make do and mend for tougher times

Popperwell

thriftylass wrote: »

Congratulations to all who got job offers, passed exams etc and keep fighting for what's right to those who are having a rough time.

The nicotine withdrawel is kicking in now, big time, having hissyfits at the smallest things. Had to fix a puncture on my bike, twice, only to then break the valve which means I now have to buy a new inner tube :mad:. Plus I have to take the bus tomorrow after I also just got my water proofs to try out on the bike. So no NSD tomorrow. Couldn't be bothered cooking so got a take away but am now invardly fuming at the money spend :mad: I know that's nothing compared to problems other people have but going cold turkey doesn't help. Sure it'll be better tomorrow........

I may have to look into waterproofs sometime but I'm no expert what I am looking for...

I said that I would not buy a takeaway again and I loads of food in the house but decided tonight I'd get some fish and chips(they closed at 10pm)

So after a shopping trip(I go all different hours now)I just eat, sleep and shop wherever I feel like it. I will as long as I am left to do what I want to...

Change of plan...I'm just going to have some wholemeal buns with egg and bacon spread on them, some orange juice and then listen to the radio for a while...

I have some diced chicken that should be cooked and eaten today so I may pop in the slow cooker and let it cook over night and do something with it tomorrow.

Popperwell

prepareathome wrote: »

I am happy got some whoopsies tonight -dragged hubby out to Mr S as my throat is not sore but burning a bit so wanted some ice cream and of course none in.

Not been there after whoopsie time for a few weeks........

Can anyone tell me if you can make jam with grapes? 2 punnets 10p each


Same for two punnets of strawberries 10p each

I got 6 lamb chops/2 mushroom and chicken burger type things- 2 in a pack/8 beef sausages - 2 packs/2 lge quiches/rolls(5p for 6 pack) and am sure something else all for £2

I never seem to find those bargains here:(

I nearly bought an ice cream maker when out tonight but being single it's just as easy for me to buy ice cream and there was some carry on about putting the bowl in the freezer(I haven't any room)and it can take 30-40 minutes to make and it looks as though you have to buy Double Cream.

SpikyHedgehog

Popperwell wrote: »

I never seem to find those bargains here:(

I nearly bought an ice cream maker when out tonight but being single it's just as easy for me to buy ice cream and there was some carry on about putting the bowl in the freezer(I haven't any room)and it can take 30-40 minutes to make and it looks as though you have to buy Double Cream.

I have got an ice cream maker (birthday present last year) & it isn't cheap to do unless you get great reductions on stuff. My mums a vegan, & it is worth it for yummy vegan ice cream, but takes up loads of room in the freezer.

quintwins

i've bene looking at electric blankets (i can't sleep) and i was going to post and say that argos does a basic single one for £15 but then i found the same one on ebay for £10.59 def worth looking around

anyway i've decided which one i want but it's £67!!! we didn't bring ours in the move as we decided after 7 years it was done, also we have a kingsize bed and it was only a double, this one is kingsize and has duel control and extra foot warmth lol aswell as 3 years warranty, it will be money well spent imo same one is £75 on ebayso again you should shop around.


Winds abit crazy here and it's very wet outside.

Popperwell

SpikyHedgehog wrote: »

I have got an ice cream maker (birthday present last year) & it isn't cheap to do unless you get great reductions on stuff. My mums a vegan, & it is worth it for yummy vegan ice cream, but takes up loads of room in the freezer.

If my freezer was larger and...things were to stay as they are perhaps I'd be tempted but as I am single...It was made by Kenwood and £2 cheaper than the one in Aldi at present.

Here's one for fellow posters...I don't always stick to sell by/use by/best before dates. I am careful about use by in that I might only eat early on the next day as I don't think things go off as soon as it strikes midnight. I've just cooked some chicken in the slow cooker dayed 31st July through the first first few hours of today. It's cooked fine...so hopefully that will do a few meals...

However, I looked for the appropriate thread and could not find it...I have some of those Coleman's packet mixes for adding to meat and they are BB mar/apr 2012 would you still use them?

New day and I see it's raining again:p Remember for me money is not quite an issue at present I bought a new kitchen scales for approx £6.49 it is mechanical with a dish on top and a pointer that moves along the base to the measurement. I could have have had a flat electronic kitchen scale for £9.99 which would you have purchased? I probably could change it with the receipt...Did I buy the mechanical one because it does all I need or is that my frugal mindset kicking in again?

meme30

Popperwell:- I ignore the dates on anything that has spices and E numbers in it. I would use them even if they were five years out of date! Preserved into sterility I would think!:eek: Buy the scales that will be the easiest to use...remember fingers lose dexterity as we get older, not to mention the old brain cells!;)

Really chuffed to read everyone's good news yesterday, It put a little sunshine into my day.:j

PAH:- Loved your surprise visit, it made me laugh out loud.:T

Looks like we are going to have a grey day weather wise today. As long as it's dry Gkids will be able to play out tho'. Isn't it amazing how children shrug off the things adults baulk at! :rotfl:

I have been reading about the E*romillionaires who have bought a young lad 13 from Bishop Auckland, who lost his leg to cancer, a new lighter false leg. He fell whilst carrying the Olympic Torch because of his heavy NHS leg. They have changed his life with their generosity. His parents have been fundraising to try to get one for him and will now give their raised money to a Cancer charity for teenagers. This is the ethos of Pay It Forward, because you are helped, then you go on to help someone else. It does not have to be a big thing, even carrying someone's bags when they are struggling counts. It's not a bad way to live your life and how different the world would be if we all just took a moment, to pause and offer help.

