Ten Minute Task - Bannisters

My life is a constant rush and unfortunately not off the adrenaline kind.

An uncluttered house is my dream and I'm working at it ten minutes at a time.

This week, I have been cleaning bannisters.  It's also good exercise!

It's a simple job but one that gets ignored no matter how many times you lean on it.

So the easiest way, I find, is grab a bowl of hot soapy water and a cloth.

I hold the cloth and run my hands down each spindle, quite tightly, to get those rings of dust.

Then I pull the cloth from side to side through the gaps, where the dust really gathers.

Then it's a quick wipe down the sides, wipe of the handrail and I'm done. 

I also do the skirting boards on the other side and it just takes me ten mins.

What can you get done in ten mins, what task do you avoid?

Have a good, clean week!!

Claire

Money Making Mojo

The hardest thing about being determined to pay off a debt or to save is to get focussed and stay focussed.

Those who have read this blog will see that I've lost focus on that goal several times.  If I had stayed focused, I would have paid off my mortgage by now and have a nice little income in the form of rent.

Most of the time, doing what you always have is not enough and you can only scrimp and save so far.

So how to make that extra money to throw at the debt you want to kill?

Firstly look at what you do.  There's 24 hours in a day.  How much of that do you spend in front of the TV?  Could you spend that couple of hours doing something else? Do you sleep too much? (I do given the opportunity)

Have a look at People Per Hour or E-Lance.  Are there any jobs on there that you could do in that couple of hours a night

I know you don't want to work all the hours, but this doesn't come easy.  Hard work pays off!!

Are you crafty?  Have a look at Etsy or Folksy.  Is there anything on there that you can make and sell to create another income stream?  I find Craftseller magazine a great inspiration.  Buy a second hand one off ebay, see what you think.

Is there anything you can do locally?  Babysitting maybe?  Tutoring students?

Do you blog? Can you write? Can you complete questionnaires for a few quid (you could do that AND watch TV!)

And your regular job, could you do more hours?  Are you worth a pay rise?  Can you do a project at home maybe for a bonus?  

If you own your own business, market yourself in different ways to get more work with a different clientelle, maybe?

These are just ideas to get you in the right frame of mind.  You have to have several income streams to make this work fast.  Have a look at the March Side Hustle Posts on Mortgage Free in Three.  Elaine's kids were determined to make a set amount and they did it.  They pulled together and they did it because they worked hard and made more income streams.

Hopefully I've got you raring to go now?! So go!  Do!!

Meal Planning Monday - The Big Cooking Session

So, last week worked really well - here's the gist if you missed it...

Back..ok

So, as usual I'm acting like my children actually run the house and have the upper hand, and I'm letting them do the meal planning again.  I've suggested they follow up on this and do the shopping too but they both disappeared leaving me with a 1 year old that can push a trolley but just throws money out of purses therefore can't yet be trusted.

Although they have chosen what they want to eat, I have jigged it around a bit, just to stamp my authority as an adult really, and to make it so I can cook once on Monday after I've shopped and then have more free time to clean up after the little darlings and chauffeur them around if necessary.

Here it is..

Monday - Spaghetti Bolognaise and Garlic Bread

Tuesday - Green Thai Curry and Rice with piles of mange tout and baby corn

Wednesday - Spaghetti Tacos and potato wedges

Thursday - Slow Cooker Curry

Friday - Cheesy Mash Shepherd's Pie and piles of veg

Saturday - Take Awaaaaaayy!!

Sunday - Paprika Chicken and Quinoa

and the plan for cooking...

Monday 
- Make huge batch of spag bol and freeze several portions.
- Put enough in fridge for Spaghetti Tacos on Wednesday
- Make Thai Curry and refrigerate
- Mix up the curry sauce in a freezer bag and put in fridge
- Make garlic bread - from scratch!!  (anyone know if I can freeze dough?)
- Make two shepherds pies and freeze

Tuesday
- Make pan of rice and veg for with curry

Wednesday
- Dice chicken and add to bag of ingredients

Thursday
- Fling chicken curry bag contents into the slow cooker in a flamboyant, I've beat this stove standing lark fashion
- Remember to switch slow cooker on at the plug!!!
- Make some rice and chips at tea time
- Defrost a shepherds pie

Friday 
- Bung shepherds pie in oven and boil loads of veg

And you're thinking but what about the Paprika Chicken?

Well it's already lingering at the back of the freezer.  I found it during a lunchtime freezer dive last week.

This reduced cooking plan is really working for me!

This post is linked up with the Meal Plan Monday Linky on At Home With Mrs M.  There are loads  of meal plans on there and I urge you to read them as some are gourmet!!

Wine...Its not for me

How many thirty-ahem-cough-cough year old females say that?

I've tried wine drinking and come to the conclusion that I'm more off a beer gal.  But then it's difficult to eat a meal with a stomach full of gas and equally as difficult to hold a conversation without letting rip with a massive belch.

So, real ales, they're good as they're not gassy but they are filling, not widely available and can be a little bit too strong for me.  I'm good if its a couple in a pub, but not for a night out.

Colin Burbidge - The Lancashire Wine School

Now to the housewives favourite, wine. Red or white I'm not a fan.  Neither are sweet enough and I fear the staining of the red on my teeth.  (Tooth tip - don't brush your teeth after drinking red - the acids interfere with tooth enamel and it can be damaged by a vigorous brush-another reason to give out a wide berth - Thanks Col!)

