Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

thriftylass

Happy New Year and hope you all have a great and successful time with this challenge. Please add me to the list again. I've not made a total year budget yet but will post one soon for the first third of the year. As the wee one will be arriving in April I really need to sit down soon and think about the changes this brings to my budget (work out exact maternity pay etc). Plus we might be selling/buying this year if we ever find a buyer which might mess up the budget a bit. we'll see.....This month is going well so far. Hubby i s away for a week with work so I'll have time and peace to sit down and sort numbers out properly.

lynzpower

midwinter wrote: »

Ebay have a free listing weekend, this weekend. Conditions apply, but might be useful for a few people

thanks for letting me know, I know i dont eally have much time this weekend but maybe OH will

lynzpower

l.m.hart wrote: »

thats helped me too so huge thanks, my bread is also heavy, i made pitta bread yesterday with plain flour and that was yummy.:beer:

ooh did you, how did you do those?

I have no BM now, its karked, but I do have a kenwood chef with a dough hook that did amazing light and crisp pizza base the other day.

never_too_old

lynzpower wrote: »

ooh did you, how did you do those?

I have no BM now, its karked, but I do have a kenwood chef with a dough hook that did amazing light and crisp pizza base the other day.

250ml (9 fl oz) warm water (45 C)
375g (13 oz) plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried active baking yeast

1. Place all ingredients in bread pan of your bread machine, select Dough setting and start. When dough has risen long enough, machine will beep.

2. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently roll and stretch dough into a 25cm (10 in) rope. With a sharp knife, divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 6 to 18cm (3 to 7 in) circle. Set aside on a lightly floured work surface. Cover with a cloth. Let pittas rise about 30 minutes until slightly puffy.

3. Preheat oven to 260 C / Gas mark 10. Place 2 or 3 pittas on a wire cooling rack. Place rack directly on oven rack. Bake pittas 4 to 5 minutes until puffed and tops begin to brown. Remove from oven and immediately place pittas in a sealed brown paper bag or cover them with a damp drying cloth until soft.

4. Once pittas are softened, either cut in half or split top edge for half or whole pittas. They can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for 1 or 2 months.

It only uses breadmaker for kneading so kenwood would be fine.
and my only advice it says bake on a cooling rack. they were a !!!!!! to get off so next time im going to do them on a pizza tray:D

HelenPie

Thanks lynzpower

HelenPie

wornoutmumoftwo wrote: »

This is what I want to do, but with biscuits too as I have some unique cutters. You have to get licensed, I got as far as phoning enviromental services at my council for a registration form and that really is as far as I've got. There's a thread on here 'Cash from baking', have a read through, some of the cakes are out of this world.

Thanks.

The quality of other people's products is what puts me off. I know my cakes taste good, but I don't know if i have the confidence to ask for money for them!:o

I'll have a read

H x

mooomin

I've been away with work overnight and am currently being frugal by using the WiFi of a parked train at the station rather than my mobile internet

The trip has been done frugally with little direct cost to me as work will reimburse most of it. Sadly they won't pay for my ipod which I sadly left on the train today About to do a four hour journey with no music - hope I'm on the quiet coach! Budget juggling calls if I'm to buy another one...

midwinter

flying_fresian wrote: »

Sadly they won't pay for my ipod which I sadly left on the train today About to do a four hour journey with no music - hope I'm on the quiet coach! Budget juggling calls if I'm to buy another one...

Do hope someone will have done the decent thing and handed your ipod in... do check with the station/train company.

landregistrylass

dizzy_lizzie wrote: »

Oh I bet that is such a relief landregistrylass. You're very good at this bargain buying aren't you. Take me shopping next time
Luvz Dizzy x

Dizzy you can come ANY time. I get ridiculously pleased with my bargains and it would be lovely to have someone to be smug with! OH has come to expect it now I think, and is surprised when there is anything naughty in the shopping bag on my return. Where is Boogie Wonderland?? And I am sorry, but I draw the line at wearing leg warmers to Mr T.

landregistrylass

lynzpower wrote: »

Wow what a relief about your car LR lass! You must be overjoyed!

Lynz, yes I am but I can tell you now............that car's days are numbered in my house. It's too big a gamble if the darn thing goes again. Its the only car in the household, and I do need one - DD and 3 x DGS live in North Yorkshire. She doesnt drive so I travel up as often as I can. Fuel money comes from ebay sales. So thanks to whoever said about free listing this weekend. Will put on a LOAD seeing how much fuel has gone up!!!!!