Live on £4,000 for a year - 2009, Part 3

Skint_Lynne

Hi everyone,

I'm just going to have a relaxing evening and browse around the threads before retiring to the tv in my bedroom. DH is away back to work, he had a drink last night and snored like an old bull, it was not pleasant. I couldn't go to the spare room as my brother was here last night (Friday is his night out and he stays with me afterwards).

Therefore, I am knackered tonight and will be so glad of the peace and quiet. I am going to make soup in the morning and have brought some mince out of the freezer. I'm going to try a concoction in the slow tomorrow and add some lentils and oats. I've never done that before, so am curious to find out how it turns out.

I'm going to have a closer look at the grocery challenge as well to see what everyone else gets in for their shopping. That's one of the things that I really like about the threads, with so many different ideas out there, there is something to suit everyone.

One last thing, slowly fading, would you like your boss to be the recipient of a glesga kiss? I cannot tolerate bullying, make a complaint about her and then leave, it's not worth it. If she is so precious about a bread roll, pay her for it with pennies. I hope you are feeling a bit better tonight. xx

Hugs to everyone, speak later. xx

tryingtodobetter

Good Evening All

SF- Sorry to hear about your problems at work

Bit of a quiet day here today so I decided to do an inventory of the boys school uniform. Worked out that DS1 needs PE shorts, 1 pair of trousers and a coat and DS2 needs 1 jumper and a coat. Found 2 coats on ebay which I have 'won' and paid for with payments from 2 surveys that were in my paypal account, I am very pleased with £7.95 for two coats and P&P.

Off to see what I can find in the freezer for tomorrows lunch.

TTDB.x.

Skint_Lynne

Oh, I nearly forgot,

I got my clubcard statement in today, I am on the christmas savers scheme just now. They gave me the choice of opting out so that I can double my clubcard points up. They are at £55 just now, so will become £110. I am going to see if I can get any new clothes and maybe some christmas pressies. :T:T:T

I'll need to look at my presents tomorrow to see what I have in stock and what I need to get.

slowlyfading

Thanks for all the replies. I'm feeling slightly better this evening - think I will just stick it out as I could do with the money for the first month at uni as I start on 6th sept, but we don't get the first installment of the bursary until october? so, although its horrible, and i'm dreading going in on monday, I'm just gonna stick it out. I only have until the 31st August as that's my last day, so not too long. Sorry if I seem a bit for this week though, it really just shows how horrible some people can be. I've worked there on and off for 4 years, and this is the thanks I get.

THanks guys, its lovely to know that i can come on here and get such lovely replies. xx

sophiesmum_2

SL chuckling away here at your description of your OH's snoring :rotfl: hope you get a better night's sleep tonight.

TTDB - good bargain with the coats :T

Just pootling whilst the fruit comes to the boil for the latest batch of jam, plum and blackberry tonight and not as frugal as the others as I had to buy the plums:eek: but OH loves plum based jams. Note to self need to plant some plum trees soon:p After tht batch I will be making some rowan jelly, me and frugal neighbour went out earlier and foraged for the rowan berries and more blackberries. This weekend has been very much a jam making one:D Never made rowan jelly before - it may be yeuch so will just make a small batch first time round - can always make more next week:rolleyes:

Blairweech

Loving all the preserving SM! Wish I could get free fruit, but cannot even find any brambles round here.

SF - Hope things are better by Monday, you never know, you might just get an apology by then! If necessary, just stick your nose in the air and be the better person

OH has gone out with his friends tonight so am home alone. Am trying to sort out my living room bookshelves - I reallly do have an extraordinary amount of stuff. Not sure what I am going to do when I go to uni...

Anyway, I thought I would tap the collective frugal knowledge - I am looking for something for work lunches next week, I have chicken stock, carrots and potatoes I would like to use up...any ideas? Have many other ingredients as well, or could buy some if needed. I just need inspiration

Skint_Lynne

A nice soup would be good. Or, I wonder if a sort of potato bake thingy could be invented. Layers of potatoes, carrots, onions etc in a shallow dish. Add the chicken stock and bake until it is ready? I guess that it could be re-heated for lunches.

I'm glad I made you laugh sophiesmum, I could use a lot of descriptions for my DH, he's not a bad soul really, but I'm not sure that anyone else but me is programmed to put up with him.:rotfl:

I've just been speaking to my friend with the dodgy husband. He is just back from spain, his parents live there and he took his smelly old bird with him. My friend is not best pleased that her in-laws of 20 years welcomed her with open arms, but she's well shot of him. That one makes my DH look like this - :A - and that is saying something.:rotfl:

I am going to try and have a productive day tomorrow, so I'm off to bed soon. Nite everyone. xx

sophiesmum_2

10 jars of plum and blackberry jam tonight - OH is going to have to use his plum jam sparingly as it cost a whopping 25.6p a jar to make:eek::eek: which is 15p a jar more than the foraged fruit ones cost to make.8 jars for OH and 2 for NYK's house. I'm on a mission to fill up both our jam supply shelves with frugal preserves:rotfl:
Decided to leave the rowan berries in the freezer overnight which is supposed to improve the flavour.

Frugaldom

Good morning everyone

It's horrible, wet, windy, miserable weather here, waterprrofs were well appreciated this morning!

SM - good work with the plum jam, hope you didn't have too many nightmares from last night's exciting foraging walk. (a certain bull & cows got very irrate when we were walking past, we'd to 'leg it' a little to avoid further chaos or sudden death! :rotfl:)

SF - glad you chose to stuck it out. Your 'lovely' boss will have no grounds for ever handing out a bad reference, well done you! :T:beer:

Mama67 - get your details to me for Faceb00k farming neighbour, PM me. Mind you, I prefer FarmV!lle, my computer hates the FarmT0wn one. But I still have both. :rotfl:

BB, I hope you're feeling better soon, perhaps the days drawing in and the dampness has some effect, too.

Blackberries were all boiled down last night and strained for this morning - now I have it all stewing in the pan, so must go as it's ready to be boiled up then bottled.

sophiesmum_2

Good morning frunchkins:D

Did a couple of jacket potatoes earlier in microwave for the chickies as they weren't going to get used, chopped them up for them and have just had 10 minutes frugal entertainment watching them play chase the potato round the garden. Despite there being a tub full of potato pieces seems they all wanted the one that BB had hanging out of her beak and chased her for ages trying to get it. It was so funny to watch. They have now realised there are plenty more and are getting stuck in despite the rain.

Will probably start the rowan jelly shortly as can't do anything in the garden today.Last night's plum jam didn't set as firm as I like so this morning I brought it back to the boil and it is fine now. Just had some on my toast and it was delicious;)

No nightmares Nyk he was a very big bull though:D