Now or Never

We're all moaning about the lack of summer but I'm quite confident that September and October will be as gorgeous as last year.  I remember being on the beach after school in October, in our shorts, slapping on suncream.

And I won't be caught out this year!  I will have my transformed garden in time for breakfast and dinner in the September sun!

I'd love an orangery, but we just don't have the room.  We've a small garden that needs the most of every inch making of it.  Here's a gorgeous summer room extension that the highly skilled (and most importantly, tidy and affordable) builders at Space Construction undertook last year.

Complete with everyone's must have - Bifold Doors

A lovely airy, spacious summer room

Our garden has been put off and put off year after year.  \Do you have things that are put off and put off and never get done?

The lads at Space Construction get most of their work by word of mouth and recommendation. They are able to advise on the best options for maintenance of your property to avoid costly renovation nightmares.

So if you're on the Fylde coast and your home is in need of a spruce up or repair, speak to Craig on 01253 341878 for a free, no obligation quote.  There's more examples of their work and testimonals on their webpage. (If you're after a new kitchen, there's some stunning examples on their website)

This is a sponsored post as part of my Sponsor of the Month advertising package.

Meal Planning Monday - Lunch & Dinner Special

They never stop eating! Boys that is. After a week of constant scoffing, I'm going on a two pronged attack of planning lunch and dinner in an attempt to fill them.

So here it is:


Monday:
Lunch - Macaroni Cheese
Dinner - Shepherds Pie

Tuesday:
Lunch - Burgers (made of shepherds pie leftovers) and potato Wedges
Dinner - Chicken Roast Dinner

Wednesday:
Lunch - Chicken Pilaf (from left over chicken)
Dinner - Chicken Enchiladas (using the last of the chicken)

Thursday:
Lunch: Cowboy Casserole
Dinner: Fish Pie with lots of veg

Friday:
Lunch: Home made sausage rolls & cheese & tomato squares
Dinner: Spaghetti Bolognaise

I'm also installing a permanent fixture of a big tub of fruit salad in the fridge for between meals.

If this plan doesn't work, they'll be getting cooked breakfasts next week.

How do you fill your kids up?

There's loads more meal planning inspiration on Mrs M's blog

Sunday Breakfast - Cheesy Bacon Butty

(Apologies for the lack of photo, I'm typing this before making it. I'll update with a pic when I get chance)

I first came across this on a Saturday butty order about 15 years ago when I worked in a car dealership. I thought it was odd and week in week out would raise my eyebrows wondering where this concoction came from. Germany was the answer. The salesman that regularly ordered it was married to a German lady.

I tried it once and found its the best start to a day where you might miss lunch!! Here's how I make it..

You Will Need:

A large barmcake (tea cake, bap, roll - insert correct regional word for round bread!

A handful of grated cheese

Two bacon rashers

Two mushrooms

Half a sliced tomato


How To Make It

1. Lightly toast your barmcake

2. Cook your bacon as you like it

3. Slice and cook the mushrooms with the bacon

4. Put the bacon on the barmcake followed by the mushrooms, sliced tomato and sprinkle the grated cheese over the top

5. Grill until the cheese melts

6. Put the top of the barmcake on and enjoy.

It's really tasty so you won't need sauce. It's also more filling than it looks and a great way to get a decent amount of food down if your short of time.

If you try this, please let me know what you think

What's you're favourite Sunday breakfast?

The International Instruction Register

I have got a drawer full, crammed full of instruction books for various appliances and toys, some of which we don't even own anymore.


And I suspect everyone has the same drawer of instructions.

Lost Instructions

I've several issues with this...


1)  If they were just in English, they wouldn't take up so much room


2)  Even if I was organised and put them in a file, in alphabetical order, they'd still be taking up space.


3)  If I scan them into the computer, I'll still probably never use them and they'll take up room again.


4)  If I ever need instructions, they will be the ones I threw away.


So my solution to this is an International Instruction Register.  Most manufacturers do have their instructions online for people like me who periodically (read habitually) lose things, so I think all instructions should be available for download from one site that is the International Instruction Register.  And I would have a kitchen drawer to play with.


What do you think?

Clear Out and Clean Up £££

If you’ve not spring cleaned this year, then this is your kick up the butt to do so.  And while you’re at it – you can gather yourself a nice little lump of money for your savings pot.

