It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

mama67

elizabunny wrote: »

Evening all, have spent most of the weekend batch cooking from scratch. I find that this is the only way we have a hope, of making ends nearly meet at the moment, but it just takes so much time. By the time I've foraged round the garden looking for everthing I need and then cooked it all, the day has nearly gone.

I found my mind wandering and I was thinking about the two meals deals etc. that you see everywhere now. I suppose this does represent good value, but when I think of today's sunday roast that I made, I think the lot cost me less than £5. We had the remainer of some HM soup with some crusty HM bread, followed by Roast Pork (£2 odd and it was more than enough for the 2 of us)) from my local butcher, sprouts,Yorkshire Pud and Roast Potatoes, with HM gravy. Too full to eat pud, but made some drop scones for later. All a bit comfort foody but really delicious and cheap. I even managed to stretch 1lb mince to make 10 individual portions of Lasagne for the freezer. Of course this it what our DMs would have done in the 'old days' I don't suppose there were too many meal deals in those days! and stre...t...ching was common.

I think tomorrow I'm going to look into making 'proper' bread without the use of commercial yeast -love the idea of this, as I always make my own bread, but usually rush to get it done as quickly as possible. The positive side of winter is that you can spend so much more time in the kitchen as there's not so much going on in the garden;)

I'm going to put all my herb pots in the GH this winter and hope that some of them will keep going. We're still picking apples, leeks, kale, cabbage swiss chard and beetroot at the moment. Tomatoes and Beans all finished now, but we have a store of onions in the garage, 'strung up' as my dear Dad used to show me.

I've also realised I'm just not making the best use of our 'off peak' cheap electric. I've gotten out of the habit of putting my washing machine on overnight since it once caused a flood, but if we start it off at 6am we're almost getting up then and we still have cheap electric until 8am, I could almost make a loaf in my BM in this time and also switch on the dishwasher. I try not to use the tumble dryer at all times unless absolutely necessary.

I'm afraid we're not out of the recession woods yet and so belts must be tightened a bit more.
Hope everyone else is doing ok.

PS I love purple

I have my washer, dishwasher and bread machine all set on their timers so they come on and are finished with the "economy 7 " electricity, I only make the dough in the bread machine and then bake off in the oven, but whilst waiting for it to final prove I will make a batch of cakes or biscuits to cook at the same time.

I still have my mums old burco copper which she used to boil the nappies in etc, have used it a few times when the hot water has been on the blink and we've need baths etc.
I even did my laundry using it for approx 6 months when the washer had packed in and we couldn't afford to replace it, this was during the summer so it didn't matter if the clothes were slightly wetter when they went out, all hand rinsed and wrung out.

mardatha

Well Kittie needs to stay with the people who need and appreciate her and thats US !

kidcat

mardatha wrote: »

Well Kittie needs to stay with the people who need and appreciate her and thats US !

Whats happened to kittie?

BigMummaF

elizabunny wrote: »

Hi Thats me.

Yes this has been a great thread, a shame really that's it's gone much quieter now because there was always useful tips and lots of support to be found here. I suppose alot of posters have moved on to other threads and for some of course the recession may be coming to an end and people are looking ahead to the future.

I think it's more a case of we are all old hands & now the OS ways are second nature Actually the other day I got in a flummux when I couldn't remember if I'd already posted my news on that particular thread--my siggy sez it all these days

I'm battling away with the Grocery Challenge & have decided to tweak it even more. I try to keep spreadsheets of exactly what I buy & the sizes too, more to see how much [STRIKE]smaller[/STRIKE]difference there is to a "new improved" version. For instance, take value bacon rashers...three leading supermarkets, all the exact same price, but one is 500g, another 475g & the last 450g--not much granted, but still an extra mouthful in a quiche. Another surprise was MrT selling jars of the brown stuff [that maybe your Ma Might buy ] in such a way it is 10p less to have 2x125g than get a 250g size.
I told the offspring about that yesterday &--needless to say--they were less than impressed till I explained that it is because I go to such lengths to save on things, that we can eat as well as we do OK it's not steak or fresh pineapple every day, but there's always food in the house & the bills are paid.

Thats_me

BigMummaF, you are quite right that a load of us (including me, I'm no young thing!) are already well OS, but on all these type of threads I;ve found loads of stuff that I knew but had quite forgotten about! As a young wife in the early 70's and a young mum in the late 70's we really needed to be frugal. Waiting for the electric meter to be emptied so there would be a refund! I tell my girls (often) of the time I had enough in my purse for either a loaf of bread OR a couple of pounds of potatoes. I chose the spuds because the baby could eat mash! But as I said, over the years you forget all the tricks you used to get up to to make the money strech as far as possible. Now we are right back there and it has been brilliant to be reminded of things.

Oh, and if I'm not being too nosy, what kidcat said as well?

kidcat

I agree BigMummaF, sizes and pricing play a really important role in shopping these days, all the big shops are moving pack sizes around to confuse us and make us think we are getting things cheaper when in fact they are simply reducing the amount we get by more than they reduce the price, I watch carefully all sizes compared to price and now pay more attention to the small print price per 100g or similar.

I have been explaining to my family that we too are much better off since I began using web sites like here, which may take my time but mean that I am much more prepared when I shop. It also means that when it comes to Christmas and Birthdays they get loads more for their money than they would if I just went instore and bought stuff.

missychrissy

Oh how this thread brings back memories.

I remember when I was first married in the early seventies I used to go to jumble sales quite often. As well as picking up lots of useful bits and pieces I used to buy hand knitted garments. I then unpicked them, wound the wool into hanks on the back of a chair, washed them, would them into balls of wool and reknit them into jumpers and jackets for myself.

I also used to buy a plain white sheet on the market for pennies. I could make 3 skirts or 2 pairs of trousers out of one. I remember that it cost me 15p for a large bobbin of white thread, 15p for a zip and 15p for a pot of dye in Woolworths. I had skirts and trousers in several colours.

I no longer make any of my own clothes as I find there are bargains to be had in the shops especially on the outlet parks.

sunflower76

MummaF there was an article in the Times a few weeks ago about how supermarkets and brands were reducing the sizes of packets but keeping the prices the same as people were getting more canny about shopping around. By reducing the sizes and making things harder to work out people thought they were getting bargains that they were not.

In the supermarkets defence they were saying that people wanted smaller packs. Hmm...

charlies-aunt

I carefully check the vital 'price per 100g' on goods as often its cheaper to buy two 500gs of cornflakes than a 1kg pack.

The tins of Xmas biscuits are particularly varied in the price per 100g...the advertised tins seem like a bargain 400g for £4.99........ but then you notice (on a high shelf natch) that something very similar is 600g for £5.49.

Very sneaky... :cool:


I am sorry to find out Kittie isn't going to be posting anymore - hope it's just a temporary pause and she will soon be back on the keyboard with some more great threads

bellaquidsin

Oh dear, what are we going to do without Kittie. I do hope she comes home soon.

Bella.