As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

meanmarie

Go with the blended oats Sammy....did it years ago when children were small....think I just used to make it up with hot milk as that was pre-microwave days. You can flavour it if necessary with small amount of jam or jelly.

Softstuff....where are you on Sunshine coast....spent a week in Caloundra in 08 and loved it there, drove round a bit up the coast.

GQ....watering is not really a problem here as we have our own well in addition to public water, we use the well for watering....mind you there was 3 drops of rain per square mile yesterday near us so things are looking up!

Gailey....what do you use for energy and would you sell some of it please?

Marie

gailey_2

Morning guys wellnearly lunchtime and Im dressed:D

Smallboy asleep on our bed got acouple hours last night as let himin ourbed.

19month oldsbeenin cot since 10am refusing morning nap again
5year olds do her crafts and making mess in lounge.

Lots washing to do.

Hubby rang and apoligogised for beingso moody last nights hes tired.
works a breeze compared to being at home and he mostly sleeps at night.

Greyqueen-Running the country that would be easier, quitefancy idea of being an mp maybe.

Dont know where I find the energy just kep going as so much needs doing and the kids never stop and hubbys out most of day.
Feeling very tired but the mes stresses meso want toget this house declutered and organised once and for allwould make my life lot easier.

well lunch today is

pasty for me
leftoverspag bol for girls.

dinner for me and hubby is beef stew with rice.
kids maybe tuna pasta.
Got some mince might do a chilli
make another loaf of bread.

Sammyk envious of those fit welsh rugby players.
I need to lose weight too think joining ww as free to join.
porridge- Look in supermarkets for reduced berries or forrage when blackberries out.

puree berries into icecube trays as you do wih weaning.
addto creamy value porridge be healthy ,cheap and tasty.

If you really want to getinto couponing seethis thread

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3202004

Its like comping but for coupons.
some seem confusing.

I want to reduce grocery bill further and start comping again!
Its just find time with 3kids, housework and cooking.
Determined imgoing to beat inflation!:D
For me its how can we live a happy high standard of life on as little money as possible,

being os
being savy shopper
reducing debts
making extra income.

Welcome back cranky glad you ok.

Well im still feeling guilty as dident

pick any sloes and make sloegin
picked hardly any blackberries lastyear.
Brought sevilleoranges in jan and made marmalade.

My slowcooker still hasent madeits way out of box was 6pounds in argos sale:o.
Hubbys still nagging me about breadmaker he broiught me for xmas as couldnet get my head around instructions and been so busy lastfew months so still makingby hand.
Still got far too much foraged fruit in freezer.

Its may scary how4months have gone. need to find the time to catchup somehow and achieve my goals.

yorkiepud_2

Softstuff wrote: »

I read somewhere that if you like the flavoured ready-brek style porridge that half a spoonful of jelly crystals would do the trick. Not one that I've tried though.

perhaps the nesquik powdered milkshake flavours would work - my kids use them to flavour hm yoghurt.

nicki_2

yorkiepud wrote: »

perhaps the nesquik powdered milkshake flavours would work - my kids use them to flavour hm yoghurt.

I stick a spoon of hot chocolate in with it to make chocolate ready brek...it doesn't touch the sides with DD when I make it like that :rotfl: Even better ATM as the hot chocolate & ready brek I have in are freebies from the school where I work :money: They were overhauling the staffroom over the summer holiday and were going to chuck a supermarket trolleys worth of food/drink away :eek: So I nabbed it and brought it home and we're still working our way through some of it

Hippeechiq

Afternoon to everyone

Gailey you are such an inspiration hun - and you really don't give yourself the credit that you very much deserve

Welcome Cranky and anyone else new to the thread.

I'd like to pick your green fingered brains if I may.

So far out of the veggie plants that my Dad has ordered for me, I have 6 Cherry Tomato Plants, 6 Standard Tomato & 1 Aubergine. All are on my south facing bedroom windowsill and appear to be flourishing.

