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

[Deleted User]

Morning all, this is probably coals to Newcastle but, I always keep my breadmaker loaves in a freezer bag with a zip lock in the fridge, they seem to last longer and not go mouldy, particularly in the warmer weather. It doesnt dry them out either so they will still be easy to slice up.

GFN123

Morning All

Can't believe how quickly this thread moves just overnight, I'll be lost if I have to spend a whole day in the office :rotfl:

Thanks for that bread link, Eliza. I found a similar recipe on a frugal blog which turned out an amazing crusty white loaf, but darned if I can find it now! I always feel like a child at Christmas as I love watching the dough rise (better than paint dry ) and get really excited by it. I don't have a BM machine, I just have OH!

In terms of moneysaving, we were paying £1.60 a loaf as we have a local bakery which does make such amazing goodies. Given that bread flour from Aldi was 52p/kg last time I bought it, the saving is significant.

I feel better now I'm up, drinking coffee (with apologies to Grey Queen!) and reading this thread, but I checked my account last night and this month is going to be super tight. I felt pretty down as I've been budgeting hard, but tougher it shall be. I'm hoping all the small things will start to add up.

Switched energy supplier and fixed the rates to hopefully guard against rises. Now on monthly DD as well which will help with incomings and outgoings.
Given selves a good talking to re food shopping and should halve that cost this month.
Quit smoking!
Awaiting a refund on some cancelled flights.
Keep a proper budget book to keep track. My next task is to get OH to do the same. His payday is tomorrow but he ran out of money last week and has had to borrow his train fare from me a couple of times. We're not at the stage where joint accounts etc are feasible but I'm beginning to wonder how we can jointly tackle all the finance issues - I shall no doubt be back with questions & any ideas always welcome!

Hope everyone has a good day. Thanks for all the welcomes and I shall pop back when that stupid working doesn't interfere!

prepareathome

Where does everyone find out about competitions would love to have a go, not that I ever win anything from the few I have entered but I know some people enter something like 10 a day, where are they to be found. I would be happy if I won a paper clip:))

Gailey am glad you went for the coffee, it does you good to have a treat now and again no matter how tight money is, it just makes you feel 'normal' for that short time, a break away for the penny pitching.

Sending hugs to all who need them.

It sounds like I am jumping on the band wagon but I aslo am trying to give up smoking but taking the cowards way out by using an electronic cigarette. Bought it months ago but the cartridges were faulty and only received the replacements at long last on Monday. I have smoked a few cigarettes since then but have two left and when they are gone I will not buy any more, for if I have them I will smoke them. As I can only get the cartridges on-line after my hospital appointment I popped into stop smoking clinic that was on not to far away and got some inhalator's as a back up if I run of the cartridges before my order arrives, I had not smoked all day and my carbon monoxide reading was zero, which pleased me very much, but did smoke a couple last night, but saw how quickly it leaves your lungs. Daft smoking really as these false ones do feel and taste just like real ones.

I would love to give up and not use anything but being in bed some much its hard to do something to take my mind off the craving, I so admire those on here doing it with pure will power you are fantastic. For me its not really much saving in money as yet a pack of cartridges costs £5.95 and £3.99 pp, so I make sure I buy 4 packs at a time but each pack is equal to two packets of cigarettes so at least not costing more. Sorry if I seem to be jumping in, but just co-incidence I promise.

Byatt have you checked the price of local hairdressers, I for the first time in 4 years went to have hair restyled ( ok I only let them cut off a few inches as hair down to waist) but restyle and wash and blow was £25 and it was a bit more than usual one as I had long hair, plus I had conditioner, and some anti frizz treatment all in the £25, for shorter hair its £19 and wash and blow for me is £12. I was expecting it to be far more expensive and girl has done a lovely job, she remembered me from when I used to go and had short hair and she always cut it well. She could earn a fortune at a big salon but prefers to work at our little local one. So you might find a local salon that doesn't charge the earth.

Well going to throw my defrosted chicken in sc, might make it into chilli not sure.

hugs to all

prepareathome

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000YJDIOM

this is what I bought to keep my home made bread it, longest I have had bread in it is 17 days and it was still totally edible, still soft and no mould anywhere, one of the best buys I have bought - apart from Bread maker that is. I have also kept cake in there with the bread and it has stayed fine as well. It cost me £11 and worth every penny, I found ordinary bread bins never kept the bread fresh any longer than if it was just left on side and over the years tried quite a few. I know they are out of stock on Amazon but might be available elsewhere.

hugs

jamanda

Good Morning Toughies,

I'm keeping up with reading the thread, but every time I even think about posting I have to go off and do something, and then the moment has passed.

I've just got my gas/electric bill for the last quarter :eek:
I've been keeping the heating on constantly but on a very low temperature (normal is at 2.00 o'clock and mine is on quarter-to :rotfl:) I was horrified at the bill and have checked back to last year. It is actually only a few pounds more, and the costs have gone up too. All in all, I'm fighting with myself whether or not we've done the right thing.

On a happy note, it was my birthday on Monday and DH, who doesn't EVER buy birthday/anniversary presents has excelled himself. I had a surprise pear tree Looks a good sturdy tree. I've wanted one for ages but grumpy chops said I could have one if I could work out where to plant it (and I couldn't) Anyway, he has designated where to plant it and I can't believe how happy a little tree has made me. Need to get a life.

