Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

[Deleted User] · 1 May 2015 at 10:00AM

Good Morning all nice sparkly new month to get our teeth into

Done all my shuffling of cash around and just have to go to the bank to draw my expences money for the month out.I have a small row of glass jars all labelled up for different items
window cleaner(£6),gardener(£24),quiz night(£8) ,History club(£20)Diesel (£40)and my late Mums battered old brown purse where I stick my (£60) for the food only budget

I only use cash during the month, and out of my Happy Cash Stash (£20.00) I have about (£13.11) left from April so I may not draw anymore for a week or so, and see how my 'treat money lasts out..I am pretty good at working this way, and treat my budgets as any other business, and restrict when necessary if I am running short .

Last month I managed with only three trips to the shops for what I needed and had cash left over to put into the holiday treat fund for August.So I definitely made do with what I had

and minimised my cash out flow, I 'made' the jars look a bit less like recycled small square chutney jars by decorating them with some craft motifs and using the craft letters to spell out on the front what each pot was for.:):):)

On my last shooping trip last week I went later in the evening and picked up some YS chicken tikka bites there were 11 in a bag reduced to 8p

:)
I put them in the freezer until I could think what to do wih them, and last night I retrieved 6 and chucked into the remoska to reheat I had them with a small salad and a little jacket potato and they were delicious and I still have 5 more left in the freezer.Its got to be the cheapest meal I have had this month

:):):)
salad bits 20p jacket spud 30p chiken tikka pieces 4p =54p

:):):)

I have a small pot of left over curry sauce in the freezer so Saturday night I will probably dig that out with the tikka bites and have them with some rice another very inexpensive meal.:):):)

Today I am making some celery and lentil soup as I have a bit of celery that needs using up so that will be several lunches from very little with some crackers and cheese.
Hope you all have a great MMM weekend
Cheers chums
JackieO xxx

P.S.Vulpix have a look and see if you have a U3A near to you Its great for meeting people and so many different things to do.I don't have a problem finding things to do its finding the time and everyone is so friendly and helpful
P.P.S. I take my trusty old potato peeler on holiday with me

:):)and my kitchen devil knife both of which I have had well over twenty years

misstara · 1 May 2015 at 11:32AM

Morning everyone

It's great to see new faces and know that so many people take inspiration from this thread.

I sat down with OH last night and made a meal plan for the week. Went to A!di this morning armed with my list. I did go slightly off list but still stayed under my budget of £30 and there's definitely enough for a few meals next week.

I made my friends birthday card the other night so now just have to make a card for my gran and think of a present for her. She prefers presents that she can eat or drink rather than 'stuff that will clutter up her flat'.

I'm trying to be very frugal over the next few months as I need to save for a weekend away with OH at the end of May, a hen weekend and wedding in June and a wedding in July.

I'm still doing my knitting, don't think I'm quite at the stage of attempting to make something but hopefully soon.

Right I suppose I better go and start getting organised for work. Hoping that the rain stays off so I can walk up and save a few pounds.

greentiger · 1 May 2015 at 12:14PM

vhalla, yesterday we were having a clear out and came across this!

Budejovice scarf by r.doctor, on Flickr

btw, it's staying

vhalla1478 · 1 May 2015 at 4:21PM

Love it, greentiger. DB is there now. xx

Prinzessilein · 1 May 2015 at 4:59PM

Hallo!

I've been AWOL for a few days.....but am hoping to be cack up-and-posting again now.....slowly at first!.....I have been rather unwell - (I have a few different conditions - including a rather nasty form of psoriasis....I will not gross you out with details!)....specialist appointment to be arranged ASAP!

So...I have got PAGES of this lovely thread in which to indulge myself now...catch up on all the hanes!

I have taken a photo of one of the bag. purse and hat sets I have knitted for OCC.....I have done 4 sets.....and with luck will post the pic here:

Still eating my way out of the freezer....tomato risotto with garlic prawns tonight.

Having done a top-up shop (milk, eggs, apples and a couple of little oranges) I now anticipate non-spend days for much of the next week.

It's so good to be back...hope everyone is doing okay!

vhalla1478 · 1 May 2015 at 6:09PM

Evening Everyone,

Have just done all my chores that I always do when I come home - ie clean the shoes that I've worn in the day and put shoe trees in them and press the 'going out' clothes I've worn or put them to be washed. It sounds fussy put like that but it means that my clothes and shoes/boots are always ready to wear, and of course, looking after things extends their life - a bit like us really.;)

To celebrate Prinzess being back amongst us - hope you feel much better soon, Prinzess, - here is what used to be called a 'refrigerator cake' back in the 1970s; economical because you're not using any energy - except your own, that is.:rotfl:

Chocolate Ginger Crunch Cake - serves 6

150 grams plain chocolate, 50 grams unsalted butter, 115 grams ginger nut biscuits, 4 pieces of preserved stem ginger, 30ml stem ginger syrup, 45ml desiccated coconut.

