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

Rachel021967

My I join. My husband is being made redundant at the beginning of May and it may take him awhile to find another one. Is there a summary of tips on the old threads?

jamanda

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

Heard on the grapevine that veggie prices are set to soar which means meat prices as well due to knock on effect to cost of feeding animals; because the last 2 months have been so dry - so get diggin' girls and boys

It really is worth trying to grow your own. The only veg I have bought this winter are carrots and mushrooms. Only carrots I can grow are small and weird shapes (still use them). We still have lots of onions in the shed, kidney beans in the freezer and I've just finished the "tufts" that grew on the old cabbage stalks. We don't eat a great variety of veg anyway, but this has got to have saved loads of money for us. Would have frozen some sprouts as well but the butterflies won last year. Spent time last weekend making a cage with some debris netting (small gauge) that DH acquired from a building skip. It is bright blue, but I can live with that having seen the price of the narrow mesh.

Currently using watercress (in a pot), spring onions, salad leaves, chives and a few other assorted herbs and still have a bit of frozen parsley left.

Huge glut of pickled onions still in stock - no way we will get through them before the next lot want doing, and still have lots of jam, despite scattering it around anyone who might want some.

We're not experts by a long way, but the "back to the land" theory is paying off and there is always something to use.

J

Bitsy_Beans

Softstuff wrote: »

Tiny rant

Having run out of all other things edible for brekkie we're left with the weetabix, but no milk. So I tried making rice milk to go on it.

When I was a kid I had my weetabix with hot water on it and a splash of milk (and lots of sugar). My mum couldn't afford to buy lots of milk and even now I can't stand eating it made with nothing but milk. Using hot water it goes like readybrek consistency but it's really nice I don't think the lack of milk makes it taste any worse.

natlie

redlady_1 wrote: »

I have been given some kohl rabi seeds. Can someone please tell me what the hell this is??? It sounds like some new eye liner that clinique have brought out.

LOL -Its a cabbagy turnip thing that kinda tastes like broccolli you can eat it cooked and raw, its very interesting to look at so worth planting.

Hi all
I have my veggies in - well most of them, we have peas and broad beans in pots, my first attempt at runner beans rotted in the pots so trying again, I have 4 different squash, corgettes, salad leaves, spring onions, potatoes, 6 types of tomatoes, herbs, peppers and cucs in at the mo - carrots and beets to go in too

I am supporting 4 - soon to be 5 of us on £28k a year with my two jobs - its not easy but we are doing ok, cost of baby stuff is not helping but haven't spent too much and my sister works in Boots so have saved loads on the reject/end of line stuff she got me £300 of stuff for £80. Will be hard once I finish my waitresing job and I am on Maternity leave!

Having a massive clear out and clean of the house at the mo - we have a small house for 5 of us, have been ebaying a bit and recycling stuff but still lots to do, I can never seem to get my kitchen organised - bedroom is coming along slowly - painting the mo and moving furniture.

Lots of good tips on here so far
Nat
xxx

silvermaid

posted by GreyQueen:
:T sammy_kaye, many congratulations on getting out of your debts. Hope the next good news is about a house.

(hugs)) 7 week wonder and kidkat and anyone else who's having a rough time at the moment.

GQ well done for passing the silly person on to someone else. I would have had to bite my tongue at that enquiry.

SS the rice milk does not sound at all appetising:(

We are trying to be as self sufficient with veg. as possible. It is more economical but also they taste better. Our potatoes and carrots over the last few years have just been delish! Well worth DH's efforts - with a bit of help from me. The DGSs love the homegrown stuff and reckon it tastes the best. DGS3 does not like bought raspberries but loves the ones from the garden.

Good luck all:)

Softstuff

lostinrates wrote: »

I wonder if you could have weetabix with fruit juice? It works with ''hard'' cereals. I imagine it would be edible at least.
I hate that thick hot chocolate, the sound of the milk revolts me I'm afraid.

I think it would have been fine with fruit juice, but fruit juice hasn't been on my shopping list for some time, we tend to stick with either tea or water.

Kitchenbunny wrote: »

With regards to the rice milk thing, could you cook with it? If you could make it into a cheese sauce to cover vegetables or like a macaroni cheese it might get around the texture issue.


