FRUGAL LIVING CHALLENGE 2010, part 2, April - June.

rozeepozee

grandma247 wrote: »

Whitewing it will get better. The 15 minutes idea is good. I do that when I feel overwhelmed. I use a timer if I have to, it is amazing just what you can do in that time.

Thanks for the tips grandma! (The timer is a fab idea and I'll give wordpad a go - I try and use the multiquote function but it doesn't seem to like me).

Wierd experience today: DP and DS have gone to the in laws for Easter (I was given strict instructions not to go into labour while they're away ). First of all it was lovely to have peace and quiet and some uninterrupted napping and then I went online, read a bit on here, lurked on a few of the other sites I visit regularly and then... well I guess then I'd ordinarily have done some shopping. But I didn't have the urge to. Try as I might, I couldn't bring myself to buy anything! Now there is a change in attitude.

So, I've potted on a few more seedlings (can't believe how well the butternut squash seeds that I harvested from a shop-bought squash are doing - though don't know if I can get them to fruit - any advice?) and did some nesting. Things that have never been cleaned for 3 years (the last time I was nesting) or more are now sparkling :T. I'm also having a clear out of food while they're away so tea was a plum and banana smoothie and some very out of date egg noodles tossed in butter (not all in the same bowl!) It's so nice to eat whatever eccentric thing takes my fancy as I don't have to cater for anyone else's tastes. Better make the most of this quiet time, eh?

EDIT: ooh, just re-read my post - hope the egg noodles don't give me a dickie tummy!

Kerry_Woman

Thanks Frugaldom for starting new thread.

Has been an interesting first 3 months and an eye opener. Still alot to learn. Managed to sort out my savings into a better interest rate than I had previous and opened an ISA. Have been doing NSD's and trying to be more mindful in what I buy.

Hugs to those who need them and hope everyone has a nice break over Easter.

pagangirl

Hi all - hugs all round, glad we are all still frugalising.:beer:

Thanks for this - didn't realise we had a continental market in town - do you know if it's in Williamson Square? Still trying to work out which market lynzpower is talking about - haven't been to Paddy's market for years !!! Do you know of any car boot sales locally ? Can't find anything advertised

Today has been a small spend day, but won't need anything else til at least Tuesday so hopefully some more NSD's.

:easter: - hope you all get some nice choccy eggs :EasterBun - me !

enjoyfinancialchallenges

Thanks pagangirl for the good wishes when I go into hosp. later on this month and nyk I hope both you and your eggs are Ok what with the bad weather and the power cuts, now why did you move from the East where all we have are the winds! ! !

Somebody said that Heston Bluemineck said use coins in an emergency when baking a blind pastry base, I usually use out of date dried beans or if I am really in a hurry I place forks in a star shape on top of the baking paper, works ok for me.

Somebody else,... 'sorry I didnt make a note who but I do read all the postings'..... was asking how others keep tabs on spending whilst not making a career out of it by recording every single item. I use my credit card for all spending up to my set amount. This includes Food, Petrol, Cleaning materials, Toiletries, Clothes, Shoe repairs, books and anything else really like flowers, birthday cards gifts etc...Oh and cat food, I forgot that. When I get near to or at my limit I just stop spending and become very creative indeed! ! ! I have to admit this is probably easier for me as I live alone and I'm sure this would be difficult when you have a family to consider. I use my Mr A*** credit card and each November receive vouchers to use over the Christmas period or just afterwards when I am well and truly broke. All my C/C receipts go into an envelope, a new one every month and I write down date, place of spending and just add afterwards, petrol or food or whatever it is. I also keep a running total alongside and this seems to be sufficient for me. It also usefull when I want to check on a particular receipt as I file these envelopes in an Ice cream box on end so I can find what I want easily.

I have an all inclusive amount for the year and its working well although at times like just now I have a dilema, I have £4.84 to last me until the 9th....the end of my C/C month and want to order some runner beans and a few other seeds online from a nursery and P&P is free this weekend but will have to pass on that one because I dont have the cash ! ! shame really because I know this firm they are a local one and the seeds are good but hey ho not the end of the world, perhaps I can just go and buy the seeds locally.

Its stopped raining and I'm going to go outside just for a short while and continue weeding before it gets dark or rains again. Even 15 mins is 15 less.

top_drawer_2

A fiend for life - yes I used olive oil on them and added the powder, mixing them around to make sure they were throughly covered. I can't seem to find a solution for the prepared potato wedges as the guidance seems to indicate that I wouldn't be able to defrost them, only use them in casseroles etc. Was the post in the link to me, Im a little confused by your explanations into you kitchen/electricity usage.

