FRUGAL LIVING CHALLENGE 2010, part 1. (Living on £4,000 a year)

Happymrsh

Well I'm back, went for bread which i got, kingsmill as thats what DH likes 2 for £2 so saved a little

Also got 2 packs of diced chicken £1.89 each, half price. Some rolls for DH for work 40p for 6 an will freeze some. And got 2 tubs of can't believe its not butter which was 57p, half price. So spent £7.32 in total. but saved £5.55 so not bad i think.

Well done Pagangirl, you did well and got some real bargains on your shop. Excellent :j

What does everyone do with any left over bread that isn't quite at its best? Breadcrumbs to freeze? Anything else??

babyboysmommy

I hope everyone's having a good day. It's been a NSD for me. Nothing else to report, been busy visiting family.

JayJay14

pagangirl - you should see my collection. OH has been working at a company that makes aerosols so I have cupboards full of stuff.

Went to Asda tonight and have bought a few bits, went for apples and found that the smart price packs were russets which are one of our faves - so 3 packs of those. Also whoopsied melon and satsumas so most of the fruit sorted and I also got bananas (I take one to work each day to keep myself out of the biscuit tin)

Really need to get off my b*m and sort out out my lunch for tomorrow - I'm going to be nthe office on my own for the day so I'm going to take a really scrummy lunch to give me a midday lift. Just have to decide what to have. I just wsh there were a few jobs in this city - if we don't watch it I will be the only one working soon.

Anyway of to see what I can make with the heap of canvass I have in the hall - thinking some shopping bags perhaps.

thriftylass

Happymrsh wrote: »

What does everyone do with any left over bread that isn't quite at its best? Breadcrumbs to freeze? Anything else??

How about bread and butter pudding?
I usually just dry mine and make breadcrumbs that I keep in a tupper box, no need to freeze if the bread is properly dried.

lynzpower

Breadcrumbs I use for

Coating chicken and fish portions/goujons/nuggets/burgers

Stuffing mushroom with breadcrumbs,philly & cheese and garlic and baking :drool:

Also saw recipe for "veiled country girl" a bit like a crumble but with apple, jam & breadcrumbs which Im going to try too.

rozeepozee

Hello everyone - can't believe how many posts since my last - I'm finding it increasingly hard to sit at the computer - to sit anywhere in fact, so I've no hope of catching up tonight. Spent the morning at antenatal physio for advice on how to improve posture and ot injure myself for the rest of this pregnancy. I'm already heavier at 24 weeks pregnant than I was at 42 weeks with my first (singleton) pregnancy! My belly's like carrying a 15lb sack of spuds around!

Spent £2.30 on parking at the hospital (would previously have walked there but no chance of that atm) and £4 on posting pressies ans stamps. A lovely friend took me out for lunch. Can't wait for the slow cooker to arrive tomorrow.

Just poring over the Unwins catalogue. Being restrained about what seeds I buy as I've saved loads from last year but seriously thinking about buying something to help ease the back breakingness of propagating seeds given my current "condition"

JayneC

Hi everyone - didn't manage to post yesterday as forum went down just as I got to last page, grrr!!

Made some notes (am so sad) so...

Fishcake - thanks for tip about bread andbutter pudding, I had considered this but it's only me that likes it, and not sure how it would work out with wholemeal bread, still may give it a go and make some puds just for me:D could take them to work! I did used to use the crusts to make individual pizzas for the kids but they've started turning their noses up at it!! Also re getting wool - I got loads from freecycle, may be worth asking or keeping an eye out?

SkintLynne - your day with friends sounded lovely, must make time to do this more often

danielly - there's seed pots at Wilkos for 97p, which I thought was v good, I think they were £2.99 last year? They are a pk of 5 early type.

debtmess - I think it's worth having an open fire as an option, you can always scavenge a bit of wood if needed. I always worry about power cuts, etc

Thriftkitten - re slowcooker, you really need to leave it on all day. I usually use it to put something on in the morning and then it's ready when I get home. It's just motivating myself to be organised in the morning!!

Kittiej - good to hear you had fun at the panto, I love John Barrowman - he has such a sense of fun...

Bails - hope you have a wonderful time, can't wait to hear about your adventures!

Natalie - I think you should be in priority for housing with the council, but you'll probably be processed as homeless which means you may have to go into temporary accommodation first and then have no choice in where you're housed which is a bit of a b*gger but may be better in long run as it's more secure. I do some work with homelessness so give me a shout if I can be any help.

Well I listed lots of things on turbo lister to go on ebay but then couldn't find the lead to my camera to upload the photos so didn't manage to get anything on in the end! It's all starting at 99p tho so can get it on any time...

