Monday, 1 January 2018

What are you spending your life hours on?



1st January 2018
We don’t buy things with money – we buy them with hours from our lives.
How powerful is that sentence above, it’s really given me something to think about and confirmed the thoughts and choices I’ve made over the last few months.  It’s given me a goal for January I think, we’ll come back to that in a minute.

January 1st then, yesterday was possibly the longest day ever, I thought it was just me because I’d woke up at silly o’clock yesterday but turned out mom agreed so we were both in bed before 8, of course we were both woke up just before midnight by Alfie and the fireworks so we lay on moms bed together and saw in the new year, then went back to bed.  I was sung to sleep by the neighbours in their garden enjoying their annual party and then Alfie woke me again at 4am to go up the garden.

Back to work tomorrow so things to get ready today, back to normality now, life as I know it, life as I like it, getting that balance between work and rest is so important for me, I forgot that for a while back in 2017, I don’t intend to make that mistake again.  Those words “We don’t buy things with money – we buy them with hours from our lives.” Really have given me food for thought, I usually go a little crazy in the January sales and buy stuff, but this time I’ve asked myself a few questions beforehand, 1) Would I really buy this if it wasn’t on sale? 2) Do I really need it, want it or is it just adding to the ‘stuff’ I already have?  I’ve reminded myself I’ve spent a huge chunk of 2017 getting rid of stuff, decluttering my house, because I’m not the best tidier in the world, I’m untidy by nature and the less stuff in my house, the easier it is to keep clean. 

The less I buy, the less I need to earn – I’m particularly going to start reminding myself of those with food.  I’ve almost got my house exactly as I want it, so not much more money to spend there for a while.  I haven’t got my body exactly as I want it, there’s a bit too much of it.  Don’t get me wrong, I still love every inch of it, I just know I would feel better with less, healthier, more energy, less pain.  What will help me lose some of it – easy eating a little more frugally, that’s going to save me money too of course.

I started my journal Saturday, it most certainly wasn't the best first day, yesterday was even worse, I see this week as me just getting some normality back in my world, I'm in no rush, there's 10 weeks in that journal, which will take me to March, those are the worst weeks of the year for me.  I am planning a good day today though and I’m going to look at this being a bit more frugal this month, having a week of in December means my pay packet this month will be light, plus all the usual outgoings of Christmas, so how to save money this month because I want to start saving those life hours.

Planning – that saves money straight away, I shall do that today, go through the fridge, freezer and cupboards make a list of what I have and come up with some meal ideas, that’s this afternoon’s task.  My sister pointed out, I cook for too many people when I cook and she’s correct I do, so that’s something else I need to address – there’s only two of us!  Don’t waste food, I know the carrots in my kitchen are on the turn so they need using today, straight away I thought soup, but the truth is I’m not a massive soup fan, what about


Or


My Weight Watchers monthly pass has run out and I can’t renew it till tomorrow when the office is open so I’m going to have to use my books to point anything up I cook, old school pen and paper. 

Actually I think I’m going to make a casserole, I remember now I’ve taken some turkey breast mince from the freezer, which with carrots, onions and potato will make a good filling meal. 

The other great thing about getting frugal is the Flex Zero food list is full of ingredients that will save money and fill you up, things like the plant based proteins (chick peas, lentils, kidney beans, butter beans etc) they’re all really reasonable and go a long way, I might add lentils to my turkey pie.

If you’ve got any cheap meal ideas, let me know, I’m sure we can all do with saving some money in 2018, heck if we save the money, you can spend it on making those hours in your life enjoyable.

Have you got lots of leftover cheese like me?  Did you know it all freezes beautifully, that’s what I’m going to do with mine I think, wrap it up first of course.   I’ve often used up leftover Christmas cheese in a vegetable crumble, no recipe for me just a tray of veggies in the oven topped with cheese.  The veggies are zero so you can afford to spend some points on cheese.

I’ve just found this recipe for turkey breast mince (or chicken mince)

Zero Slow Cook Chilli Recipe
Serves: 4
  • 400g turkey or chicken breast mince
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tin of tomatoes
  • 1 tin red kidney beans
  • 1 small tin sweetcorn
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1tsp paprika
  • 1tsp chilli powder
  • 1tsp cumin
  1. Fry the turkey in a pan until it's browned then add to the slow cooker.
  2. In the pan, fry the onion, garlic and pepper to soften and pop them in to the slow cooker.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.
  4. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours
  5. Enjoy!
Anyway, I’m going to get my act together, ready for work first, then some time getting my week ready for healthy eating and money saving.

Happy New Year to you and yours BeYOUtiful, let’s make 2018……

You can finish that sentence.



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