March 2012 Grocery Challenge

Ninno820

Spiggle wrote: »

In other news and off topic, I've gone and bought myself a kindle!!!!!:j Promised myself one if we went on holiday and as we're off in a month to hopefully sunnier and warmer climes for a week the time was right. :cool: I'll be getting an unexpected £250 shortly (not from work) so that will cover the cost. And it'll be so much easier than lugging the six books there and back that I took and read last time we went for a week. :doh: Your comments about the kindle on here really helped in my decision too, so thanks for that. :beer:

Right best go check the bread and butter pud. :drool:

See you all later,
Spigs

I love my kindle!!! I have a huge ile of books to read and so am alternating between the kindle and the books but it is so easy to use. Apart from loading the machine up with hundred's of books it is so easy to hold when you are reading. In bed, for example, I always find reading a book slightly uncomfortable on the arms - I am always lying on the wrong side to keep the book open properly and then to try and turn the page. All this becomes a lightweight one handed operation with the kindle. Amazon always has offers on books and I will confess to loading my machine up wuth a number of free / 99p books - just watch the temptation!!

The only drawback to be aware of is that it is not backlit so, like a real book, you will need a light when its dim / dark but you will enjoy it. I also have the app on my phone and on my ipad and it all syncs with each other. I can turn my phone on and it will ask you if you want to keep reading the book from the page that you've reached on the kindle - cool eh?

Enjoy!!

FrugalLina

My heart goes out to all of you who have lost loved ones recently, it is so hard and I know how sad it is. I will be thinking of you.

Bodmin789, thank you so much for the chickpea balls recipe, I will try that.

MunniMuncha your mum sounds amazing - mothering Sunday is on the 18th March!

Spiggle, I have major Kindle envy, I so want one and have dowloaded the programme on my laptop to try it out. I would have to sell a lot of stuff on Ebay to justify it, but will get one eventually.

Phew, caught up with the thread now!

SuzieY_2

I'm aiming for £130 again this month, and although i'm quite a way through it already, the cupboards are full and the months milk has already been paid for.

We just have to avoid take aways as this seems to be our downfall. If we eliminate these, we would have been under budget by much more the past couple on months.

Thrifty_Mummy

Hi everyone! Can I be put down for £100 again; this is for me, my partner and toddler. Feb was my first month doing this and I came over budget by £4.96. Need to meal plan more this month and start making packed lunches too.
Good luck everyone with this month's challenge, and thanks to those who run the thread.

Winchelsea

Thanks so much to all of you who've sent kind thoughts. It's 8 weeks now, and I'm doing OK on the whole, but have my moments where I just dissolve - mostly over happy memories not sad ones. I still see DH's photo and automatically think I'll be seeing him in a little while (was used to visiting him in the nursing home every day).

About all the cooking I did on funeral day - it was a good way of coping, especially as the funeral was not until 4pm. Just sitting around waiting would have been unbearable.

Oh, by the way - DH would have LOVED this - the recycling truck turned up at the same time as the hearse and limousines - all competing for space outside the house. He, I know, would have said "Oh, just chuck me on the lorry!" Sad though we all were, we saw the funny side of it as we knew he would have done!

Spiggle

Winchelsea you are truly inspirational!

Loving thoughts,
Spigs

MunniMuncha

Winchelsea wrote: »

Thanks so much to all of you who've sent kind thoughts. It's 8 weeks now, and I'm doing OK on the whole, but have my moments where I just dissolve - mostly over happy memories not sad ones. I still see DH's photo and automatically think I'll be seeing him in a little while (was used to visiting him in the nursing home every day).

About all the cooking I did on funeral day - it was a good way of coping, especially as the funeral was not until 4pm. Just sitting around waiting would have been unbearable.

Oh, by the way - DH would have LOVED this - the recycling truck turned up at the same time as the hearse and limousines - all competing for space outside the house. He, I know, would have said "Oh, just chuck me on the lorry!" Sad though we all were, we saw the funny side of it as we knew he would have done!

I think this was his way of letting you know he was still with you - how lovely.

My dad loved Countdown and used to watch it every day without fail. When he was 'brought' back to the house, Countdown had just started on the tv and the funeral director put my dad facing the tv just so he could watch it. Made a hard moment so much easier for us somehow.

Sending you lots of ((HUGS)) at this very difficult time

tigerfeet2006

bodmin789 wrote: »

hex2 B&M is B&M - its like home and bargains. I like the sound of those chickpea balls, is there a recipe please?

Thanks Hex2, haven't seen that store, live in Scotland now, but don't remember it from my days down south either!

The recipe is:

Herby Chickpea Balls

2 slices white bread, crusts removed and torn into pieces
75g parmesan roughly chopped
400g tin chickpeas, drained
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
Small handful basil leaves roughly torn
1 egg beaten

Heat oven to 200c/ gas 7
Whizz the bread and roughly chopped parmesan in the food processor (this can be done by hand, but just takes longer), add in the chickpeas, garlic, oregano, basil leaves and some seasoning.

Pulse until the mixture starts to come together, then add just enough of the egg while the motor is running to bind together.

Shape into small balls, transfer to an oiled baking sheet and cook in the oven for 15 mins, turning halfway.

Add to a tomato pasta sauce of your choice, and pasta.


Enjoy! It's a firm favourite in our house.

Ooooh!! thanks for this. I usually do Falafels with chickpeas which my lot adore but I think they will enjoy this as well.

rising_from_the_ashes

cleggie wrote: »

Can someone please point me in the right direction to look for advice re meal planning?:o

There's a weekly meal plan thread runs on this board - link to this weeks': https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3823987

blackandwhitebunny wrote: »

On Friday I confess I had the last twelve boxes in jelly from our MrT but it was quite late and I did share with the one other customer buying some.
Yesterday they were trying valiantly to keep up with demand. They had boxes still in packs of four with their wrapping still on in the entrance and there was a huge cage full being unloaded at the shelves, but people were buying loads. The lady on checkout was amazed it was that price.:D

Pleased you got some ...... sounds like your local store is much better organised than mine!:cool:

I'm pleased to say that a fellow MSEr that I know PM me last night & said she was visiting her local Mr T today (a big one!) and did I want some if there was any :T ...... so, I now have 3 boxes of the 2 varieties big cat eats waiting to be collected when we catch up for coffee later in the month:T

blackandwhitebunny wrote: »

my vet said once that cats shouldn't have too much pork, which is why there are no bacon flavoured cat foods I understand though that it does depend on whether they are self sufficient at times, apparently the nutrient that they need is found in the brains and internal organs of their prey which is why even well fed cats will occassionally hunt and eat these selected bits. Does she eat biscuits as well? Many of these have all the nutrients they need. (I expect you know that )

She's not much of a hunter - tries hard poor mite but she damaged her leg when she was teeeennny and just isn't fast enough .... the other one however :eek:

I'm sure she will get everything from the dry as it is a good make - it really is just being able to get close & check her over a couple of times a week that makes me want to continue something wet.

I didn't know that about the pork .... she's just as happy with sliced chicken or turkey so will get some of that instead! Thanks:)

tigerfeet2006

Spiggle wrote: »

Winchelsea you are truly inspirational!

Loving thoughts,
Spigs

I have to agree with you there Spigs :T

Oh! and have fun with your Kindle