Kids and goal setting!

Hello Dear Reader,
I've just asked my kids for 3 places or things they would like to see or do in the next three months. It surprised me when I shared my goals with them, they fancied doing one of them with me.. It is important to ask them WHY do they want to do / or go there? What will it give them in terms of experience or expectations? How will they make them feel?

If you want to make things happen in your life, you have to set GOALS. I have learned goal setting from the best, Tony Robbins. http://training.tonyrobbins.com/meet-your-goals-with-massive-action-planning/#more-3127


Here is how it works in a nutshell:

1. Make a list of things you & (kids / partner) want to accomplish in next 3 months. That list becomes your goals. Do NOT be afraid to go big!
2. Then, divide your goals into 1 month, 2 month, 3 month deadlines. Organise budget or trade in Tesco points, look for deals on voucher web sites if it is to Theme parks.
3. Next, assign an action to each of your goals. This is something that you will do daily, weekly, monthly, etc to help you reach your goal, as well as keep you on track. Research the HOW..
4. Make it happen with the kids so they get a perspective of planning and doing to achieve the goals..!

      

Em x

Wedding - Pound shop!

Hello Dear Reader,
Sorry I have been busy with a family wedding. It was held in Saint Pierre Golf club in Chepstow and would highly recommend them for a venue. The staff, rooms and food were excellent!

http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/cwlgs-st-pierre-a-marriott-hotel-and-country-club/



I always believe you put out to the universe via Law of Attraction and you will receive what you want. If you are into this belief you will understand what I mean. Anyway it was the Saturday before the wedding and I didn't have a fastcinator, went into our pound shop and there in Navy was my fastcinator! Very grateful!! Very frugal! I think that mine was definitely the cheapest in the wedding! Lesson to be learn't pound shop first!! Can you tell??

Em x

Envelopes / Direct debits

Hello Dear Reader,

We just been paid on Friday, so following Dave Ramsey's technique - my financial guru. I have set up a simple system. Added all of my direct debits, know how much went into my bank account and have taken the rest out in cash. A couple of months ago since reading Dave's books I gave my credit cards to my friend's Mother to look after and have been trying to manage without them!! As its only my wage, no maintenance or other assistance raising two kids is tough!

Today I have started Dave's envelope system I have divided the remaining cash for wedding gift money (wedding tomorrow!), food, petrol, school dinner money. So each envelope I have written "Thank you for  my abundance" (Part of law of attracting more money) and how much is in each envelope. Simply when you spend anything out of the envelope you deduct the amount you have left and its must last the month! (gulp!). So when its gone its gone! No more cash point withdrawals!
Each pound must be accountable (you can have a blow envelope - just to spend for fun as well!)

Psychologically you are less likely to overspend using cash as opposed to swiping credit cards or debit cards. Where I know sometimes I couldn't even tell you the amount I just swiped! I paid last week for my car service in the Audi garage using cash and they looked at me a bit strange! I even had it reduced because they didn't have change!

The idea is through time you will dump debt and build wealth! so there will be no Amazon, Internet purchases (gulp!) Have a read of this guy's books, listen to his radio station - it will blow you away!

Em x

JUMP!

Hello Dear Reader,
Just came back from taking my daughter and her friends to jump. We were there for four hours so definitely had our money's worth! Had vouchers from voucher cloud so it was two for one on entry! Thank you voucher cloud!
http://www.vouchercloud.com/

They had a fab time, the staff are really friendly and helpful. They all had balloon guns...(free!). If you haven't been there it is worth a visit, today was lovely and quiet and it was our school's inset day, so the kids had the run of the place with the toddlers. It is the largest play area in South Wales so can get very busy! They have a drop slide which the kids once they have overcome their fear loved!

http://www.123jump.co.uk/

Shattered!
Em x

Approved Foods parcel is back!

Hello Dear Reader,
My approved foods parcel is back. It was like Christmas my parcel was massive! Just like Christmas. All the products were well packed in boxes inside this giant box.

My 1p Lucky Dip box: Chocolate chip cookies, crisps, cat food, scourers, laundry stain remover, cereal bars..

I had squash, toilet rolls, kitchen rolls, crisps, breakfast bars, Tomato sauce etc. Saved £39.00 on RRP! I will let you know how the products taste test..

