How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

BitterAndTwisted

A too-big one will be much more useful than one too small. They use so little water so I reckon the difference between heating up either should be negligible

mardatha

I'm not posh - I will lose my DLA sooner or later so am gettng things that will last me forever while I can afford it pet.
But one does drink Earl Grey for one's breakfast...

lostinrates

My mother had a pressure cooker when I was small, I don't remember it ever being used. I have a slow cooker and honestly...I hate it. I'm want one reading you all rave over it but I'm worried it will be another of those ''nice idea'' things for us. I wonder if any one I know has one and I can make them cook for me using it to see what I think!

maryb

I've had both a slow cooker and a pressure cooker and I would choose the pressure cooker any day. Judging by the MSE fan club I am in a definite minority in not liking slow cookers but I thought casseroles always smelled absolutely disgusting in them!!

Oh, and you can bottle fruit in a pressure cooker. I want to try doing that this summer.

When the DDs were babies and we were on our boat, which had a two ring gas cooker but no electricity, I used to sterilise their bottles with the pressure cooker. Stand the bottles upside down on the trivet and put the basket on top with all the bits in. Half a pint of water then put the lid on without the weight. Took 15 minutes. It left small ring marks on the trivet where the bottles stood - barely visible. It always takes me back when I use it and see those

jumblejack

Does anybody know if there are there any good offers in sainsburys at the moment that can be exploited during a big shop to get the petrol voucher?

budgetboo

I like my stainless steel pressure cooker for jam and preserve making with the lid off. The high sides give a bit of reassurance with a kid around saftey wise. I don't make preserves often enough or have the cupboard space to justify a dedicated pan so this is great.

I also use it for pulses and boiling hams regularly.

I've had mine over 20 years and it's going strong still, though I expect the seal will need replacing evetually so I'd say it's a good long term investment if that helps Madartha.

I'm over the moon with the individual enamel pie pans I got from lakeland in Feb. They help stretch out the last bits of left overs as anything can go in a pie : ) They will also last for years (my round one is over 10 years and my Gran must have had hers forever!).

Thank you for the lemon curd recipe! My lad and his buddies love lemon tarts - I normally add a little juice to value curd but home made sounds so much nicer and that recipe seems nice and simple.

Shout out to ChocoClaire for her wonderful chinese chicken recipe. Yum!

I reheat any leftover gravy/juices from it to prepare couscous the next day. Use ChocoClaire's gravy to top up the boiling water following the instructions on the couscous pack. Add a few green beans, sliced peppers etc and a tin of chickpeas and it makes a wonderful cheap tasty lunch. Ideal for those who eye up the innocent pots in the supermarket and walk past despondently as they are so dear.

'I'm also worried about DLA - DS was only awarded it in Jan this year and already it's going to very good use. ASD doesn't disapear so this was a form of long term support he really needed. The government is also slashing by 50 % CTC for disabled kids in a year or two. Considering the fact that even when he does return to school, childcare (so I can work) is a real issue I'm frankly getting scared.

On a higher note though I've just got a new to me 2 seater sofa for £25 from our charity shop - I'm over the moon as we've nothing comfy to sit on for months! It'll be delivered next week for a fiver together with a display cabinet (that's begging to be shaggy chiced!) that was £15. We are pantry shopping this week to pay for them but oh I'm so pleased.

Larumbelle

I don't really know off hand but usually I check mysupermarket.co.uk for offers even if I'm not doing the shop itself online. I ignore the 'top offers' bit because I find it's always full of over-processed foods that we don't really use, I check the 'shelf' itself.

If you're not usually a Sainsbury's shopper, make sure you check out the basics teabags, 27p for 80, fair trade, and even my other half likes them! Someone on here told me they were good but I never thought OH would drink them, he usually makes a fuss about things like tea. You would need to buy a lot of them to get you up to £50 though lol

Larumbelle

budgetboo wrote: »

I'm over the moon with the individual enamel pie pans I got from lakeland in Feb. They help stretch out the last bits of left overs as anything can go in a pie : ) They will also last for years (my round one is over 10 years and my Gran must have had hers forever!).

I have some too and I love mine! My mum had a whole cupboard of enamel plates etc, when I tried to cadge some I found out my sister had chucked the lot out. Not even given it to a charity shop, just binned it! Boo! I am the only tightwad in a family of spendthrifts. My parents were tightwads, but they stopped doing frugal things the minute they could afford not to. When I look at my siblings, I can't believe we all grew up even on the same planet. Anyway, even when I was a teenager (I'm 30 now) I remember there being an Army & Navy type shop in every town, even we had one and we were in the backside of nowhere. Where have all of those shops gone? They were brilliant. They used to sell enamelware at a fraction of the Lakeland price. And all manner of other useful cheap stuff. Does any one still have a proper Army & Navy surplus?

ginnyknit

We use enamel pie plates and Oh just bought some from Poundland (or one of the pound shops) in dark blue, very snazzy. He uses them for his cooking when he goes fishing - very O/S ! You would think he was Scott of the Antarctic the food he takes but it makes him very happy and he sleeps the night after he has been fishing ( the only flipping night he does)

Just been out side and there is a yellow ball in the sky - guess it must be my turn :T:T:T Success of the year my compost bins and leaf mould container have lots of lovely compost in, Im so happy. I built the leaf thingy from 4 uprights of metal shelving supports, rammed deep in the soil then chicken wire round and a carpet tile lid. Its taken 2 years to rot but Oh my what wonderous compost, soft and fine - ha a few years ago it would take 50 quids worth of gig tickets and 4 vodka's to make me wax so lyrically about something.

bertiebots

Re the stocking up to get the petrol voucher..erm I forgot I needed loo rolls!:o But my cupboards are very full and so is my freezer . I was doing a extras shop (I really dont need this now but will get it cos Ive nothing else to get!) as it was- and still didnt manage to get upto £50! I got some new wine glasses and tumblers both very cheap and a not so cheap bottle of wine as a treat. I should have got about 10 packs of basics loo roll though so argghhhh!!!:eek: I am amazed at how little I am spending on food at the moment and havent even bothered doing the GC because its roughly £150 per month!
Fajitas for tea tonight ..yum!!
Oh and I feel a bit of a plonka too because I got payed today..and my boss at kitchen is putting down my ot!:o So hurrah!!:T I have a decent wage for once..just wish she had told me what was on my time sheet and it would have saved all this worry. I cant blame her for the local council taking 6 weeks to pay me it! Oh and I won 3 prizes at the school easter fair raffle ,a box of after eights(which I have eaten:p), a watch and some toiletries!..I never win anything usually so I have got a lottery ticket for tonight . I am feeling lucky!:A:rotfl::rotfl::D