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

thriftylass

Oh forgot to ask a quick question in my last post. As we forgot to take the vegetables along on Christmas day I have a bag of brussel sprouts left that noone likes but me (so most of the family wasn't too upset . Has anyone a recipe idea (eg soup for my work lunches?) as I haven't found much on the net.

Thanks a lot

Frugaldom

Thrifty, I don't really like sprouts but can eat them in 'bubble and squeak', which could be frozen into individual portions. It's basically leftover veg & potatoes but I like bacon through mine to give it a better flavour. Here's an easy recipe

Paulgonnabedebtfree

It was -3 when I checked just a few minutes ago and that's in the deep south .
That money I earned by going out between Xmas and new year (including new years day) is looking more valuable by the day.

thriftylass

nykmedia wrote: »

Thrifty, I don't really like sprouts but can eat them in 'bubble and squeak', which could be frozen into individual portions. It's basically leftover veg & potatoes but I like bacon through mine to give it a better flavour. Here's an easy recipe

Thanks a lot, I'll try that, sounds tasty. I now also found a nice brussel sprouts caramalised onion soup.

Thanks for reminding me to cut up the christmas cards for labels

cw18

Took me until 9:40 to find the nerve to phone the vet for an appt - guess I hadn't realised until they opened (and I could phone) just how worried I was about not bringing her home with me

The only appt left was 10:20, so ironed my work uniform, bundled her up, and headed down (she won't walk on the lead anymore, so had to be carried - and my arms were feeling the weight of her by the time I'd done the 10 minute walk, even though she wasn't wriggling!)

Then had to wait half an hour before we got in !!! That certainly didn't help me any

Had quite a chat with the vet, and my suspicions of fits while I've been at work were taken into account more than I thought they might..... purely based on her behaviour on several days being very like the 24 hours after the fit yesterday morning (and the other dog being more watchful of her)

The good news is she's come home with me The bad news is I still ended up with a bill for just over £40 - and now have three lots of tablets (all of which are very small and need chopping into halves!) to get down her. Two of them are twice a day (one is a 'cognitive' one - apparently increases blood flow to the brain, so may reduce 'messing' or at least stop her sitting in it aftwards which she's started over the last week - and one is anti-fits), the other one is once a day (anti-biotic, as her 'never ending circling' - which is always in the same direction - could be due to an inner ear infection).

Have been asked to monitor her behaviour more closely (esp after I've been out), in the hope we may get more of an idea about frequency of fits (if they continue). She's also lost 2kg since they last weighed her (think that was 18 months ago), but - while that's a fair old percentage of her previous 7kg - the vet didn't seem unduly concerned given her age. Guess it's just something else we'll have to keep an eye on now.....

Next appt is 9am Friday, so now we have to wait and see how things go then.

loopychriss

shaz_mum_of__2 wrote: »

Natalie i you have a homebargains or a poundstretcher/instore they sell 1kg bags of sugar for 69p

I get 1.5 kg bags of sugar in Poundland for £1 - that works out to 67p a kg. They are heavier to carry though...

Skint_Lynne

I am glad that the wee one is back with you cheryl,

I was thinking about her earlier on today, she must be a kitty in disguise, (9 lives). They become an important part of our lives, I would not be happy if something happened to sam, my mum's wee dog.

weezl74

knithappens wrote: »

250g 8 slices per pack the offer is on until 17th Jan

thank you so much, that's brilliant :T:T:T the best asda has on offer is £5 a kilo and that works out as £2.50 a kilo.... must make space in freezer....

debtmess

afternoon all, quick one from me untill later 2 of 3 back, pre school not open till tomorrow but ds going to a friends for the day as im at family courts

popped into asda this morning, kicking myself now as could have got by for a few more days yet, ended up spending £18.91 as brought some dishes that fit better in remoska and hallogen oven that should be everything needed untill the weekend, hopefully next week

will shortly pay my water bill for the month which is another £44.00, the odd change ive already put in my coin box, i have £60 left for the rest of the week, train ticket tomorrow should only be £3.40 if they will sell me the cheaper day rate as i will be buying before 9.30 otherwise its going to cost me £6.80 i think annoying as im getting the train 2 mins after the fares go down for the rest of the day

will probably end up buying lunch for me and my stepmum as she is comeing along with me (would be rude not to) so allowing £15 of budget for that, leaving around £40 for everything else, wednesday need a trip to the job centre which is another £5.50 on the bus so this week will be a small challenge but if i stick to things it should be ok

i worrying im rambleing on without contributing anything worth reading to the thread

gilligansyle

cheryl - glad you got to bring dog home, have a friend whose dog has lots of fits, vet just says its old age, and to keep a watch.
Have just ordered some store cupboard basics from Approved Food, together with stuff for DS - drinks and the like, cheaper than H&B! Makes a big difference to budgeting, especially as have just done veg order from farm. Need to check up on freezing veg.