However, I never have my bedroom window closed - winter or summer - and in between misting all of my plants yesterday afternoon and mid-day today, the Aubergine plant (which is about 4-5" tall) has become covered in green and whitefly

I wiped all the leaves down with a cloth and water and squashed the little blighters, so it's clear (for now) and there don't appear to be any on any of the tomato plants (or are they not prone to green and white fly?)

I know how persistent both green and whitefly can be and how they can decimate a plant, but I don't know how to combat them OS.

Someone suggested to me washing up liquid mixed with water, but I've forgotten who and I was wondering if whoever it was - or anyone else reading - could tell me what part liquid and what part water to use, or even, if you personally have found something else to be more effective please

Lindy_-_Loo

I loved extreme couponing - imagine goetting your shopping for free!

Gailey - thats a great link, didnt know half of those couponing sites existed.

Cranky was wondering where you got too! not seen you on facebk for a while either.

OH dropped the dyson down the stairs last night and now I cant get the bin off it to empty, seems to have cracked and locked. Hes offering to have a look at it when he in from work - him and DIY do not mix, still cant believe he dropped it down the stairs!

Checked bank and been overpaid by tax credits so gonna have to withdraw the cash as I expect they will want it back

lucielle

Hippeechiq, make the washing up liquid into a foam and coat the leaves of the plant with the foam/bubbles, this suffocates the little blighters. HTH
L

anguk

ceridwen wrote: »

Agree with that point from Greenbee - re not feeling claustrophobic at home - and taking account of the likelihood of more time at home if the health deteriorates.

One's own lifestyle and possible future lifestyle ARE considerations to keep in the mix. People who are out and about all the time socialising and only using the home as a base don't require as much space as those who:

- work from home

- are confined to home by illness (I certainly recall a former friend - now passed on - who was housebound and derived great comfort from a reasonable home and nice garden)

- have a lot of home-centred type interests (eg gardening, cooking, etc) - all of which require room to pursue them.

Some people are able to "outsource" their needs (look at the traditional "man going down the local pub" for some "space") and others arent.

That's a very good point. When my OH first had his leg amputated he spent 8 months in his wheelchair, most of that time was either spent at home or hospital visits. He found he got a lot of enjoyment out of baking and it passed the time (meant I had to rearrange the kitchen so everything was in his reach), neighbours and family enjoyed his offerings too.

It also made a big difference to him to be able to go out and sit in our back yard as then he could chat to neighbours and people passing (we live in a small place where most people are friendly). As much as he loves me it can get boring just talking to one person all the time.

anguk

sammy_kaye18 wrote: »

Oh stupid me - I meant blending the raw stuff then making up like ready brek but nice to know it is manageable as Holly and Ben love it for their breakfast and supper!
Plus save me a fair bit because based on the 750g box
Ready Brek brand is : £2.49 :mad:
Mr T own brand box is : £1.49
Mr T Value Oats (1kg) is : 75p
Think its worth a try to save me almost £2! :eek:

Really do think I need to get on the OS/ Super Scrimping/ Extreme Couponing band wagon now! Especially since when we looked at the houses the rent is going to be an extra £70 a month! :eek:

So need to get my EXTREME OS ways back ASAP!

I just buy value porridge oats and blitz them to a ready brek powder consistency, it means it cooks quicker too, a couple of spoonfuls in a bowl with a bit of milk then a quick blast in the microwave.

Softstuff wrote: »

I read somewhere that if you like the flavoured ready-brek style porridge that half a spoonful of jelly crystals would do the trick. Not one that I've tried though.

I have been known to add a bit of cocoa to my porridge oat powder.

gailey_2

Hippeechiq-Thanks hun thats so sweet I have so much I want to do to but not enough time to achive it but keeping to do lists helps me achieve half of them.

1 of my new years resolutions this year was to be more organised.I havent quite managed it.

