Its tough, it will get better and guess what its freezing brrrrr!

bluebag

GAILEY

my childminder gave me a great tip for babies chucking dinner on the floor, she stands the highchair in a cheap paddling pool then hoses it off with the shower spray in the bath,just leaves it to drain in the tub till next time.

the_cat

Charlie's aunt - you poor thing! Having been through exactly the same thing on more than one occasion I know how tough watching a horse in that situation is (used to work with horses, so unfortunately have encountered almost every form of horse disaster)

I'm another mum in the 'eat it or go hungry' group I'm afraid. As a new mum I pandered too much to my DS early on and noticed he gradually tried to phase out previously liked foods because he wanted his favourite thing instead. Once I cracked down (and refused to let him have anything for pudding or any alternative) he got over it and started eating properly.

Have had a cooking day today - veggie lasagne, chilli, quiches, bread, mousse, hobnobs, choc cake and cheese scones. With teenages that will maybe last 3 days (or 1 if I don't hide stuff:D:D:eek:)

Hugs to all
Cat

jediteacher

Puddleglum wrote: »

I do this too. It really shows when the children have friends round who get to eat what they want at home. I am so glad that my two are so easy to feed. However they know that if they don't eat it then they starve.....mwha ha ha.......:D

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one!

bluebag

beingfrugal wrote: »

Hi all.

I'm using this thread to get my thoughts down as I'm in a bit of a 'thinking panic'

I'm feeling like money is spiralling away so to speak. It's this time of year plus the cars MOT for DH's work. It's the fear of the unknown and knowing we having no savings. We've bobbing along ok, heads above water at least but we can't take a big hit and i'm scared.

It's really made me determined to look at our budget every month. I've got to scrimp even further to get a 'nest egg for emergencies' put aside.

Does anyone else do this, worry about what might not even happen? I'm tired of what ifs, they spoil my spirit and get my otherwise quite happy and content life, down.

Yes, I'm a bit of a flapper too and can get very depressed when money problems hit. It's OK if funds meet expenses, but that's not always that easy!

I found it easiest to put a little something away by just not counting it in the figures to start with, almost as if I had a pay cut for that small amount. I thought well, if that really happened then I would HAVE to manage. This was the way I did, and in fact stll maintain an emergency fund.

When you work out your budget try and put some amount away for car repairs, even if it isn't enough to cover it all, it takes the sting out of it.

Trust me you are not alone in worrying, I have a degree in it!!:rotfl:

Fruball

SeaSalt - what are these plaited tights for shoes thing you are talking about? Is it a HM antislip device? Very interested if it is Please tell me more

Well I had a lovely evening last night - made a big plate of chicken drumsticks and thighs, dusted with flour, smothered in BBQ sauce and baked in a hot oven to crisp them up, which cost me £2 for me, DDs and their friend who was staying over (and have a couple left over for sarnies) rather than my usual takeaway after the kids go to bed which costs over £10 just for me :eek: That is NOT happening any more!!!

I have frozen some more drumsticks coated in ketchup as DD1 doesn't like BBQ sauce.

I haven't had a takeaway in weeks because I keep the following in the cupboards that are ready in minutes and satisfying, rather than 40 mins waiting for delivery of chinese etc.

Couscous - I just make some up with a 1/3rd of a chicken stock cube
Supernoodles - can't argue with the cost of those compared to a takeaway altho they are carp food!!!
Tomato soup - can't get enough of it at the mo and I am salivating even just typing the words!
Cooked chicken - the drumsticks are ideal

Hope everyone is ok - anyone heard from Greent? Hope you are ok if you are lurking love

Heavy sleet forecast here tomorrow night so am going to have to speed up the winter preps - and must insulate my outdoor tap :eek:

Could feed the street for a week with what I have in cupboards

Fruball

Re the "being mean by making them eat what is put in front of them or they go hungry"

I have just had to implement this with DD1. DD2 is great, eats most things and if she doesn't, I know its because she really can't stomach it. But DD1 is a nightmare so from now on, its either eat what goes on the table, or go hungry. She actually ate a chicken drumstick last night for the first time ever because (altho she had already had dinner at her dads) she was feeling munchy and knew she would get nothing else!!!

A friend of mine cooks 3 different meals EVERY night because she, DS and DD don't like the same food :eek:

NualaBuala

kittie wrote: »

Bake then halve. Scoop the insides out put in a bowl and and save the skins Mash with pepper, butter and grated cheese and maybe some nutmeg and then beat a little with a spoon. Spoon into the empty skins. Cool and open freeze. Then pack in poly bags

Thaw and grill when needed or bake frozen

My children loved these but I haven`t made them for years and never frozen them but I`m sure it will work

Thank you Kittie! :A I had never heard of potato boats before. I baked the potatoes, duly scooped out and mashed the potato with the yummy extras. But then greed toook hold and I ate most of them there and then. I have a few put aside but not as many as I'd hoped.

