make do and mend for tougher times

Mrs_Chip

I just wrap in cling film and freeze, but I would think waxed or greaseproof would be fine, or plastic tubs.

It is what is called 'sweet' butter (no salt) so has no preservative in it, it does not tend to last long once out of the freezer though, it gets scoffed! I salt it by mixing in a sprinkle of flaked sea salt as required - tastes like lovely expensive French butter!

Good luck with the reduced double cream hunt - it has taken me about six months at least to grab some!

Popperwell

Evie74 wrote: »

Thank you Pops and Mrs Chip for the buttery insights! Next time there is a load of double cream in the reduced section I shall stock up. What do you store it in? Should it be wrapped in greaseproof type paper or will plastic tubs be OK?

It's amazing how much you learn from this thread!

Evie xx

I know that I do Evie, I would never of thought about home made butter...I will make some at some time...

mardatha wrote: »

I think this year is a good reminder to have things in tubs as well as in the ground.
Pops yes I have a store cupboard and am on survivalist forums I was just trying to find out what unexpected things wheat is in so I can prep for it.
I've just started a new cupboard for pasta and dried goods. Got pasta, lentils, some dried veg and barley in there now, as well as broth mix. Next I need to start on porridge and get more flour... gawd it's like the Forth bridge, never ends!

That's so true...money worries is what can get me down, just when I think I am not doing so bad, if things stay as they are, knowing they won't I could panic but it won't change anything.

I will just have to meet the problems head on...as we all have to...for now it's it's the unknown.

prepareathome

Popperwell wrote: »

Hope the op is as far away as possible and if an improvement is possible it happens Kittikins...

PAH, it's awful I know but are there no food banks that could step in and help in this situation and can the story not get any publicity in the local news?

Pops one small store with 56 employees is not big enough to make even the local news now not with big factories in the area cutting their work forces by hundreds....

We have one food bank that is for our area, although it is 6 miles away and covers the whole of all bar the very north of the city about 300,000 people and to say they are inundated its an understatement - I am getting appeals daily from them now they just cannot keep up. To use them people have to have to be referred by the social or social services and of course non-one laid off has appointment for over a week so they are just left to cope hence the area pulling for them.


I found out who was organising the collections and phoned her, a woman who is a Morman, only one who lives in the area. She was asking people mainly for money to pay bills but was getting other church members to come up with food but they didn't quite have enough as none of them have very, very large stores that they have over in USA so I said I would supply food, so between us every family now has at least one weeks food and if used carefully will last longer - Lydia the organiser is willing to show anyone how to make things go further and its amazing how many people have taken her up on this. I know Mormans are great for this, a good few years ago I was allowed to go to some of their open nights where they were showing you how to use up store cupboard food to make wonderful tasty meals out of anything and everything.

So my stocks are rather lower, but surprisingly if I add up in money terms its not a lot, Lydia worked it out we all have given around £15 in food but because we all bought it ys or special offer the real value is double that. She stood there and wrote down everything that was given and price paid if known as she wants everyone to know just how much people have chipped in.

What she has done is set up everyone with an invoice so if they suddenly get paid or social back dates their claims they will pay back what they are given both food and money, but as she told me she knows some will just not bother and others of course will need what they get to survive in the future, but she doesn't want to set a precedence of if you are suddenly out of work she and others will be handing out free food and money. Some of the bills were payday loans and things like that, so if not paid the interest would make them a very large sum before people knew it. Others of course have prepayment meters so needed money for them - the shop being used as a base is a pay point so cards and keys are charged there without money being given out, as much as possible she is trying not to hand out cash, but pay the bills herself, as for all most people will pay their bills there will always be some who don't bother as no-one is getting money for drink or cigarettes which is causing a few problems, but there is not enough for things like that. Today she had someone coming to the shop from the stop smoking group to hand out patches etc to people.


She already has had a couple of families try to get some food who are the local long term unemployed ( on the estate 90% of families work although mainly in low paid jobs, it used to be an estate where there were more benefit claimants than workers but years ago as so many caused trouble they were moved out and others moved in who did work and estate became a lovely place and so HA invested money in it and now its one of the most sought after areas in the city to live with play parks for the children, grass parks for walks, all the houses done up nicely and well maintained), Slowly though people are losing their jobs as the lowest paid always seem to be the first jobs to be cut.

This woman is organisation personified, but as she said she is trained via her church to step in for things like this and by golly they trained her well.

Possession

Mrs Chip you are absolutely not allowed to eat any chocolates before photographing them!
Oh alright go on then.....

paidinchickens

Hobsons_Choice wrote: »

Has anyone seen a butterfly in this awful weather? We have a buddlea at the bottom of the garden that gets cut down to stumps every year and then flowers nicely - nary a flutterby on there! I did see one in the centre of town a few days ago...and also saw a thrush there, maybe they're all staying where there's shelter from the bl00dy rain!
Most of the day spent babysitting grandaughter while son runs around getting things ready for her first birthday party on Sunday. It's supposed to be a bbq for the grown-ups, fingers crossed for the weather eh?

