A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

VJsmum

I make fish pie by collecting whoopsied fish in the freezer until there's enough and mix in some basics prawns. I think the fish for the last 6 portion one cost me about £3!

I bulk out my chilli with a handful of lentils, a handful of oats and a large tin of baked beans. In fact yesterdays didn't have kidney beans as i hadn't realised we'd run out - we used to do this when the kids were small and wouldn't eat chilli, we called it cowboy stew.!

We are having an everybody eating something different out the freezer tea today. Fish pie for DD, lasagne for DS, soup for OH, and yesterday's left over chilli for me - but as today we will all be eating at different times it makes sense. Freezer still brim full tho :rotfl:

7_week_wonder

Morning all,
Another cold and windy day here, I'm sitting here with a hot water bottle on my knees waiting for my veg order to arrive. I've requested a butternut squash this week so I can try making some soup (especially now I know I don't have to peel it:))

I'm trying to plan meals for over the festive period. Mum will be here for around 3 weeks and I find it much easier to have stuff pre-prepared. We're off to Costco at the weekend so am hoping to stock up on some meat to make stews etc.

Does anyone else find they can muddle along being OS and frugual until they have visitors? We've got my BIL staying tonight so I know we'll have more heating and lighting on and I've prepared a meal without padding it out with veg, chickpeas etc, so it cost much more than we normally budget. It doesn't help that he is diabetic and so I've bought lots of posh fruit for pudding. Help - how on earth am I going to cope over the festive period?

Have a good day all.

parsniphead

Morning All.

So is everyone looking forward to the autumn statement today? Another days of depressing headlines I think. Well they can't bring me down today because I had chocolate biscuits for breakfast.:D:o;):eek::rotfl:I know this isn't right by the way but I don't care.:rotfl:

It's very windy here but dry at the moment. I'm wondering if I should put the washing on the line rather than putting the heating on. A little less money going to Sc*ttish P*wer will make me feel more satisfied.

I hope everyone has a nice day planned.

VJsmum

parsniphead wrote: »

Morning All.

So is everyone looking forward to the autumn statement today? Another days of depressing headlines I think. Well they can't bring me down today because I had chocolate biscuits for breakfast.:D:o;):eek::rotfl:I know this isn't right by the way but I don't care.:rotfl:

It's very windy here but dry at the moment. I'm wondering if I should put the washing on the line rather than putting the heating on. A little less money going to Sc*ttish P*wer will make me feel more satisfied.

I hope everyone has a nice day planned.

I wouldn't leave it out long - it's gonna be heaving down by lunchtime - EVERYWHERE, i think.:(

Mrs_Chip

Morning All

Blowing a hoolie here, rain too, a generally vile day! Typical that we chose today to hire a van to collect more of our 'stuff' from London - mainly the 'comfy' bed! We are taking the back-ache inducing bed up and doing a swap - I have visions of the mattress being torn from our hands and sailing off over the harbour:eek:. Not looking forward to the drive, it seems the gales will follow us up the M4.

We decided that we could not afford or manage a 'big ban' move, we have far too much stuff to fit into the cottage, so we will have to do things piecemeal. At least I will have time to sort out and declutter as we go, I will have to be firm with myself, I am a terrible hoarder of tut.

Re the butternut squash and it's peel - it is important that you check the skin is soft and then blitz it well, otherwise you might find the soup a bit 'bitty' - I have images of pans of BNS soup being hurled down the sink!

parsniphead

Thanks vjsmum. I missed to forecast this morning. Perhaps I'll stick it on the airer by the back door so I can whip it in if I need to.

7_week_wonder

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Re the butternut squash and it's peel - it is important that you check the skin is soft and then blitz it well, otherwise you might find the soup a bit 'bitty' - I have images of pans of BNS soup being hurled down the sink!

Thanks for that I'll double check everything is cooked before attacking it with my stick blender. Mind you, there's little chance of stuff getting hurled down the sink here: it would have to be *really* bad for that to happen.

It's really gusting rain here - I'm contemplating digging out my waterproof trousers just to walk to the bus-stop later:eek:

CH27

It's so dark here i've still got the light on.

Can I ask those of you who use lentils in cottage pies & lasagne do you presoak them or just chuck them in?

ragz_2

You've all inspired me! I can be simultaneously very frugal and totally wasteful... I try, but sometimes laziness/ignorance/impatience gets in the way. Thanks to this thread I have missions for today -
- We grew or own beans this year, there are still a few handfuls on the plants in the garden that should have been picked months ago. I am going to go out and see if I can salvage them for soup...
- I have talked myself out of buying more Christmas presents, I finished early so now I am continuously tempted by offers/deals/shopping in general, was thinking of spending another £50 on DH even though we are up to budget, just because I can kind of afford it and he likes having stuff to open. Was going to buy the kids more stuff too... now I am NOT going to fall for it. will just keep out of shops/off the grabbit board!
- Will pad out our bolognese with lentils today, EVEN THOUGH DH will moan.
- Will do Friday's town chores on Thursday on way to see Mum for her birthday, to save on Petrol. Rethink all other planned journeys for the week.
- Instead of going to the shops I will make do with what I have and change recipes slightly.
- Will make savings goals for 2012, open another savings account/move existing ISA so that I don't SEE the money I save every time I log into my online banking, that way I will 'forget' about it and not spend it!
- Will keep some cash hidden in the house.
- Will consider myself very lucky I get free contraceptives and free prescriptions, reading of the poster in Australia who has to pay for hers. My Mum had to miss out on the hygenist this month as they can't afford it, but at least that's not essential.

Thanks everyone for the fab ideas! Great thread...

mardatha

Its awful here too, any washing put out here will end up in Norway within hours! plus its pelting doon, I'm not even venturing out to fix the chickens, they had their porridge and can wait for their cabbage until I feel braver!
Gigervamp thats very true re chimneys and open fires - its the way to go. Even if only as a backup for powercuts etc, anybody can gather fallen wood. Free heat!
I need to hide the remote from the RV if Osbourne's coming on telly today - I canny stand the screaming and swearing :rotfl:I like to watch him though. Anybody who can act and lie through his teeth like he can without one bat of an eyelid deserves applause