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

Margaret54

Oh Sammy love well done to you. You so deserve this, and I am very pleased for you.:) What a lovely surprise, and delighted it will make a big difference in your finances. xoxo

calleyw

csarina wrote: »

We had a dream once but sadly we never had the money to make it come true, but where we live now is a close to it as we could hope to get. We have a cosy cottage (if it was mine it would be cosier) enough land to grow most of our veg needs, would love a little more for fruit trees and a few chickens, but thankful for what we have got.

Sadly life gets in the way. I have always wanted a house with a bit of land to keep animals etc.

Unless we win lottery for it is never will happen. Due to my husband having a stroke and looking like he will not be able to work again. Things now need to be practical such as easy access.

But it is still nice to dream.

I know your husband has not been well. So I wish you both all the best. And hope he is not driving you up the wall too much.

Honk Honk Voom Voom is what my husband says to me as he when he knows he has driven me around the twist some days:rotfl:

Yours

Calley

Rowan9

Mardatha and Nuala - very moving posts. Thank you. I am off to find the best way to make a donation towards children's toys for Christmas.
Frugal - (((hugs))) - I hope you get some rest. Thinking of your dad. the good thing about an infection is how quickly the confusion can ease once antibiotics start to work.
W

seasalt_2

()s frugal and frugal's dad.

Interesting to hear about everyone's dreams. I followed mine to come here and cannot imagine living anywhere else now. Crofting though wasn't part of my plan - although don't want to tread on anyone else's smallholding dreams. Got a bit sidetracked by meeting OH and having more children and although I wouldn't change them, I struggle a bit sometimes to keep other parts of my dream and myself alive. Anyway, I hope you all get as close to yours as you can.

I was also thinking about that saying that the art of contentment is wanting what you have. Sometimes I manage it and sometimes I don't.

Hard to see how it applies to children growing up in such dire poverty/neglect though and you have reminded me to find out about Christmas shoeboxes -where you make up a box of small gifts/useful things and they are distributed to kids here and elsewhere who otherwise might not get anything. Hope we haven't missed the boat.

gailey_2

csarina wrote: »

We had a dream once but sadly we never had the money to make it come true, but where we live now is a close to it as we could hope to get. We have a cosy cottage (if it was mine it would be cosier) enough land to grow most of our veg needs, would love a little more for fruit trees and a few chickens, but thankful for what we have got.

I have a good store cupboard so if things get sticky for a while as I know they will do, we will have enough to eat, the freezer is almost full too.

I have stuffed the chicken breast with apricot, sage and onion stuffing, the other two have been diced up and are presntly cooking in a splash of brandy, chicken stock, onions, garlic and mushrooms. There is enough for 2 meals for us, will seperate it into two tupperware boxes when it has cooled off. It will just need the yogurt added when I re-heat it later.

I am going to cook apple strudel for dessert.

Your chicken meal sounds so tasty you got the recipie ?
as brought some brandy last week in mr m, s for xmas cooking.
would it work with thighs?

I feel so bad for kids that dont get any pressies so sad.
last year local evening post had appeal with collection points in sainsburys for brand new wrapped toys for those who need it.

But last year I got involved with operation christmas child as the school and preschool were involved but also lots of retailers were involved too including shoe shops.
basically you fill up a shoe box full of gifts theres specified list all has to be new and toys cannot depict war.
on front you write gender and age group and goes to poor kids in other countries just love idea of it plan to do 3-4shoe boxes this year if I can.

Last year did girl age 4-8 and included soap, flannel, kids toothbrush,toothpaste, a toy, boiled sweets. colouring book and crayons, actually got my daughter to shop with me and explained not everyone as fortunate as her and this was going to someone in great need.

Would actually like to retrain in childrens social work but its finding the time and money as involves another degree!

Frugal-big hugs, hope your dad gets better soon!

well im my usual scatty self today thourght daughter bhad party 2-4pm. thourght best check about 10.45 oh no its 12-12 so lots of running round frantically and getting bus up there thankfully made it ok and had cheapo present from sainsburys toy sale in cupboard just had to buy card from newsagent.

Anyway my daughter does have tendancy to cling at parties and not fully enjoy them so not always wise to stay.
its such asmall cramped venue couldent wait to get out of there but bit far to go home and come back as took bus up and weather not too great.
so

So I walked 5mins to high st to large co-op always good for reductions on a sunday. I wasent intending to buy very much still reeling after spending 95quid in mr m last week.