Not been too frugal today - bought a sausage and bacon roll this morning as was on a training course an had to leave early so didn't get breakfast. so that was £1.95. Kept me full all day tho so kept me away from the biscuits at break times! Do you think a sausage andbacon roll equates to 8 biscuits (that's what I ate on day one yesterday, lol)?

May have to have a looksee at the Boots sale, thanks for the heads up. Got quite a few bits last year that saw me through the year for a good lot of birthdays and even a couple of Christmas prezzies last year too!

Take care all x

homegrown_life

hello all,

slowlyfading - well done on passing your tests

Bails - have a fab and safe time, very jealous!

Things going ok here, my approved foods order finally came today ( was supposed to be redelivered yesterday but never turned up :mad:) Just need to find space now, was only a little order but fairly pleased with it all. I don't have much money left in my grocery budget as been stocking up, but still don't want to go over too much what my monthly amount is as I might find it hard to claw it back. Will have to be extra good!

I've been busy in the kitchen lots, I just wish it didn't turn into a war zone, or what looks like one, every time I go in there. Honestly I am so rubbish at keeping it ordered and neat, I need to get better at that. Anyone any tips?

I have stuff to make some marmalade so going to get going with that soon. I need to find out some jam jars and then give it a go. I've made jam before (with mixed success) but never marmalade. Hoping to give some to FIL as a gift if it goes well as I know he likes it.

Take care all x

NualaBuala

Evening all!

Hope you've all had a good day!

Thanks for that planting chart Nyk, very handy.

Happy, I am 10 minutes walk from Mr T and Aldi. They are across the road from each other so very handy. In the other direction I've got Lidl, about 15 minutes and M&S is about a 25 min walk. But I'm trying to buy more from my food co-op which is a about 45 mins by bus.

SF - well done on the test.:j It's kind of funny that they're testing you to see if you have literacy skills seeing as you've been through college but I guess it's better to check just in case!

Fishcake_Random wrote: »

NualaBuala - The socks are made using this site, it was the second thing I ever made after the typical scarfs for practise. http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/SockClass_Start.htm
Its all step by step and really helpful, the socks come out super comfy everytime. Good Luck.

Thanks a mill for that Fishcake. can I blame you as now I have gone and spent £4.89 (which I guess will cost me about €5.80) on some gorgeous sock wool in Kemps.:D On the plus side, there were several I liked and it took all my restraint to just buy enough for one pair of socks to see how I get on.

I_want_a_baby wrote: »

Nuala Buala - Don't know if anyone else has posted as I haven't read to the end but the way to make an open fire is to Scrunch individual sheets of newspaper and cram them into bottom of grate, add kindling (small bits of wood twigs etc), then add a log and a few bits of coal - works every time. Make sure you add enough kindling so that it catches enough to start burning the log! xxx

Thanks a million for the advice. I followed it today and the fire did light better than previously but took a good while to get going. I think my logs might have quite a high water content. Or maybe just my poor technique!

mama67 wrote: »

When we moved house I took out a full years redirection but then as each letter came with the redirection wrote to the relevant companies etc giving new details.

It meant that the important ones didn't get forgotten but the junk mail didn't get the new address.

Good idea - although I was really annoyed with our redirection service last time I moved. They delivered several items to my old address but I couldn't prove it and ended up not following through on my complaint.

I've had a good frugal day:

• Sorted out my free fire for the evening which is keeping me toasty as I type. Brought in coal, cleaned it out, gathered kindling and found a free paper.
• Lunch and dinner from store cupboard and freezer
• Hacked down a lot of the brambles and overgrowth at the end of the garden. Had been quoted hundreds to get the job done and am delighted to be doing it myself with the aid of a pair of thornproof gloves from Ebay for £1.99 and a pair of loppers from Aldi for around a fiver. Plus all the prunings will make good kindling. Free exercise too!
• Evening spent knitting which stops me nibbling and poncho is now big enough to keep my lap warm while I knit.

It's now pouring rain and very windy - I feel so cosy listening to it lash on the window while I'm snuggled in front of the fire.

xnatalie81x

JayneC wrote: »

Hi everyone - didn't manage to post yesterday as forum went down just as I got to last page, grrr!!


Natalie - I think you should be in priority for housing with the council, but you'll probably be processed as homeless which means you may have to go into temporary accommodation first and then have no choice in where you're housed which is a bit of a b*gger but may be better in long run as it's more secure. I do some work with homelessness so give me a shout if I can be any help.

Take care all x

PANTS!!!!!!!!!!! I just hope as i am on the list already they just give me points to bid with. I cannot deal with temorary and i have 3 children i don't want to drag around moving every 5minutes. I am so so stressed about all of this - i cannot think about anything else.

Did buy jumper for 50p for DD then DS in few mths (close in age) from charity shop.