Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

HOWMUCH · 26 January 2015 at 10:33PM

Well we had a change of plan and had 2 very nice chicken salads this evening tomorrow will be roast chicken dinner. The lasagna and casserole went into the freezer in 2 person portions, so I got 14 meals out of the chicken.
Stitched the rib back against the zip bottom on a knitted hoody and restitched around a sleeve on a anorak for DGS.
I am going to start knitting a jumper for DGS tomorrow with some wool I got from CS last May whilst on holiday in the New Forrest it was 50p a ball two are 150g each and the other is 50g Sirdar Smiley Stripes in a contrasting colour so got £8.99 worth of new wool for £1.50. I also got some more wool too, larger balls for £1 eachthink they were all aran wool though. Yes it was a case of being in the right place at the right time. So I grabbed it!!!

FrugalWorker · 26 January 2015 at 11:18PM

sistercas wrote: »

Grey queen. I love the idea of the drawstring bag. I have quite a few rolls of xmas wrapping paper from the January sales :money: that keep escaping from the cupboard when I open it. Would an old pillowcase do?

Been lurking around here and noticed this, wrapping paper keeps great in old pairs of tights. I've a couple of rolls in each leg and the gusset hangs on a hook. I guess I like it because it's stretchy and I can see what it is versus it being in a bag where it was hidden.

Lynplatinum · 26 January 2015 at 11:35PM

Hey All

Well - got petrol £30 filled tank AND got 58p back from Mr T cos of my Christmas foodie orders!! That sounds OK - right? hmm but upon retuning from a cold and crisp walk (enjoyable) smelt the chippy and before I could stop myself there I was inside ordering Saveloy and chips (£2.35)!!! Now, as I am trying to loose weight, that was not good. and, as my budget for the week is £20 - that is a huge chunk of it! I had hot dogs and potatoes at home!!! Also went to butcher in next town today (where I went to deliver my paperwork to my accountant for tax return!) And spent £6.56 - the mince was £7 per kg whereas L*dil's is £4 per kg and just as nice!! Grrrrr!

Anyway lesson learnt!
Dorset Apple Cake recipe:
you will need a 8 inch tin that is 2-3 inches deep - well buttered
1) grate 500g of cooking apples and put in a bowl with 3oz (75g)of sugar
2) In another bowl beat together 4oz (100g) of butter/marge and 3oz (75g) sugar.
3) in a measuring jug crack 1 egg topped up to 1/4pt with milk
4) Add to the butter and sugar mix. Beat in 8oz (200g) self raising flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder;grated zest of lemon; apple and sugar mixture . ~You will need to beat well. Put in oven at Gas Mark 4 (probably 150 C???) for 50 mins.

Can eat hot or cold - cold it makes a very dense, continental style cake - it is quite happy to micro-waved to be a warm pud with custard or cream.

Enjoy folks and wish me a better day diet and money wise tomorrow!

FrugalWorker · 26 January 2015 at 11:53PM

good_advice wrote: »

Just washed up another Douwe Egberts coffee jar. It seems a shame to keep putting them in the glass recycle crate.

Any good idea's for thifty use?

Back out of lurking mode

These are perfect for storing dried beans/lentils/quinoa/rice (if not from a big packet). The packets tend to be too big for me to use at once.

I also now use glass for as much of my food storage as possible - so I keep old glass jars, and if I've left over sauce/baked beans/what ever I use them.

I'd also happily use one to store buttons/etc... But I've only one

I'm too cheap to buy Egberts

Lidl decaff is my favourite - no where near as nice a jar. I suppose if you buy it regularly, you'll still reach the point of too many - I guess I'd try free cycling them then, someone else like me who doesn't by it might like the spare jars.

cheerfulness4 · 27 January 2015 at 12:12AM

My internet is playing up tonight and making it hard for me to post so just a quick 'my spends' post.

DAY 26
Money Spent Today - £2.61 Vouchers Spent - £0
Money Spent in Total - £76.99 Vouchers Spent in Total - £5
Money left in purse - £1.01 - Float left- £0/£15
Jan non-foods left- £0/£15

Spent £2.61 today on 2lts milk @ 88p, tin potatoes @ 15p, tub mixed dried herbs @ 25p, 1x pasta n sauce @ 50p, 1 pk YS trifle sponges @ 19p and 1 pk of Tuc crackers @ 64p ( on offer).

I loathe the pasta n sauces but my son doesn't and he's old enough to choose for himself. I do think they smell horrible though but he loves them.

The trifle sponges will come in very handy for when the Grandkiddies come round as they love them in jelly with custard and whip on top. A very cheap treat. (Especially as I have masses of whip from AP foods that need using up.

FrugalWorker, I misunderstood what you meant and thought you were saying that you only had one button. I was thinking awww, what a shame.

::o

[Deleted User] · 27 January 2015 at 12:34AM

went to the electrical shop locally and apparently there are three different sizes of battery that fit a CPU unit on a computer so son-in-law said when he takes the old one out I can nip round to the shop and make sure I get the right size ,so no cash spent today at all:) As long as I keep my machine just turned off ,but not at the plug the time keeps getting re-set so its working OK .Will have to do until the week-end when son-in-law will fix a new battery in for me

:):) Jolly glad I haven't had to call anyone in though ,or even worse have to fork out for a new 'puter I will get this one sorted then have my eldest DDs desk-top one when they reorganize their sitting room. definitely hanging on to my halpennies this year

:):)

P.S.Thanks for the recipe its gone into my online cookbook

sistercas · 27 January 2015 at 7:55AM

cheerfulness4 wrote: »

FrugalWorker, I misunderstood what you meant and thought you were saying that you only had one button. I was thinking awww, what a shame. ::o

:rotfl::rotfl:

I have been using up some left over food, made some pancakes to use up some spag Bol and it was lovely :T. Also had a big salad which used some of the salad veg and the guinea pig can have the rest

Im using some old bits of wool , I have a pattern for a cuddly penguin So hoping To make that which I can give to my nieces

sashanut · 27 January 2015 at 10:05AM

Hi all :j

Just de-lurking to ask a quick question......inspired by all you clever people I disinterred my sewing machine from under a pile of stuff in DDs room...just resting there from when I thought I might use her room for craft. then she moved back...

Took it downstairs, dusted it off....sewed a few lines in a piece of paper (I never learnt to sew, have just messed about). Thought it made a weird clunky sound - then the penny dropped. NO PRESSER FOOT nor sight of one - duh!

Have been online to see if I can get another one, it's only a basic brother machine @ £99..confused because I can get a foot from Brother - quite expensively - or get a 'set of universal feet@ from the bay of E.....

Can anyone advise please? TIA if you can help:j:j:j:j

joedenise · 27 January 2015 at 11:31AM

Personally, if they're cheap on Eb*y for the universal set I'd take a chance on them. If they don't fit you won't have lost much and you can always sell them on or pass on to CS for someone else.

I wouldn't have thought Brother presser feet are any different to any other basic sewing machine feet.

Denise

culpepper · 27 January 2015 at 11:38AM

Check on brothers website to see if your model of machine takes low shank or high shank feet. The low shank ones wont fit the high shank machines and vice versa.

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Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

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