Now, your either a car-booter or your not.  I’m not so I’m an ebayer.  I’ll pay the listing and final sale fees just to avoid having to ram the van full of rubbish.  Also, I’m a bit precious over things.  If someone is haggling for 5p off, I’ll refuse to sell it as I think they being cheeky!  So, it’s best all round if I sell things online!

Clear Out and Clean Up £££

Things that sell really well are baby clothes, designer clothes and electricals.  If you find any old mobile phones, sell them.  You might think they’re outdated and not worth anything, but someone might need it for parts, or it maybe their favourite model phone of all time.  Don’t be held back by what you think won’t sell.  You never know what people may buy.

Things that don’t sell well are bulky items that need collecting (prams, excercise equipment, barbeques) and DVD’s and books.  This is because the market is flooded and titles can be bought new from places like Play.com and The Book People.

Always price things realistically as you want rid of it.  If you’re not sure, look on ebay and see what the going rate is.

Another ebay tip is to list your items in the evening so the auction ends in the evening.  There will be more people actually online and bidding for your precious items.

For the car booters amongst you, please don’t be like me and refuse sales!!  |Take what you can and reduce prices at the end.  Make a “50% off” sign before you go and hoik it up when the crowds look like they have peaked.  You don’t want to be packing up a load of stuff you don’t want and taking back home.

After your car boot or ebaying spree, take out your expenses and put your profits in your savings pot.

If you do this every six months (or every three if you have loads of stuff!), you can pay a nice little chunk off that mortgage!

Lunch Money

This weeks tip for reducing your outgoings concerns the amount of money we spend on our lunch (and a bit of a rant about the price of a sandwich!)

Add up how much you spend on your own lunch during the week.  If you are a homeworker, like me, I usually eat 3 times a week out of the fridge and twice out during the working week.  If you can get the 2.99 meal deals every day, you are spending £15 on your lunch, but what about the extras you pick up when you are there.  If you’re anything like me in Boots, you’ll be spending a small fortune, but even a supermarket meal deal exposes you to magazines, more than you want to eat, special offers you don’t really need, cakes for everyone in the office – you get the idea.  You go in to spend £3 and come out spending £13.

The most cost effective option I have found for lunches is beans on toast, soups and leftovers.  If you don’t mind eating the same thing twice, leftovers are your saviour, plonking a whopping £60 a month in your savings pot.  If you do like variety (and I do), soups can save you with most home made vegetable soups costing around 40 pence per portion.  Add a bread roll and you’ve a filling, healthy meal.  Vegetable soup is also the best way of using up your dying vegetables and reducing that leftover food deficit we all need to reduce.  I’ll post a few vegetable soup recipes and update this post over the next week.

Now kids lunches may be breaking your food budget as they eat so much!  The majority of kids lunchbox items are vastly overpriced.  I bought my 9 year old a flask and he took a variety from beans and sausage to soup to pasta and even hot pot once (although that didn’t go down well).  The push behind that was that he was sick of sandwiches and it is a real timesaver in the morning.

So, daily sandwich runs can end up costing you enormously but on the up side – if you change your habits, you’ve a bit to put in your savings pot each week.  Forecast how much this will save you over the year and I’m sure you’ll be motivated enough to do it!

Let me know your thoughts below.  Have you any ideas for cheap lunches?

5 Free Ways to Entertain The Kids

We're not even through the first week and already I bet you've had the opportunity to spend a fortune on entertainment. 

Well here's my top five ways to entertain for free!!

1.  Movie Quiz.
I've seen most of the kids films over and over again.  So much so, I can write a quiz on it.  So I did.


2. Decend on a Friend
You can repay the favour, it's not as cheeky as it sounds!


3. Bike Ride (or scooter ride)
Take a picnic and plenty of drinks to avoid the spend at the end.


4. Clear the Decks
Get the wardrobes cleared out of stuff that doesn't fit and get the toys they've outgrown ready for either car booting or ebaying.


5. Independence Day
I love this activity.  Put up a tent in the garden (If you don't have one, use chairs and sheets), let the kids make their own picnic and sit back and put your feet up.  I usually write out a scavenger hunt in preparation for a longer feet up.


What do you do that costs nothing?  I'd love to hear your ideas - I've another five weeks to get through!