Frugal Living 2010 -The Cost of Living Challenge, INTRO

heather2409

Please may I join Heather 2409

Many thanks

shaz_mum_of__2

Hi ceridwen

do you use the liners for fruit leathers?

I have ordered a westfalia one (pressie from mil) and was hoping to make DS some leathers as he cannot eat sweets .

The liners you mentioned i read somewhere you can make your own but i forget what from......doh....(medication leaving big gaps in memory.........not good when studying for a degree...lol)

Grandma what do you dry?

Shaz

shaz_mum_of__2

http://www.i4at.org/surv/soldehyd.htm

http://ecohearth.com/eco-zine/food-and-garden/650-building-a-solar-powered-food-dehydrator-.html

there are free plans available on the net for building your own solar dehydrator too!! not sure if we have the weather ? i may have a go at the first ,the second is worth a look just for the workman!!

pink_numbers

raebhoop wrote: »

One vets bill will screw up your budget....period

exactly why 1) I have pet insurance on my aging cats and 2) I put away more money than I need into the pet cost savings account so that I accumulate some cash in case I have to pay out.

I also have an emergency savings account to cover having to pay for a large vet bill, which I can then replenish when the insurance pays out.

Of course, the best thing would be for my darling cats to not get ill, but it's good to have plan a, b, and c in place!

larmy16

Well in my quest to reduce my outgoings I made some liquid detergent yesterday.

The lowest price one I could find was the value for £1.67 - Tesco.

Here is mine.

Half a bar of Aqua soap (grated) = approx 12 pence
Half cup of Napisan = approx 20p
Half cup of Soda Crystals = approx 10p
Few drops eucalyptus oil = pence.

I would estimate about maximum 50p for a 4 litre bottle of liquid detergent. Not bad. I heated it all up on the stove in a large saucepan stirring, then let it cool and decanted through a funnel into a 4 litre milk bottle (plastic thingy).

It works great.

grandma247

Shaz I dry any veg and fruit I can get my hands on seriously I don't think there is anything you can not do. The only disappointment is runner beans because they come out a little bit chewy when soaked but not inedible so I add them to stews and soups that need long cooking.
I also make powders of some things such as mushrooms,tomatoes, garlic and dried cooked and dried again beans (for extra protien and thickening). The tomato gives spag sauce a deeper tomato taste and the mushrooms are good when people moan they don't like mushrooms but never complain about the taste when I use it. I also powder the good outer leaves of broccolli and cauliflower and add to soups etc.
You can even dry tinned and frozen foods and I have been looking at the giant tins of stuff on approved food and thinking I should just get them and dry them.

I had some round plastic place mats from lidl that had seen better days so I cut them up for liners and they work very well. I cut them smaller than the trays so the air can circulate so the motor does not strain. Just turned them upside down and drew with a pen and cut to size trimming where needed.

shaz_mum_of__2

I think it may be Teflon liners i am thinking of ?

Just recieved a 5 kilo can of shredded celeriac from approved f00ds theres only so much coleslaw we can eat so may try some of that then as well as the other i was planning to do a siilair mix like the dried veg you can buy in the shop as it is ideal for casseroles when fresh veg unavailable

larmy16

Pink Numbers I so agree regarding the pets bills. My cat is 8 now - it costs me £17.99 per month to insure him but they still say I would have to pay 20% of any claim in future.

I have made one claim. Should I be trying to find cheaper do you think? I am not very good at changing providers - it always seems to go pear shaped.

homegrown_life

larmy16 wrote: »

Well in my quest to reduce my outgoings I made some liquid detergent yesterday.

The lowest price one I could find was the value for £1.67 - Tesco.

Here is mine.

Half a bar of Aqua soap = approx 12 pence
Half cup of Napisan = approx 20p
Half cup of Soda Crystals = approx 10p
Few drops eucalyptus oil = pence.

I would estimate about maximum 50p for a 4 litre bottle of liquid detergent. Not bad. I heated it all up on the stove in a large saucepan stirring, then let it cool and decanted through a funnel into a 4 litre milk bottle (plastic thingy).

It works great.

Hi Larmy - is this for washing clothes? Sorry for the dumb question! thanks.

knithappens

larmy16 wrote: »

Pink Numbers I so agree regarding the pets bills. My cat is 8 now - it costs me £17.99 per month to insure him but they still say I would have to pay 20% of any claim in future.

I have made one claim. Should I be trying to find cheaper do you think? I am not very good at changing providers - it always seems to go pear shaped.

shop around, check out martins blurb on here about pet insurance, just make sure they cover you for what you need to be covered for