Nuala - I was trying to cut down on the amount I spend on food shopping but managed to go over Febuary total by £30!!! Not even surwhat I bought as my money diary entries indicate it was Normal food/nothing special or more of it ;(( Paprika sounds nice, I will try that next time.

jtb2412 - I often have some bread ends left over from HM bread which are too hard for eating, but I might have to store them until I want to use them - is it ok to freeze breadcrumbs? Also what would the cooking beans/1p's and 2p's be used for?

5 meals from 500g of mince - HOW??? I usually manage one version of a meal ie lasagne and that will last 3-4 servings.

Thanks Lynzpower will definitely have a look, they were amazing and very cheap! With lots of different flavours I could be tempted to live off them:rotfl::rotfl:

Micron - Hello :wave: £15 for parking - for a week at least I hope?!?! what do you drive, helicopter/jet?

Blairweech - lol my Mum is exactly the same! She moans all the time she is skint but completely ignores any advice on how to be more frugal like not buying takeaways/using discounts/planning ahead etc. Honestly I think the roles have been reversed as Im sure she would have been very vocal about it if I had a similar atttude when I got pocket money or even in my 1st job and lived at home.

CW18 - :beer::beer::beer: Thanks for the tip on Mr M, I might see you there lol.

Rozeepozee - I'llhave to buy the cut and come again variety then, the pots I got were only £5 in Wilks but they didnt make it clear they were 1 yield only .... just cant see the point!!!

I still haven't come up with a way of keeping an eye on my spending both day to day and over the month as a whole, last night I had to decide which category the item fell into and then add them up as a whole over the month..... took absolutely ages!

Has anyone any ideas on what I could do with frozen peas or frozen spinach? I have loads of both in the freezer and havent a clue what to do with them

Also making up cleaning stuff - when I put vinagar in with the bicarb it fizzes like mad and most of it doesnt end up stopping in the bottle..... what does everyone else do?

I shopped for the healthly flapjack thingys that Rozee found last week - do you know what Corn syrup is here in the UK? Good old golden syrup! Anyone else doing these and any tips on buying protein powder as it was 10.?? in Mr M.

Sorry for the epic post

Jen

micron_2

top_drawer wrote: »

A fiend for life - yes I used olive oil on them and added the powder, mixing them around to make sure they were throughly covered. I can't seem to find a solution for the prepared potato wedges as the guidance seems to indicate that I wouldn't be able to defrost them, only use them in casseroles etc. Was the post in the link to me, Im a little confused by your explanations into you kitchen/electricity usage.

Nuala - I was trying to cut down on the amount I spend on food shopping but managed to go over Febuary total by £30!!! Not even surwhat I bought as my money diary entries indicate it was Normal food/nothing special or more of it ;(( Paprika sounds nice, I will try that next time.

jtb2412 - I often have some bread ends left over from HM bread which are too hard for eating, but I might have to store them until I want to use them - is it ok to freeze breadcrumbs? Also what would the cooking beans/1p's and 2p's be used for?

5 meals from 500g of mince - HOW??? I usually manage one version of a meal ie lasagne and that will last 3-4 servings.

Thanks Lynzpower will definitely have a look, they were amazing and very cheap! With lots of different flavours I could be tempted to live off them:rotfl::rotfl:

Micron - Hello :wave: £15 for parking - for a week at least I hope?!?! what do you drive, helicopter/jet?

Blairweech - lol my Mum is exactly the same! She moans all the time she is skint but completely ignores any advice on how to be more frugal like not buying takeaways/using discounts/planning ahead etc. Honestly I think the roles have been reversed as Im sure she would have been very vocal about it if I had a similar atttude when I got pocket money or even in my 1st job and lived at home.

CW18 - :beer::beer::beer: Thanks for the tip on Mr M, I might see you there lol.

Rozeepozee - I'llhave to buy the cut and come again variety then, the pots I got were only £5 in Wilks but they didnt make it clear they were 1 yield only .... just cant see the point!!!

I still haven't come up with a way of keeping an eye on my spending both day to day and over the month as a whole, last night I had to decide which category the item fell into and then add them up as a whole over the month..... took absolutely ages!

Has anyone any ideas on what I could do with frozen peas or frozen spinach? I have loads of both in the freezer and havent a clue what to do with them

Also making up cleaning stuff - when I put vinagar in with the bicarb it fizzes like mad and most of it doesnt end up stopping in the bottle..... what does everyone else do?

Sorry for the epic post

Jen

lol - £15 is for a few hours parking... that's the cost in central London!

