The Golden Goose's Quest For The Golden Egg - AKA A Debt Free Life!

Swinstie73

Wow Mrs GG, just read your news! Just came out of lurkdom to wish you all the best for Baby Goosie when he or she comes along! Huge congratulations xx

The_Golden_Goose

The Latest Long Over Due Update

Hello my lovely MSE friends, I have missed you all!

I have not even been lurking.

Everything on the gosling front is going well so that is happy days. MrGG is the ever proud expectant father strutting and pruning his feathers whilst working his webbed feet right off.

On the money front I have been making min payments and receiving letters from the CCcompanies telling me theyvare reducing my limits due to inactivity! Result! On my Post Office card I have been makig a set payment each time which is over the min. I am still in my overdraft but not used my credit cards.

Anyone got a mealplan for two they would be willing to share? At the mo, we are spending £60 a week min. However we both have been having daily lunchboxes and not buying from the shops (I had lapsed a bit last month and the month before - I hate confession time!).

I plan to drag my laptop out this weekend so will catch up with you all then.

In the meantime Spend wisely my chums !

Til the next installment.........

Happytogetdebtfree

Hi mrs gg so lovely to see you, :-) how is everything pregnancy wise? Are any of your debts with dca? If so you could consider the unenforcability route? If not pay what you can and it will soon be banished. How is mr gg if he's working so hard I hope he is taking car of himself and you :-) no good on meal plans eeek :-p hopefully someone else will be very clued up. Come back soon gg xx missed your updates x

mooomin

Yay, you're back! I was just thinking about you the other day as well

I will try and remember to put up a wee basic mealplan, and some recipes that last for DAYS! Do you have a slow cooker?

The_Golden_Goose

Firstly I am sorry for neglecting you all!

Babywise everything seems to be going ok, which is good. Still awhile to go but I am sure it will fly by.

F_f : the slow cooker is my new bf! Well it will be once I have some recipes.

Happytogetdebtfree

Haha slow cookers are great i hear. I do not have one myself. Soo what have you been doing while away ? X

The_Golden_Goose

Not much except growing me a gosling!!!

Life is somewhat dull-ish to be honest.

Happytogetdebtfree

Ahh but you are growing a goosling so its exciting how are the debts doing are any unenforcable ?? xx

mooomin

I've been thinking about a meal plan for you, but I'm not sure what kind of food you really like, so here are some ideas from me:

Roast chicken...

I love a roast chicken and you can pick up whole chickens for a couple of quid depending on where you buy/how much you're willing to pay. I try and wait until the "posh" chickens are on offer because they do taste a bit nicer.

You will then have the joys of the leftover...

I used our leftovers last week for fajitas as I had bought a kit from Morrisons when they were half price, and had picked up some whoopsied peppers from Asda for 40p for a massive bag :j This is part of the reason I don't always like meal planning - if you see a bargain foodstuff then you're sometimes better to change the plan!

Another thing that I make quite often with leftover chicken is a cheats form of chicken cassoulet. For this you need:

Sausages (how many is up to you)
Leftover chicken
Tin of tomatoes
Herbs (I use dried)
Pasta
Tin of baked beans

1. Grill your sausages
2. While they are grilling put the chicken, herbs, tomatoes and beans in a pan and warm through
3. Add the sausages (chopped into chunks) and heat for about 15 minutes while your pasta is cooking.
4. Stir pasta through.
5. OM NOM NOM!

I know it sounds weird, but it's really very tasty

Stock

Make chicken stock with the carcass and you can use that for soups or other meals in the future. I tend to make a nice hearty chicken broth with broth mix and loads of veg.

Use the slow cooker!

I make chilli in mine a lot (recipe available on request) which makes 8 portions (if I measure them) or 4 (if Mr Fresian does the portion control) I make this with mince and pad out with lentils and porridge oats.

Buy cheap cuts of meat and slow cook them, they will taste fantastic. There are a few massive threads on the Old Style board about slow cooking. If you join the Grocery Challenge on there there are some excellent recipes at the start of the thread.

What supermarkets do you have nearby? Is there an Aldi/Lidl in your area? I wasn't sure about them at first, but now go to Aldi most weeks for the basics like beans, tomatoes, ham etc. They are generally pretty good.

Enough rambling for now, will have a dig for some threads for you....!

mooomin

Grocery challenge I think you'lll get recipes at the third of fourth post.

Slow cooking thread