Back British Farming and locally sourced food

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Eating locally and using British products in my cooking is incredibly important to me.

This weekend, a long-standing dream of mine has come true and I am now the proud owner of chickens! So farm-fresh eggs will be used daily here in my kitchen.

Our homegrown produce is also ready to start harvesting – so apples, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, beetroots and peppers.

We still have lots of home-reared pork in the freezer, along with lots of other British meat from the butchers. I also love the fact that we have milk from our local milkman!

It’s a long process that I keep tweaking but we are slowly, as a family, becoming more sustainable with our meals.

Maternity money and future planning

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Anybody that knows me, truly appreciates how much I love saving money.

Growing up I struggled to make any savings. However, when I met Dan and realised how I wanted to build a future with him, I started my saving journey and changed my perception of money. Long gone were the credit card shopping sprees to Bicester Village and now I view the cost of items in comparison to how many hours I would need to work to afford it.

Fast forward 6 years and throw in becoming a mother and running a house, I now ensure I have an emergency fund, savings for any car bills (insurance, MOTs, servicing etc.), a joint savings account with the OH to make sure we can afford our home renovations as and when they are needed, a ‘rainy day’ fund which tops up automatically whenever we spend money from the savings account, cash put aside for Christmas/birthdays and also a child savings account for our 9 week old son. On top of this I follow a whole heap of budgeting accounts on Instagram and Tiktok which constantly inspire and keep me motivated to continue saving.

Well now my maternity pay is due to decrease for the next 6 months with it completely stopping for the following 3 months, I welcome the challenge of working harder to save even more money and doing what I can to ensure my family are well-cared for. Here are some things I will be implementing over the next 9 months to try and stay ahead of the curve with my maternity finances:

1.Using my credit card

Yes, you read that bit right! I love having my credit card. Whenever I have a big bill to pay (car insurance, vet bill etc.) I always use my credit card to pay it off and then clear it as soon as the statement comes through. That way you don’t accrue any interest on your spending but it does give you a bit of extra time to get your finances for the month in order.

My credit card statement comes through on the 15th of every month and is due for the minimum payment by the 10th of the following month. I get paid on the 27th every month so can budget to pay off the statement from two months of pay. Or if it is a planned bill, then take it from my dedicated savings fund and clear straight away.

That way, I can usually get an extra 2 weeks of savings put aside before the payment is due so my account never falls to zero – something that mentally makes me feel a lot better! Just make sure, if you plan to try this, that you keep an eye on when your credit card is due to be paid and that you don’t miss any payment dates.

2. Monitoring bills and checking for cheaper options

I’ve recently reduced my phone bill to a sim-only contract for 24 months, costing £23 a month through EE. This in comparison to the £65 I have been spending to pay off the phone means an extra £40 saved a month. We also have Sky TV and Broadband and after a conversation recently with one of their advisors, our monthly costs for everything have reduced from £112 to £91 (still a lot of money but we do consider this a necessity!). Also, my horse insurance renewal came through and for the first time I ever I shopped around for a better deal. Now rather than sticking with the company I was with for 7 years who were trying to charge me £119 a month, I have moved to a new company who charge £75 and gave me a month’s cover free of charge. Almost £45 saved! I also plan to shop around for car insurance renewals when they are due which should hopefully save us a chunk of money.

3. Cash is making a comeback!

I miss the time when I used to receive my weekly pay in a small brown cash envelope from my weekend job. When did we stop using actual cash? I love having a wad of notes or handful of coins – it feels much more tangible than the digital numbers we see on our banking app. So I am making a cash comeback – I have purchased a terramundi pot with the idea of saving my spare £1 and £2 coins and I also withdraw cash every month from my account to use when out and about. Any leftover notes at the end of the month I will put in my savings envelope for Christmas. I also find it so much easier to stick to a budget if you have only a certain amount of cash in front of you.

4. Weekly savings instead of monthly – easier to stomach!

Following on from the weekly pay idea above, I have changed my automated savings from monthly to weekly, to ensure that I pay myself in a manageable way. When my maternity pay reduces, I can pull these savings right back if I need to and then build them back up once I know what money I have to work with. I use Lloyds bank and they predict your future outgoings based on your direct debits and standing orders. So, if like me, your bills are all automated, this feature allows you to see what is yet to leave your account before your next payday.

5. Ensure savings are only used for their intended purpose

I am a bit of a bore when it comes to my savings and will only now use them for their intended purpose. My emergency account will only be used for actual emergencies or larger, unanticipated bills. My car savings account will only be used for my insurance, tax or MOT/servicing costs. My Christmas envelope is solidly for Christmas – you get the idea. I’ve even renamed them on my banking app! Be strict with yourself and watch your savings grow.

6. Free activities where I can

Having a baby opens up a whole new world of friendship with fellow Mums and Dads. You want to go out and show your baby the world, treat them to new outfits and experiences, yet your bank account holds you back. I’ve really got into reading with Albert and currently read him a kiddies book a day, plus a little bit of Harry Potter to stimulate his brain with the tone of my voice and more complex language. I also get him outdoors as much as the weather allows, and sometimes even then wrap him up warm and put his pram’s rain cover on. The fresh air seems to work wonders for him and he always has the best naps either in the baby carrier or in the pram. Often I will try and time his nap to then go for a nice dog walk with a travel mug of coffee, just for a little bit of me time. However, I will also allocate money monthly to take him out to sensory experiences or to meet up with other children. It doesn’t have to be expensive but the stimulation they get will be invaluable for their brain development!