Emx

Saving Mam: Measuring your urine's pH!

Saving Mam: Measuring your urine's pH!: Hello Dear Reader, Have you every measured your urine's pH? Well, I've had pH testing strips for a while in the cupboard, I bought ...

Measuring your urine's pH!

Hello Dear Reader,
Have you every measured your urine's pH? Well, I've had pH testing strips for a while in the cupboard, I bought them from my amazon to test my acidity. I had my gallbladder out four years ago and still cannot eat everything. Lately its getting worse, I had a scan on Monday and await the results.  So i have started my own investigation on how acidic is my body?
 I tested my urine first thing this morning it was 5.7 on the pH scale. According to my book that under 6.5 means I probably have an acid condition. Yup! It recommends testing every morning for the next fortnight and eating more alkaline foods. So its worth a try!

How acidic are you? 
Em x

Approved Foods?

Hello Dear Reader,
Just seen a link for 1p lucky boxes on approved foods. Has anybody ever had anything from there? It seems to be an increasing web site people are getting their food, household groceries from.

https://www.facebook.com/Extremecouponinguk?fref=nf


http://www.approvedfood.co.uk/





Just ordered some items to get my 1p lucky box. I will let you know when it arrives my feedback. I would be interested if you have ever ordered anything? What are your thoughts?

Em x

Tween birthday and rainbow splash cupcakes!

Hello Dear Reader,
My daughter turned 10 on Sunday. Double digit can't believe the time has gone that quickly. We celebrated her birthday yesterday as she was in my Ex on her birthday! Which is strange and everybody who is divorced will understand when you are not there the morning of birthdays!

I made her rainbow cupcakes to come home to - these were a quick development of mine using my favourite cupcake recipes. Over the years I have tried and tested a lot of cupcake recipes. But this one never fails and produces very moist and excellent cupcakes. To get the rainbow splash effect I dropped different colours into my mixer on slow speed at the end. I could have coloured different parts of the mix but this gave a splashed colour effect.

Takes: 30 minutes

51/2 oz 150g unsalted butter
5 1/2 oz 150g superfine sugar
6oz / 175g self-raising flour
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Red and green food colours

Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas mark 4, line 12 cup muffin tin with paper cases
Put all ingredients in mixer and beat.
Then drop red and green (other colours your have available) into the batter and gently fold in.
Bake for 20 minutes or until risen and just firm
Decorate with icing and strawberry jellies.

Em xx

Pound Shop DVD's! Friday night!

Hello Dear Reader,
I love going to the cinema, for me its a form of therapy and relaxation. Where you switch off, nobody can ring you or shout "Mam... ". But recently I went on a Friday and felt I was being ripped off. It nine pounds to get in and they wanted £3.20 for a bag of sweets!

So as a change we decided I would buy pizza and my friend would get DVD's from the pound shop. The first was a great feel good movie..  'A Bunch  of Amateurs' is about a sleazy Hollywood agent tricks one of his clients, a faded action star, into playing King Lear in an amateur charity production in England staring Burt Reynolds.

The second was a totally different 'Magic Mike'. About a male stripper teaches a younger performer how to party, pick up women, and make easy money! Reminded me of the 'Dream boys' in Edinburgh! Had a good laugh and a frugal night!

Can you recommend any pound shop DVD's?

Em x

This week Save £6.00 for £1000 for Christmas!

Dear Reader,

Its nearly Friday! This week's challenge is to save £6.00 to your Christmas Savings Account, giving us a total of £12.00!



Get Started and Have the BEST Christmas Ever!

1. Figure out how much you want/can spend on Christmas this year. It might be a set amount per person, or just an overall total budget amount. Is £1,000 enough?
3. That is the amount you will want to try to set aside to have for all of your Christmas Shopping.

If you can plan ahead and follow this challenge, you will have a completely different Christmas. No stressing, no worrying about money and for the first time you will actually enjoy the time you spend with your family! Try it once and you will never go back!

So this weeks start your list who are you going to buy for and budget per person, food budget, new decoration, seasonal parties etc..

223 days to Christmas!!

#Challenge 14 - living room cleaned before work!! Dinning room tomorrow!!

Ho Ho!

Em x

Chill out Wednesday!