To decorate: 25grams milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces, pieces of crystallised ginger.

Grease a 15cm flan ring and place it on a sheet of non-stick baking paper. Melt the plain chocolate with the butter in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Crush the biscuits into small pieces. Tip them into a bowl. Chop the stem ginger fairly finely and mix with the crushed ginger nut biscuits. Stir the biscuit mixture, ginger syrup and coconut into the melted chocolate and butter, mixing well until evenly combined.

Tip the mixture into the prepared flan ring and press down evenly and firmly. Chill in the refrigerator until set. Remove the flan ring and slide the cake onto a plate. Melt the milk chocolate, drizzle it over the top and decorate with the pieces of crystallised ginger.

Have a lovely evening, Folks. I'm going to hunt for something on the tv maybe and do my rug quota this evening.

Viv xx

silvasava · 1 May 2015 at 6:37PM

Hi All - eventful day today. DH has been making mods to the boat trailer & welding bits. He rang me to say his welder has finally given up the ghost & would I check the price of a new one ......£600 !!!! I did a quick search on Prelov and Dumtree and found one 15 miles away for £45 - result!! DH is pleased with it & I'm pleased I was very MS and MMM.
Sorted my freezer yesterday & discovered a hoard of Loganberries and Raspberries so I've made 5lb of jam this afternoon that's cost me about 75p for the sugar. Definitely need to make scones tomorrow haha.
Lazy tea tonight - fish & chips but not at good as the ones in Bourne Vhalla.
I second looking after your clothes too V - I always hang mine up & check to see if anything needs spot treating before it goes away and as I'm a shoeaholic mine are always cleaned before putting away.
Hope everyone has a good evening x

cheerfulness4 · 1 May 2015 at 6:47PM

Glad to see you back, Prinzess. Go on, admit it. You smelt the choccy recipes like me.

We did wonder if you were poorly. Sorry to hear of the flare up.

Viv, you are officially in the naughty corner!

I put on the 2lbs I'd lost and I'm convinced that I absorbed the calories osmosis like style from off the screen while reading your recipes. I don't need to eat the treats to gain weight these days.

However, that said...... I love the sound of your chocolate and ginger fridge cake. It sounds like Tiffin, a dreadfully naughty favourite of ours which we've not had in yonks!

First shop of the month was a little one and shall post in a second once I've organised myself.

Misstara, glad to see you're getting into the knitting. It really does get easier now you've learnt Knit & Pearl. Those were all I was taught and the rest I worked out for myself as I went, even the increasing and decreasing etc. Cable is an absolute joy because it looks so skilled and is so easy.

cheerfulness4 · 1 May 2015 at 6:49PM

Just read your post Silva. Just how fortunate was that! Its amazing what you can find when you go looking.

Forgot to post my shoes. Quite cross that I can't get the light right to show how beautifully they sparkle but the really do in the sun. I think it might be because the lovely blush colour offsets both the large and little clusters of clear crystals.

[Deleted User] · 1 May 2015 at 6:53PM

Good evening everyone and 1st day of May and a NSD as well.I've done the bit of banking that I needed to do, and walked past the shops and came home straight away.

Blooming freezing as the wind was blowing a hooley.I was really glad to get in the warm again.I did a small bit of mending for DGS Henry as the back stitching of his school tie had come undone so I handstitched it up for him. He really is quite a tidy boy, and always hangs his blazer up on a hanger when he comes in from school, as opposed to his other brothers who prefer to hang them on the floor:)
His bedroom is a lot tidier than his brothers as well.He doesn't like it to be messy or cluttered and is very good at keeping it clean and will strip his bed off and change it as well, pretty good for a 13 year old bless him.
I am going to have a make-do salad this evening for dinner as I have lots of salady bits in the fridge, and probably some chopped apple in nat yoghurt for pud.
I have sorted out my menu's already and hopefully won't need to shop much for several days ,nothing on the list by the kettle at the moment anyway.
hope you all have a good weekend ,the weathers not looking too promising in the south east at the moment though
Cheers chums
JackieO xxx

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Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

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