Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

mooomin

Quick question...

I've had roast chicken for dinner and have stripped all the meat off. I was going to make soup/stock but have no veg in apart from onions and don't really want to spend my last £2 on veg for stock before payday.

What is the best thing to do in this scenario? Should I just give up and bin the carcass? I am loath to do that as a new frugalista!

cw18

flying_fresian : I never add veg to the bones and water when making stock. Never have, and can't see me ever starting now....

Mind, these days I cook my chickens in my slow cooker - and when I try to lift the chicken out it falls off the bones immediately.... so there's really no point in me boiling the bones again as the slow cooker is already full of stock from the cooking process

mooomin

cw18 wrote: »

flying_fresian : I never add veg to the bones and water when making stock. Never have, and can't see me ever starting now....

Hmm...so just boil the bones then freeze the chicken-water for next time I make soup?

Nigella I am not

cw18

Yep
Though I admit I'm more likely to use it in a risotto than for making soup (not mastered soup making yet, bar a thick veg one that uses veg stock - and I cheat and use a processed cube/pot/liquid to make that up )

Chipps

flying_fresian wrote: »

Hmm...so just boil the bones then freeze the chicken-water for next time I make soup?

Nigella I am not

Thats what I do. I have 2 batches of chicken stock made that way in the freezer at the moment. If you don't have time to make the stock, you could always put the carcase in the freezer (but label it well - it could come as a shock if you've forgotten about it and find it months later otherwise!!!)

mooomin

Chipps wrote: »

If you don't have time to make the stock, you could always put the carcase in the freezer (but label it well - it could come as a shock if you've forgotten about it and find it months later otherwise!!!)

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I'll pop the chicken in a pot in the morning when I get up and will have stock by the time I go to work then!

rubytuesday

flying_fresian wrote: »

Hmm...so just boil the bones then freeze the chicken-water for next time I make soup?

Nigella I am not

Fry your onions first and then add the carcass and water bring to the boil then simmer for about an hour.

NualaBuala

Hi everyone,

Have just skimmed through very fast and it sounds like everyone is doing great with their budgets, even coping with unexpected stuff. :T

Lynz, hope the exams went ok and good luck sorting out your Council Tax, hope they will be lenient. And hope the washing machine gets sorted too.

seriouslyfrugal wrote: »

Hi

Nuala: My doctor suggested to me to get out walking to improve how I feel ( got put on tablets for depression and given prescription to exercise) and my disability employment advisor advised me to do volunteer as it gives me routine and looks good on my cv so I really just combined the two [IMG]file:///C:/WINDOWS/TEMP/msohtml1/01/clip_image001.gif[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/WINDOWS/TEMP/msohtml1/01/clip_image001.gif[/IMG]

Yay for you!:T:T:T I found exercise really helped when I had depression. And well done on the volunteering. I'm hoping I will be able to do both when my health improves.

minnie2 wrote: »

thanx!! well i cant imagine that doing the surveys are going to make a great amount of differnece but every little penny counts i suppose - just a shame i havent managed to finish any yet!! I am like a swan - above the water i am calm and still underneath i am peddling like mad!!!! - except on here where i am being completely honest!!! i am terrified!!!!

with regards to ME have you heard of the lightning process? ive had a lot experience of ME and have been amazed at the results of this process!!!

I'm always getting screened out of surveys too. But I haven't given up cos I have the time to do them and like you say, every little counts. :rotfl: at your swan analogy!

I think I might have heard of the Lightening process but don't really know what it is - it seems a bit secretive and that puts me off. Or am I mixing it up with something else?

CRANKY40 wrote: »

I've only just started, but I'm doing it online. It seems easy enough. I did it after I had my son, and lost 3 stone then, so I know it works. I can't really get to meetings as I have nobody to mind the house elf of an evening. I've put on 3 stone comfort eating since I was widowed, so something has to be done. Most of my widowed friends lost weight when they were bereaved, but there's always one isn't there? [IMG]file:///C:/WINDOWS/TEMP/msohtml1/01/clip_image002.gif[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/WINDOWS/TEMP/msohtml1/01/clip_image002.gif[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/WINDOWS/TEMP/msohtml1/01/clip_image002.gif[/IMG]

I did it online too Cranky - I got a bit addicted to putting everything online and that kept me on track. I hope it goes well for you. I do understand about the comfort eating too. I'm guessing that is part of the reason I've gained weight - plus I'm not active anymore so I really should be eating less not more! :eek: I too know other people who lose weight when bereaved, stressed etc - but I ain't one of 'em! I've started tracking what I eat in SparkPeople which is free (and thanks a mill to Erme who first brought it to my attention a good while ago). Only tricky thing is it's very American so their suggested menus are full of things I'm not overly fussed about like muffins and pancakes all the time (not just as treats) and apple sauce left right and centre! :rotfl:So I don't follow their suggestions, just stick with my own stuff. And their database doesn't have a lot of the foods I eat but I just add them in. It's quite addictive too as there are lots of features on it but I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon.

dizzy_lizzie wrote: »

It is a brilliant shop and I could easily spend a small fortune in there
Very well thought out too 'cos it's stuff I never even knew I wanted till I went in
Ah well ruby I'm drawing a line under today and must bear in mind how well I am actually doing. Bought two books from the charity shop today for 50p each, one is 'Don't sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff' by Richard Carlson which I used to have a while ago and lost it, probably lying next to my chocolate recipe book lol and the other is 'Smile for No Good Reason' by Dr. Lee Jampolsky ..."a delightful book that guides people through the daily stresses of life with hope and optimism" It's about 'attitudinal healing' which I have never heard of before but I'll give it a read. More info here in case anyone is interested
http://www.hopehealing.org/WhatisAH.asp says on the back of the book, 'if you buy it and read it you will keep it forever' Can't do any harm and this kind of thing does interest me.
Off to bed now, might put my night light on and have a read
Hope everyone has a peaceful sleep.
Then tomorrow we battle on...:)
Luvz dizzy x
♥

Your books sound fab Dizzy - hope you'll share what you learn here!

Hugs to everyone who's struggling, sick or having pet problems (especially to the person who lost their wee rabbit - memory like a sieve, sorry I forget who it was ).


I did a big shop at the organic market yesterday and have enough food to last for ages. I've almost spent my monthly food allowance but we only have a couple of weeks left so I should be fine.

I got curly kale, red cabbage, leeks, carrots, pak choi, mushrooms, peppers, ginger and garlic as well as salady bits. So if anyone has any nice veggie recipe ideas, then please share - although I tend to only do very easy stuff where everything ends up in the one pot. A big thank you to those who shared their recipes already and I have saved the coleslaw type ones - will make a version with the red cabbage I think, will be nice for lunches.

Will sign off for now to go and meditate before bed - hopefully it will calm me down as I've been quite antsy today.

Edit: ooops, didn't seem to like the smilies after I had copied the posts from Word back into the editor here.

dizzy_lizzie

Hope you have a peaceful sleep Nuala Will share any revelations from the book that make me go like this :j
Luv Dizzy x

NualaBuala

dizzy_lizzie wrote: »

Hope you have a peaceful sleep Nuala Will share any revelations from the book that make me go like this :j
Luv Dizzy x

Thanks Dizzy!:T You can be our Happiness Guru!

Just popped back on to say a big Welcome to the new folk - this is a fab challenge and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Hugs to all,
N x