Grandparents gave him money as gifts and it is now already in his bank account. For his cake I purchased a cake topper Bendos skateboarding figure with a large black skateboard just like his new one! He now has it as an ornament for his bedroom as a reminder, the yummy chocolate cake has already been eaten.
Saturweigh
Saturday is Saturweigh for me. On Saturday 10th July I set myself the challenge of losing 21 pounds in 21 weeks, ending on Saturday 4th December. My starting weight was 12 stone, the last weigh in was 11:13. Todays reading was 11:12! I am so pleased that I have now lost another pound. The total of 2 pounds in 4 weeks.
We had our Son's 13th birthday party on Saturday too! Social celebrations involving food happen regularly for our family so I just have to manage it by trying to eat a bit less than I want to. More exercise is essential when I eat more too. Friday night I walked 3 miles as part of our date night and Sunday I walked about 2 miles on a family walk on Dartmoor. Today I walked about a mile and a half as I walked around town in the morning and city in the afternoon shopping. Here's hoping for a good week of less eating and more exercise, all will be revealed next Saturweigh.
We had our Son's 13th birthday party on Saturday too! Social celebrations involving food happen regularly for our family so I just have to manage it by trying to eat a bit less than I want to. More exercise is essential when I eat more too. Friday night I walked 3 miles as part of our date night and Sunday I walked about 2 miles on a family walk on Dartmoor. Today I walked about a mile and a half as I walked around town in the morning and city in the afternoon shopping. Here's hoping for a good week of less eating and more exercise, all will be revealed next Saturweigh.
Active Date Night
Last Friday night's date night was the most active one we have had since my foot operation! I was feeling rather ambitious and suggested that we go for a walk together... a 3 mile walk!! We drove just a few miles then got out, parked in the layby and walked a mile and a half to the next town. There we walked around the park, watched a bit of a bowling match. It was good to see several younger members playing on the teams, as it always used to be portrayed as a game for Seniors. We saw a lot of flowers, especially roses and also a sweet little bird looking out of its nest up inside the roof of the bandstand. After we had been around the park we walked the mile and a half back to the car and went home to eat.
Dinner was much appreciated after this walk, the microwave soon heated the Lamb Moussaka for my Husband which he had with the chips I had cooked earlier when giving the children their dinner. He also had a small ice cream bar covered in crunchy chocolate for afters. I just had a jacket potato with cheese and a full salad for my dinner as I had my weigh in the next morning!
Tonight's date cost a little diesel for driving about 5 miles in total, plus a bit of shoe leather - lol. The food was all in house apart from the Lamb Moussaka which was bought deliberately for £1.69 (reduced from £2.40). Still a very low cost date compared to the ones we used to have. I wonder what we could do next week? Any ideas please do comment!
Dinner was much appreciated after this walk, the microwave soon heated the Lamb Moussaka for my Husband which he had with the chips I had cooked earlier when giving the children their dinner. He also had a small ice cream bar covered in crunchy chocolate for afters. I just had a jacket potato with cheese and a full salad for my dinner as I had my weigh in the next morning!
Tonight's date cost a little diesel for driving about 5 miles in total, plus a bit of shoe leather - lol. The food was all in house apart from the Lamb Moussaka which was bought deliberately for £1.69 (reduced from £2.40). Still a very low cost date compared to the ones we used to have. I wonder what we could do next week? Any ideas please do comment!
July Accounts for Food = Healthy
Now that August is here I decided to sit down with my July accounts and worked out how much we had spent on food during the month. I separated alcohol from these accounts as it isn't food, isn't an essential and is only consumed by my Husband and I on date nights. The outcome after adding up all these figures was that we had saved £110 this month compared to what we spent during the past six months! This gives us the figure of £1.64 per person per day, instead of £2 which it was before. I found this result very encouraging and want to keep going with this frugal experiment!
Admittedly we have been living out of the pantry and freezer a bit more but still had to purchase fresh items such as fruit, salad items, fruit, bread and milk which actually are a huge chunk of our grocery bill. Other things I have been doing to help are to eat less myself which also works towards my weight loss challenge and cutting down meat and fish portion sizes for the whole family. Our family like many other westerners tend to overeat on meat and fish, when it is healthier to fill up on vegetables instead, and I am now trying to introduce better eating habits for the good of us all. Also I am trying to buy my British meat when it is on special offer. If you shop around there are many local meaty bargains to be found.
Already I have receipts piling up waiting for the August food total, I am excited about adding it all up and am hoping that the result will be at least as good as this month's savings!
Admittedly we have been living out of the pantry and freezer a bit more but still had to purchase fresh items such as fruit, salad items, fruit, bread and milk which actually are a huge chunk of our grocery bill. Other things I have been doing to help are to eat less myself which also works towards my weight loss challenge and cutting down meat and fish portion sizes for the whole family. Our family like many other westerners tend to overeat on meat and fish, when it is healthier to fill up on vegetables instead, and I am now trying to introduce better eating habits for the good of us all. Also I am trying to buy my British meat when it is on special offer. If you shop around there are many local meaty bargains to be found.