Nope but when it does stop raining I have plenty of flies/flys ??? spelling :eek: thought it may have been the chooks attracting them but relieved when non pet households are complaining about them as well

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Just finish creating my own personal butter mountain (oh those were the days!)

Oh I had forgotten about the butter mountains and I remember my nan getting tinned mince that smelt like cat food as well :rotfl:

SDG will try that as soon as the kitchen is free. Makes sense to use a lot of spices as honey and oats just is not enough,

PIC x

Popperwell

Great detailed post PAH but frightening...You won't see the PM talk about that on the news and as you say largely ignored by the media. Just that anyone that takes State help or isn't working are scoungers...As said how can a food bank cope with that kind of size of a problem?

99% of the population has no idea what's going on and what's coming...:(:mad:

It feels like the 1929 Wall Street Crash or will before we're finished. The truth is I don't think the politicians know what to do...but have to try and sound as though they do...but they aren't succeeding...We have some food banks but again I think the nearest is approx 12 miles away and struggling...

Ellie83 wrote: »

Organised or not, she seems like one kind hearted person to me.

And you too for that matter

That is very true...time for another

Ellie83

prepareathome wrote: »

Pops one small store with 56 employees is not big enough to make even the local news now not with big factories in the area cutting their work forces by hundreds....

We have one food bank that is for our area, although it is 6 miles away and covers the whole of all bar the very north of the city about 300,000 people and to say they are inundated its an understatement - I am getting appeals daily from them now they just cannot keep up. To use them people have to have to be referred by the social or social services and of course non-one laid off has appointment for over a week so they are just left to cope hence the area pulling for them.


I found out who was organising the collections and phoned her, a woman who is a Morman, only one who lives in the area. She was asking people mainly for money to pay bills but was getting other church members to come up with food but they didn't quite have enough as none of them have very, very large stores that they have over in USA so I said I would supply food, so between us every family now has at least one weeks food and if used carefully will last longer - Lydia the organiser is willing to show anyone how to make things go further and its amazing how many people have taken her up on this. I know Mormans are great for this, a good few years ago I was allowed to go to some of their open nights where they were showing you how to use up store cupboard food to make wonderful tasty meals out of anything and everything.

So my stocks are rather lower, but surprisingly if I add up in money terms its not a lot, Lydia worked it out we all have given around £15 in food but because we all bought it ys or special offer the real value is double that. She stood there and wrote down everything that was given and price paid if known as she wants everyone to know just how much people have chipped in.

What she has done is set up everyone with an invoice so if they suddenly get paid or social back dates their claims they will pay back what they are given both food and money, but as she told me she knows some will just not bother and others of course will need what they get to survive in the future, but she doesn't want to set a precedence of if you are suddenly out of work she and others will be handing out free food and money. Some of the bills were payday loans and things like that, so if not paid the interest would make them a very large sum before people knew it. Others of course have prepayment meters so needed money for them - the shop being used as a base is a pay point so cards and keys are charged there without money being given out, as much as possible she is trying not to hand out cash, but pay the bills herself, as for all most people will pay their bills there will always be some who don't bother as no-one is getting money for drink or cigarettes which is causing a few problems, but there is not enough for things like that. Today she had someone coming to the shop from the stop smoking group to hand out patches etc to people.


She already has had a couple of families try to get some food who are the local long term unemployed ( on the estate 90% of families work although mainly in low paid jobs, it used to be an estate where there were more benefit claimants than workers but years ago as so many caused trouble they were moved out and others moved in who did work and estate became a lovely place and so HA invested money in it and now its one of the most sought after areas in the city to live with play parks for the children, grass parks for walks, all the houses done up nicely and well maintained), Slowly though people are losing their jobs as the lowest paid always seem to be the first jobs to be cut.

This woman is organisation personified, but as she said she is trained via her church to step in for things like this and by golly they trained her well.

Organised or not, she seems like one kind hearted person to me.

And you too for that matter

Popperwell

That overpayment on Mum's State pension...it wasn't worth trying to delay paying or getting out of it! As appointee it had been paid into my bank account and I think I had withdrawn it. At least now it is paid back that's drawn a line under it and I owe nothing.

But that was £131 I could have done without having to find...

fuddle

Hands up in the air... I have made homemade butter. It's such good fun and actually works. I don't make it though as the cost of cream practically out weighs the cost of butter ready made but if you can find cream at a knock down price it's a handy tip to know

I woke feeling back to my normal self. I had a surprise trip to coffee shop (I was treat ) and then on the afternoon back to my Friends MIL's house for a glass of wine and a natter as it was her birthday. I needed that natter and giggle, I really did.

I'm off to go make my bread for bacon sarnies in the morning. Shopping being delivered soon and in it is a bread bin for £7.50 to store my bread. I hope it's ok for that price and coming on the Asda van!