Hello Dear Reader,
Today is chill out Wednesday! I was introduced to Mediation as part of my Reiki One course and ever since then I love listening to guided mediation especially on a Wednesday when it half way to the weekend! Yeah!!
The benefits are enormous and just chilling your mind from every day life can be very uplifting and deep fully relaxing. Guided mediation's can :

Increasing your intelligence & improve memory

Enhancing your creativity & improve clarity

Improved problem solving abilities

Decreasing anxiety & depression

Reducing irritability and moodiness

Enjoying a more positive outlook

Reduced muscular tension

Strengthened immune system

Accelerated ability to recover from strenuous exercise

Decreased high blood pressure & lower cholesterol

Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease

Reduced strain related pain, such as headaches

Ability to sleep more deeply and restfully

Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing

Reduction of free radicals – organic molecules responsible for aging, tissue damage, and possibly some diseases

Reduced levels of stress hormones such as cortisol

Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation 
   

http://youtu.be/X7iBnp8T6nY

So lie back close your eyes and try today's pick of guided meditation's

Chill

Em x

Quick treacle sponge! #4 mins!

Hello Dear Reader,
How was your day? Just made homemade Shepherd's, thought I know a quick treacle sponge pudding would be fab for afters! Years ago my Mother would cook a micro wave cake and by the time should would walk to the kitchen table to give it to us, it would be rock hard! Impossible to eat!

Here's my Quick Microwave treacle sponge recipe:

4 oz low fat flora
4 oz caster sugar
2 eggs
4 oz flour
Golden Syrup


1. Cream flora and sugar together until light creamy consistency.
2. Add eggs stir.
3. Add flour to mixing bowl.
4. Line microwave ring with golden syrup

5. Add mixture

6. Microwave 750 w for 4 minutes or until sponge is slightly firm to touch.
7. Serve immediately with custard or ice cream

Today's # 14 day challenge was my shoe cupboard. All clean, bleached, shoes paired!

Have a good evening
Em x

May Blitz! #14 day challenge

Hello Dear Reader,
I love watching Obsessive cleaner versus hoarder. Where I am neither, but I have observed that the cleaners are thinner than the hoarders who clean excessively per day! I am on a fortnight's challenge to clean and de-clutter a room a day!! Wish me luck!
Starting with my down stairs bathroom, which is only a few months old. It is surprising how many calories I could burn... De-cluttering, cleaning and having a no spend work out!

http://calorielab.com/burned/?mo=se&gr=05&ti=home+activities&q=&wt=150&un=lb&kg=68

Calorie burning activity	15 min	1 hour
Activity group: Home activities
?Carpet sweeping, sweeping floors	39	156
?Cleaning, heavy or major, vigorous effort Including washing car, washing windows, cleaning garage	34	136
?Mopping	43	170
?Multiple household tasks all at once, light effort	26	102
?Multiple household tasks all at once, moderate effort	43	170
?Multiple household tasks all at once, vigorous effort	51	204
?Cleaning, house or cabin, general	34	136
?Cleaning, light Including dusting, straightening up, changing linen, carrying out trash	26	102
?Washing dishes While standing	22	88
?Washing dishes and clearing dishes from table With some walking	26	102
?Vacuuming	43	170

Right where's my steamer?
Em x

Socks!

Hello Dear Reader,

Addressing one of my big bug bearers today! Socks!! I used to just put socks unpaired into drawers. Then one night I called in my dear friends they were both sat there on the settee pairing socks! There are six of them in the house hold and they had three laundry baskets full of unpaired socks!! Having only paired socks in drawers when I had five minutes I felt guilty of not doing such a task! 

Then crazily I started collecting socks in a washing basket to pair!! Why??? 

I now have a mound of socks!! All will be paired by end of today or collected as rags!!!



How do you manage your socks?
Em x

Meals this fortnight!