Well I hit the veg pile first and realised I was rummaging round it with another mum from school who never appears poor made me feel slightly better.

However my time I hit meat section was horrible atmosphere.
felt people were swarming round reduced area.
one poor girl came out with her trolly and reduced machine.
A few people pounced on her saying you taking any more off this luv.

There was queue of 6-8people I thourght its nomally like a morgue in here on sunday but maybe busier due to rememberance parade.

Had to chuckle one bloke took quite abot dont even think the rdeuction was that amazing and some of the beef looked bit off colour.

The woman after him asked girl to reduced hers and had nearly as much as the man and said that man was so greedy did you see how much he took?

I sheepishly asked if one item of chicken was reduced which it was knocked down a bit further so took that..
I forgot to ask if 2packs of chicken reduced thighs in my basket had any more discount maybe I should of done but would have only saved me about quid I guess maybe less.

I hit bread-not much there and only 1st round reductions done.
then i hit chilled and got chatting to different girl doing the reductions got 2pukka pies as 37p each thourght be ok for hubbys lunch tommorow.
They had reduced pasties but know I can make nicer and cheaper myself.

worked way around store then decided to go back to first ailse there was more reduced veg and greater reductions so got few more things.

Ended up spending more than I thourght just over 20quid but then thourght about it.

2pukka pies thats snack for hubby tonight and lunch for him tommorow.
1pound on 18rolls thats enough to last hubby 2weeks lunches.
chicken freedom on offer 3.50 that makes roast today.
8pasties tommorow so tue/wed lunch for me and hubby
carscass will make soup hubbys off tue /wed so can have homemade chicken soup.
Diced chicken breast 4quid reduced to 2 chicken curry and rice thats evening meal for tue or wed.
2packs of reduced free range thighs 2.50 chicken caserole and mash. Least enough for 2 meals.
reduced potatoes 80p makes roast today plus extra potato for quiche and pasties tommorow maybe even enough for mash to go with caseerole.

I think I have enough for week.
was feeling guilty for not getting to butchers friday morning as felt like being sick but in reality buy the poultry from supermarket anyway as prefer freedom/freerange.

Got some smoked salmon value trimming dated 12th so going to do phili and salmon/potato quiche in a minute whilst roast cooks.
Got recipie off phil website and only got phili as on offer.
Also doing 24-35 mini bacon and cheese quiches as kids adore them.
Hubby brought ham and bacon yesterday.
we have 18free range eggs.
can have omlette too with wedges.

Still got tonnes of frozen in freezer from last months farmfood shop but we sick of frozen its slowly going down.

did big shop morrisions but that was mostly store cupboard grocery essentials like herbs/stock ,baking stuff ect.

So apart from meat and fresh think we maybe ok up until decemeber!

Wondering if im looking at food shop all wrong.
everythings going up Im feeling stressed about food budget.
remember watching jaimies italy and him saying whats more natural than the bloke seeing what food/fish comes in off boat and adjusting the menu accordingly what comes in great what dont oh well.

Which got me thinking

resent local sainsburys/morrisions as reductions are super stingy.
maybe im going in at wrong times?
although went to morrisions quite late last weekend.
My local co-op for normal stuff are what I call the loan sharks of food retail but cant fault their reductions and sometimes they have good offers.
Or nearest tesco bit far so rarly go there.

But thinking in bid to outwit the rises I need to start going to supermarkets late at night and on sundays and doing meal plan with what I can get that day cheap!

I mean I do a loose meal plan as it is and have aplan when I buy things what to make.

Only problem is this cannot just be me alone.
reckon if I could pursuade hubby to maybe check out tesco metro late at night see whats there same with co-op but involves more effort on his part. I dont drive and have kids in tow so harder for me apart from sundays to catch the good reductions.

Also last 3months we have shopped around brought our bills down but with more rises its not enough we not only need to work harder we need to work smarter!


Please tell me if you think my os thinkings gone too far and sound like some deranged old lady with a mad plan.

Thing is more competion at reduced counter these days, less manners and you have to be quite confident to get right result.
Im always lovley and respectful to staff which I hope helps my cause. I do wonder when im going through checkouts when cashier surveys the reduced labels and value lines and thinks maybe im bit sad plus im bit nosy love looking whats in other peoples trollys or how much they spent.

