Introducing myself - Small changes, big effect!

*KT*

Chilli was good, I spend nearly an hour listening to podcasts in the kitchen making it. I'm not normally one for enjoying cooking but I found that quite relaxing. I turned my brain off of work worries and money worries and what happens next worries. I'm still in a strange place mentally though. Maybe a sleep will fix me...

Londonboy_3

Cooking is great fun once you get into it - I cook every night for my family (as you can see from my name I am male!) using veg as the base ingredient from our allotment and garden, and the veg box we get delivered every week. Means you need to be creative but great fun. Last night made a soup with ham stock from sundays gammon joint, split peas, red lentils, swede plus some other veg, eaten with some part baked baguettes straight out of the oven. Wonderful (riverford website very good for any veg based meal ideas).

Always cook listening to a fantastic digital radio station called Chill - only music, no adverts or DJ's. A brilliant station to listen to to wind down.

Good luck you seem to be making good progress.

*KT*

Hello again,

Funny story, remember BF offered to pay me back £60 and I thought it was too much and he should pace himself and give me £30? He is worried a payment coming out of his bank in a few days might not be safe so I've transfered £20 back. It was sort of cute when he said down the phone "Oops, I might have bitten off more than I could chew with that offering"

On other news, I've been quiet at work today so have relisted 4 items on ebay that previously didn't sell. Quite proud of that!

I have spend £1.20 on a bar of chocolate and a drink (which I found in a pair of jeans so decided that as it was forgotten about money and I didn't spend anything yesterday I could have that small treat today. Lunch was chilli from last night. Tonight is beans on toast after my gym visit.

I hope everyone is having a good day.

*KT*

*KT*

Morning everyone,

Today is a slightly scary day for me. I have to go and get some shopping in. I am scared I'm going to go overboard. Thankfully I'm going during my work lunchtime so time is limited. I'm heading in there with a different head on.

I know that next week I have some things I have to pay out. A few weeks ago I booked a beauty treatment to have during a day I've taken off work. I go to one of the cheaper places nearby that is still good. I haven't had a haircut in over 6 months and I won't get one for a while yet even though it needs done. I'd rather spend a bit less money (than a cut and colour) and get waxed because it makes me feel good. I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep it as part of my budget beyond this time.

Actually, how do you find out about trainee haircuts? Maybe that's a good idea for me.

Tonight I have to try to find time, around spending time with bf (another reason for making sure I've been to the supermarket, take away the takeaway temptation!) to list a few more things on ebay or Amazon.

This is a slow journey isn't it?

*KT*

Oh! I'm daft! It's only just occured to me to write a list before heading to the supermarket...

So far to go to change my thought processes...

Why couldn't I have learnt all this the first time?!

*KT*

Back from the supermarket and feeling good!

£10 spent (give or take 36p) and for that I got lunch (£2 for sandwich, juice and crisps), the most expensive thing was cheese at £3. I got a large yellow stickered beef lean mince for £1.05 that is going in the freezer when I get home tonight; butter; tomato sauce. But the part I am most proud of...?

Tonight bf and I eat like kings! Steak and peppercorn sauce reduced to £1.55 and (although I don't personally like them, bf LOVES them) mushrooms reduced to 45p. I have frozen roast potatos in the freezer. We are going to have, although eating in, a very 'rich' feeling meal. And even better? Whenever we've had steak at home before bf always cooks it!

Oh, and nobody can tell me that steak isn't 'dinner' food! Hee hee!

*KT*

Well,

Last night was great! I know I still have a long way to go and will hopefully be feeding myself (and bf when he's there) for even less soon.

We made a sort of discovery last night. We were both in my little kitchen the whole time dinner was being made (usually it would be just me, or just him). We've not done that for a really long time. It was fun. But even better, it wasn't just me that found it fun! He decided that this was something we should do to make the most of the time we get to spend together (we both have a really busy month ahead by the looks of things that might limit our time together).

I won't always be able to get yellow stickered items and I know that we won't always be able to make everything from scratch but even a shop bought sauce is much cheaper than the take aways we were buying before. I'm also aware that this will mean more trips to the supermarket... but more often only to find the cheaper items. OH left to his own designs could make even this activity cost a fortune by buying everything ready made. I don't want to do that. I'll learn nothing that way.

I do have a slight issue though. I don't have a really big pot (for large batches of soup and the like) and I don't own a microwave for reheats in my flat and saving time and electricity on things like baked potatoes (finished in the oven of course!). I've lived in my flat for nearly 3 years without a microwave and I've always been quite proud of that fact. I think I might need to give in and get a cheap one though.

Question for anyone reading. Can I justify spending a few pounds on a cheap microwave and big pot? Or would it be better to continue a bit longer with what I've got?

*KT*

Is there a website, or information here about what essential ingredients should be in a kitchen to always be able to make tasty meals from scratch?

kaz0705

Morning KT, good to hear you had such a good night!

I think a big pot is definitely worth the investment- it really doesn't need to cost a lot and at the minute there are loads of sales on at department stores (debenhams has 20% code in this weeks email). Although, Asda etc are probably cheaper still. Think our massive one was a fiver from there.

Check out: http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/save_time_and_money/two_week_menu

And, of course, you *need* to check out the Old Style food board on here for recipes. Also, somewhere there is a website that does meal planning for the week and has kitchen essentials- to be honest, you could just google that!

I'd say various spices and chopped tomatoes,various tinned beans (baked, kidney etc), stock cubes, onions risotto rice and pasta are the main staples for my kitchen. Then veg gets picked up as and when. It's funny how you wouldn't have rice and onions and peppers but whack it in a risotto and its a properly yummy meal :-)

I also often buy Sainsbury's sausages as well as (usually £2 for two packs) which are good for pasta, risotto (leek and sausage- so easy!) or casseroles...

But definitely try to buy general stuff rather than just one or two 'meals' each time you shop. When I went nearly every other day to the shops, I was just buying for dinner that night and spending a fortune.

And re:cooking together; I think it's definitely true that when you're trying to save money you have to start appreciating the little things in life- especially with partners! Thank goodness for boxset DVDs is all I'm saying! In fact if you haven't got into 24 or something like that with your partner, now's the time! :-)

Happy Friday!

*KT*

Kaz - funny you should say about boxsets. I bought bf season 3 of House for christmas. since then we've watched season 4 and 5 and are part way through season 6. I've been renting them out of blockbuster £6 for 6 nights and hours of entertainment. If I thought I wouldn't end up spending even more on rentals I'd ditch the sky subscription. When we're finished on House I have about 20 episodes of Castle saved to my sky+ box. We don't tend to go out all that often.