Fiscal Fast – 7 days no spending (at all)

Frugalsod

GreyQueen wrote: »

:T Good going, frugalsod, you must be very proud of yourself, and deservedly so.

Yes while my income is not particularly high my normal living expenses are so absurdly low through looking for deals and not wasting anything that my disposable income that is currently going to debt repayment is a very high percentage of my net income. It is close to 80% of my monthly net income can be saved. Not many can save that rate. So it allows me to buy those occasional treats to help keep me on target. So I think I will get myself a Le Crueset Stockpot as my reward for this years efforts.

craigywv

hi all been awol for few days manchild had sore throat so the world stopped on its axis here to cater for him lol, anyway its made a miraculous recovery for today...........school fair,films sweets etc..... think im a pushover! grey queen I am nott such a great baker as you think but that cheesecake was gross! Jackie good about your wee windfall cheque ,every little helps xxx frugal now I know your a bit of a brainbox and in my eyes you a greyqueen could prob rule the world with your combined knowledge on some things but I shall give you some of my advice................. I got le creuset pots for wedding present and granted lovely colurs etc .... I do find that I have picked up better casserole pots /dutch ovens in the sales at a fraction of the price I found that they were too heavy for me , now I know your a bit of a prepper too so prob want something that can withstand cooking on alternative means of fire,i wouls seriously look at metal handled ones I got in sainsburys sales a few years ago they there every year so I think they are their own brand grey/black lids fit perfect I would go for them I can bake bread in them with lid on. now I know not everyone will agree as le creuset are great but that's my opinion,. ok need help got 4 pks of 3 leeks last night for 3p each what can I do with themplease. and thanks. today is fish,mushy peas and hm crusty bread.xxx

GreyQueen

Morning craigyw, clad the manchild is on the mend, amazing how the prospect of a few nice things on a Friday helped that along, hey?

Re leeks, well done on the bargaineering. I tend to use my h.g. leeks sliced and steamed into the steamer part of my stainless steel saucepan. Since I have north of 150 leek plants (various calibers, eating the biggest ones first) I'm eating them most days.

I'd suggest coping with this happy YS glut by slicing (unwashed) some and bagging them for the freezer to cook with later plus mebbe, should time allow, bulk-cooking some leek-and-potato soup for the freezer. HTH.

I don't have anything like a Le Crueset or a Sainsbury casserole pot but I do have a cast iron round griddle and am keeping my eyes open for a cast iron dutch oven and/ or skillet secondhand. Have a metal casserole dish which I could cook in at a pinch. I agree the Le Cs are ridiculously heavy. One woman I know, a very petite lady, could not dissuade her hubs from buying these for her, even though she couldn't lift the casserole dishes with both hands, even when they were empty. She got rid when he passed away, bless him.

craigywv

goody good I think I shall chop and freeze then. thanks for that.xxx

GreyQueen

craigywv wrote: »

goody good I think I shall chop and freeze then. thanks for that.xxx

My pleasure.

The reason I said slice them unwashed is that the water will linger on the veg and make them freeze into a clump. Shop-bought leeks shouldn't be expected to have more than a few grains of dirt between the leaves anyway, unlike my lottie-grown ones, which get a good slosh-down and trim on the lottie, and still require a good rinse when I get them home.

If you have sufficient freezer space, the old slice-and-dice is a great way to manage a glut of YS veggies.

craigywv

will get manchild out the door and do them as they taking up a good bit of my fridge. I do love leeks but cant find recipes that often, my mum frys them in pan I like them in soup, for 3p I will find something else to make xxx

[Deleted User]

Hi chums well I got to Aldis and with my vouchers etc I managed to spend a huge £54.13 but bought a trolley full of stuff including a few treats for myself and the grandchildren I was so pleased at the amount as I never buy that amount of food in one go as a rule .But included was meat, lots of fruit and veg and a big tin of biscuits which is going as a gift to someone and even a bottle of vodka to go to my DDs at Christmas, plus so many things that my cupboards and fridge are heaving .I don't think I need to shop now until I buy some sausage meat just before Christmas to make sausage rolls with.I just costed what it would have cost me in one of the big supermarkets and it would have come to around £77 + so I am very please with Mr Aldi's thanks for that I had taken £50.00 in cash with me in my food purse and it went just a little over, so with the amount of stuff I bought I think I really got some great value.

What a great bargain you got with those leeks I never see them at all under a pound for three locally I love leeks and would also chop unwashed and freeze.Apart from soup and stews I like them thinly sliced and sauted in butter they used as a filling for an omellette with grated parmesan sprinkled on top.Or again thinly sliced and used in layers with mushrooms and other veg in a lasagne .I enjoy a veggie lasagne when the price of meat gets a bit too expensive and it makes a nice alternative and uses up 'bendy' veg
Hope you are all hanging on to your ha'pennies this month as the SM are trying to tempt us all to overspend and then chuck it away after Christmas I never throw food away, and both my Dds donate their left over half empty jars of pickles etc to me after the holiday season.I end up with picallili,red cabbage, chutneys of all sorts which I am happy to use up with mash and cold cuts of meat.Looking at my cupboards this morning I have nothing to buy for the rest of the month :):) hopefully.Lots of long life milk stashed in case it snows and lots of dried and tinned stuff as well.
Right time to get the kettle on
Have a good day everyone
JackieO xxx

Frugalsod

GreyQueen wrote: »

I don't have anything like a Le Crueset or a Sainsbury casserole pot but I do have a cast iron round griddle and am keeping my eyes open for a cast iron dutch oven and/ or skillet secondhand. Have a metal casserole dish which I could cook in at a pinch. I agree the Le Cs are ridiculously heavy. One woman I know, a very petite lady, could not dissuade her hubs from buying these for her, even though she couldn't lift the casserole dishes with both hands, even when they were empty. She got rid when he passed away, bless him.

I already have a Wonderbag and the Le Crueset will be replacing a large slow cooker which is heavy enough to move as well. I will be using an induction hob so it will heat up quickly and efficiently and so will actually reduce my energy costs.

craigywv

Jackie sounds like you got a good amount for your pennies! only reason leeks were so cheap was they were ys and mr t had absolutely masses of them in big green plastic tub thingies. I have been hiding stuff away from the menfolk but will bring it out on Christmas eve and they can have a party , granted son will prob need to be sedated as sugar is the ingredient of most items in my hamperbut I don't mind as its Christmas.. ooooooooooooooohhhh I love it getting all excited again lol. away to peek at hamper...............I need to get out more xxx

[Deleted User]

I bought myself a bit of parmesan cheese yesterday ,and blow me if someone gave me a chunk this afternoon at history club .So now I have too much of the stuff .Can I grate it and freeze it do you think I love it but won't be able to get through this cheese mountain before Christmas :):)