Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

redglass_2

NualaBuala wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestion Redglass. I think YouGov is just for UK residents?

Yes, how silly of me! :doh:They do have international sites but not an Irish one (just checked). Sorry about that.

diddly74 wrote: »

Is having a frustrating week - I can't get the hang of this HM Bread lark. I've made 3 loaves now and none seem right. Having trouble getting them to rise and they are very dense when cooked - not at all open.

I'm the world's least experienced bread-maker but I seem to remember that this once came up before and the problem turned out to be elderly yeast. Could that possibly be it?

rubytuesday wrote: »

Diddly did you try the Hugh Fearnley hairy bottom recipe .

Thanks for this link, it looks good but for some reason I started laughing at the rather pointed message you get underneath: now buy the book (in red). It's a bit like those now wash your hands signs: I felt I'd been well and truly told.

Am very happy today as a friend has arranged a house-swap with someone abroad (my friend's house is a 'des res', mine definitely isn't) and I'm invited along to share the other house. It should be a lovely holiday AND frugal. Really looking forward to it as I haven't been abroad for years.:j:j:j

I think I said congratulations once, Grandma, but congratulations again! :beer:

stiltwalker

Hi diddly74, It could be old yeast as someone else suggested or it could be that you just need to rise the bread for longer. It doesn't matter that you don't have an airing cupboard, bread will even rise in the fridge! but it will just take longer. I make bread everday and find that it takes different times dependant on the temperature and/or season! so if you are trying to follow a recipe which says leave to rise for abaout an hour (for example) ignore this and rise the bread dough until it has truly doubled in size however long that takes.

Erme

cw18 wrote: »

Owning a flat (with or without a mortgage) that you live in isn't seen as income - it's only if you then rent out a room in it that it will, as the rent you're taking is seen as income.

If you own a property you don't live in, then that WILL count against you.

However, if you own the property (even with a mortgage) you won't get any HB even as 'rent', as you're no longer paying that.

Yeah thanks...for some reason I just phoned Welfare Rights who are lovely and got me my DLA a few times and they said I'm allowed to save upto 6K and for every 250 over that they take off £1 per week off benefits...but for the sake of an extra 2k it's worth it.....

It'll take me a couple of years at least after this year on current income and then benefits are all set to change anyways....LOL

First things first - once I'm debt free - new BOSCH (it has to be bosch) washing machine in the sales (maybe after this).....and possibly before the Bosch a cheap 2 week last minute package holiday in the sun to sit, relax and chill and get some wonderful vit d (don't really care where...med I'm thinking...need to get a new passport though before I go)

JayneC wrote: »

Erme - If I understand you correctly you want to buy your flat and then rent it out to somebody else? If so then yes any rent you receive is counted as income, however your expenses (including mortgage payments and maintenance) can be deducted and only your 'profit' is counted so if the rent is only covering your costs then i don't think it will affect your IS. It may be wise to check with somebody who knows the benefits system though? Please do think about all the responsibilities of being a landlord tho, it may be more hassle than it's worth, especially when you're not feeling too well.

Lola hope you feel better soon x

grandma many congratulations on the new arrival. Being a grandma is fab isn't it?

ArtDon't do it!!! Somebody needs to make a stand. It's just mindless consumerism isn't it and everybody gets caught up in it. I decided not to send Christmas cards this year in a similar sort of protest and everybody understood. Even managed to duck out of secret santa at work. I went out with everyone for lunch and they exchanged their gifts and just left me out of it but it was fine. I baked everybody mince pies instead and they were happy with that;). Why not just bake everybody a gingerbread man? Or give them a seed in a pot to plant, you could make that part of the party and they could take it home? A sunflower perhaps? Or something edible like mustard and cress they could make those little egg shell thingies where you draw a face on the shell and then the cress grows like hair? Or a pepper plant? Any way I'm waffling now I'll shut up!

Been doing some calculations today, as some may remember I want to go part time at work soon and hopefully work on getting an income elsewhere with a view to giving up work (for somebody else) completely within a year, need to work on how exactly I will generate said income but I'm working on it . Anyhoo... calculated I need £10,000 for essentials (mortgage, council tax, keeping car on road, etc) before even thinking about the income that can be 'tweaked', a bit of a headache that Did reckon tho if I go down to bare essentials for me and DS (both DDs and DGS likely to move out this year) I should be able to keep under £4000. Was thinking that if both DDs are gone I could rent out a room to foreign students (we have 2 language schools nearby) which should bring in a reasonable amount. I think it's about £200 per week, which would be fab if so...Would need to decorate the bedroom, but can probably do that quite cheaply. Something to ponder I think...:)

It's a fair point what you say about being a landlord. I was hoping to go via one of the agencies in town...I will have to look into it in a few years...I just want to get on the property ladder before I'm 40...that's all.

And I know they won't pay the mortgage but I'll budget for that...it shouldn't be more than what I'm currently paying off in debt (currently about almost half of four weekly income)

Anyhow have been home for the am....still have the bug...had a temperature last night when I got back to the ward but I finally feel the depression I've had for 2 weeks is lifting. I just got a depressive moment but talked myself out of it ...

