Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 2

Puddleglum

dizzy I don't know how much they will charge me as yet. I have got until next Saturday when it is due back at the library. Will have to ask then. Feel that I should replace like for like so just hope that the £44 option is still available.

Best wishes

puddleglum

Kiwisaver_2

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Anyone got any ideas for other (easy) things I can make with mince - usually stick to mince/veg, chilli, lasagne & shepherd's pie so would be grateful for some ideas as it's going to be a "mince month" with the amount I've now got!

Homemade burgers
Meatballs
Meatloaf
Mince & Onion Pie
Beef Cobbler - make as Shepherds pie with scone topping instead of mash, perhaps add different veggies, peas, carrots, pumpkin, courgettes or whatever you like.
Mince Hotpot - same Shepherd's pie / veg again with sliced potatoes on top.
Keema type of curry

or for something completely different Bobotie

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5109/bobotie

ceridwen

re the book "The Harvest Pantry" by Barbara Beckett - I've just had a quick scoot-round and couldnt find it at anything other than exorbitant prices.

Perhaps a bit of lateral thinking might be in order here? - ie to the poster who lost a library copy of it - then perhaps the best thing would be to go and talk to a library worker directly and say that you've lost it/it costs £x to get them a replacement copy of it and ask how they would feel about you buying them a replacement copy of a similar topic book instead and make suggestions about a couple of alternative similar books you could buy them instead as a replacement.

They may be happy enough just to have a book that is "along those lines" - rather than wanting a copy of that specific book again.

You won't know if you don't ask - and it may be that they say "Sorry - we do expect that exact same book again. So you WILL have to pay out £40 odd and buy us a new one of that" and you do have to pay out that much. You never know though - and it's worth making a couple of alternative suggestions to them for a replacement book and hope they would be happy with them instead...

Puddleglum

Good thinking Batwoman (ceridwen). My lateral thinking skills have been tied up trying to remember when I last had the book. What does MSE Martin call it, dropping a brand?

rising_from_the_ashes

Puddleglum really hope you find the book and I'm sure it will turn up. I'm afraid I'm doubtful if the library would accept a different book in its place.

Do you normally take them out of the house?

If not, it's bound to turn up and I'd be tempted to renew the books for another "loan term" and keep your fingers crossed that it does turn up. Good luck

rising_from_the_ashes

Kiwisaver - thanks, that's great. Never tried to make meatloaf before so will certainly be giving that a bash! I've actually got a burger maker lurking in a cupboard somewhere so will need to dig it out.

miss_empty_piggy

silvasava wrote: »

I dont know about where you live - but where I am there are loads of Charity Furniture shops & they are well worth the browse as you can get some super stuff there at very reasonable prices. Also you could put a 'Wanted' ad on Freecycle its amazing what people get rid of - as they say one mans junk is another mans treasure:rotfl:

Thanks silvasava, I will give that a try. There are lots of charity shops here that do furniture, and of course car boot sales have started. I'm not desperately in need of them just wanted to get started for when we do move. I hadn't thought about Freecycle - Thanks for the advice

Have a great mother's day everyone. I won't see DDs until 2pm as they are with their dad, but a good job really as I have a mountain of marking to get done before tomorrow. xx

the_cat

Hi all

Popping in for an update for the second quarter. Yet again I'm ashamed to say that my laziness has got the better of me and I do not have proper figures. Every time I try this challenge I fall by the wayside, not because I overspend but because I stop filling in the SOW. So rather than fight it and continually feel like a failure I am going to monitor it in a different way.....

Have checked bank figures etc from end of December and compared with now.... so far I'm £817 better off than my target savings:j:j

Now each quarter that may go up or down depending on how many annual bills have been paid but by the end of the year I should still get a proper figure by the end of the year

redglass_2

Puddleglum wrote: »

I am frantically searching for a missing library book. It is an excellent book, The Harvest Pantry by Barbara (Somebody). I have taken it out of the library many times over the past three years and have copied many recipes, so initially was not too worried when it was mislaid thinking that I would replace it and then if I found the original that would be ok. BUT. On Amazon a used copy of the book is £44 and new it is £107. This book must be found! The bloodpressure is going up as I type.

Puddleglum, libraries don't necessarily replace like with like. If the book wasn't borrowed very often they would rather replace it with something else, so they may not charge you the market value. Fingers x'd that they don't.

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Cat2 has thankfully just had a bag of her food so she'll be fine to the end of the month....
Got some really cheap cabbages at the farm shop when I stopped for eggs as they were the last of their "old" ones (still perfectly fine) so will need to chop/cook/freeze those for the dog tomorrow.:D

I think the dog should complain: the cat gets a whole bag of food at one go while poor old Rover has to make do with with boiled cabbage! :rotfl:

Puddleglum

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Puddleglum really hope you find the book and I'm sure it will turn up. I'm afraid I'm doubtful if the library would accept a different book in its place.

Do you normally take them out of the house?

If not, it's bound to turn up and I'd be tempted to renew the books for another "loan term" and keep your fingers crossed that it does turn up. Good luck

I don't normally take them out of the house but, at the back of my mind, I'm vaguely recollecting thinking that I would take it with me to reread the butter recipes. That looks so sad written down! It is probably still in the house though so will keep on looking.

Many thanks

Puddleglum