Tips and Quick Questions on “How To Start Being Old Style”

scampitandnemo

christmas is definately on a budget - baby is having wrapped up nappies!! lol!

beef cheek and shin i hadn't even considered but i love a good stew so will give it a try!
thankyou all so much - actually quite excited about saving and trying all these new things!
handmade a loaf of bread yesterday - don't think i'll ever buy from the shops again, it was fantastic and when it is stale i am going to crumb it and freeze it for bread sauce - yummy!!

camNolliesMUMMY

scampitandnemo wrote: »

christmas is definately on a budget - baby is having wrapped up nappies!! lol!

beef cheek and shin i hadn't even considered but i love a good stew so will give it a try!
thankyou all so much - actually quite excited about saving and trying all these new things!
handmade a loaf of bread yesterday - don't think i'll ever buy from the shops again, it was fantastic and when it is stale i am going to crumb it and freeze it for bread sauce - yummy!!

There's the spirit!!! :j

We have agreed to get the kids a few things on Xmas day but go out Boxing Day and hopefully get some toys and clothes on Boxing Day for around 50% + off, we also agreed to not get anything for each other and get it on Boxing Day too as we will get each other things for less money. :T

My cousin who is seven has donated his bike to our ds1 and my grandad has tidied it up, put a new seat and bell on it and bought stabilisers on it for him. This has saved us around £100+ from buying him a new bike he will fall off and scratch.

Can't wait to see his lil face light up on crimbos day x

maman

:Ton getting yourself organised. As you love cooking from scratch, that'll be a huge help in cutting down your food budget.

I think you need to get your DH on board and be sure he realises that this is the family budget you're revising and he needs to do his bit. I do my main shop in Aldi and the smoked salmon there is exactly the same brand as in Waitrose!! In Aldi I get all our fruit and veg, milk, eggs, chocolate (:o), cheeses, cooked meats, gammon (steaks and joints), tinned tomatoes, passata, puree, pasta etc. Things where I'm still fussy about brands I get in Sainsbury's or anywhere else that has brands on offer.

If you eat sausages then you can make a lovely casserole with about 1.5 sausages each. Cut them into meatball size pieces and then it's not obvious how little you've used. Stir fry is another meal that uses very little meat. We enjoy liver and onions but that's not to everyone's taste. I love a chicken casserole made with thighs (and loads of veg). I often make roast potatoes mid week with meals, seems to 'man it up'.;) If you think about pubs and restaurants they've been serving up things like sausage and mash, fish finger sandwiches, simple pasta dishes etc for ages to keep costs down.

I'd definitely recommend a spending diary: write own every penny you spend, to begin with for a week. Look through it and note any non-essentials and that'll help you cut back.

Good luck.

Pink.

Hi scampitandnemo,

Now that your thread has dropped down the Old Style board I've added your thread to our main one on starting out on Old Style where you'll find links in the first couple of posts and lots of tips and advice throughout the thread.

Pink

MaddyWaddy

Hi All,

I have read this thread for a long time but only recently joined up.

I seem to be stuck in a rut and need to find my way to change. There is a lot of things I want to do but there is a lot of excuses I make or use as to why I haven't done it

My little girl is 10 months old and this week we have hardly any meals from scratch. I work 3 days a week and get in between 6 and 6:30, my husband works nights and doesn't seem to be able to cook the evening meal as well as look after our little girl. At the moment he is working the high season so is only having 1 night off a week so the housework isn't getting done either.

I want us to get into a better routine with the housework, cooking and being more OS. In the new year I am hoping to get into a regular routine for exercise, cooking, cleaning as well as taking up some new hobbies. I don't want to start everything at once and my main priority is losing weight / eating healthier. My husband says he doesn't mind helping with the housework and things but he needs a set list to work from.

Can anyone give me any pointers as to where they started. I have read some of the threads and I have tried numerous times to do things (usually a housework job, increasing my exercise and a healthier eating) - I just don't seem to stick to it - I am not sure if I am trying to do too much at once .... There is usually an excuse attached to this like "I have been doing this instead, I'll start next week"

Any ideas to get me going without the excuses?

heavenleigh

A little at a time sweetie.
Don't put too much pressure on yourself.
Maybe have one small job to do tomorrow, like make a spag bol or clean the bathroom etc.
Then when it's done don't feel you have failed to do anything else.
The next day plan two things etc.
It's all about programming a routine.
It's bloody hard work i have six of us to look after and has taken me years to get into a routine and also the mindset that if i have a can't be assed day, it's not the end of the world (chips and fish fingers won't kill my kids once in a while) and the hoovering being missed for a day won't kill me.
Slowly and gently makes it easier than overloading yourself at once xx

tessie_bear

a change at a time...not too much at once change wise i would say...could u buy a slow cooker and put a meal init before u go to work ? or do a bit of peeling the night before so u have veg ready to cook on the hob when u get home....could u roast a chicken on a sunday and then have some cold on monday for tea ?

have u seen frugal queens blog ? she seems to cook at the weekend and then reheats after work....u could make some home made ready meals at the weekend and defrost to eat in the evenings

as for housework and exercise...havent a clue i fit both in as and when
good luck

lindens

I can understand your husband needing a list. TRy and think of housework he can do at the same time as looking after your little one. He could iron in the same room as she is playing, as long as he is making eye contact and talking to her at that age she should be happy for 30 mins maybe. He could also put a load of washing in the washing machine/tumble drier quickly.
On the days you work i suggest you either use the slow cooker so at 6.30 all you have to do is dish it up, or at the weekend batch cook and put extra meals in the freezer - on the days you work they can act the same as a ready meal - zap in the microwave, but they are healthier.
go on some websites and look at some healthy receipes. I can also recommend Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals. They are made from scratch would you believe and are healthy too. And they really do take 15 mins I have tried.
And as above break it up into little bits - dont target to "clean the bathroom" thats a huge task. Aim to clean the sink, then clean the toilet etc. etc. They dont have to be done on the same day!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Then tell him on those days and one evening a week you choose for gym, whatever you want, he has to clean the bathroom, cook and clear up everything he touches in the kitchen and put a wash load on.

Start as you mean to go on.

MaddyWaddy

Thanks for those

I do have a slow cooker and we bought a huge sack of spuds last night, I plan to do a decent butchers shop tomorrow so I can do extra portions this week for the freezer.

I know my main issue is taking on too much at once and then the excuses start as to why we haven't had chance to do the 10 jobs we have set ourself.

I need to remember my husband needs to get into a routine as well so one job at a time for him

Thank you for your replies I feel more positive about sorting a routine now :T

PS. I haven't seen Frugal Queens blog - can someone post a link if possible. Thank you