I'm really sorry for everyone who is struggling with health, family and the usual money worries. I have laughed at some of the posts and become tearful at others, but as you have probably gathered by now I can never remember who said what by the time I've got to the end of the thread.

Best get off the botty and get something done. (Dieting since 1st Jan and may or may not have lost around 2lb. Goes up and down all the time)

Keep toughing

J

PS PAH - That looks interesting.

I'm debating whether or not to buy an air fryer type thingy so I can have good-girl chips all day and every day. They are a lot of money but I do love chips.

prepareathome

GreyQueen or anyone I would like to pick your brains - this year I am planning on turning my side garden into a vegetable garden, its maybe not quite as big as a lottie but its big enough to grow what I need. Am hoping if weather is kind to grow enough to keep us and my son and his family in vegetables and fruit. Fruit bushes, strawberries and Rhubarb are being planted in back in fruit cages. My back garden is in the west but surrounded by trees so doesn't get much light and to steep where as side garden faces south and as you can see is totally open to sun.




What in your opinion is the best way for me to lay out the beds, as you can see there are some winter vegetables in there, those beds are just compost and topsoil sitting on the grass. I will be removing the grass for the new beds and putting wood round them to make raised beds which I will make from broken raw wood pallets( if son ever remembers to bring them) . So those beds there just now will go. I cannot afford to put in paths at moment so I plan to leave paths of grass in between beds about 2ft wide. Round the edge I have planted 50 rosemary bushes next to fence then a foot in 100 Mixed Hawthorn Hedging which at the moment is 4ft sticks Hopefully in a few years my side garden will not be open if hedge takes,

Up till now apart from those veg in the ground I have only ever grown in pots so finding it hard to work out what is the best way to allow for rotation. I know you are busy, so only asking for an idea of how many beds or an idea of what size i should make the beds.

The mess at the side is my wild area I have left for wildlife been there about 10 years now.

I have paid for a rocket constant garden as as yet I don't have enough room to grow enough seedlings - have just one plastic greenhouse that is well tethered down on pallets which have stones under them and so far has survived 5 years. It serves as greenhouse and storage so not big enough.

The plants I will receive are

March - potato tubers - 40

April - 130 plants ( + plus 3 herbs but they will go in back )

May - 115 plants (+ 2 herbs/5 tomatoes/3 courgettes again these will go in back)

June - 115 plants (+ 3 courgettes/ 1 Herb/ 6 Peppers and Chilli again in back and I will give away chilli)

August - 175 plants

Don't worry if you cannot help, but is there a gardening thread on here, I have tried searching but only found old ones that are locked?

Hugs and thanks

opps link to pick not coming through

http://www.flickr.com/photos/74792459@N07/6759445497/in/photostream

kidcat

Am so tired, both boys were up in the night and DS7 was awake for most of it, am walking on empty yet he is still racing everywhere its so not fair!

The bread saver thingys am pretty sure lakeland sell and betterware too. Thinking about JML may even do a version so if anyone is looking worth a root around:)

DD17 boyfriend is in hospital at moment so had to squeeze in hospital visiting yesterday too, study day today so have told her can drop her before I collect littlies from school and pick her up after I collect them - she will get about an hour all in but will mean my school run is extended by about 20 miles. Told her will not be doing tomorrow or Friday as she is in college all day and evenings are just too difficult with the boys at moment. Trouble is Oh is at work all weekend so the realistic approach is that she wont be able to visit until MOnday after today.

Disappointed your snow didnt stick Mardatha - was hoping you were going to bottle it and post some out to us all:)

Byatt

PAH, the competition forum is on MSE; go to front page of forums and scroll down, just below the Freebies forums. It's always nicely organised and lots of good advice. Pop into the I've won, I've won section; always very motivating!

Feeling rough this morning. Started a nose bleed out of nowhere, and feel like my head has been used as a football, so had to tell DD I couldn't go to hers today, (she is having a meeting with support and wanted me there)...so I'm going back to bed for a while. Will catch up later hopefully, you all sound so busy.

wen3

Morning all

Sneeking on while at work as I am trying to keep up with you all.

Byatt can help out on the comps as she helped me.

Hope you are all well take care

prepareathome

Byatt wrote: »

PAH, the competition forum is on MSE; go to front page of forums and scroll down, just below the Freebies forums. It's always nicely organised and lots of good advice. Pop into the I've won, I've won section; always very motivating!


Thanks will have a look


Feeling rough this morning. Started a nose bleed out of nowhere, and feel like my head has been used as a football, so had to tell DD I couldn't go to hers today, (she is having a meeting with support and wanted me there)...so I'm going back to bed for a while. Will catch up later hopefully, you all sound so busy.

Aw sending you healing thought, my hubby always gets a nose bleed at the start of a cold, so take some vit c and Echinachea - for us it works if we take it at first sign of a cold ( usually as said nose bleed in hubbies case) and it 9/10 all symptoms gone by next day ( most likely talking to soon but so far this winter had cold symptoms 6 times did that and next day fine, so no actual colds. I make my own hot lemon as well and we take paracetomal with it at night at times like that. I just squeeze the juice into glass and add hot water and usually manuka honey ( ord if none in).

Hope you feel better later.....

Hugs to all