March 2012 Grocery Challenge

FrugalLina

PennyGrabber wrote: »

has felt like a really long month.

I was thinking the same - it really has felt never-ending!

angelatgraceland

Yet another NSD today! Still have some of sundays cooking in the fridge so plenty to eat!
Thinking on washing glug I only ever put in half of what it says and on a warmer wash I use soapnuts. I don't like the idea of bleach in my wash as we have sensitive skin so I add as little as I can get away with. True-it may not be stainfree sometimes but it is always hygenically clean. I think that society today is a little obsessed with the perfect wash(no critisism(sp) intended to anyone) we just need to relax a little. My new machine has 3 eco washes in cold water so I can only use laundry liquid in those-soapnuts need about 40 degrees to work and powder won't dissolve. If powder is used(hubby calls it gravel)we only use half as much and our hottest wash is only 60 degrees. I only use the cold eco wash for towels and sheets as we wash them often and they really only need a freshen up-handtowels are changed every day and we all have our own bath towels which we do once a week. Therefore-not "dirty" just need a quick freshen up. I am now buying clothes in the sales for next winter-got some ugg type boots in N*w L***for a fiver and a nice pair of shoes for £8 yeasterday along with some undies.
A while ago I got a cardy there too for £6 and I am knitting socks for the winter so when it hits us again in October I will be snug and warm in new attire at little cost! I know! The sun is out today and it will be brilliant tomorrow but to moneysave as I intend it is all about planning! Good news for youngest dd is that she is offered a part time job again although it's only seasonal. Has her theory test tomorrow so I am crossing my fingers as this is expensive! Still got lots of fresh bread frozen from my whoopsy shop last week and tillspits I won't use as I am not spending much-gonna have money over on the grocery challence and a little overspend on the homestuff I think with buying the w/m which wasn't really meant to be in any budget anyhow. Just trying to be hard on myself as my job won't last long-shop is up for lease as not making much money :+(

tigerfeet2006

Barbeduk wrote: »

Hi all, tigerfeet, bet your kitchen floor is lovely and clean!

huhumm <clears throat guiltily, looks for slattern emoticon> It is now and definatly needed it So was a blessing in disguise.

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

Mrs Addicted to Spending YS is Yellow Sticker ie reduced items in the SM otherwise known as Whoopsies



tigerfeet2006 - Nightmare! :eek: - I have to confess I did laugh but only because of the way you matter of factly posted...:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:.
Actually I consciously use between half and two thirds of the recommended amount of washing glug - the only exception is when I do the hot wash of white towels when I also add the laundry bleach too. It makes no difference that I can see and I don't get that heavy waft of laundry detergent smell any more (I'd rather smell my perfume!). So I guess that is saving me at least two in five washes and I buy it on special at £5 instead of £7 for 35 instead of 25 washes - so that is 14p instead of 20p per load:j:j
SL

I did laugh as well :rotfl: It was funny. Usually I would be so pee'd off and angry but I was quite relaxed about it.

I use less than recommended as well. The Costco powder you only use a tablespoon of for a normal load and I usually use less than that for a wash, one tub is meant to last 400 washes so goodness knows how long this is going to last me . I think I may have had one of my fugue states where my brain switches off and I forgot I put powder in and then put more in but in my confused state put in more than I should have done. Oh! well 2 birds with one stone and all that, clean laundry AND a clean floor

angelatgraceland wrote: »

Yet another NSD today! Still have some of sundays cooking in the fridge so plenty to eat!
Thinking on washing glug I only ever put in half of what it says and on a warmer wash I use soapnuts. I don't like the idea of bleach in my wash as we have sensitive skin so I add as little as I can get away with. True-it may not be stainfree sometimes but it is always hygenically clean. I think that society today is a little obsessed with the perfect wash(no critisism(sp) intended to anyone) we just need to relax a little. My new machine has 3 eco washes in cold water so I can only use laundry liquid in those-soapnuts need about 40 degrees to work and powder won't dissolve. If powder is used(hubby calls it gravel)we only use half as much and our hottest wash is only 60 degrees. I only use the cold eco wash for towels and sheets as we wash them often and they really only need a freshen up-handtowels are changed every day and we all have our own bath towels which we do once a week. Therefore-not "dirty" just need a quick freshen up. I am now buying clothes in the sales for next winter-got some ugg type boots in N*w L***for a fiver and a nice pair of shoes for £8 yeasterday along with some undies.
A while ago I got a cardy there too for £6 and I am knitting socks for the winter so when it hits us again in October I will be snug and warm in new attire at little cost! I know! The sun is out today and it will be brilliant tomorrow but to moneysave as I intend it is all about planning! Good news for youngest dd is that she is offered a part time job again although it's only seasonal. Has her theory test tomorrow so I am crossing my fingers as this is expensive! Still got lots of fresh bread frozen from my whoopsy shop last week and tillspits I won't use as I am not spending much-gonna have money over on the grocery challence and a little overspend on the homestuff I think with buying the w/m which wasn't really meant to be in any budget anyhow. Just trying to be hard on myself as my job won't last long-shop is up for lease as not making much money :+(

Your machine sounds fab, what is it?

:T for your DD getting a job and fingers crossed for the test.

Sorry to hear about your job.

