If things get tougher?

D&DD

Bobbykins wrote: »

Ahhhh D&DD - so you're the culprit! Plenty of space on the shelf in our local Mr T where the £1.71 packs should have been!!!! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

I refused to pay £1.23 and went to Mr S round the corner, where it was 92p:D

LOL not me I always leave a few behind for other peeps

Re price hikes I'm quite relieved that I don't/won't have to buy any staples for a looong time I absolutely refuse to pay 29p for a tin of tomatoes

I worked out how much sugar,beans,toms etc we use over a year or so and have stocked up accordingly so although I now need a substantially bigger house we won't be going short.I'll only do a 'top up' now when they are reduced to what I consider to be a fair price..

I dehydrated a ton of tomatoes this year too so those are in the freezer for use as needed and to be honest taste soo good in chillies etc where I would normally use the tinned stuff.

I also stocked up on haricot beans when they were on special so can make my own baked beans if needed..

Sugar I only use in baking anyway but do get through quite a bit when I worked it out including bags for preserving etc it was over 150lb a year :eek: :eek:

mummysaver

Afternoon! Ceridwen, thanks very much for the linkies to the raised beds, I have a couple of wooden ones, but think the recycled plastic ones would be far cheaper, and I'd like to put in a couple more for next year. Told the kids that there summer jobs will include a raised bed each, I'll do most of it but they can each help out with one! A bit of healthy competition might result in more veg to eat lol!

Kittie - I have now cancelled my riverford box completely, not because we didn't eat anything and everything, but because when we first had them several years ago they were overflowing, but now we seem lucky if the veg comes half way up the box, so sadly it's just more economical to purchase elsewhere.

BigmummaF - thanks for the marmite tip, payday tomorrow and will be doing assorted shops over the weekend, doing a tour of all sainbugs, Mr T's, Asda, Aldi, Morries and Lidl! Not as bad as it sounds as I can do them on a sort of loop! Still takes time though, but I hate feeling that I've overpaid for stuff, and the amount of basics I want to stock up on then it's worth shopping around.

Well in my effort to save electricity, the airer is full of jeans and jumpers! It sits in the kitchen when I'm cooking during the day, and in the sitting room in the evening when the fire is on - I figure that the water from the clothes also helps the humidity too! Actually the fire is on at the mo, I'm curled in front of it, it is freezing here today, grey, wet and gloomy! If I put on any more layers I shall lose the ability to bend my arms!

Going to sort out some more pressies soon, buying through the year really helps, means that everyone, well almost everyone, gets a fab pressie and it rarely costs more than a couple of pounds! Will be stocking up on the tins of chocs in asda, 2 for £7, as pressies for those difficult uncles and aunts. I'm please that they're cheap, but how come choc is cheap and staples just keep going up?!

mummysaver

d&dd - think we use that amount of sugar too, it's on my stock up list for Friday! I do so much baking and preserving that it doesn't last long!

Tins of chopped toms are still 21p in some tescos, must still have the old barcode, but I bought 3 trays the other day at that price. We use a lot of toms as well! I dehydrated quite a lot over the summer, and a few weeks ago did more when they were 25p a punnet in lidl, put some in oil with garlic, dd1's absolute fave thing is sundried toms!

I love baked beans, but haven't done home made ones for years, will be having a go soon I think, prices are just silly now! I usually buy a lot of them, but realised that half the time I just add the tins to whatever I'm doing in moski or the sc, so have just been adding bags of the beans from the freezer instead, gotta be more economical. I bulk cooked loads of beans and froze in portions ages ago, gotta do some more chick peas this weekend, must remember to put them in to soak later.

I've given up trying to find cheap lentils locally, and am now just using yellow split peas, but I do boil them quickly before use and they don't melt as fast as lentils!

[Deleted User]

mummysaver, that is exactly my thinking re riverford. I have been with them for 3 years and now think that the box is overpriced and they no longer contain the lovely types of veg they used to. I am just working through the money I have in the account and then I will formally cancel.

I am so envious of the raised beds and 1 each for children is a fantastic idea

I think I will co-ordinate all my stashed presents tomorrow and I`ll pack them. No doubt I`ll be finding hidden presents lurking at the bottom of the wardrobe. I do hope it is a nice day tomorrow, I can`t be doing with this gloomy weather

mummysaver

Kittie, glad you agree, for weeks I kept thinking it was just me, then I thought, oh it's bound to improve! I emailed them ages ago just before they put up their prices and said I'd rather pay a bit more if it meant that the boxes would go back to how they used to be, well they did for a few weeks after the price rise, but didn't stay like it! Some of their extras are lovely though if you have "spare" money to use up, shame that they don't do the butter anymore, that really was delicious!

Actually I might make some butter over the weekend as well, prob won't actually save me much against buying it, but it'll be fun for the kids and it tastes soooo good!

Kids were talking about the veg beds this morning before school, dd3 has strangely volunteered to take over the strawberry and herb bed! I thought it was producing very little last year, till I found her and all her pals sitting around it munching lol! Might have to investigate little polytunnels to go over the tops, would be good for the toms, and dd1 wants to grow baby corn. dd2 is keen on potatoes, mainly cos they are so little effort! ds was frowning thoughtfully and took the thompson catalogue off to the bus stop with him, can't imagine him reading it at school lol! I'm getting quite excited, roll on payday, bonus in it this month so can afford the raised beds without any saving, yippee!

Good luck with your pressies, some of mine are at the back of the understairs cupboard, so if you never hear from me again, I shall be in there, bit like Harry Potter!

elona

BM is making dough for a small loaf and a few rolls to be baked in the Remoska and pea soup is in the slow cooker for tonight.

Someone on shop till you drop mentioned a site for cheap food called

www.approvedfood.co.uk

They sell food that is quite near its best before date but is still all right for use.

I could not see any Marmite, just Bovril but items change constantly and it is worth a look.

Just pointed out to DH that porridge oats under the Quaker name and boxed are about £1.20 or £1.30 per kilo while Sainsbury's own in a bag are about 70 pence a kilo. He then wondered what I would use it for as he will not eat porage- he will eat muesli though. Some of the rest of the family will eat porridge and it can also be usefull for hob nobs and flapjacks.

Decided not to mention some could be added to crumble mix etc.

fedupfreda

D&DD wrote: »

Sugar I only use in baking anyway but do get through quite a bit when I worked it out including bags for preserving etc it was over 150lb a year :eek: :eek:

Me too - but in my case apart from baking we mainly use sugar for homebrew

I don't have alcohol issues - honest - it's just that me and DH worked out that sharing 2 bottles a week between us, at an average cost of £4 a bottle, was working out at over £400 a year :eek:

I would much rather forage the hedgerows for wild fruits and brew my own. This years blackberry has just been bottled and should be perfect for sampling on Xmas day..:j

the_cat

elona wrote: »

Decided not to mention some could be added to crumble mix etc.

Or any dinner made with mince!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

elona

Or to roll fresh herrings or mackerel in before baking.

Or in some Scottish desserts

Before I forget - Twins hobnobs if you crush them up make a smashing base forcheesecake.

[Deleted User]

I have just packed away my riverford box and I am not pleased. The cavallo nero has been replaced with yet another bag of russian kale, the 2 broccolli heads are small and on long stalks, there are only 2 courgettes and they are almost marrows. 5 little onions and even fewer carrots than last time. My box was less than half full and even less than last time. £45 is left in my account and then I am cancelling as soon as that is used up
:mad: :mad: :mad:

I have just sent them honest feedback and they are not going to like it