Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

kittiej

Hello everyone.

I can't keep up with this thread so I'll just keep popping over now and again to chip in.

I made my first purchase of the year today, I spent £1.50 on milk from Farmfoods. Now if I could only limit my spends to £1.50 every 5 days I'd be laughing!

Hope everyone's alright, personally I am thinking this year will be a cash-poor but family-rich year for me.

lynzpower

Welcome midwinter! :wave:

Hi kitty, by any chance in your Farmfoods, was there any sign of the "the one" one percent fat milk? I seldom see it in mine, and use icelands skimmed 2 for £2 which does us well. As its skimmed it seems to have a much longer shelf life than semi skimmed.

Kerfuffle

lynzpower wrote: »

hey kerfuffle, how did you make your parsnip soup? They are v cheap at the mo on my local market and I lvoe them so much I might stockpile them in my freezer for through the summer as well.

Parsnip Soup
(Serves 4-6)

2 oz butter
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 lb parsnips, prepared and diced
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, prepared and diced
1 oz flour
2 pints chicken stock
salt and pepper
Juice of half a lemon (according to taste) - I don't bother with it, it's added to counter the sweetness of the parsnips, but it's upto you.

• Heat the butter and the oil in a large saucepan and cook the veg, covered on a low heat for and 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft but not brown.
• Stir in the flour and continue cooking, and stirring for a few minutes.
• Add the stock, and season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil, stirring.
• Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before pureeing in a processor or blender.
• Return to reheat, adding lemon juice ( if required) and any more salt and pepper.
• Serve in dishes adding a blob or swirl of cream if wished.

It's awesome, we weren't supposed to be having this for tea tonight, but now I think we are :rotfl:

When my freezer arrives I'll be making more and stocking up too, can't wait.:T

Hope you enjoy it.

Toodles

lynzpower

Thanks Kerfuffle, I shall definately be making this. I saw a recipe once for curried parsnip soup but I then wondered whether it might ruin it?!

When I buy some more freezer bags this weekend Ill be making plenty

slowlyfading

lynz - I've had curried parsnip soup and it was lush!

:hello: midwinter! welcome to the mad house!

midwinter

lynzpower wrote: »

Welcome midwinter! :wave:

Thanks very much lynzpower :j

Always read the MSE email, and follow hotukdeals for food bargains, but need to make more of a push this year!

kittiej

Hi Lynz

I can't recall seeing the one but then again I only buy semi-skimmed so wasn't looking for it. I will have a look the next time I go which could be tomorrow unfortunately for me lol.

minnie2

lynzpower wrote: »

Wow that is a big overspend! Our first budget had a few estimates in, when we thought about it, theres no way that OH send 1k a year on dry cleaning, more like 100.00, if that. So we were trying to be a bit more realistic but some of ours have been estimates as we are just not sure ( ie gas bill) We have a 420 overspend in the year, that I am hoping to get back by cutbacks to the budget itself.

Does that make sense?

Hi unfortunately i have not over estimated - infact i have thought of a few things that i have missed out such as my prepayment certificate which is over £100 year for my prescriptions. I have also check that i have put when its yearly etc! I have been struggling for months but hubby has no idea about money so is no help and has no idea about how much things cost - he is having a steep learning curve now as enough is enough! is yours £420 a YEAR overspend or month? Oh dear we are really bad arent we!!! oh well!

Kerfuffle

lynzpower wrote: »

Thanks Kerfuffle, I shall definately be making this. I saw a recipe once for curried parsnip soup but I then wondered whether it might ruin it?!

When I buy some more freezer bags this weekend Ill be making plenty

slowlyfading wrote: »

lynz - I've had curried parsnip soup and it was lush!

:hello: midwinter! welcome to the mad house!

Hi,

I haven't had Curried Parsnip Soup but I've had Curried Veg Soup and that was very nice, the curry didn't spoil it at all.

I've seen a recipe for Parsnip and Apple Soup but never had it, but that might be something to try next time I have apples on the turn.

Toodles

Kerfuffle

lynzpower wrote: »

Thanks Kerfuffle, I shall definately be making this. I saw a recipe once for curried parsnip soup but I then wondered whether it might ruin it?!

When I buy some more freezer bags this weekend Ill be making plenty

Thanks for the reminder, I should make sure I've got enough bags for when my freezer comes.........did I mention I was getting a chest freezer? :rotfl:



(just once or twice )