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

FrankieM

natalie Don't know whether to say 'well done' or send you a hug, so take which ever one you need or both!
I've spent alot of time over the last few weeks wondering if it would just be easier on my own....but still I push through...;)

xnatalie81x

Do you know it was a very very hard decision and i feel better already but the kids do say they miss daddy. He is having them on Sunday. I hope we can stay civil. It is a shame as i will always love him but i just cannot live the way we are living. For me having seperate lives and living in the same life is no relationship!

Anyway hugs and congrats are accepted equally - i am at mums as mummy dog has mastitis and needs to go to vets. Looks like puppies will need hand-rearing and it will cost about £100-150 at vets HOWEVER total costs are looking to be around 400 but 3 pups will be sold to cover those costs. Hoping for 250 each for 3/4 of them out of 6. (i am keeping 1 and ex wanted 1 but he has the mum to take and nowhere to live so not practical and ex MIL is having one too and i am keeping one) Pet insurance does not cover pregnancy, birth or effects of either of those

shaz_mum_of__2

sophiesmum wrote: »

Frankie It is really easy and simple, just take a casserole dish or roasting pan of some type - I use the oblong pyrex dishes, peel enough potatoes for how many people you are feeding then slice into scallops, grate a small block of cheese,(good way of using up odd ends of packs from the fridge too) peel and thinly slice a couple of small onions/one large one. Then all you need to do is layer them in the casserole dish, until you have filled the dish,add about half a pint of veg stock or water,salt and pepper to season, finish with a layer of cheese so the top ends up nice and crispy. Just stick it in the oven until the potatoes cook through and the top crisps..
The kids would probably like it served with baked beans, or you can do it on its own or with veggies.
Sometimes I also add sliced tomatoes along with the potatoes etc. Hope that makes sense to you

Going to do this for tea with fishfingers and peas and sweetcorn sounds yummy

FrankieM

Afternoon,
I'm still working my way through weezle's first thread, though the end is in sight!
I've also made some flapjack and feel all inspired to try some other baking things, just not sure what ingredients I have.
I think I may do a 'big storecupboard shop' in January. Lots of lentils, peas & beans. Also pasta, rice etc. Does anyone know of any online places that are cheaper than the supermarkets?
I'm also seriously considering getting a whole lamb or mutton/ half pig/ side of beef. Does anyone know if there is a 'season' to buy this kind of thing and if so am I in it?

shaz_mum_of__2

Frankie

Autumn is the best time around here for bulk buy meat from farmers etc you should still be ok . Butchers do them too as well as bulk discounts if you buy a lot of assorted stuff don't be scared to ask for a reduction. I find meat cheaper this way as i rarely get whoopsies and its a 6 mile round journey to nearest supermarket.

Approved foods have some lentil and beans great buys at the minute i usually buy mine at the local asian grocers as they are much cheaper for everything except the red lentils for some reason

Shaz

Natalie.................congrats?? on your new found freedom hope you can keep it civil

FrankieM

Rang my local butcher earlier and he said to give him a ring again in the New Year. I think he's a bit snowed under with people's Christmas orders...I don't have any money at the moment anyway, was just curious about the price.
I'm not sure we have any Asian shops. I live in staffordshire which seems to barely have Asians....I wondered if there were good online shops for that kind of thing, though I may have to wait till I've got a bigger pile of cash..!

Frugaldom

Good evening frugallers,

Sorry not to have caught up before now, time just seems to have evaporated today. Was lovely first thing, so I saw to the livestock then took a load of photographs then had a washing to go out. Was in town, had a bit of work in there and some LETS trading to do, so the hour or two stretched to three. You know how it goes... very late lunch, catch up on work at home, time to see to the livestock again then make dinner and here I am, just catching up, hoping SM got my email saying YES to her chicken offer. In between times, this morning's trading resulted in a huge bag of potatoes, several peppers, a bag of huge mushrooms, some more carrots and a couple of lemons - not a bad haul, in my book. I've already chopped & frozen the peppers & mushrooms. I've also hung my hm holly wreath on the front door (traded via LETS for it) so need to get the tree and decorations dug out for tomorrow to make it festive indoors, too. DGD moving into her new house this week and doesn't want to come stay at Gran's, she wants to sleep in her new pink room!

Natalie, re the hen food, I thought I was paying far too much at almost £8 a bag but £12+ is a bit excessive. Do you have any agricultural merchants, farm stores of grain merchants in your neighbourhood? Sorry to hear things didn't work out between you and OH. Chickens are so much easier to live with, don't you think? :cool:

Got some extra accounting to do this weekend and, hopefully, a bit more LETS trading to do by way of a sewing machine! :j I just hope I can remember how to thread it up and make it go! :rotfl:Then who knows what all the scraps of material will become - I'm considering another patchwork quilt as I haven't made one for absolutely years. I just need to find chunky knitting needles and start collecting oddments of wool, as I'd like it cloth on one side and knitted on the other rather than having to line it with wadding.

Can't remember if I said or not, but the cut to measure cushion foam arrived last night and has already been fitted to the futon. As predicted, it makes it much more comfortable and substantial enough to be used as a proper couch. It now has a cream throw and some recycled cushions to finish it off and it looks OK. :T

Hope everyone is well, apologies if I've missed anything important but I think I've read all the posts to date.

sophiesmum_2

Nyk - there is a sewing machine next door for the taking - I got another one which was a model I was familiar with, go and get it if you like or I can show you in morning,.I am bringing the other up this weekend

grandma247

Nyk you can use a wool blanket for the other side of a quilt. I think they are warmer anyway. Maybe you could get one via LETS.
Just heard dh is getting paid next friday and that will be the last pay of this year as they are getting their holiday money too even though they don't officially finish till 24th. So I really will have to do my accounts. I was putting it off till week after next but there is no need now.

Skint_Lynne

Hiya,

DH arrived home tonight, he is here until Monday morning, then back he goes to work until next Friday, then, he is here until 3rd January.:eek:

natalie, I hope you are okay with OH situation, it sounds as if you are handling things well. Sometimes my DH drives me mad, but as he works away, I get a break from him and this works out well. I do think the world of him, but wonder what it will be like when he is home for always.:eek: You take care of yourself. x

It is my big brother's birthday tomorrow, he is 40. I am getting more impressed with him and SIL this week re: their spending habits. First, he takes heed and reigns in the spending on the wee fella for christmas. (He realised that a 2 year old is as happy with £1 cars as he is with prezzies costing a fortune). Then, they refused a fancy posh meal out for the birthday in favour of a staying at home buffet style party thing. Am I rubbing off on him?:rotfl:

2 weeks today and santa will have been and gone for another year, then it will nearly be time for the new year already, where does all the time go to.

Speak later. xx