let there be cake

greenbee

Why are you buying tins from Mr S and not checking out AF and similar places?

Think about how you can mostly use what what you have and when you do have gaps, check out what you can get to fill them at rock bottom prices first... Some of those sites sometimes have pet food too...

I think MGs blog had something about making household cleaners and soap too, so if you/OH are up for that then it might help too.

Has OH checked out websites that offer just a few hours work? H'e may be able to get the odd day or so of consultancy. OH's ex had found a few bits of work through some of them.

greenbee

Oh... And the offer to help with the ebook still stands... Email me if you want to talk about it when I get back to civilisation (you know, places with phones, not where I am with wifi from 2 door's down!)

TiredIAm

Thanks Greenbee, I just need toget some sleep atm and then my brain will function.

Approved Foods is great when they have stuff I want - there is a free delivery code today but I still couldn't justify it other than buying non essential junk. The MrS delivery used a £7 off a £70 and was delivered free. I must have amended it ten times to take off the stuff we didn't need, the mantra now being 'is this essential?' All value/basic stuff planned around store cupboard essentials to get us through a couple of months - lots of 18p kidney beans and so on.

I took a whole chicken out of the freezer last night so I will be roasting that later. If I have enough eggs I will make the boys a cake whilst the oven is on, and try and get some more of these potatoes baked in their jackets so that I can freeze them rather than them go off. Also doing potato wedges, blanched and then frozen. Jackets will be used for mash once defrosted probably.

Dear old rubber chicken, where would we be without it? This is a 1.4kg Elmwood one that was RTC to £2. It should feed us till Tuesday, and make a good batch of stock for later in the week. Sadly I only have one more left in the freezer, and the co-op haven't had them reduced for ages. I have some carcasses in the freezer from days when I have not had time to make stock, some of which still have meat on which might run to a 'free' meal.

I fancy having a go at gloop, and the boys would enjoy the science of it.

I didn't know about the work websites, will suggest he googles it. Thanks

TiredIAm

Storecupboard lists

Fresh

Garlic - whole head
cabbage - v small
carrots - 1kg
tomatoes (few)
cucumber quarter
3kg onions
red onions
clementines/2 oranges/2 bananas/apples and a pink grapefruit

cheese - greek style x 1.25, parmesan style hard x 1, cheddar x 400g
bacon - 4 packs
eggs - currently 4 - hens average 2 a day

Fats - 3oz unsalted, 2 spreadable, 3oz lard.

Milk - 3l 1%, 4l semi skim

Sauces - various mustards, horseradish, mint, and mayo. Also easy ginger, lemongrass, garlic and tom puree.

TiredIAm

Tins
beans - 15
kidney beans - 8
black eye/haricot/borlotti - 6 various
chick peas - 1
mushy peas -1
grapefruit -2
pineapple - 4
condensed milk - 1
chopped toms - 5
evap milk - 8 (DH has in coffee)
pepper and onion in oil - 2

Also various beans&sausage/meatballs/hot dogs but these get eaten by DH/ss/boys as lunches/supper so not listing them.

TiredIAm

Dry goods
1.5kg strong flour
.75kg wholemeal
2kg SR
3kg plain
500g gram flour
625g icing sugar
225g cocoa
800g sultanas
500g mixed fruit
1.5 bags dates
200g chocolate
1 jar mincemeat
half jar peanut butter
1 jar choc spread
syrup/treacle/honey
baking powder/bicarb plus usual baking bits and bobs
popping corn
suet
1lbsugar
57 sachets easy cook yeast

Memory_Girl

Hello lady!!

I din't realise things were quite so tight - but hang in there, I will make a concerted effort to collate all the Cheapie recipes for you asap.

Unfortuntely I have 6 packs if mince to process first - but I do fancy chick pea burgers for dinner. How are the boys on "blitzed up beans" cos its a great and cheap way to get protein in them - along with our Indian recipes of course.

I want ot thank you for being, my "Everyday Angel" today cos I was wavering about the blog, but I think I now have a clear as crystal idea of where the focus should be. Frugal fabulous living on no money ...... we can do that, together we can do anything

So I shall be writing it just for you from now on LOL

MG

TiredIAm

Dry goods
8.5kg Pasta (thanks AF!)
2kg red lentils
500g green lentils
500g chickpeas
300g brown rice
2kg long grain rice
egg noodles x 2
cous cous - 250g plus 1 spice sensation packet
200g pearl barley BBE jan 2011
500g split yellow peas BBE July 2011
dried onions
10 packs coconut cream block
1 silken tofu - never had this before, need inspiration.
Peanuts - salted, 400g dry roasted, 300g
Usual spices/sauces/oil/vinegars plus red curry paste, green curry paste, and some chinese ones - thanks to H&B and AF mostly.

TiredIAm

Thanks MG :A

DS1 would eat the beans, he likes experiments. DS2 will try it.

We have run out of ready cash, not touched credit cards or over drafts yet. For the first time in ten years we are going to have to from next month. No one will starve but I just want to minimise what we have to pay back when he does find a job.

Even once he has a job we will need to stay frugal - we have a mortgage to pay off and savings to re-build so that in the short term we are secure and in the long term we can quit the horrid jobs and buy a small holding outright.

The diary is about keeping focus and controlling the debt. It would be the easiest thing in the world to take my credit cards to the food shops and hope for the best.

greenbee

OH might find sites like peopleperhour and outsourcemyproject useful, or at least get some ideas from them. And can he start selling some of his artistic creations online?

You have lots of food, if a little short of green stuff (I expect you'll have some in the garden though), so I'm sure you'll be able to come up with a plan with some help! You will need to ensure that the men and boys in your household understand that rationing is coming in and that they can't just eat what they like from the fridge/freezer/cupboards as that tin/leftover bit of chicken may well have been the next meal for all 5 of you!

It sounds as if the boys like baking. How is SS with cooking? Can he help to give you a bit of a break? Even one night a week might be nice, and would help him develop useful skills.

Potatoes... Soup? Potato and onion gratin (I make this with veg stock, although it would probably be nicer with chicken) which would go well with rubber chicken and also freezes well (I've kept it in the freezer for over a year before).

As cake is critical, it might be worth planning your baking first, so you reserve those ingredients, then weekday lunches, and then move on to main meals. Two eggs a day might give you your baking plus an egg-based meal each week.

Being taken for walk now... Hope you manage to clear your head for some planning soon.