KB xx

I dare say the texture of it means it will be great in cooking. I'll give it a go with the thick hot choccy (since I have the cocoa and sugar in).

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

When I was a kid I had my weetabix with hot water on it and a splash of milk (and lots of sugar). My mum couldn't afford to buy lots of milk and even now I can't stand eating it made with nothing but milk. Using hot water it goes like readybrek consistency but it's really nice I don't think the lack of milk makes it taste any worse.

I'd certainly be happy with it like that, I generally make porridge with water and a sprinkle of sugar, but hubby wanted his milk. Can't complain when his demands are that simple, especially when he's the only earner right now!

We made a dash out and bought a carton. I'm stupidly irritated that I had to go into next months budget. Shouldn't be mad at myself really, since thanks to varying things the entire housekeeping budget was $200 (about 130 pounds) this month. So I guess I should really give myself a pat on the back.

maryb

Rachel021967 wrote: »

My I join. My husband is being made redundant at the beginning of May and it may take him awhile to find another one. Is there a summary of tips on the old threads?

Rachel, I'm not sure there is a summary as such. But if you go back to the very first thread it's likely that the majority of the posts at the start will be people pooling ideas. As it has gone on it has evolved into a mutual support network but we all get ideas from each other all the time. The more you can read of the thread the better from that point of view - and you'll find it absorbing and inspiring.

I wish it had been around when we faced our own toughest times in the 1990s recession. But what I learned then through my own unaided efforts stood me in good stead when the tough times rolled round again. Hopefully with the help of this thread you won't have to work it out all by yourself and we'll be a bit of a guide on the journey.

Good luck to you and to all other delurkers/newbies

Aarons_mummy

Hi all,

I can never keep up with these threads, they move so quickly! Anyway I popped some potatoes in the ground the other day that were sprouting, my first attempt so hoping it turns out ok.

My mum does tomatoes, cucumbers etc and I always get a massive load of them so I won't. I'm going to pick up some lettuce seeds as well as chives and others sort of herbs, at 50p a lettuce that lasts a few days for me and LO it can become costly during the summer so hoping that if I can do my own it'll work out.

I really hope that costs don't soar, I can't really afford it to go any higher! I only just discovered approved foods last week and placed and order, £20 including delivery for a huge amount of stuff which I'm sharing with my mum so will keep and eye out and make an order maybe once a month to keep treats and stuff in whilst keeping costs down .

Knitting has been my new found 'luxury'. I buy cheapish wool and do as much as I can, after last winter and realising I need to do something to avoid a huge bill I'm making slankets for me and the LO, knitted inside and possibly a fleecy outer, if not I'll chop up the huge amount of clothes I have stashed to keep us cosy.

These boards are definately helping to keep costs down and make everything stretch!

flowertotmum

Softstuff wrote: »

Tiny rant

Having run out of all other things edible for brekkie we're left with the weetabix, but no milk. So I tried making rice milk to go on it.

I now have a jug of what looks like fake semen in my fridge. I don't think hubby will be happy with it on his cereal.

Poop

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:..just spat my tea all over the laptop and laughed my head off..fake semen:rotfl:..thats just put me right off having a go at it..:rotfl::rotfl:..
ftm

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Feeling rather pleased with myself, having moved into my first house - and garden (well, bit where the builders had their sandwiches).








Sat here, feeling the cold a bit (it's about 20 degrees colder in the kitchen today than it was in the back garden four days ago, according to the thermometer), got a blanket over my shoulders and one of these to assist with warmth -



Spuds are growing happily, herbs are out the front, as are peas, strawbs in the hanging basket, shady herbs on the side of the shed, wild garlic/ransoms in a pot by the shed door and carrots, sunflowers, garlic and beans all in pots, as well as the salads, shallots, raspberries, blackberries, maize, courgettes, French Beans, radishes, beetroots, and assorted other things I have already forgotten about until they grow that are in the beds that were only built at the beginning of the month. The cordon toms and chillies will go into the mini greenhouse fairly soon and the tumblers into hanging baskets.

The intention is to reduce my spending on food down to under £20 for myself and DD (who needs the best nutrition she can get as she might have a grotty genetic condition affecting her skeleton and other body systems, so is going to get as much top rate food as I can manage)



Not a bad start for April, I think.