I have loose meal plans but usually something happens and I dont keep to them.
The pregancy was hard and felt sick constantly very tired which threw my normal gailey routine of bargain shopping and batch cooking out window entrusted hubby to do a lot of it never good as hes so impulsive and comes back with mainly, pop ,crisps, pizza and biscuits.
Even when given a list he usually forgets something or happily adds to it yet when I do a big shop he moans about costs but its all stuff to make meals with that lasts months!

minor miracle done something been wanting to do do and banging on about for 2months now.

I stocktaked my entire kitchen of groceries.

Fridge looking very bare have definate new shop list for fridge stuff.

Freezer OMG:eek:its difficult as its a chest/things get lost and buried.
Our fridge is just a fridge so never time to run it down.
its still half full.
I keep attacking the ice with wodden cooking spoon and ice scraper.

Well found a few surprises

tub of icecream uneasten
loaf of reduced bread hubbywould be thanfkful but its brown so he probably moan.

some hm readymealsintubs unsure of as been there about 6months.
some meat from butchers other month mostly sausages.
down to last bag oven chips weirdly have 2bags hash browns.
some breaded fish/chicken.
lots frozen veg but nearly out of our staple peas/sweetcorn.

My biggest problem is my foraging last year.
Still have over 20bags of plums and some cherries.
Dont even like either than much.
Theyreally getting in the way.

I have to use them before this years crop starts.

so apart from jam trying to think what to do with plums

chutney?
maybe get some foil trays and do about 10 plum crumbles?
need to sort this within next month preferably before we go farmfoods do big frozen shop as havent been farmfoods in 3months as quite a distance so always make sure we buying lots.

Veg wise we have no potatoes,2 applss seen betterdays and loads of onions/garlic.

Cupboards more surprises. had to bin few outof date things .
But have 7packs of supernoodles!
lots dried pasta
14tins of tomatoes.
3bread mixes.
yeast.
really low on my flour stash one bag sf says end of april 2101 you think be alright to make cake with this week?

Herbs/spices need topping up,
need more vingiars for brewing and chutneys.

I have stuck lists to freezer,cupboards and fridge.

Now know excatly whats on next big shop list hoping tolast until 15th when hubby gets paid.
But with whats there I have meal ideas to work with what wehave so think we should be fine but need to top up on

butter
milk
bread
eggs
potatoes
apples

Feeling really please can do sensible food shopnext month ratherthan hubby on his impulse spree or me guessing what we need which is whats happened last couple months.

The parmasan cheese yes its pricey but use less used than normal chedder over pasta as stronger.
I also use very small cheese grater to use less cheese.
Kids happy to have cream cheese spread sandwiches rather than chedder.

Got icecream cones as you use much less icecream in cone than a bowl so lasts longer.

Need to go poundstretcher for some cheap lolly moulds as they fab idea for summer made withfresh fruit juices.
Also need more tubs and to start batchcooking readymeals again.
plan to doone big lasgane and 1 shepards pie and freeze this month..

Need to go supermarket in rain and top up on all reduced bbq stuff and reduced rolls and freeze.

Going to join the may grocery challange and keepme ontrack.

Lindy loo-That link was given tome as the extreme couponing wasthread on groceries board. Our printers bust so need it fixed.
Thegrabbit board can be fab forptential bargains including things that cost 1p in tesco!

hoover we have dyson and their customer service good I fixed ours with over phone help. costs 70quid for them to come out.

we have 2shops in nearby high street one repairs appliances including hoovers the other sells lots of reconditioned 2nd hand hoovers including dyson maybe youhave something similar near you.
Ours is 8years old now would love a new one but cantafford it.
When dyson was playing up mymam brought me cheapo argos one but wasent as good.

Right justfed small boy.
girls had their lunch but downstairs bad.
need to go corner shop.
aim today is to clear laundry, stairs, hoover downstairs, clean kitchen and bath kids.

Tommorows another day and eldest back in school:j
I need quiet!
I need a routine for younger 2.

Hate tohave oustanding jobs to do just little things like

ring john lewis as drier sounds funny
ring council over bigger bin and when bin police coming round.
fix wireless
fix printer
use breadmaker