Popperwell

meme30 wrote: »

Popperwell:- I ignore the dates on anything that has spices and E numbers in it. I would use them even if they were five years out of date! Preserved into sterility I would think!:eek: Buy the scales that will be the easiest to use...remember fingers lose dexterity as we get older, not to mention the old brain cells!;)

Really chuffed to read everyone's good news yesterday, It put a little sunshine into my day.:j

PAH:- Loved your surprise visit, it made me laugh out loud.:T

Looks like we are going to have a grey day weather wise today. As long as it's dry Gkids will be able to play out tho'. Isn't it amazing how children shrug off the things adults baulk at! :rotfl:

I have been reading about the E*romillionaires who have bought a young lad 13 from Bishop Auckland, who lost his leg to cancer, a new lighter false leg. He fell whilst carrying the Olympic Torch because of his heavy NHS leg. They have changed his life with their generosity. His parents have been fundraising to try to get one for him and will now give their raised money to a Cancer charity for teenagers. This is the ethos of Pay It Forward, because you are helped, then you go on to help someone else. It does not have to be a big thing, even carrying someone's bags when they are struggling counts. It's not a bad way to live your life and how different the world would be if we all just took a moment, to pause and offer help.

You are right Meme, these scales do the trick so I will probably stick with them(and no batteries to buy)

What a lovely story(that's about 7 miles from here)I saw his torch relay on the internet. I have been helped carrying my shopping in recent years by people you might have thought the most unlikely to...

I tend to be most careful on dairy products the most...after all if meat/fish etc...is stored properly in the fridge/freezer and cooked thoroughly i thik most things are safe...

meme30

Popperwell:- I have been giving your finances some thought. I understand your concerns about having too much money and I appreciate that while renting you would not spend your money improving your house.
Think about buying something that you will be investing your money in, that will retain/increase in value. Property may be out of your reach but gold may not be. It's alright to spend the money you have now. If you choose to spend it on something that you can later sell in order to make your life more comfortable then that is your perogative. You are not cheating, you are spending your own money. Receipts can be kept to prove where the money was spent if you are asked about your spending. You will be thinking about your future, and safeguarding it as well.
When my Mam became a widow she bought herself some nice expensive jewellery, she call them her 'safety net' :rotfl: I believe the aristocracy have done this for Years!!

GreyQueen

Morning all. Sun is shining here but don't know for how long as the weather forecast isn't brilliant but I am enjoying it whilst it lasts.

PAH, had to re-read your post again today about the HA bods, am still smiling. I used to be a CAB volunteer adviser and I get such a deep satisfaction from helping people, it makes my day. But you were the one who made the call and sent the emails etc. I have never known a reaction like it, there must have been absolutely damning stuff in those files for them to mobilise like that.

Popperwell, my thoughts on balance scales vs electronic scales are that the balance kind are maintenance-free, tried and tested tech, don't require any further inputs such as batteries and won't suddenly fail and create a piece of e-waste to be a menace to the environment. I have balance scales, a cheapy kind (and hope to inherit Mum's cast iron and brass weighted set one day, but not for a long long long time). I have imperial weights and part of my Xmas present from Mum last year was a set of metric weights which are very useful.

Regarding BB dates, I'm fairly relaxed. I certainly would use those mixes. I've eaten a lot of things well past its BB and haven't taken the slightest harm and my medical problems mean I am slightly immuno-compromised so I'm a good guinea-pig for testing the theory.

The only time I had a problem was with some liver from a supermarket. It was well inside date but when I opened the packet, it smelled "off". As raw liver isn't the loveliest thing anyway, I persisted in rolling it in herbed flour and frying it off. When I went to raise it to my mouth, my stomach rebelled and I gagged on the first mouthful and spat it out, retching.

Homo sap has lots of senses to tell us when something is "off" and that meat, despite it's being two days shy of its BB was clearly tainted and my senses weren't going to let it down my gullet. I'd exercise common sense at all times by being very careful with meat and fish and opening tinned or packaged goods, shooting them out into a bowl and giving them a good visual and a good sniff.

After all, as my mother who was shop girl in the 1950s reminds me, there used to be no such thing as BB dates and one of her jobs when business was slow was to dust the tinned foods. People weren't dropping like flies from food poisoning back in the day, were they?

OK, time for some brekkie. Another day, another chance to do something for the forces of good.;) And to pick over my tatties to find any getting the blight. Oh my glamourous life........!

fuddle

Byatt lovely to see you posting I'm spitting feathers on your behalf re: stupid ex and his quest to buy out sheltered housing. I can't understand it as if he's in sheltered that means warden controlled homes for the over 60's. Surely they cannot sell off these properties! Well, as I fully am aware of what that said council get up to, I shouldn't be surprised but if I find out those types of housing are being sold off I will be dropping my local paper a line.

Edit: Byatt just checked said council's right to buy info and they state clearly that sheltered housing cannot be bought privately.

ETA again: thinking of said council, is his property a 1 bedroom bungalow? My MIL was given a one bed about 7 years ago when she had partner problems. She was only 53 at the time. One beds are difficult to occupy apparently. She lived in it for 6 months, now lives in a mortgaged bungalow with partner (ex miners homes, bought from a HA although not council) I'm telling you because maybe your ex got his house this way and not necessarily because of who he knows... at least it may help quash some of the 'it's not fair, grrrrrr ex' kind of feelings. My MIL is a nobody to the council and probebly so is he