Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - Part 3.

LolaLemon

Used up my left over 'brothie' lamb mince, put in the oven dish topped with sweet potatoe mash ... it just all mushed together like a thick soup, tasted a-maze-ING! Even son ate it all, n he doesn't particularly like sweet pots, ... I got a deal on groupon a while back.. nearly £90 worth of fruit, veg, n meat box, plus a fresh loaf and eggs for a week plus a recipe book for £35 for TWO weeks! Doesn't have to be the following week either
I'm thinking that's an awful lot of food, as a thank you, I'm sharing it out with my parents (4 adults in that house) and only me n son in this one.

Used the last of my oats in little cakes called tweetie pies.. they taste amazing!!

6oz butter creamed with 4oz soft brown sugar, add 8oz oats and 2 tablespoons of honey. Mix together.
U can then add any nuts/seeds/sultanas/coconuts etc, or them all! We added sultanas n dedicated coconut, Bing in oven at 190 for 10-15 mins.

Thank you alec n Tumpty for the squash recipes, will be giving at least one of them a go

tumptyteapot

Lola - sains buries magazine has recipes for pumpkin muffins and thai coconut curry with squash in :-)
I bought a M&S £10 meal deal, chicken, garlic mushrooms, wine and little trifles. There is only me that will eat the chicken, can I portion it up and freeze some of it or does it need eating, and can it be re-heated?

SandraScarlett

Went to Mr S and got 6 packs of wafer thin meats (ham, smoked ham, chicken etc) and 3 soups and paid ...... 81p!! Did it again for DD who was very pleased.

Am souped-out now! There are apparently lots of coupon glitches at Tesco's, including one for a free box of Honey Shreddies. World War 3 has broken out on the coupons thread, cos people are boasting of picking up 50 boxes in one go!

Now personally, I think this is a deliberate wind-up - what do these people drive? Lorries? But it's had the desired effect, if their aim was to stir up trouble.

Do enjoy your wafer thin meats and soup! I hope everyone has a great weekend. I'm meeting another friend at Westfield, and we may visit Bishopsgate Tesco again!!

xx

seriouslyfrugal

Well the bread turned out fine which was a relief :T


brownsea was beautiful today a lovely sunny day also we got to see 2 red squirels & a sika deer which was a real treat as to see them is quite rare apparently although poole council need to up the sig
nage for the ferry wasn't very clear at all we took a picnic with us so it wasn't to bad I guess but the parking was expensive - well I thought so I think today we had £20.00 in the community purse and i'm not sure what came back yet !!

Lola : with regards the squash you can roast it with mince in it I also make squash and red pepper soup


Welcome to all new posters :wave:

have a good friday everyone

hattifattener

Thank you to everyone for your kind welcomes and tips.

I think even just being here and being motivated is going to help. OH is good really, we only buy own brand stuff mostly, but he doesn't like the blue stripeys. I think it's probably fair enough. As everyone's said we all have our limits and you've got to balance being frugal against being happy. I do sneak a few value store cupboard essentials like rice into our Kilner Jars when he's at work though.

My favourite butternut squash recipe, in fact one of my all time favourite recipes is:

Peel squash and roast in chunks with garlic.
Basic risotto - splash White wine (if you're already opening some), onion, garlic, veggie stock, risotto rice.
Stir in the squash at the end with lumps of Philly style cream cheese.
Cram in mouth and enjoy.

natnat13

Morning all
Had a rubbish day yesterday, my fuel light came on so I literally spent my last pennies in petrol to get me to my in-laws village because apparently they were desperate for help at their church safari supper. Got there and stood around for the first 2 hours, so mad, could have been doing so much more at home! Anyway, then I cleared some tables, did some dishes and it was 10:30pm by this time so I started yawning and went home! MIL did give me a good hunk of left over cheedar, a pudding and some shortbread biscuits though which I was really pleased about, there must be about £10 worth of cheese and DH and DS's are cheese monsters so that is great.
Also paid my massive CC bill yesterday, I haven't had the gutts to cut it up just in case there is a proper emergency but we have never been this worse off so it has def been a wake up call and I won't be using it unless I really need to.
I am determined to start overpaying on my mortgage and get it cleared sooner than the 15 years to go on it. DH's job is likely to finish in about 6 years and it would be lovely to be mortgage free by then so we don't have to worry so much.
Hope everyone has a fab day, catch u later x

paidinchickens

I have never even tried squash will keep eye out on whoopsie isle

Toying with the idea on going onto cash only, what are peoples thoughts??

At the moment we put everything we spend on a credit card for the clubcard points and pay in full every month. Years ago I had a pot chicken (like Ma Boswell off bread) and used to put the weekly pennies in it and when it was gone it was gone plus you can see how much you have left. I was talking to DH and I think if we did this now with food and fuel money it may cut us down even more as sometimes it is just too easy to swipe the plastic.

I did apply for a CC the other day though as if you signed up and spent £200 you get a free chelsea shirt. I was going to buy one for DS for Cword and they are £45. Obviously I will pay off a bill and pay in full so hopefully a free shirt, I will let you know.

Have not got to fetch DGD from school today as her dad is finishing work early so no round trip to town for me today :T

Had my fill of rhubarb this week as I defrosted some and made two crumbles as the oven was on. Had one Wednesday and one Thursday for tea. I am not really a fan so only had a smidge but that is good as the inches still need to come off!! Have not gone near the scales as not feeling brave enough this week :rotfl:

Hope your all well

PIC xx

natnat13

I like the idea of cash because it's more visual (me and my visuals!) thinking of doing the same, taking out a set amount a week and when it's gone it's gone!

Aril

Hello fellow frugallers:j
Very little in the way of frugalling going on here at GBT although tbh also have been too busy to spend much:rotfl::rotfl:Does another couple of trips to recruitment agencies and another interview count as free frugal fun.....no thought not. Have just spent £50:eek: on my weekly shop but did get lots of bargains and 2 for the price of and we did pick up some whoopsied chicken thighs yesterday. Am off to hang the washing up outside as it is gorgeous here today and to bake a coffee cake later as am having a day off from all the job related stuff. Am going to be making a courgette and fennel soup tomorrow- it has a dash of curry powder in it.
http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/12267/courgette-and-fennel-soup.aspx
Hugs to all
Arilx

redglass_2

hattifattener wrote: »

Cram in mouth and enjoy.

'Cram in mouth' - that's my kind of recipe. As a friend of mine says, 'I like to know when I've eaten something.'