Omg im a retail shopper voyeur its perverted:rotfl:why am I so bothered its become a sad hobby of surveyings others shopping habits and beating them to the reduced counter never thourght my life would amount to these levels of depravity!

Could I hack life a as a career bargain hunter?
Sort or plan for urnabite city types as winter no veg in garden and nothing to forage.

Also anyone know if theres shortage of chesnuts this year.
got craving and cant find them anywhere.
never got round to picking them as only trees as I know are in wales, dad was doubtful we get good crop this year.

Right best stop waffling and start cooking.
My eldest is driving me crazy today and so demanding /impatiant!

ceridwen

You're making perfect sense to me Gailey - re seeing what food is there cheaply and then deciding what to make.

I'm able to get quite a lot of fresh fruit and veg. for little or nothing - so I always check out what I have in first and decide what recipes I can do with it.

I've been surprised/pleased just how much money I am saving on food by working that way.

Reminds me...must look up a few more things to do with carrots.....

I've made up several folders of recipes/methods culled from the Internet. One of mine is specifically for fruit and vegetables and I've got it divided into alphabetical sections. Every time I spot a promising method/recipe for dealing with a particular veg/fruit that gets copied out and added to the section applicable to it. That way I can just think "right...carrots" and look up a dozen or so recipes I have for them and so on...

Saves wondering when I have "cant be bothered to think" days (ie frequently).

kidcat

Gailey - I bought a small bag of chestnuts last week in Asda, they were £1 for a bag, have seen them other places too, but at £2 per bag instead.

Nipped into Asda earlier and noticed that even with only an hour till closing the reductions were not so good 20p off a £2 item, so didnt actually bother, only got the three items I went in for and am quite pleased I kept to the minimum as spent fifty pound on the car yesterday and its still not fixed, so am dreading what the week will bring in car bills. Slightly unfortunate that I had ordered two of the big Christmas presents on Friday which I would have put off a week if I had known, means I have very little cash to manouevre as it were.

Am tired again today, between worrying about the car, money etc and then DD4 waking up and not returning to sleep, she went onto wake up DS6 who came down and opened the garage with the stupid button while I was in bed, nearly died as its below my bedroom and it feels like an earthquake.

jackieglasgow

Gailey, sometimes I look at your lists of what you've bought over the week, and wonder how on earth your we family will eat that much food. Maybe its just the way you write, but you do seem to buy an awful lot on impulse. Now, I am not the best organised person in the world by any means, but maybe you need to plan your menu more rather than less thoroughly. You must have a lot of stuff in the freezer by now, why not do a proper inventory and do a mini storecupboard challenge? I'd also suggest you check out weezl's website for some cheaper recipes, and plan one or two vegetarian meals - without quorn - a week, to see if that helps bring the budget down a wee bit. Soon you will be heavily pregnant, never mind the winter coming, and you won't be able to do as much trolley dashing. The other advantage of winter, is lots of homemade soups, which don't cost a lot but are filling and nutritious, and could also go to work with your OH for his lunch. I've found my shopping creeping up in price too, and I am not buying meat, so I can sympathise entirely about you seeing yours creeping up.

mardatha

sound like some deranged old lady with a mad plan.
****************
Oh so you sound like me then ? Although I haven't got a plan. or a clue !
I get sad when I read of all these reductions and oopsies, we live too far away to run into supermarkets every day, just go once a week. I like Sainsburys but they never ever have anything reduced when I go.
OH bl**dy diet isnt cheap or easy either - I almost sobbed when I read about folk making pastries and pies... Waaaaaaaah !

kidcat

Gailey - I think maybe jackieglasgow has got a point, I find that if I meal plan according to whats in the freezer/fridge already, then buy whoopsies/special offers as I shop normally, then repeat at next meal plan, it means that I am taking advantage of the cheap stuff as I have bought it and frozen it as I have gone along. I have a routine for shopping now too, which is that either Thurs or Friday morning I start at Aldi, then Farmfoods, LIdl and Home and Bargains. Return home and either later on or next day will get last bits in either Asda or Tesco.
By shopping from the freezer as it were I find I am saving considerably. This week I am running freezer down so managed to spend just £23 between Aldi,Lidi, FFood and Home bargain, and £20 at Asda/Morrisons. Now I will need to pop into one of them on Tues to top up with bread and milk but not alot there.