Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

redglass_2

Help, can't catch up, wait for meeeeeeeeeeeeeee...!

My gast is well and truly flabbered at the idea of a limo for 13 year olds. :eek:What's left for the 18th birthday, a private jet? :rotfl: And as for the wedding... let's not even go there!

OK, back down to basics with a frugal question: what can I do with whoopsie chestnuts if I don't eat them straightaway? Will they freeze in their skins? Should I boil and mash them?

romylou_2

Aarghh - Another Spend Day for me

Had to go and do a weekly shop today, we had absolutely nothing in apart from dogfood!!:o

I didn't do too bad, only spent £30.97 and got another super roaster chicken (this does me and hubby about 3 days of meals and the dog gets the skin and stock) and I got a large packet of mince for £2.99.;)

I usually spend about £80 per week so this is a BIG improvement - mind you, I forgot what I went for in the first place Doh!!!!

Signature updated to reflect the spend. Keep going everyone.

Kerfuffle

lynzpower wrote: »

As someone once said, I dont have to save face, just money.

I like this phrase, I shall have to remember it the next time I'm in a kerfuffle :rotfl:

Lily_The_Legend wrote: »

Good grief, that is a bit over the top for a 12th or 13th birthday party! I think when I was 13 we went to Clacton and had an ice cream. :rotfl:

Ooo I'm glad you got to have jelly finally! :T:D

Me too!!!

itsallinthemind wrote: »

Dunno EXACTALLY lol.

I just love your honesty, you could have said anything at this point and I would have believed you :rotfl:

Toodles

Kerfuffle

redglass wrote: »

Help, can't catch up, wait for meeeeeeeeeeeeeee...!

OK, back down to basics with a frugal question: what can I do with whoopsie chestnuts if I don't eat them straightaway? Will they freeze in their skins? Should I boil and mash them?

Hi redglass, sorry, we've been chatting :rotfl:Just hope we don't get slapped hands later in case we went off topic :cool:

Re the chestnuts, if I *had* managed to get some chestnuts this year ( which I didn't :mad:) I was going to make them up into a butter with chopped bacon and serve them with the brussels a la Jamie Oliver. As it was I couldn't. But that's an option for the future.

Or you could cook them and then take the shells off and freeze them I guess, cos I know you can buy bags of frozen brussels sprouts with chestnuts so that might work.

Toodles

alec_eiffel

Yep, I would boil or roast them and freeze them too. We eat loads of chestnuts and they freeze well. Root veg, chestnut and ale pie is the best!

lynzpower

Oh chestnuts.

I had a chocolate and chestnut cake once- it was a nigella recipe. It was divine. I found it, its made with chestnut puree, i guess you just boil and whizz? Is that right? I know puree is expensive, a couple of £s. Think thats a lot for a cake ingredient http://www.food.com/recipe/nigella-lawson-chocolate-chestnut-cake-gluten-free-303309

I also saw no chestnuts this year and we have a big market with loads of fruit and veg on.

Where were they? I bet they cant grow them in kenya so thats probably why they have vanished

( sarcasm mode off)

itsallinthemind

redglass wrote: »

OK, back down to basics with a frugal question: what can I do with whoopsie chestnuts if I don't eat them straightaway? Will they freeze in their skins? Should I boil and mash them?

They can keep in the fridge one month if already soft or two if still hard and not yet ripe. Don't leave in the plastic though.

Freezer wise you can put the in with shells(for latter roasting) or shell(skin?)less for boiling from RAW. Or of course boil/roast first. They do taste different slightly after freezing and it is not so noticeable after roasting compared to boiling.

Nice whoopsie.

Off topic, but may cause issues with my budget. ASDA Direct are STUPID! A parcel from before Christmas has still not turned up so I just chased them just now. Apparently someone by the name of GATE signed for the parcel. Trying to explain to ASDA that clearly DPD has put behind my GATE and someone has walked with it is impossible. 20 minutes and she still did not understand what clearly has happened! Going to call tommorow and try not to lose my rag. :mad:

kezlou

What a carry on, i was like that with natwest last month. Had a complete nightmare with them.

Well today had been a NSD, been quite productive sorting more things out and planning our meals for the week.
Also muffins, mini quiches and a large quiche for pack lunches.Made some of weezls no knead today and it didn't turn out at all. But its still kind of edible.

Based on the meal plan, i think we have everything we need in, so shouldn't have to buy anything else in.

Been working on the budget today, it slowly getting there, but still needs a lot of work. So far we've stayed in budget. Just need to update spreadsheets.

Meant to start off some tomatoes today, but ran of time. Just been really dark all day. But i will get it done tomorrow !
Also going to clear out some pots and arrange the yard in a way thats easier to handle.

Edinburghlass_2

lynzpower wrote: »

Ahhh ok . I have a Iphone 3 (the old one)

Im guessing this is a no then

I dont think that there is any offers for sim only with unlimited data that I have seen apart from what I have already got which ends up 30.00. I might as well get a brand new one and pay 35 a month and get a new phone, but really I cant afford that in any case, but I do use the data a lot/.

There are a number of offers on the table at the moment from all the networks for a rolling 30 day sim at £10 a month including data, calls and texts and each network is happy to compete for the business. Check out the Mobiles Board for up to date information.

As regards the passing of personal information please read Martin's rules here. These are for your own safety, as much as we like to think that everyone here is honest and truthful this isn't always the case and any fund-raising has to be for registered charities on the appropriate board.

I'm sure you all understand why MSE has to have these rules so please help yourself keep safe by not passing on personal details to people you don't know.

seriouslyfrugal

Hi

Lily : in our family if we have a party then everyone brings a dish it makes light work for everyone that way - we all just tell the host what we are bring ( no double ups that way ) :rotfl:


Today is day four no spend day for me - but that will change tomorrow