GreyQueen

dragonette wrote: »

GQ - try texere, its a wool mill in bradford that sells its other yarns as well brands. Some of it its pennies (I adore it, miss living next to it!). www.texere.co.uk any other working mill should be fairly cheap too

ETA: just realised that it must look like I'm promoting texere, I'm not, I just love the mill and have had some grat bargins from there £5 for 500g of mohair :eek:

Thank you for that. I have bookmarked it for future perusal.......

pws52 wrote: »

GreyQueen...

I stock up with Regia sock yarn when it is in the clearance section at www.kempswoolshop.com
There is some there at the moment.

And thank you again. I am very sorry if I have tempted some of you to venture where you shouldn't and make purchases which weren't STRICTLY necessary.......very bad of me, I just wasn't thinking it through. I have walked around bootsales with Mum and her head has whipped around suddenly.

GQ's Mum; "Look! Yarn!"
GQ: "Step away from the table......."
Mum; "But they've got YARN!"
GQ; "You've got a loft full of yarn. Step away - NOW!"

At this point I, bossy heartless mare of a daughter that I am, will be towing Mum away whilst she looks over her shoulder at the yarn like a kiddie in a toyshop..........:rotfl:

It's a tough job but someone's got to do it.

Mrs Chip, can I tell you that my mind is boggling at the concept of the 5 kg chocolate bar.....OMG, what a thought.

annie123 wrote: »

My son asked them that and was told , as a guide, roughly the same as tax credit levels, which for a couple is under 16k ish. It's done on a sliding scale, but as he earns sub 7k he was told he would he probably wouldn't to need to pay anything. Time will tell takes months apparently for the first application.

You can also claim back monies paid out if on a low income, ask dentist for form H....something, dont remember exactly what but it's the NHS low income scheme. Our dentist was aware of the scheme and had all the forms there, but only when asked for.

Hi there. You can collect a form called an HC1 from any pharmacy, optician, GP or NHS dentist. It's the form to claim help with health costs (hence the HC part, I expect).

Depending on how much income you have they'll give you either an HC2 or and HC3 certificate which is for full or partial costs. They last for a year. There is something called (if memory serves) an HC11 available for you to apply to have health costs refunded to you which you paid for a period before you had the certificate. Think there is a time limit on claiming them so don't delay if you want to do this.

It's well worth anyone on a low income trying to get one of these.

Hobson's Choice, I've seen very few butterflies this year. Normally, we start to see the Small Tortieshells flying on sunny days as early as March (they are the commonest butterfly by far) then the two kinds of Cabbage Whites are everywhere. This year I have hardly seen even the blasted cabbage ones, and I have only seen them singly, not dancing in pairs as you normally do. Having had brassicas eaten down to skellingtons by their caterpillars in other years, I can't shed any tears over them but I do miss the proper butterflies. I wonder if insectivorus birds are doing poorly as a result?

I have seen more honey bees this year after years of none of very few, and have several species of bumble bee. I have various places on the lottie where I have whopping great Common Mallows in flower. They're self sown and I leave them if there's room because they are covered with purply-pink trumpet like flowers and the bees go nuts for them. Bees are also very fond of the broad bean flowers and the self-sown common marigolds (calendula) which I allow to trespass freely on the lottie. I feel that subjectively there are fewer bumblebees as on hot evenings last year the lottie was droning with them. I think the persistant rain must drag them down, too.

It has rained lightly but without let up since before I got up and shows no sign of stopping so I came in and declared the day over- into the jammies. SuperGran came over but she has seem me in dishaibille before and doesn't bat an eyelid. Just as well really as the jammie trousers are from one set and the jacket from the c.s (new but had no trousers). Plus it has cartoon animals on it. Penguins, for the curious.

It was pretty darned cold last night and I actually had to get out of bed and put socks on as I couldn't sleep for cold feet. Pathetic excuse for a summer.

Mar if you want to wheat-proof yourself, think anything which contains flour and anything sauce-like which uses flour as a thickening agent. Also stuff with coatings. Flour-flour and pasta/ spaghetti. Breakfast cereals if you have them - I just have porridge in the house. It'll also have knock-on effects on the price of meat, milk, cheese, eggs basically if the critters are eating the grain and the grain costs more.........well, you can draw your own conclusions.

PS, which preppers' forums are good - a lot of that ilk seem to be American which is interesting but some of it doesn't apply. I don't think I'll be recalibrating my firearms on the back forty any time soon..............

I have commenced a tinned spud cache as they are available now at 19p a can and that will do me two meals. Perfectly acceptable for when my h.g. are finished. They do taste a bit salty to me but as I don't cook with salt, I'm sensitive to it and can taste it in salted butter and in cheese. I shall try rinsing them under the tap next time to see if that helps.

Oooff. More tea and then must check on the rest of "my" websites to see what my fave online people have been doing.

Have a good evening and thanks again for the yarn tips, I shall check them out and pass the info to Mum.

Oh gosh, she doesn't have a credit card so that means Dad will have to buy it for her......... I think we could be on a winner.;)

Love and peas, GQ x