I do actually like the taste of one wine, a sauvingon blanc that I tried at a Lancashire Wine School Wine Tasting.  It was fruity enough to taste nice and was refreshing. I didn't get the icky aftertaste.  I just get to drink on wine.

So what is my drink of choice?

After trying six different types, including white, aged and tawny, my drink of choice is Port.  Get me!  Who'd have thought I'd be tempted away from Dissarono and Tia Maria!! From The unsophisticated drinks of the bar to the posh end in one high heeled glide!!

Thanks to Colin Burbidge for furthering my alcohol education and introducing me to grown up drinks at my ripe old, I mean tender, age!!

You can read more about Colin's Port and Cheese nights here, and if you're in Lancashire and going to a tasting night, let me know!

The Lancashire Wine School are, appropriately, sponsoring My Cava Lifestyle this month.  Unfortunately just the blog, not my actual Cava Lifestyle!!

Project Life for Meal Planning

Project Life by Becky Higgins is a system designed for scrapbookers who don't have the time to do layouts but want to record their lives in a quick and easy way.

Segmented plastic pockets are filled with pictures and pre-designed journalling cards which give a large layout where the elements just slot in and all the pockets are held in a lovely padded ringbinder.

It just doesn't work for me though.  I like simple scrapbook layouts but I don't like my layouts when I do them in the Project Life style.  So after investing in the cards, the pockets and the binder, I need to find an alternative use and that is...

To do my meal planning!

I've been meaning to make a meal planning board for ages but haven't got around to it.  I want a card system where I can categorise meals into types of meat, sides and carbs and I figured my project life binder is ideal for this!  I can even write recipes on the backs of the cards.

I have a lot of meals to write up and add to my binder but this is my starting point.

The boys can even have a browse through when they don't know what they fancy.  It'll be like a menu for them.  They'll love it!  They have waiter service, why not have a menu too!

What do you think? 

Would this system work for you?

Have you any alternative uses for the Project Life Materials?

This is not a sponsored post, it is me making a craft project out of an investment that is sat there gathering dust.  Although, I would love to do a sponsored post if Becky or her team are reading?!

Stupid Things My Council Does - Week 1

I'm taking a break from ranting this week.  It's the Easter Holidays, 3 boys at home, I'm too chilled to rant!!  (ha!)

I regularly go on and on (and then some) about the council but this really is blogworthy.

Blackpool Council are giving out cards to dog owners who pick up their dogs poo.  The card says "Thanks for Doing Right".

I'm sure you probably re-read that to make sure I had typed Had rather than Hadn't.

The Gods Shining on My Dog who never leaves a Poo Behind!!

It is indeed someone's job to watch people pick up poo then go and say thanks.  They are then entered into a free draw for an annual Merlin pass. (the dog owner, not the employee hahah!)

If some jobsworth gave me a card for picking up MY dogs mess, I would calmly* suggest they spend their time and my council tax money focusing on the lowlifes that DON'T pick up poo - you know - the ones that actually break the law by letting their dogs foul.  The ones that could cause blindness to an innocent child who just wants to play on the local field.

*whilst Red Faced, Loud Voiced and Hand Waving Frantically 

Is this the most ridiculous thing you have heard today?

People at the council are losing their jobs because of cutbacks yet they are paying for personnel and printing to fund this stupid scheme!!!

Please back me up on this!  How stupid is this!!??

Is your council as ridiculous?

What's on at Easter - Budget Activities

The school holidays can really affect your budgetting and saving.  They certainly do mine.  I get sick of hearing my own voice say No to everything that costs money.

Here's five ways to get you and the kids out of the house for not very many pennies at all.

1.  Take a picnic.  Wherever you go, whatever you do, take food with you.  I can't pay £2 for a sandwich and drinks really affect the savings.  Take far too many drinks and enough food to keep the "can I haves?" at bay.

Cheap Days out for kids

2.  Visit a Museum.  The majority are free.  Google your county followed by the word museum and find one you may not have known about.  Fleetwood Museum was our surprise last Easter.

3.  Visit a Graveyard.  What?!!  Are you crazy!? What kind of day out is that?  Well, if you've an interest in family history or maybe a section in your local graveyard (we have a polish section and a WW2 section) you can really get stuck into discussions about how the world was.  ok, it's not an every holiday day out, but it is an experience!

4. Park Crawl.  Like a pub crawl but parks instead.  Great if you've got fuel in the car and your town has several parks.  We visited one a week in the summer hols last year and rated them on equipment and friendliness of locals.

5. Couponing!!  I know Walkers are currently giving half price vouchers to Sea Life Centres and if you get on the money saving forums, any good deals will be listed.  There's always Tesco vouchers too.  You can even buy them for a song on ebay! Search Tickets and see what comes up.

6.  RNLI - if you live on the coast, have a mosey round the lifeboat station.  Check they are open first though, most are and all have an open day at some point in the year.

7.  Scavenger Hunt.  You know I love them.  Do a nature themed sheet and do the hunt in the park before you settle down for your picnic.  Take a bat and ball and go all old school in the afternoon with ball games!

So, hopefully that'll give you some ideas to get out.  And if you had budgetted for the day out and do a cheaper, or free alternative, bank the money in your savings fund!