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

candygirl

For the peeps wanting to buy slow cookers, don't forget to check on offer of the day, or hotukdeals for offers, and is poss go through quidco for cashback:D:D
Just slid round to DD's to see Boo, and she's teething like mad!Her top teeth are poking through and she's chewing everything in sight poor babe:o:o
Am chilling here now for the night, with curry n wedges for tea:p:p

knithappens

candygirl wrote: »

For the peeps wanting to buy slow cookers, don't forget to check on offer of the day, or hotukdeals for offers, and is poss go through quidco for cashback:D:D
Just slid round to DD's to see Boo, and she's teething like mad!Her top teeth are poking through and she's chewing everything in sight poor babe:o:o
Am chilling here now for the night, with curry n wedges for tea:p:p

awww my LO is like that at the mo, inally tuckered herself out and gone down for a nap.
she will be 6 months in 2 weeks, and in the last week it seems everything has come together, rolling everwhere, getting on her knees ready to crawl, arghhh not long now.

XSpender

I have just been told that my meeting on Monday, involving an 8 hour drive, has been cancelled. I am so relieved.:dance: I wonder if it is been preggers that is making me so cautious about driving and going out in the snow. I have never liked driving in it but I am a right scaredy cat at the mo.

I have made a big batch of soup using up bottom of the fridge veg and will be making enough Shepherds pie mix tonight to do 3 meals for 2. I might try sticking some oats in and some extra veg to squeeze 4 meals out of it. Do oats work bulking out veggie mince as well as normal mince?

xnatalie81x

chika wrote: »

Hello fellow frugallers. I had to do it I went out and spent some cash yesterday because for some reason my bread didn't rise do ended up with to loaves the colour and consistency of concrete blocks. I used the last of my yeast on those to went over to Ald! to buy more - but they don;t sell it. So I had to spend £1 on a loaf of rubbish spongy white bread all they had left.) I stocked up on onions and garlic and some mince while there. I spend about £8 but i won't have to get anything for the rest of the week so that is ok.

Does anyone bake with fresh yeast - I remember people getting it for free from the supermarket bakers. Is this still true and is it easy to work with?

Frugal activities this afternoon - finally getting round to using up some of the pulses in my cupboard. I've got a daal curry with black eyed beans and lentils in the slow cooker and I'll hunt around for a receipe for naan bread. I have a mate coming for tea so I'll be prepared this time. I'm also going to make this cake http://savorysweetlife.com/2010/01/chocolate-wacky-depression-cake-recipe/ It looks interesting and the lack of eggs and fat is a frugal bonus. If it tastes terrible then I'll make some buttercream and fill it. It should be ok with tea.

THANKS FOR THE RECIPE - I have run out of butter :beer:

Miss_Bubbles

Complete newbie!
This is my first post so forgive me any mistakes and annoying questions!

Snowed in and daughters school is closed so i've spent a grand total of £0.00 today bar heating etc
Homemade cottage pie for tea. I make a huge pie (enough for 4 at least) and freeze any leftovers,great for a quick meal later in the week!

batcatz

XSpender wrote: »

I have just been told that my meeting on Monday, involving an 8 hour drive, has been cancelled. I am so relieved.:dance: I wonder if it is been preggers that is making me so cautious about driving and going out in the snow. I have never liked driving in it but I am a right scaredy cat at the mo.

I have made a big batch of soup using up bottom of the fridge veg and will be making enough Shepherds pie mix tonight to do 3 meals for 2. I might try sticking some oats in and some extra veg to squeeze 4 meals out of it. Do oats work bulking out veggie mince as well as normal mince?

I'm glad your drive was cancelled too! It's chaos out there.

Oh cool, I made shepherds pie yesterday! I have a big one in the freezer and enough mince to make another, plus a small one for tonights dinner waiting in the fridge.

Not sure about oats? What kind of oats? Pulses, chick peas, celery might be better. I added carrots, peas, onion, mushroom, left over wine, bisto, veggie stock, tin of tomatoes, some left over quorn mince to go with the meat mince, ketchup... it tastes lovely honest. I've added a tin of baked beans before. Very yummy.

Just remembered the mince I used also made 2 other large shepherds pie a couple of weeks ago.

candygirl

knithappens wrote: »

awww my LO is like that at the mo, inally tuckered herself out and gone down for a nap.
she will be 6 months in 2 weeks, and in the last week it seems everything has come together, rolling everwhere, getting on her knees ready to crawl, arghhh not long now.

lol it cracks me up when they do that rocking back and forth thing, before they crawl.Boo was trying to lean on the sofa and clap at same time before:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:she's just 9 months:D

chika

Natalie - I've just finished it, it was really easy to do. The mixture seems a bit thick so i just put a bit more water in it. Its cooking now but looks yummy. I think this one might be a keeper. I love the American way of meauring in cups, it saves so much faff and messing about with scales.

XSpender - That's good news about the drive being cancelled, I hate driving in snow. Its just scary apparently school is open again tomorrow so I'm going to have to do the school run (I'm a pt nanny). I'm a bit gutted and slightly scared of driving in this. *prays for more school closing snow tomorrow*

WELCOME Miss Bubbles. How good does it feel to have a nsd? Your cottage pie sounds lovely. Good luck with the challenge.

Savvy_sewing

Hello, borrowing daughters laptop to access as mine is still in the shop for repairs.
We are snowed in, and so daughter may be here visiting longer then we had expected.
I defrosted £4 worth of minced beef, around 800g I think it was. Anyway, I have been productive with it, while Daughter is here to lookafter DGD. I have made a Meatloaf, (should feed 4), 4 portions of bolognese, 6 beef and onion pies, 2 portions of Chilli, and 2 bases for individual cottage pies.
Becuase I used some bacon from the fridge, packet cost £1.13 in Mr T, I used the rest to make 2 pie dish Quiche lorraines, and a single portion quiche. So I am quite happy with that.
Biggest of Mooloo was coming to tea tonight, hence why I had defrosted the mince, but as the snow has arrived then she is not able to come.
My Mum and Dad are back from France, so I went to see them. As we stayed a bit longer then planned, we needed to pop across to the Onestop Shop for some nappies, milk and eggs. Very frugal Mum paid for them! Then when Dad wasnt looking she slipped me £20. So I decided to use it to buy more food on the way home, So with my weeks money, and hers I spent £41.81 in Mr T.
In that there was a scart lead for the TV as the other one was broken. Trodden on when we were getting the christmas tree down. Fire lighters, and washing powder, the rest was food stuffs.
So we are well stocked up now!
As Mum gave me half of the money I am not counting it all in the budget though?

Kerry_Woman

The snow has finally come to where I live. All the staff were let out early, but will lose pay as I am temping there. Walked home as it was quicker than catching the bus. It also saved me some money. Still got to use up some food in the freezer.