Already I have receipts piling up waiting for the August food total, I am excited about adding it all up and am hoping that the result will be at least as good as this month's savings!
Thursday 5 August 2010
Benefits From Online Grocery Shopping
Grocery shopping online has been a reality for us nearly five years now. I was pregnant with my youngest at the time and had abnormal bleeding problems which concerned me about pushing heavy supermarket trolleys around loaded with the week's food and household necessities for a large family. For me at that time, online grocery shopping really was an answer to prayer! Now I have a choice of online grocery providers so can compare deals on a weekly basis, also we have a new superstore opened in our nearest town, so the choice expands! Unfortunately that wasn't the only thing that expanded, all those 'bargains' coming into the house are now showing on my waistline and my bank account.
When I sat down to see how much I was spending each month it was a scary amount, although further investigation showed that I was only actually spending £2 per person each day. So we were actually getting a more varied diet at a good price thanks to all the regular 'buy one get one free' deals. Lately we have become more money conscious after losing a part of our regular income which meant that we have been regularly spending from our emergency savings fund to pay for monthly necessities. There are a couple of large bills coming up which will just about clear the rest of our savings fund, so it is essential to see where we can save in order to keep a good quality of life for our large family. Since the beginning of July I have kept a good eye on my grocery spending and am deliberately spending a little less on a weekly basis which I believe will make a big difference over the next six months if I can keep it up, God willing.
One of the good things about my weekly online grocery shop is not just that they can deliver my full trolley load for less than it cost me to drive to the store and back! They also pack it well so that nothing gets squashed or broken. I can still remember that time when I dropped a jar of jam in the carpark...and the occasional smashed egg, definately the squashed bread or cakes under the weight of all the other carrier bags full of shopping fighting for space in the boot. Not to mention the occasional messes, split sugar bags leaving a sugary trail, or dusty flour on my black car seats. It takes time to clean up these messes.
At first I just compared the cost of fuel to the cost of delivery but recently I have realised that I wasn't taking wear and tear of the car into the equasion. Together with saving time driving to the store and back, not being tempted by all the other 'bargains' that weren't in my budget plan and not having to get baby sitting or the stress of taking all the children shopping with me, online grocery shopping is a real blessing!
When I sat down to see how much I was spending each month it was a scary amount, although further investigation showed that I was only actually spending £2 per person each day. So we were actually getting a more varied diet at a good price thanks to all the regular 'buy one get one free' deals. Lately we have become more money conscious after losing a part of our regular income which meant that we have been regularly spending from our emergency savings fund to pay for monthly necessities. There are a couple of large bills coming up which will just about clear the rest of our savings fund, so it is essential to see where we can save in order to keep a good quality of life for our large family. Since the beginning of July I have kept a good eye on my grocery spending and am deliberately spending a little less on a weekly basis which I believe will make a big difference over the next six months if I can keep it up, God willing.
One of the good things about my weekly online grocery shop is not just that they can deliver my full trolley load for less than it cost me to drive to the store and back! They also pack it well so that nothing gets squashed or broken. I can still remember that time when I dropped a jar of jam in the carpark...and the occasional smashed egg, definately the squashed bread or cakes under the weight of all the other carrier bags full of shopping fighting for space in the boot. Not to mention the occasional messes, split sugar bags leaving a sugary trail, or dusty flour on my black car seats. It takes time to clean up these messes.
At first I just compared the cost of fuel to the cost of delivery but recently I have realised that I wasn't taking wear and tear of the car into the equasion. Together with saving time driving to the store and back, not being tempted by all the other 'bargains' that weren't in my budget plan and not having to get baby sitting or the stress of taking all the children shopping with me, online grocery shopping is a real blessing!
Monday 2 August 2010
New Toys from Freecycle
This week's freecycle was really exciting for the children! The little ones came home with a hopper ball (also known as space hopper or kangaroo hopper), a jumping ball which is basically a ball with a sphere around it to jump on, a small skateboard, a bow and arrow for the boys and an air slammer game for the older children.
It has been fun to watch the little ones enjoy their active toys while the air slammer has this interesting buzzing sound, not annoying yet... Our older Son found a portable tool kit packed in a pouch with a pocket knife, torch and various other items that I won't even try to guess their uses! (It's definately a boy/man's thing).
It has been fun to watch the little ones enjoy their active toys while the air slammer has this interesting buzzing sound, not annoying yet... Our older Son found a portable tool kit packed in a pouch with a pocket knife, torch and various other items that I won't even try to guess their uses! (It's definately a boy/man's thing).
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