Super Scrimpers

Allegra

lostinrates wrote: »

In fact, I have litres of last years apple juice that we were going to wassail with and didn't get through much of, so time to think about that too, before refilling this year!

That sounds interesting - do you juice your own apples and freeze the juice, or am I getting the wrong end of the stick there ? I still have stacks of stewed apple and apple pie from last year's foraged apples in the freezer, and we are all thoroughly fed with them now, so I'm on the lookout for new ideas to do with this year's apple crop....

FatVonD

toasterman wrote: »

On the same token, first-time buyers looking to get onto the housing ladder, should consider buying a house 30 years ago, when they were considerably cheaper.

A thanks just wasn't enough for the laugh this post gave me

lostinrates

Allegra wrote: »

That sounds interesting - do you juice your own apples and freeze the juice, or am I getting the wrong end of the stick there ? I still have stacks of stewed apple and apple pie from last year's foraged apples in the freezer, and we are all thoroughly fed with them now, so I'm on the lookout for new ideas to do with this year's apple crop....

Yes, I juice them and pour the juice into very well cleaned plastic milk bottles. nota bene....sometimes milk freezes a similar pale yellow so LABEL WELL!:o

I also tend to freeze my apples in peeled/cored wedges not made up into anything. It can be hectic trying to get everything processed and stored, and I enjoy cooking more when less rushed and under pressure to get it done. So just ppepping a few, freezing on trays then pouring into bags to deal with when supplies are less bountiful worls better for me....it means I can flavour my apple sauce differently each time I make it, (e.g. a drop of calvados for grown ups, cloves for bitter winter days, cinnamon and honey for sober and sweet days) and make different sorts of apple pie feeling less pressured to simply batch prep loads the same and bake them for speed. Apple jelly, on the other hand, is something I love doing and not sure if one could from frozen??

FatVonD

ceridwen wrote: »

Watched last nights one as well. Dont think I'll bother again - they are just so formulaic and the looks of astonishment/shock on the peoples faces when it comes to the "lots of rubbish in the garden" scene are so obviously hamming-it-up for the camera..

I don't get this bit at all, why are they expected to look so surprised that they've moved all their stuff into the garden (apart from that they're going to have to move it all back)? It's not like they couldn't see it before and hadn't just been talking about it.

I liked the tip about descaling the kettle with a lemon, I've never descaled a kettle in my life (they just get heavier and heavier ) as the thought of drinking water from a kettle that's had chemicals powerful enough to descale it in it terrifies me. I'll definitely give that a try.

The woman looked totally bemused at being told to leave her year old baby in childcare and get a part-time job, they were after all there to tell them how to save money not go out and earn more.

valentina

FatVonD wrote: »

A thanks just wasn't enough for the laugh this post gave me

Sounds like a Viz "top tip"
:rotfl:

Ida_Notion

FatVonD wrote: »

The woman looked totally bemused at being told to leave her year old baby in childcare and get a part-time job, they were after all there to tell them how to save money not go out and earn more.

I gasped slightly at that bit. A lot of mothers of young children don't have a choice when it comes to going out to work, but where there is room to choose it's a decision that's seldom solely influenced by money, and such a personal one that I think it would be an extremely presumptious advisor who sought to change it.

BitterAndTwisted

FatVonD wrote: »

The woman looked totally bemused at being told to leave her year old baby in childcare and get a part-time job, they were after all there to tell them how to save money not go out and earn more.

Well, if you can't save enough for a mortgage deposit by being a canny shopper and denying yourself unnecessary luxuries the only other way is to up the family income, I expect.

Still, putting a one-year old in childcare wouldn't be the first thing I thought of. To my mind that's much too young if you had a choice. I'd be thinking perhaps of an evening job when OH is home to mind the children and no child-care would need to be paid for.

Every minute that lady is out of the house earning something/anything would be another minute not being tempted by online shopping!

Lotus-eater

toasterman wrote: »

One of the thrifters pulled what looked like a completely untouched Victoria sponge cake from the freezer. What was that leftover from?

It's easier to make more than one at once I would have thought.

When we go to school do's, we end up buying a few cakes to support the school and freeze what we don't need. We never really need to make cakes.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

FatVonD wrote: »

The woman looked totally bemused at being told to leave her year old baby in childcare and get a part-time job, they were after all there to tell them how to save money not go out and earn more.

Ida_Notion wrote: »

I gasped slightly at that bit. A lot of mothers of young children don't have a choice when it comes to going out to work, but where there is room to choose it's a decision that's seldom solely influenced by money, and such a personal one that I think it would be an extremely presumptious advisor who sought to change it.

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Well, if you can't save enough for a mortgage deposit by being a canny shopper and denying yourself unnecessary luxuries the only other way is to up the family income, I expect.

Still, putting a one-year old in childcare wouldn't be the first thing I thought of. To my mind that's much too young if you had a choice. I'd be thinking perhaps of an evening job when OH is home to mind the children and no child-care would need to be paid for.

Probably more because she does work already. They just didn't mention that part on TV.

FatVonD

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Probably more because she does work already. They just didn't mention that part on TV.

I can see that happening.

DH and myself were on telly a while back and bits I thought they'd definitely use were cut and vice versa. I was particularly disappointed they didn't use a bit where they asked what I'd most love and I replied 'a KitchenAid food mixer' and when they asked DH what he'd least like he said 'a KitchenAid food mixer'

It's very, VERY easy to get swept along with trying to be nice and helpful on the day and bend towards good TV. I woke up the next morning with that 'oh, my God, what did I say?' feeling normally only associated with a hangover