Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

romylou_2

:hello: Hi everyone

Well ive been a busy little bee this morning, got loads done. I have managed to stretch one packet of mince (which I got at reduced price) to make 10 portions of Lasagne. Ive actually impressed myself!!

Im also cooking a chicken while the oven is on. Im not sure if today is going to be a NSD yet. I will post later to let you know how I get on.

minnie2

itsallinthemind wrote: »

I've done them without, I did press the mix down a little better just in case the choc glued them more than I remembered, they taste scrummy without the choc too

will give it a go !!!they sounds yummy!!

cw18

Sounds like everyone's doing well with their Frugal Living challenges

I've got to re-jig my budgets a bit.....

Got my Road Tax notice through the post yesterday, and it's not gone down as much as I thought it would from reading the official website - down £10 rather than the £30 it suggested

And I need to increase my mobile phone budget. My 'new friend' doesn't have a landline, so the only way to reach him is by mobile. My contract includes 100 minutes (landline or any network), but I practically killed that in just 2 calls :eek: I also get 100 texts (any network) and I've almost killed those since 25th Dec as well :eek: :eek:

So when I went over to see him last night I took a PAYG sim on the same network as my phone (which I got when I got my new handset, so that didn't cost me anything), and have set up an extra on my contract which means we have unlimited free calls and texts between us now So that's an extra £5/month, but I reckon it's going to work out a lot cheaper than paying for going over my limit (12.3p/text or 30.6p/minute) - plus means we're not having to clock-watch calls and I don't have to keep checking my account on-line to see where I am with my texts, so that's a saving on time as well

minnie2

itsallinthemind wrote: »

I actually just always bought soya spread, never realised this was vegan, hopefully local shop will sell, never tried it before! I like soya spread but sometimes I fancy a plain Jacobs cream cracker with spread in the afternoon if peckish and if you put a slight bit too much on, it tastes evil!
:rotfl:

i had pure spread both soya and sunflower for years but found i had to use a different one for different receipes etc and had to compile a list of which to use in which recipe. with vitalite it is great for everything and has a nice taste! im sure you will love it on your crackers!!

23rdspiral

hi everyone, HAPPY FRIDAY!! today will be a NSD, i WILL cook from the fridge and not let OH get a takeaway!! and i've still got the 20quid in my purse, and a friend gave me 4.00 she owed me yesterday... so with spending 3.19 on food i almost feel like i've more money than i started with this week! :j

NualaBuala wrote: »

Glad you have a reprieve on the redundancy front. Have my fingers crossed for you. Was wondering what is an SSSI? No impact sounds great, I often think I'd love to live on an eco-communey type thing.
...I'm really enjoying all the recipes, tips and banter - it really helps keep me motivated.

sorry, this is a bit off topic....
~ sorry i forgot to write the real words out.. SSSI (said "tripple S I") is a Site of Special Scientific Interest - often applies to ancient woodland or moreland ect. So my friends live in an ancient wood doing coppicing and selling charcoal and have to leave no long term impact - hense the above ground composting toilet. a lovely but hard way of life.
~ i've other friends that live on a 'commune' farm in wales. it's a low impact community - trying to be green and the like. they are applying to put up wind power. it's not your typical eco community as they can be expensive to live in. these brilliant people are all about thrift, re-use, and the joy of living your life. i've learnt good lessons from them about the difference between need and want. if my life ever went very very wrong, i'd run away to there.
~ I met a chap who lived at Findhorn once, he was very nice. he said the way of life there was relaxing and satisfying - he'd started out on a retreat and just stayed there!

oh, and ditto about the banter - i've STILL got a 20pound note in my purse, had it all week, and that's with working in the town centre, with the sales on! i am very pleased with myself, and thankful to this group for helping with that! :T

SandraScarlett wrote: »

Well, I mix suet, flour and water with a knife to make a dough, then I flour the worksurface, and lift the dough onto it, rolling the big ball in the flour, divide it into 6, and then roll each dumpling in the flour.