Only downside...doing some sort of diet cos of course with all these stomach probs and not eating I weighed myself as soon as I got home...so it's just porridge for lunch (had 4 weetabix for breakfast but no extra flapjack like last time and like no pancake) but it'll be pizza for tea cos I will go to Mr S after psychology appt...

Then it's home for the night and discharge tomorrow....yay ....and then pizza night at chaplaincy and BCT (one of my supporters when not well) are so pleased they've upped my antipsychotics...

I kid ye not though - never mind the triple c complaint form....the email addy of the clinical nurse manager is EXTREMELY powerful. What nurses weren't ignoring me yesterday were creeping round me no end......LOL...I even had the ward manager practically eating out of my hands

Any ones with students I've just digged out my australian women's weekly student cooking book and am AMAZED at the yummy cheap easy baking etc....so frugal and has all the basics.....I think you can get it from WHSmith...best student cookbook I've ever had...

E

diddly74

rubytuesday wrote: »

Diddly did you try the Hugh Fearnley hairy bottom recipe posted by someone ( sorry?????) It's really good although the dough is very wet so quite hard to work with but the results are fantastic!

http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/simple-white-loaf-recipe_p_1.html

I made mine with wholemeal flour.

Thanks for the link - I hadn't tried the receipe but will do tonight I think. Can it be done in the kenwood? or do I have to do it by hand?

My previous problems could be that my yeast is too old. I have had it a fair while - good intentions and all that. Will pick up some more later when I take tiddlywink to Brownies.

silvasava

Congratulations yet again Grandma247/365:j:j and we're only in February!!!

rising_from_the_ashes

Erme wrote: »

First things first - once I'm debt free - new BOSCH (it has to be bosch) washing machine in the sales (maybe after this).....and possibly before the Bosch a cheap 2 week last minute package holiday in the sun to sit, relax and chill and get some wonderful vit d (don't really care where...med I'm thinking...need to get a new passport though before I go)

:rotfl:Glad I'm not the only one with a list for when I've some spare cash! Keep thinking of that holiday.....


Thanks for all the growing suggestions, I've gone from being quite depressed that I'd hardly be able to grow anything to having a reasonable assortment of things I can try.:D

Grandma - congratulations again! 2 arrivals in one week, wow!

chika

Congratulation once again Grandma. You must be so thrilled with all these new babies. Hope everyone is well.

dizzy_lizzie

grandma247 wrote: »

diddly are you using a breadmaker? I have found that you need to use very warm liquid in it especially if you use the fast setting. Also if your kitchen is cold you need to leave it much longer to rise higher and maybe warmer liquid in it.

New baby girl arrived this morning at 5.30am. Mum shattered as had expected things to go quicker but not the place to rant here about it. 6lb8oz 1 week and 4 days early,but don't know the name yet.

:beer: Congratulations again grandma. You've been doubly blessed this week

Luv Dizzy x
♥

dizzy_lizzie

Well it's National Almond Day today...
[FONT=Geneva, Arial, Helvetica]
***The Romans showered newlyweds with almonds as a fertility charm. Today, Americans give guests at weddings a bag of sugared almonds, representing children, happiness, romance, good health and fortune. In Sweden, cinnamon-flavored rice pudding with an almond hidden inside is a Christmas custom. Find it, and good fortune is yours for a year.[/FONT]***

Selection of almond recipes here

Happy Almond Day

Luv Dizzy x
♥

23rdspiral

hi everyone, today i had to get petrol but only just enough as it was a bit pricy.
and milk ect in Mr M - again wrongly charged!!:mad: 1.50 for standard size Utterly Butterly that is now on offer at 75p - the till lady was very irritated but the girls who gave me my cash back at Cservices were lovely and what a bargain!! :T

i met mum at lunch time and she treated me to a bead for my bracelet for my 30th. had to resist saying i'd sooner have something more 'useful' as these hard times will pass and i'll enjoy looking back on the gift for years.
i showed mum the card making stuff in poundland and she bought af few bits including sticky pads she said are very expensive elsewhere. i successfully didnt buy anything there.

Nuala - hope you feel more yourself soon hun. i'm a bit disheartened at the mo too but know it will pass.

good luck to your family Grandma247 - just seen you're a grandma again! congratulations to all the family!!

re surveys - i used to do loads but the payouts were so few and far between and one company went bust on me and another lost my account when i was almost at 20!:( i still do UGOV and another that shall not be named. i dont get anywhere near as many Ugov invites as my other half though.

Erme - youre sounding a lot happier i think? i've a student cook book from when i was one, and it's still great for staples and making something from nothing. that reminds me, theres a lush recipie for sausge & beans 'pie' with a mash topping = that needs making again soon! fab winter stodge!

Sandra - that sounds like a pretty productive time to me! you (probably) learnt something, made food for your family, cooked creativly, and helped keep a national institution from being closed down! :T
~~~~~~~~
re the Big R. HR still havent called me in for Friday, end of my Consultation Process (they havent consulted me once and my line manager has ignored the creative suggestions i've sent them!) ... i've even emailed to ask if they will, and they didnt reply! i'm not working again this fri, so will either have a letter drop through the door or one waiting next week i guess. i'd love to think they've changed thier mind, but i doubt it.:(