Suffolk_lass

angelatgraceland wrote: »

Thinking on washing glug I only ever put in half of what it says and on a warmer wash I use soapnuts. I don't like the idea of bleach in my wash as we have sensitive skin so I add as little as I can get away with. True-it may not be stainfree sometimes but it is always hygenically clean. I think that society today is a little obsessed with the perfect wash(no critisism(sp) intended to anyone) we just need to relax a little. My new machine has 3 eco washes in cold water so I can only use laundry liquid in those-soapnuts need about 40 degrees to work and powder won't dissolve. If powder is used(hubby calls it gravel)we only use half as much and our hottest wash is only 60 degrees. I only use the cold eco wash for towels and sheets as we wash them often and they really only need a freshen up-handtowels are changed every day and we all have our own bath towels which we do once a week. Therefore-not "dirty" just need a quick freshen up.

I don't think I wash the towels hot out of vanity for clean washing - I think I do it hot because it helps de-frag the build-up of soap scum around the working parts of the wm. One of the guys who used to service my old machine on a yearly contract was saying that it was really good for the machine to do a periodic (1 in 5-10 washes) hot wash and he could really tell that I did. So I always have. I add the laundry bleach because my towels are pretty ancient and a bit off-white so I figure a splash might help - so I guess that bit is vanity or shame .

angelatgraceland Your wm sounds fab but mine is OK - it was a Which Best Buy less than two years old and I generally wash everything else at 30 or cold unless they are heavily soiled - DS white socks just have to go in with the towels! The only other thing known to clean them is the ironing fairy (my Mum) who cleans them with soap and knuckle power but life is too short for hand-cleaning socks (or polishing light bulbs, but that is another story...)

tigerfeet2006

I do a maintenance wash once a month. I run it on empty with no clothes or powder/liquid at 90deg on a cotton/whites setting. I find that helps it clear the pipes.

angelavdavis

Hi everyone,

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, with hubby returning to work, the children have been taking up most of my energies! This month has felt so LONG!

We have blown the budget by about £40 sadly, although this exercise has shown me what we are spending on and the cupboards are brimming so I can definitely trim it down. Getting my Mum to be good might be challenging though!

Triumphs of the month: finding the Lidl's own brand nappies for lil man which seem as good as his dri-nights for a fraction of the cost. The 99p sparkling perry reappearing in Lidl's was a minor cause for celebration too! Our next crop of purple sprouting brocolli has now appeared at the allotment and the leeks, chard and spinach are still going strong.

Disaster of the month: Kids asked for cheesy pasta (like their foster carer used to make for them) - I prepared a HM carbonara which they turned their noses up to, but the ray of sunshine was that luckily I found tinned macaroni cheese at Lidl and added ham and peas to it which they thought was the best pasta they had ever tasted!!!!

I am trying new foods on the children to see what they will eat. Generally they are very good at eating most things but there have been a few "yucky" comments from lil man until I remind him that he used to eat this when foster carer gave it to him and he then reluctantly tucks in! Green peppers are a definite no no though!

Hope you have all had a good March. Roll on April!

tigerfeet2006

One thing with running the freezer down is I found a few odd things. Last night I needed to use up a pack of frozen casserole veg. that I found languishing.

So I chopped up 500gm braising steak and fried it off and bunged it into the SC. Put 2 sliced onions in the pan with 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tblsp tomato puree, 1/2 tsp of chilli flakes, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garam masala powder, ground pepper, 2 tsp grated ginger and cooked it off and then bunged into the SC. Chucked in the frozen veg. Poured in a pint water and mixed it all together.

Served it with Basmati rice and popadoms.

This made dinner for us lot and 1 for the freezer :T

elsiepac

cleggie wrote: »

LC- thats a lovely recipe, will have to put it my 'to try' list! Can it be frozen? I am thinking about cutting it into individual portions and freezing them?

I can't imagine there would be a problem freezing it - I've always frozen stuff with red lentils in and once mixed after reheating, they're always fine. Especially as these are on the bottom layer. The middle layer is definitely fine and I'm sure you can freeze mash (?!) so yes, go for it!!! :rotfl:

FrugalLina wrote: »

Oooh, thank you, this sounds LOVELY - I will make it when I do a big oven cook-fest!

Glad it sounds good and I hope you enjoy! Fingers crossed for your job btw...:eek:

One last update for me this month - I spent 89p on cow's milk yesterday, as I couldn't stand that disgusting rice milk... *shudder* ... and my local Mr T doesn't sell Kara which is the coconut one I like (plus I wouldn't use it all before I go away THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, WOOP WOOP!!! )

I'm not sure what to make for lunch for the next three days - I'm thinking the pea soup might have to be the one as I refuse to buy anything else!!!

So... pea soup Wed, Thu and Fri lunches, and Lentil pie with the last of my salad tonight, and again tomorrow but with frozen med veg from A1d!. That covers me till I go.

have also managed to use all my fresh stuff except for 4 small onions. Will use 2 smallest ones in the soup today, but was annoyed about wasting them, when suddenlyit occured to me I could chop them up and freeze them. Does anyone know if this is ok with raw onion?

LC

Mar GC: £76.12/£70<-- over by £6.12 :eek:
Week 1: £14.47/£9 <-- over by £5.47 :eek:
Week 2: £8.40/£9
Week 3: £6.60/£9
Week 4: £8.37/£9
Week 5: £15.45/£9<-- over by £6.45 :eek:
Stores: £22.83/£25

FlacosFloozie

Well Mr F spent £23.11 in Mr T on monday we're still under budget but I'm not declaring yet as I know we need printer ink and I suspect he'll manage to sneak a few other bits in as well....

ragz_2

Spent £2 yesterday on eggs (should have been £1.60 as they were small but I didn't have change and it's a side-of-the-road job) and 99p this morning on a bar and yogurt for my breakfast. That should really be me done, if I can avoid Approved Foods who are trying to tempt me with fruit juice!