Live on £4000 for a year - part 4 (Oct - Dec 2008)

Skint_Lynne

Good evening everyone,

I think I'm going to take it easy tonight as I have another 3 parties this week, although I am tempted to go and make some soup. Went to Primark this afternoon and got myself 2 jumpers and quite a lot of stuff for the wee fella's christmas (I got a felt santa sack in the sales last year and am filling it with goodies for him). The bag was bursting and it came to £20. Not bad at all. My SIL really likes the fleece jammies in there for herself, so got wee mini ones for him, she will be delighted!! £2 a pair for wee people, you can't beat it!!

Sophiesmum, I have copied your recipies down and will give it a go. How much mince do you buy to get all these portions? I do like the idea of getting all this ready so that mealtimes are so much easier, and am trying to eat more veg and stuff, so even bulking out mince with lentils and veg is much healthier. I used to put baked beans into chilli, I might go back to doing that. Also, do you use a cauldron type pot for the tomato sauce?

I had the turkey crown from costco for dinner tonight, it cost my mum £18, and it fed 6 people and there is loads left. Wee scary (mum's nickname, I call her scary mary), was really impressed and thinks you could be right that the legs must dry the turkey out as this one was really juicy. Needless to say, she won't be buying the £100 bird this year...................:D

Going to watch TV for a while. Hello to all new people before I forget (which is very rude!!).

SL x

Cat_Addict

Gosh everyone is so thoughtful and helpful I'm having difficulty keeping track of who said what - I will get used to this I'm sure!!

Thanks everyone for helpful info - plate sizes and batch cooking and all sorts. Thankyou for kind thoughts about Dad - he's 82 and failing on all counts poor love. I'm hoping he won't linger in this state.

As for cats - I have 3 Devon Rexes and they are nuts. And yes, they are great for keeping warm, there's no room in our bed cos of them and they pin the duvet down so I can't roll over!

Just thinking what to make everyone for tea tomorrow - I think tuna pasta bake. Can't do it in slow cooker but ah well. (I'm addicted to my new slow cooker!)

sophiesmum_2

Skint_Lynne wrote: »

Good evening everyone,

I think I'm going to take it easy tonight as I have another 3 parties this week, although I am tempted to go and make some soup. Went to Primark this afternoon and got myself 2 jumpers and quite a lot of stuff for the wee fella's christmas (I got a felt santa sack in the sales last year and am filling it with goodies for him). The bag was bursting and it came to £20. Not bad at all. My SIL really likes the fleece jammies in there for herself, so got wee mini ones for him, she will be delighted!! £2 a pair for wee people, you can't beat it!!

Sophiesmum, I have copied your recipies down and will give it a go. How much mince do you buy to get all these portions? I do like the idea of getting all this ready so that mealtimes are so much easier, and am trying to eat more veg and stuff, so even bulking out mince with lentils and veg is much healthier. I used to put baked beans into chilli, I might go back to doing that. Also, do you use a cauldron type pot for the tomato sauce?

I had the turkey crown from costco for dinner tonight, it cost my mum £18, and it fed 6 people and there is loads left. Wee scary (mum's nickname, I call her scary mary), was really impressed and thinks you could be right that the legs must dry the turkey out as this one was really juicy. Needless to say, she won't be buying the £100 bird this year...................:D

Going to watch TV for a while. Hello to all new people before I forget (which is very rude!!).

SL x

SL - i usually get one of the big trays of fresh mince from costco (often on special offers too so watch out)at full price costs about £14 can't remember exactly what weight is but quite a lot. Have a look next time you are there, it is the scotch beef one. It is very good quality lean beef.
I will be going again for work later in week so will check then.

Pan wise I have two huge pans for batch cooking and jam making defintely a good investment if you get into batch cooking or preserving.

Glad mum enjoyed the turkey - costco meat/fowl/fish is such good quality for the money.

Frugaldom

Just popping back to say I did a quick FGRP (Frugal Google Research Project) and now need to stock up on peppermint/spearmint oil, cloves and bay leaves, as these all tend to repel mice. So, tomorrow's task will be locating any holes where mice can get in, blocking them up with copper wool pan scourers and then I'll start making homemade 'repellants' with bayleaves and cloves, plus some sort of 'Magic Tree' type thing with mint and clove oils. I think I have peppermint essence and I know I have albas oil somewhere that might be worth a try. Anything's better than poison or traps

taka

Marru wrote: »

I really need to do some sandwich filling from kidney beans

Do you have a recipe for this you could share Marru? I get really bored with cheese etc but my attempts at bean pate/sandwich filler type stuff have been vile :eek: :rolleyes:

Well I seem to have got rid of bags of stuff today but don't seem to have made any more room... :eek: Mind you a delivery of a billion loo rolls (my parents went to costco during the week) didn't exactly help! At least I'm ok for loo roll til next summer :rotfl:

Marru

taka wrote: »

Do you have a recipe for this you could share Marru? I get really bored with cheese etc but my attempts at bean pate/sandwich filler type stuff have been vile :eek: :rolleyes:

Check THIS out.

Skint_Lynne

I've seen these big trays of mince sophiesmum, they are huge, I knew you could get a lot of meals out of it, so I am pleased to know it could be as much as 70. I'll look out for the offers. we had the bacon from there at breakfast today, it was as nice as my favourite one, duchy originals, but this will not fit in with my new frugal ways (it is £3.50ish a pack), but don't tell Janey as I will be in trouble again, she is still in shock at the £100 turkey:D .

SL x

Skint_Lynne

nykmedia wrote: »

Just popping back to say I did a quick FGRP (Frugal Google Research Project) and now need to stock up on peppermint/spearmint oil, cloves and bay leaves, as these all tend to repel mice. So, tomorrow's task will be locating any holes where mice can get in, blocking them up with copper wool pan scourers and then I'll start making homemade 'repellants' with bayleaves and cloves, plus some sort of 'Magic Tree' type thing with mint and clove oils. I think I have peppermint essence and I know I have albas oil somewhere that might be worth a try. Anything's better than poison or traps

:eek: :eek: :eek: to the mice NYK, I had them once as I used to live next to a big football park. They give me the creeps, funny as I don't mind gerbils or hamsters, (and guinea pigs although they are nearly rabbits). I used that foamy spray can stuff for insulating to block the hole they were coming in thru and they never got in again.

I ended up making the soup, it is lush, lentil and carrot with tomato. Carrots, grated, 1 tin of tomatoes, 1 onion, lentils, veg stock, salt and pepper, just boiled and whizzed with hand blender. Lunch is sorted for a couple of days.

I adapted the recipie from one that mumzy of 2 posted. She's not been around, hope she is doing fine.

Speak later all,

SL x

cha97michelle

Hello challengers.

I have been trying to do the challenge, but my PND has been really bad, and i have kind of lost track a little of the spending over the last couple of weeks. It has been mostly christmas presents, and shoes for DS1, and a new car seat for him, but all pricey.

I can add something to the frugal conversation though. I bought a 1.8kg frozen turkey crown (Bern. Mathews) which was half price at Mr S for £14. I paid £18 at Mr M last year for a similar size one, and from the conversations you have had here i think that was quite a good price. Now i only need fresh veg for our christmas dinner.

purplevamp

bails wrote: »

Purplevamp, your DD sounds like a sweetheart!

Yes, she is. Here is a picture of her in her Halloween dress trying to be scary!!



Sorry, I don't know how to make the picture smaller. It's taken me about half an hour to get this far!! :rotfl: (Her eyes are normally blue not devil red!!!)