Sunshine

Well it's sunny outside and we should all be making the most of it. Another week of work ticked off and a busy one at that, so its time to enjoy the weekend, a day out is in order.
Now how do you have a day out without spending any money?
We have decided on a trip to the coast, luckily we only live an hour away from the sun, sand and surf so petrol won't cost too much, but there is the dilemma of fish and chips versus picnic. Picnic should be cheaper but fresh fish and chips is the ultimate luxury so maybe just once this month we shall splash out, but if our financial will power wins it will be some home made sandwiches, English apples picked from the tree and home made cakes. We'll be packing up our thermos flasks and some Martha proof snacks and all we need then is the picnic blanket, bucket and spade and we are off. Hopefully the weather will hold and the rest of East Anglia won't have had the same idea as us!

Ebay Assist

My daughters feet grow daily and my six year old teachers wardrobe is looking a bit shabby. The money saving rules dictate I'm not allowed to spend, but needs must so I've been hitting the eBay searchs. Kids shoes still go for a fair few pounds but I'm watching some preloved Clarks that hopefully won't carry the £30 price tag of a new pair. As for my proffesional attire I've grabbed some great bargains bidding at the last moment. Two skirts and some trousers none of which went over the £1 mark and best of all I get some post which isn't a bill!

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£96 And Counting

Routine equals success, the nightly preparation of snacks and sustinance for the following day. The inbuilt habit to pick up your lunchbox on the way out to work. We have nearly completed our first month back at school since summer holidays and we haven't failed once to take our own packing up. Max has had one unfortunate day where all he consumed was two rounds of peanut butter sarnies but on the whole lunch is good. Martha and I are even baking home made treats to battle the sugar hit you need to see you through the afternoon. The best thing though is the feeling of saving money. Max isn't piling round after round of 30p's into the staff room coffee machine and I'm avoiding the daily 50p spent on afternoon cake. This month we think we've added nearly £100 into the kitty from packing up not buying out. I need to deduct from that a tenner for buying two new thermos flasks after obliterating the old ones caps in the microwave in an attempt to steralise them but that's still not bad. Now I just need anithervVicky Blick visit to cook us up a couple more batches of sausage pie for next month and we are truly sorted.

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Tasty Savings

Saved money today by baking. I followed the no wastage rules and whipped up a batch of chocolate and banana cupcakes. Utilising the very dodgy bananas and some scrapings from a jar of honey. They were very delicious (were being the word to choose as they are now all eaten!) Tomorrow I think it's autumnal enough to cook the first roast of the season and I shall see how many meals I can get out of the leftovers (if there are any). I'm looking forward to the eating already.

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A Hobbit House?

Just a quick post today as I have a pile of school admin to sort before bedtime. Tonight's tip bit comes from my good friend Mr Todd. Now I would love to build me one of these.

This clever man designed and built his house with just the help of his father in law and all for just £3000. Only trouble is he got some free woodland to build it in. Woodland owners let us know if we can come and build a house amongst your trees. For more pictures check out
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/Man-builds-stunning-hobbit-yahoofinanceuk-1514084024.html
On a different note our electricity has decided to go AWOL and we are without power to any upstairs sockets. We only discovered this on our return from work, the fuses had tripped and the power had been off all day! It's good news for the electric bill but not so good for the repair bill. Glad we have been living on a tight budget, it may all get spent on the repairs, that's if I can't persuade the electrician to take payment in cakes or handmade green fair ipod holders!

Shabby Chic?

I've been meaning to post this since the weekend. What a slacker.
Last week Mrs Chicken suffered a cat attack (she survived it, slightly shaken though she hasn't laid an egg since!) We decided it was time our free rangers got cooped up when we weren't around to protect them. In the spirit of saving rather than spending Max went into super scavenge mode. Our neighbor Carl (of the famous Carl cookie) gave us some posts from his wood stash and Mr Next Door (I can't remember his first name and embarrassment stops me from asking him) donated us a little more. A couple of hours spent scavenging in the waste ground behind our house and Max had enough to knock up this little number. You may call it rickety or bodged but I think its fantastic and with a splash of blue to match their house and maybe even a bit of bunting to decorate it it will look dandy. Most importantly it saved us a few bob and it's protected our feathered friends from cat attack.

School Photos

Martha has got her school photo tomorrow. Well nursery photo. Last year we didn't even realise she was having one taken and it was pure luck she turned up in a clean and coordinating outfit. When we saw the shots we were suckered in to buying the budget set (not that budget at £27). This year we are adamant we will not buckle no matter how cute she looks. To help our resolve I did some maths and worked out that if we bought a photo every year of her nursery and school days from now until she finishes school (which hopefully she will and not become a delinquent ) then we would spend a massive £400. Now that's enough to buy her a first car in years to come, or pay for several euro tunnel crossings to France, or even renovate our bathroom. So sorry Martha, but I think I will be taking the nursery photo this year.