im rubbish at being thrifty

Goldiegirl

It's important to enjoy life and to do things that you enjoy.

For me, I don't think I could ever be 100% thrifty.

So I do some thrifty and old style stuff.

I enjoy cooking meals from scratch so I do that. But from time to time I like a bit of junk food too, so we'll have what I call orange food (it refers to the colour of the food, like chips, frozen fish cakes and baked beans!)

I enjoy buying second hand things from eBay and charity shops, but I like new things too - so I like going to Bluewater from time to time.

I take advantage of offers and vouchers to get good value, but sometimes I buy something at full price because it's exactly what I want.

It works for me, so I'd suggest trying to find what suits your life best, and don't think that unless everything in your life is thrifty you have failed in some way.

Have fun with old style, that's the most important thing

Any

I personally don't like slow cooker much. For couple of things, but mainly I cook on the hob as I find I have better control over spicies etc.

I also own Morphy Richards (I think) bread maker and I used to have a problem like you, until I actualy sat down and properly read the book that came with it.

If it doesn't rise and you think it tastes salty chances are you put in too much salt. Salt kills yeast. Also you need to be carefull and put salt into the opposite corner then you put the the yeast as they are very funny in interaction... if even dried stuff touches it still kills the effort!! Since watching this, my baking improved.

Any

winniepooh wrote: »

Just looking at joining the local adult class for sewing.

I found a course (it costs though) local to me, but cannot go yet as I would miss too many hours due to previous commitments.
Going to do cooking class instead for now (better dates), while I can cook I don't know much about foreign recipes and this is class for that, cannot wait for it to start!!

savingqueen

winniepooh wrote: »

Hi saving queen, only a couple of months really to be honest

Winnie - a couple of months is nothing, you're still an OS baby so give yourself a pat on the back! There is some good advice here and everywhere on the board as you already know. Keep on reading, posting and trying things out but don't try and do everything at once. Good luck!

sq:)

meritaten

Dont be so hard on yourself! change things a little at a time and see what works for you.
I threw a breadmaker away - you could have built houses with what it produced - and instead buy the bread 'mix' if I fancy a home baked loaf. doesnt take that much longer to make.
home cooked meals - now that really is trial and error! and you know something? after 35 years married I still have the occasional 'disaster'! I totally miscalculated the timing for a fish dish the other night - and the sauce had all dried up and the strips of fish had turned into 'rubber bands'. OH had egg on toast instead!
can I suggest you find some nice simple recipes and practice them then add one or two more, and then keep adding to them as you find what your family actually enjoys? When I made up a cookbook for my three kids, I found over fifty recipes I had developed over the years! These are my 'core' recipes and I am always willing to try something new (hence the fishy disaster).
If you post back with some indication of the meals your family like I am sure some of us will have quick and easy recipes for you to try.
Keep trying hun - but perhaps not too much, too quickly?

meg72

Loot.com wrote: »

Freezing food is a great idea. More people need to do this and stop throwing away so much food every week. My favourite freezing tip is freezing chopped herbs in cooking/olive oil using an ice cube tray. Just pop out as many as you need when you want to use it! A great way to stop throwing away all those herbs you buy for that one recipe and never get round to using the rest! Happy thrifty cooking!

Even better is grow your own, a few pots on the kitchen or another sunny windowsill will save you loads. I have a nice collection now and all bought when reduced plants, best buy was chives for 2p each, have loads in the flower border and just bring a couple of plants into the house for winter. or sown from seeds cost only pennies

jackyann

I can only echo the supportive comments above. And just like encouraging your children: say "well done" to yourself when you can and when you can't: just move on!
I think that being thifty is very much an individual thing: I love liver & kidney, and can make "luxury" meals out of both, loathe chicken nuggets & fish fingers whether "value" or "finest" all the same!
Just work out what suits you & what doesn't. Whilst I agree about checking the breadmaker recipes etc. it is true that you will never get them to make that fluffy white bread. Can you work out an agreement about when you will buy expensive bread & when it's not necessary?
Talk to the kids & DH about what they really like and explain what is expensive (so occasional treat) and what can be done cheaply. If you can get them talking & involve them in cooking, you tend to feel less "got at" if they don't like something, and they learn along the way.
Someone told me about the 3 "P"s when I was trying to feed a family cheaply: pizza (home made) potatoes (jacket / oven chip especially) & pasta.
My DH hates eating casseroles that have been frozen so we agreed that he will eat the same casserole twice in a week - I will twist it if I can by doing a pie or pasta sauce if that works.
As for slow cookers - they take a lot of getting to know, and I often cook something with a standard amount of spices, herbs, whatever, then finish off on the hob or in the oven, tasting & adjusting.

Good luck with the sewing: I love it!

salesaddict

What a lovely thread and what lovely helpful people.
Every so often I try to do the Old Style stuff then I get overwhelmed and think I'm not doing it right. But I think as people have said on here 'little by little'. Progress not perfection. xx

Valli

winniepooh wrote: »

Im trying so hard to be thrifty, I cook from scratch (but nobody in the house is enjoying it, make my own bread (which tastes vile),

Sorry but:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Don't do what doesn't work;)

louby40

We've been trying to watch the pennies since my OH lost his job at the end of October. He since found work (only took him 3 wks) but we are still being sensible (or trying to be).

We switched shops to Lidl/Aldi (with a small shop at Tesco) saving us about £30-40 a week (we were amazed). We don't spend inbetween shops.

We meal plan and write a shopping list and only buy whats on the list! (OH better at this than me lol)

I borrowed my brothers breadmaker that was sat in his garage ( a Panasonic all singing thing) sat down and read it through. Bought yeast and breadflour and had a go.

I've been making a loaf/rolls ever since very succesfully. The small rolls are lovely. They turn out great and have never had a problem with them.

I've been making my own flapjacks and biscuits. We've always used our slow cooker and used small portions of meat and padded out with veg.

I don't use a tumble drier.

Louise