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

sophiesmum_2

Watched the film but the book was much better, the film missed out a lot of the frugal bits and concentrated on the relationships side of things. Liked having a nosey at the 1940's houses and furniture etc though.:rolleyes:

Mollymop5

Hi everyone.Not posted for a while but still lurking.I've gone over my budget for the year by a couple of hundred but 'm fine with that.next year I will be more prepared and in control.Well that's what I'm telling myself now anyway.Well done to everyone who's managed to stay in budget.I'm really looking forward to next years challenge.Roll on 2009

candygirl

LYNNE you'll love your slow cooker:D I'm in love with my new breadmaker, and it stops me popping to the shop for bread and buying tons of other bits;)

Janey51

Oh I love the friendly people on this forum :beer:

I was reading a forum last night that was so confrontational (on one particular thread) that I couldn't believe it :eek: The language was choice
I came scuttling back here because it was getting to the point where it should have been given a health warning :rotfl:
No asterisks over there :rolleyes:

This morning, the snow is melting but still very cold...just on freezing according to the thermometer.

I have just transferred my £98 Amazon and Quidco earnings to a savings account (Coventry Over 50 6.4% fixed:T ) so that's £98 towards whatever I am saving for :rotfl: or Nyk would that count as £98 knocked off my minus balance for this year's challenge

When I was doing my tax return yesterday I logged on to discover they owed me £78 :j which I have claimed back.
So could I knock that off my balance as well?

At this rate, I might come in just about breaking even which is fantastic :j

I will be out all day today. Getting fed by my friend as I am taking her shopping
And will be hand delivering a load of Christmas cards so saving stamps

dND

Skint_Lynne wrote: »

I'll become more adventurous I guess, I would've liked to have chucked the lentils into the mince, but I'll wait until I get the hang of it.
,

Hi Lynne, I love lentil in my bol sauce, I wasn't so keen at first as I was doing it to save money but now really prefer it. My two tips are to pre-cook the lentils and to start with a small amount of lentils and work your way up to the proportion you like. The reason for pre cooking - I'm talking about the green lentils here as I think the red ones cook OK is that if you use stock cubes/marmite/or any salt in the bol, the lentils may be tough. If they're cooked to soft before they go in, no problem. Any left over I throw into the freezer for another dish.

On a similar vein I love beef stew with chick peas and pork with butter beans. I pre-cook the pulses in the pressure cooker and always do at least half the packet and portion up the excess.

I also let the pulses cook in the stews for most of the cooking time and they do still pick up the flavour even though they've been cooked in plain water.

Have fun with the SC - you have to try the whole chicken too if you haven't already, it is divine

Janey51

dND thanks for those tips about using lentils....never knew that about using marmite etc.

Have just recorded my readings on imeasure and my Carbon Rating for the month is "B" so I am very pleased.
It's not easy in this big old draughty house.

Marru

Good morning everyone!

DD had so high temperature last night so decided not to take her to nursery today. She is better but still a bit hot and is snuggled under duvet watching cbbs. I am being very unfrugal and am heating water for bath. I feel so yucky and am hoping that after bath I will feel more human. My condition is not as bad as DD's but I am coughing and sneezing as well.

Thanks for the info re the housewife. I was gutted when I missed it and I only get the five channels so couldn't watch it last night but I will try to get the book from the library.

If I can get ten things done today (including three tasks for my behaviour assignment) then I ONLY need to get done five things per day for the rest of the week. :eek: I am determined to get to the point where I am not chasing my tail anymore and am up to date with things. Year 2010 perhaps? :rotfl:(is that too optimistic...:o)

Have frugalistic day everybody!!

Marru

PS my SC experiment has been a failure so far. I can't get the potatoes to cook enough despite chopping them small. I turned SC on high now and am keeping everything crossed that it will work. Otherwise it smells and tastes delicious.

Brighton_belle

Thanks for the pointer about the book SM - I fancy reading it now. As you say, the film focuses on relationship stuff for 'the drama' as that what hooks most people in I suppose. All the mass ob stuff is held at the university here and I'd love to have a rifle through some of it. One chap has written a couple of books where he presents some edited highlights of 5 different people's war diaries: facinating reading and you get very attached to the individuals as they are so honest. Throws a completely new light on what it was really like as it was written at the time. We have the luxery of knowing we won and the germans never suceeding in invading.
Janey - I've scuttled back here before now from a haranging forum. Our Weight Loss one on 'I wanna' is also really friendly and supportive.
Thanks for the trifle idea - I've been trying to think what I can suggest I bring for the family xmas day/boxing day as wealthier family members seem to have it all sewn up. I think this could be just the thing.
Todays tasks:
post very large ebay parcel
get to butchers (haven't had to buy any meat for Dec yet as managed to stretch Nov's:j ).
Pop into lidl's for powdered milk & eggs.
More batch cooking for lunches
makes v large cake in remoska for OH
Finish making mosaic for mum's xmas pressie
Spend time on writng project.
Write 5 xmas cards
clean kitchen as it is my turn

Better get on with it then:eek:

Cheryl - well done on the bike savings:T

lyndasharp

1274 wrote: »

I have rashly promised my Mum that I will make dessert for Christmas lunch (not Xmas pud because our family hates it). I was thinking of a nice light dessert, like chocolate mousse but have run up against the problem that I have none of the needed kitchen equipment. I do have pots and pans, but no whisk, no scales, no measuring cups (I have measuring spoons though), and no pyrex bowls for melting choc (but I could use the microwave?) Oh, and nothing electrical like mixers etc

Is there any hope, or should I just buy something and remove the packaging

I made this last year http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/food/trysomethingnew/occasions/tip.htm?TipId=8858. Very easy, very refreshing after all the heavy Christmas stuff and easy to make in advance.

lyndasharp

I've just about caught up on posts after spending the weekend at bf's house! There's a bit too much to reply to everyone individually, but hope you feel better soon Marru.

I'm going to have a bit of a manic week as moving to my friends house on Saturday, but with Christmas parties tonight and Thursday, bf visiting on Weds night I seem to be a bit short on packing time... I think it's just gonig to be a case of throwing everything in the car and sorting it out at the other end!