Frugaldom

Good evening

EFC - When I lived in East Anglia I got stuck in one of the worst snow bound gridlocks I'd ever encountered and, other than those 3 years, I've lived the other 40+ here in Scotland. :rotfl:The M11 and A14 were nightmares when the blizzards hit. Mind you, I wouldn't swap those years for anything, they were a real experience and I'll always have that to look back on - the pure thrill of driving into Newmarket area and being able to think, 'this is where I live and work' is beyond description for someone like me who has a lifelong interest in horses. Ah, the memories! No amount of money can buy those.

Whitewing, nice to see you popping in, I hope you and the family are all doing well.

Top_drawer, I don't mix vinegar and bicarb, I sprinkle or dab on the bicarb then add some vinegar, normally as an oven cleaner or for doing the plug holes. The coins/beans/dried peas are for pouring into raw pastry before it goes into the oven. The weight stops it all from crinkling up. a saucer or teaplate works ok or else just bake without it, making a few little holes in the pastry to l;et the heat escape through it. That's what I do and it seems to work.

Nile Mince - makes loads and loads and loads of meals. Just cook it up half and half with either textured soya, porridge oats or lentils, adding stock to flavour. Then start adding in the other ingredients, like chopped veggies of any description and that's the basis for several meals. Turn it into mince with dumplings, spaghetti bolognese, lasagne, chili con carne, spicy (minced) beef casserole, cottage pie... loads of things you can do with it. I've even added the last of mine to a pack of stuffing and then baked it in pastry to make a sort of meat loaf and have also curried it. If you bulk it out with all the other things, 500g can become 2 kg in no time

Frozen peas will keep for ages, I add them to mince, pie fillings, savoury rice, fried rice, even make easy pea and ham soup by cooking them with some chopped onion & carrot, adding it all to some ham stock (use stock cubes if necessary) and then whiz up with a blender - frugalised pea & ham soup.

cw18

top_drawer wrote: »

5 meals from 500g of mince - HOW??? I usually manage one version of a meal ie lasagne and that will last 3-4 servings.

If I'm doing a straight forward 'mince and mash' I expect to get 6-8 portions as a minimum from 500g.

If it's Spag Bol, Chille or Macaroni Casserole then 500g normally makes 10 portions. And that's without using rehydrated soya mince to pad it out..... if I add that (which I only do to the 'easy flow' frozen types of mince) then it's 15-16 !!!!

cw18

Well, I'm making the most of DS2 being away for a few days.....

Have spent about 2.5 hours this evening starting on a declutter of other rooms upstairs, while using HIS room as the 'dumping ground' for what I've sorted. Just put one large black bag in my wheelie bin, have another (full of clothes) for a local charity shop, two carrier bags full of clothes not fit for there which will go to the textile recycling point, a pile of mags/paper for recycling, and several bits and bobs for the tip. And that's aside from the books, clothes and crafting bits that need proper homes finding for them :eek:

And I still can't really tell I've done anything where I've been working (other than the piles in DS's room)

Was planning on a full day of that tomorrow, but there's a chance I could be called into work (hence turning in now instead of doing another hour of sifting). One of the ladies went home ill this morning, so may not be in tomorrow - but the bakery is going to be manic with the store being closed on Sunday, so the work can't easily be done by just one person (especially with her being another like me who doesn't normally do the early/packing shift).

enjoyfinancialchallenges

micron, the beans are my kidney beans, or haricot beans or any other dried bean that would take ages and ages to cook because they are very old so would be ideal to use up when baking a blind pastry case. They would then be stored in a screw top jar....after they cooled down... for next time, they would be no use to cook with as a food afterwards. I'm a vegetarian so eat beans as my source of protein.

nyk I've lived in E A now for 12 years and for many years before that my parents lived here, in fact I was district/midwife in one of the small villages near here for a while..... in the olden days, ....and I did get snowed in especially in 1963 I seem to remember..... not much use when you have a patient in labour!!!. I remember so well that the council road men used to make sure my drive and the local Drs. drives were cleared of snow before anyone elses so we at least could do our jobs, ah, memories. The main thing though is the wind which I still hate but continue to live here, doesn't make sense really though, except its a good place to live!

Yes, the M11 and the A14 are still nighmares even without the blizzards, the traffic to Felixstowe has increased dramatically over the last few years.

Cheryl, well done for getting stuck into decluttering not something I find very easy, throwing things away is just not me, there is always another use.

I'm not sure if this has already been answered but yes its OK to freeze breadcrumbs and whole loaves of bread and rolls. I just prise off what bread I want if I buy ready sliced bread and either toast it as it is or microwave it for a few seconds to thaw it if in a hurry. No problems.