I think you mentioned sausagemeat? Add some warm water to a packet of sage and onion stuffing mix. Leave for 5 minutes so that the water is absorbed and the mix is allowed to cool. Add half a beaten egg, mix, then add the sausagemeat, bit by bit, and enough flour to bind.

Shape the mixture into burger shapes, then dip each into the other half of beaten egg, and then into breadcrumbs. Fry in olive oil, until golden brown each side and serve with baked beans and a crusty roll. HTH

xx

THANKS! i make dumplings like that, apart from the rolling - i guess that's why they always come out funny lumpy shapes! but then that makes more crispy bits when oven cooked, and we like that. i might try your neat ones when the inlaws-tobe come over!

my whoppised sausagemeat already has stuffing in it, that's why i was confused... so i'm half there on your idea and will have it for tea! (we've acutally got eggs in for once) THANKS! :T :T

oldestgnome - that sounds really yummy too! i wouldnt have thought of sausage and pastasauce

enjoyfinancialchallenges - that pie sounds like my OH's idea of heaven!! pasty & sausage!!

this makes me now glad i bought a few packets of sausagemeat cheap to feeze! thank you!!!!

Lily_The_Legend

oldestgnome wrote: »

Lily – my current phone has been in the washing up bowl and down the loo – its still going! I took it the battery out and the back off and left it in the airing cupboard for a couple of days and it was ok - sounds like the others have also suggested a variety of ideas– good luck!

Thanks, I left it in the rice but with the battery in and back on. Hopefully that won't make too much difference. I might try it out tonight and see how it is. Glad I'm not the only person to have dropped my phone in water! I hope the loo hadn't been used when you dropped yours in there! :eek::D

rubytuesday wrote: »

I find a cheap or free diary is the best thing for keeping track. Got an M and S one for a pound.

Hi Ruby! :hello: Hope you're well!

My diary arrived yesterday which I ordered with Christmas money and it has a budget planner at the front, so that's handy! :T

elly68 - what's a stovie?

itsallinthemind - I like the table and chairs, what a bargain! :money: Thanks for the granola recipe, that looks good! :T

seriouslyfrugal - Sorry to hear about the dishwasher!

flying_fresian - That's a shame no one handed in your ipod.

mooomin

Frugality so far today:

Lunch from home (HM minestrone from the freezer, although it's not defrosted yet! Need to pop in the microwave I think)

Non-frugality:

Needed to get eyedrops as I have woken up with a really bloodshot eye. £4.16 :eek::eek: I made her check if they had Boots-own versions but they didn't

Still, my Everything Else budget hasn't been too badly hammered so far, so I suppose it's covered. I just grudge having to deny myself lovely treats like coffee to get sodding eyedrops :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

midwinter

Snowing here today, so not gone out yet, but thinking I might do the late bargain shop at the Morris mans

Planning next week's menu's, to see what I need to buy, but aiming to use most from cupboard and freezer.

Would love to bake but still have Christmas cake and mince pies to be eaten, so resisting baking.

Blairweech

Hi everybody,

Have been into town to look for OHs birthday present, but it is cheaper to buy it online. Now just which version to choose...I am buying him a Swiss Army Knife

Apart from that, today I am just getting my Ebay listings ready for tomorrow and packing for returning to uni

Edit: Oh, thankyou for your answers about my knitting - it was me I was holding the wool so tightly that when I tried to pull it through it just split. Have relaxed my grip somewhat now and am motoring along like a good 'un - will post a piccie when its done

redglass_2

NualaBuala, have you tried the Diggers & Dreamers website? Lots of communities, plus links.

Oh dear, I can already see I'll never live up to the tiny grocery budget I planned. Even though I have a nice stockpile, everything in the shops is so expensive. One of you wrote to me that she was impressed by the very low grocery figure (sorry for forgetting your name, my memory is rubbish). I now think I impressed you on false pretences.