While I had the oven on I made an improvised banana, date and walnut loaf. It's cooling now but will test it later ... seems to be falling apart a little but hopefully will taste ok.

(((((Charlies-aunt))))) ... that's terribly sad.

Beingfrugal, I know the feeling. Like some of the others have suggested, I plan ahead so I know what I'm up against. I feel better that way but I think I'm borderline obsessive about it! I use a spreadsheet and I plan out what I'll need to spend over the whole year including any contingency sorts of things like stuff breaking. It lets me plan for the higher winter heating bills and yearly expenses like TV license, insurance etc. It's still really hard though. I get great support on Frugaldom's Frugal Living Challenge ... keeps me mostly on track! Some folks there are managing on 4k a year ... that is pretty amazing, I'm nowhere near that.

Also, does everyone know about Weezl's Cheap Family Recipes website ... feeding a family of 4 for £100 a month?

Margaret, I hope this doesn't sound like insincere flattery but I love how you write. There's a real warmth there and I really enjoy your stories. Reminds me of certain authors whose names I forget right now.

Well we are set for a nasty night weather-wise with a storm and flooding on the cards. Not much I can do to batten down the hatches but hope all will be ok.

gailey_2

Csarina,charlies aunt sorry you having rough time.

I too worry a lot but dont always share with hubby and definatly not kids.
I know hubby worries too but we try stay positive but scary how much everything costs. Been a relief to get tax rebate but all been allocated so fast for bills and essentials more so than costly treats.

I worry what will happen if hubby does not get new job.
Hes no chance of payrise where he is and everything keeps going up think new year will notice the difference with vat rise not so much effecting lots of things we buy as dont buy that much bar food but rise in bills and petrol.
Relieved licence fees frozen hoping they do same for council tax, expect rent increase of about 20pounds a month on average.

In back of my mind have some extra costs in 2011, babys jabs and double pram and few other bits for new baby due april.Plus we have to change car of doom to people carrier.

Does anyone know when next budget will be?
wondering if there be more shock surprises not announced in spending reveiw?
Thourght traditionally budget used to be may/nov time.

Had to chuckle at irish governement to soften blow of awful cuts they offering every irish resident free cheese!

Still nagging hubby to change energy suppliers not convinced scottish power the best deal.

Hubbsy been losing his temper trying to lay wood floor on hall as kept cutting peices wrong.

both kids bathed and hairwashed in pjs. both having tea but babys fallen asleep in her highchair so just about to move her as shes been grumpy bear this afternoon.
Both having early night tonight. about 6 I reckon.

just changed kids bedding.
need to iron uniforms later.
im going to have nice soak when kids in bed.

Got jacket potatos in oven for change all this talk of jackets last few days made me quite fancy one plus have some leftover marks and spencer salad quite impressed as stetched the salad last 3days-6meals!

lindy loo my 4half year old has fussy moments and has her faves.
What about variations of spag bol just make big batch of tomato and basil sauce.
freeze in tubs but instead of mince I add sliced ham, bacon or cubed pancatta peices you can buy in sainsburys is super quick and gives hubby his meat fix.
Also hubby and daughter quite like tuna pasta bake ,im quite lazy like homepride jars as you can cook from dried pasta no need to precook before baking just stir in tuna near end and add grated cheese.
I do make a mean lasagne which normally freezes into about 10portions.

Been ok day chucked at sky news this morning as they discussed the mama grissleys of american politics, baffled why sarah palin would use that word or what exactly it means even just that women are fighting back and protecting their bears. So glad im not over in usa they have more problems and weirdos than we have here thats for sure.
Cant wait to chat to my uncle hes coming over with my cousin next month.

Then and again hubby says I grizzle and im a mum I just think im a moddy moo at times as he doesnt help my stress levels and worries its like having extra kid some days!

jediteacher

Frugal wrote: »

A friend of mine cooks 3 different meals EVERY night because she, DS and DD don't like the same food :eek:

I know a mum at school who cooks something different for all four of her kids as she says they have different tastes. She then cooks for herself and her husband when the kids go to bed. That's five different meals! :eek: She is a SAHM and says she starts the evening meals as soon as the school run is over. How she has time to do anything else is beyond me but each to their own.

I'm struggling to think of something to cook for tonight. My little girl is still asleep so will have to wake her in a bit otherwise it'll be a really late night. She's poorly at the moment and I feel the more she rests and sleeps the quicker her recovery will be. Luckily I do not work Mondays so we may give nursery a miss tomorrow.

bluebag

There is no mucking about with different dinners in my house either, You want to have something else? eat elsewhere.

I have a friend who cooked anything her sons wanted any time they wanted, I would have had a nervous breakdown but she was just so laid back. I secretly envied her serenity.