Hello Dear Reader,
Well, I have complied my meal plan for this fortnight and then plan a big freezer clean out! So here goes:-

Saturday - Ham and cheese pies, Jelly, cupcakes etc (Euro-vision party!)
Sunday - Chicken Fajitas
Monday - Shepherd's pie
Tuesday - Pasta bake
Wednesday - Bulgar wheat & Halloumi
Thursday - Tea at folks
Friday - Pizza
Saturday - Hen night part 2
Sunday - My daughters birthday tea spread
Monday - Tea at folks
Tuesday - Lasagne
Wednesday - Roast Veg, Mozzarella & Couscous
Thursday - Chicken chow mien
Friday - Fish & chips

Total = £18.12 (with what I already have in cupboards, freezer)


Happy Euro-vision Day !


Em x

Saving Mam: Time to save for Christmas! £4.00 this week!

Saving Mam: Time to save for Christmas! £4.00 this week!: Hello Dear Reader, Just a quick post to remind you to move another £4.00 into your Christmas Saving account ready for £1,000 at Christmas!...

Time to save for Christmas! £4.00 this week!

Hello Dear Reader,

Just a quick post to remind you to move another £4.00 into your Christmas Saving account ready for £1,000 at Christmas! Now have £6.00 in my on-line account! Yippee..

229 days to Christmas.. !

Em x

Menu Planning!

Hello Dear Readers,
Sorry i have not written, I have not been well - Inflamed Duodenum! Very painful! I had my gall bladder removed a few years ago and I'm suffering with gallbladder like attacks with no gallbladder!

So I'm planning my next fortnights meals having a cuppa! My life works in fortnights as my kids go to the ex every other weekend so I tend to plan a fortnight at a time. Trying to incorporate meals the kids will eat and that are healthy! Here is a really simple weekly meal planner to use:-

http://www.kidspot.com.au/meal-planning/Weeklymealplanner.pdf

The rules of meal planning:-

1. Will the family like it? - I have two completely different children with different taste. My daughter will eat pasta and Heniz tomato sauce until the cows come home! My son loves fish, no sauces...

2. Use ingredients you have - shop at home, whats lurking in your cupboard? I love inventing meals out of odd things in freezers / cupboards / fridges. Use up first and only shop for extra bits.

3. Get recipe inspiration - I like to get inspiration from magazines like the Good Food Magazine (subscribe to), Healthy and frugal sites for meal ideas. Now i have this fortnights meals planned. Looking to keep adding every time i see inspiration. The free Asda / Tesco magazines are great for weekly meal ideas.

4. Create the meal plan , print off and add to your fridge and you will never get to hear "I'm hungry Mam - what's for tea?"

5. Make your shopping list - internet shop or take your list with you, knowing you have everything you need for the next fortnight..

So what am i going to cook?

Em x

Hen weekend #Edingburgh #Dungeons #Dream boys # Life Drawing # Castle

Hello Dear Reader,
Sorry I haven't written. I've been away for a Hen weekend for my cousin son's bride to be. It was my  first time in Scotland and can honestly say how friendly and welcoming everybody was. We fitted a lot into our weekend. Would highly recommend Edinburgh's Dungeons. There were 15 of us and we literately screamed all the way round! The tour lasted 80 minutes and we got a really good deal as a group booking.

http://www.thedungeons.com/edinburgh/en/

We went to see the Dream boys - which was a good laugh. Say no more! Then went  life drawing which
was very different! Fifteen Welsh girls drawing a yoga expert while his wife scored our drawings!!

On the last day we went to visit the castle - as we were there...

Now looking forward to the Hen night part 2...

Cheerio the nou
Em x

Save £1000 for Christmas - Start tonight !!

Hello Dear Reader,

Join me tonight, every Thursday I am moving money starting with £2.00 into a on-line savings account (where I can't raid for kids school dinner money, take away's etc..). Then from now till beginning of December increasing every week by £2.00. So next week I save £4.00, week after £6.00 etc. This will add up to just over £1000 by the beginning of December.

Will be posting ways to save money through out the year. So give up the magazine, coffee and chocolate in work tomorrow and pop £2.00 in a jar or savings account...

We are always in shock that Christmas is upon's us and there is only 237 days until the big day.

"Another thing I like about this challenge is that it gives you a weekly, recurring savings goal. It might be small amount, but it’s a great way to save when you don’t have much to save". Get Rich Slowly article please see link below.

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2014/04/30/money-challenges-why-im-ok-with-them-and-a-few-of-my-favorites/

Sign up for the challenge.. ? Reply in comment box.
Saving Mam money...

Em x