2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

rising_from_the_ashes

paidinchickens wrote: »

Drum roll................ I got my first foster furbabies yesterday :j:j:j

I picked them up yesterday dinner time. Two little black and white babies, one boy and one girl. Poor little things are filled with fleas, scared to death and hardly eating :( They have now been fed and treated for fleas and I keep going in for lots of squeezy cuddles They are having cuddles if they like it or not (mostly not) :rotfl::rotfl:

Fantastic news!:D (sorry missed it yest when I was catching up ) - how are they doing?

flying_fresian wrote: »

Bramble - I'm currently in a job I hate, so I would say that job satisfaction is priceless, especially if you're working full time. You spend so much time at work that you should enjoy it

Snap & couldn't agree more ......


Well, off to DMs shortly so hoping for a NSD - have a good one everyone

COOLTRIKERCHICK

thanks aeb:beer:, really appreciate you replying and answering my question...


I knew i had read/heard somewhere about making sure all the buttermilk/fluid was out of the butter other wise it would go off..

Know in my luck there will be no reduced cream around for ages now:rotfl:

aeb_2

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

Know in my luck there will be no reduced cream around for ages now:rotfl:

The solution to that is to get a goat! I have two but sometimes I wonder if it's a fair return for getting head butted into the mud

purpleorchid

black_cat wrote: »

That sounds like a fab present. Very MSE too - should keep you out of your overdraft!

im suprised at what i can do with a bit of imagination BC. i started off with just a free sample of douwe egberts coffee (enough for 6-8 cups in cafeteria), didnt have a clue what else to do as have no money, realised that i had a small wicker basket in the bathroom with pot pourri in it, so emptied that and have lined it with some lilac tissue paper (not toilet roll:rotfl:), then went round the house searching lol.
found some lilac pouches that had lavender seeds in that had lost their smell, also found some fresh pot pourri under the sink that i had forgotten about, so put that in the pouches. had no cellophane to cover them, so took some off a pack of gift wrap, used the top end as the bottom, as it was sealable, then used a pinking scissors to make the top pretty, and tied a pink ribbon around it to hold it all together, (which i cut off my dressing gown:rotfl:)
also found, avon stuff, arizona hand and foot treatment, planet spa foot and elbow cream, dead sea face mask, perfume, mascara, lipstick and planet spa facial serum.
found an unused shower puff, a new pumice stone and had 2 herbal tea samples and voucher off for twinnings and a mud mask sample.
so with the turkish delight and hot choc i think this is fab pressie. i know i would be chuffed with this and the pamper session. hope someone will do this for my 60th :rotfl:

hth
Luv P
xx

wornoutmumoftwo

DOes anyone have a nice tasting bread recipe? I've all but given up on my breadmaker, but bought a nice long loaf tin from Mr T, made up a dough, cooked it in the oven and it came out nice (but it still doesn't taste like proper homemade bread - there was something missing).

determined_new_ms

i just do a basic recipe - strong bread flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt and dried skimmed milk turns out fine each time. Can you google a recipe? I also think there is a thread on the OS board for bread x

SandraScarlett

purpleorchid wrote: »

im suprised at what i can do with a bit of imagination BC. i started off with just a free sample of douwe egberts coffee (enough for 6-8 cups in cafeteria), didnt have a clue what else to do as have no money, realised that i had a small wicker basket in the bathroom with pot pourri in it, so emptied that and have lined it with some lilac tissue paper (not toilet roll:rotfl:), then went round the house searching lol.
found some lilac pouches that had lavender seeds in that had lost their smell, also found some fresh pot pourri under the sink that i had forgotten about, so put that in the pouches. had no cellophane to cover them, so took some off a pack of gift wrap, used the top end as the bottom, as it was sealable, then used a pinking scissors to make the top pretty, and tied a pink ribbon around it to hold it all together, (which i cut off my dressing gown:rotfl:)
also found, avon stuff, arizona hand and foot treatment, planet spa foot and elbow cream, dead sea face mask, perfume, mascara, lipstick and planet spa facial serum.
found an unused shower puff, a new pumice stone and had 2 herbal tea samples and voucher off for twinnings and a mud mask sample.
so with the turkish delight and hot choc i think this is fab pressie. i know i would be chuffed with this and the pamper session. hope someone will do this for my 60th :rotfl:

hth
Luv P
xx

Now if you have a gift to buy and finances are down
Just search your "tat", for this and that, and grab your dressing gown! :rotfl:

Don't waste your time regretting your financial situation
Just read this thread, and use your head, and your imagination

To make your Mum a special birthday gift, was your intent
You must be thrilled by knowing not a penny has been spent!

Like Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colours" you have found
A gift is far more precious when thought, and love, abound

It's not the tag that matters, and of course, it's not the cost
Cos what's the point of giving, if the sentiment is lost?

Your Mum will be :T delighted :T, and of course you know it's true
Your Frugalista Sisters are so very proud of you!

xx

miss_empty_piggy

That's awesome SandraScarlett, and I love your ingenuity purpleorchid.

Frugal things done so far today : Have been frugal with the chicken I bought - it was les than £3 and I skinned it and chopped it into pieces. Legs, thighs and wings went into slow cooker with a random sauce sachet that was lurking at the back of the cupboard. I removed the fillets from the breasts and chopped them up ready to mix with bacon for a spicy rice dish later/tomorrow., I sliced the breasts in two(to make 4) and bashed them flatter and rolled them around some stuffing mix, the wrapped them in bacon and baked them in the oven. They went down a treat. The rest has gone into soup which is bubbling away nicely for lunch. I feel quite good about it and am experimenting with some jacket potatoes in the slow cooker to go with the chicken casseroley thing later.

I'm on the lookout for more frugal things to do, will report back later.

SandraScarlett

Ooo, Miss EP, your cooking sounds yummylicious! I noticed that you've lost 3 lbs from your target of 56 lbs, so if you maintain a pound a week, then this time next year you'll be selling all your current stuff on ebay! Good Luck!

xx

paidinchickens

Afternoon everyone.

Had a very unproductive day so far.

Cat story warning

Got up and spent most of the day pootling round the garden so the foster babies can get used to the normal comings and goings of the house.

Slight progress, one ate something in front of me and one has ventured out of the pod into the pen small steps I know. I was glad to find out I keep them as long as it takes to sort them out as I was worried I would have them until they were neutered and then they would be re homed. The lady from the cat care charity said I get to keep them until I think they are ready for a family.............ummmmmmm could be a while then as they are so cutilicious :rotfl: seriously they really do need a lot of time and effort. They don't even know how to play

When they have calmed down a little more I will post some pics!

Rising My own fur babies are now 7 months old, huge, lazy and doing really well but I am officially known as the mad cat lady for those who don't know mummy cat had four kittens, we kept mum, one of the kittens went next door and we kept the other three :rotfl::rotfl:

I need to get some bits on Feebay but I really hate writing about stuff and as for measuring anything I have no hope as the kitties have ran off with the tape measure :rotfl:

I am glad people are trying to make their own butter as I found it really amazing (small things :rotfl:)

Take care

PIC x