7. Little treats

Sometimes you just need to think ‘TREAT YOURSELF’ and do it. Get your nails done, go for a nice lunch, purchase a new outfit that makes you feel good. Whatever it is I try my best to NOT feel mum guilt. My whole purpose has shifted to not only look after me, my animals and Dan but now solely to keep my baby fed, happy and healthy. So a little treat every now and then is 100% deserved.

8. Homemade gifts 

This year I will attempt to gift a homemade item for every occasion for family members and friends. Fudge, biscuits, a cake, photo collections – the ideas go on. They are fun to make, will fulfil my creativity and will hopefully save us some money in the long run!

9. Becoming self-employed and claiming child benefit

Most recently, I have managed to get myself some freelance writing work to help alleviate the pressure financially. Plus, I LOVE writing. It’s my hobby and the chance to earn money from it is something I am jumping at! Legally, whilst on maternity leave in the UK, you can earn an income if you are also self-employed – you just need to ensure you complete your tax self-assessment to appease the HMRC. Also, make sure you fill in and submit the child benefit application – every mother in the UK is entitled to it and you get £21.80 a week.

10. Growing food

I am really going to put effort into gardening this year to ‘grow-our-own’ and plan for winter food. Potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cucumber, salad leaves and lettuces, beetroot, peas, various different berries, rhubarb and also use as many of the apples off of the established trees as possible. I am also going to revamp the kitchen garden to make the whole process a bit easier. So rather than an allotment, create a variety of raised beds and large containers to reduce the need for weeding and use the compost I have been adding to over the last year!

11. Picking up bits throughout the year for birthdays/Christmas

Would it surprise you to know that I have purchased the majority of Albert’s birthday and Christmas presents already for 2023? I hit the sales and took advantage of deals on – for example, Aldi had a Nuby ball pit in their ‘middle aisle’ reduced to £39.99 (RRP approx. £80), I’ve bought clothes from the Next sale and also books from The Works in their 10 for £10 deal. I’ve picked up a few more bits as well that keep that I know my family will like for Christmas and put them into storage in our spare room.

12. Selling second-hand items

I want to cut down on clutter as much as possible so I am putting things to one side that I plan to sell. I will list them on Ebay or Facebook marketplace when I get round to it but do not plan to do this until my maternity pay is coming to an end! I won’t be selling all of Albert’s baby clothes though as I will potentially reuse them if we are lucky enough to one day have another baby or I will donate them to my sister if she plans to!

Money-Saving Tips for your Garden

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I have got big plans for the garden this year. BIG plans.

As part of my money saving journey I want to efficiently use the outdoor space I have to grow food. Dan and I have planned that our next big purchase will be a chest freezer and then whatever fruit and veg’ I grow this year, I can freeze the surplus or make it into dishes and then freeze. It will also be useful to store larger amounts of meat meaning that I can plan meals without the need to go shopping every week.

This post is me documenting how I am saving money in the garden. Bear in mind I am an amateur so any tips or advice you have then please let me know in the comments below!

Greenhouse – Storm Eunice destroyed my second-hand plastic greenhouse so to start seedlings this year I am using upside down clear plastic storage boxes and also 2 x basic seed propagators I picked up from B & Q. I keep these in our unheated wooden porch overnight but then in the day I put them out on the patio to try and encourage the seedlings to harden up. The temperature can still drop over night to below freezing so I am reluctant to leave them out constantly until I know it will stay warmer. Also, you do not need any fancy pots to start seedlings – I just reuse the plastic trays you buy flowers in and then transplant the seeds into the pot/ground but if you are looking for a compostable option then use toilet roll centres or large egg trays. No need to buy any fancy pots!

Compost – I used to buy bags and bags of compost but this year I will be using my own compost bin and the ever-growing muck heap of horse manure! The previous owners of the house left a compost bin behind so I have placed in on to 4 patio slabs to make an even base and have started using it. I put in grass cuttings, leaves that I’ve swept from the garden or courtyard and paper. I also have a little bin in my kitchen that I put eggshells, vegetable cuttings and fruit peels which I then tip into the compost bin. Every so often you mix it all round to help it break down but other than that, you let the worms do their thing!

Seeds – I have still got lots of seeds that are in date to grow this year so I don’t think I will need to buy any at all. Also, I have potatoes chitting in the pantry so will plant those instead of buying sets. I also always have a plant swap/seed swap with my Grandparents so they will be growing me tomatoes, cucumbers, chilli and pepper seedlings and I usually then grow them some runner beans and then prepare some pickled beetroot for them.

Garden layout – As much I would love to head to my nearest garden centre, purchase multiple raised bed kits and make my garden look tidy and uniformed, my bank account is saying NO! So rather than buy them I am trying to use what I have laying around the farm to make things look tidy. So bricks, odd bits of wood, second hand patio slabs and an edge cutter are helping to make borders and different ‘areas’.

Water collection – the farm harvest rainwater into 1000L IBC water tanks so this year I will be doing the same. Rainwater is so much more natural for young plants as there is a lack of any chemicals so using only this to feed the plants should help keep them strong.

Jars and storage – For the past year I have been saving every plastic takeaway container and every glass jar. My family have been doing the same so I now have an ample collection ready to use when I need to store my food! This year I am going to grow the following:

Strawberries, carrots, onions (red and white), beetroots, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, chillis, peppers, leeks, pickling cucumbers, dwarf French beans, peas and sugar snap peas, raspberries, rhubarb, lettuces, rocket, kale and blackcurrants. With this lot I will hopefully have enough fresh produce to eat through the summer and then whiz up into jams, pickled beetroot and onions, portions of vegetable to freeze, chunky tomato sauces, curry sauces and also puddings!

So with my plans in place and the days getting warmer, I have started garden maintenance to ensure that my harvest is worthwhile. Little and often I will get the garden into shape. Spring is not far away and I cannot wait!