HELP! Have cut back all I can but am still over-spending!

satchmo1

Hi S&S

Tomatoes that are going to be used for pizzas can be oven roasted and frozen.

Aubergines, peppers, carrots and leeks can be roasted and frozen, or part-cooked and frozen. Celery for cooking can be chopped and frozen.

I'd agree that it's better to prep your veg and box or bag it. A piece of kitchen towel in the bag/box will absorb moisture, rather than buying expensive equipment from Lakeland.

MrsCautious

Hello, what a thread! Just reading it you can see what a skilled writer you are -- hope that comes out right, it's meant as a genuine compliment, I really wish you well.

I have two suggestions on the work front and apologies if you already have them covered:

1. When you get a copywriting client, can you aim to also get work in social media management for them? They may think they have Twitter/Facebook covered but may not be on your level? Can you set up Google+ for them or offer them any training? Can you suggest other copywriting or proof reading jobs for them? Can you set up a blog for them? I've got a fair bit of work this way. However you find them and whatever the job you've been asked to do, suggest other tasks where your expertise could benefit them, maximise the money you earn from existing clients, it's supposed to be easier than finding new ones Could you write any articles for specialist education titles based on your knowledge/experience?

2. As well as your copywriting blog (sorry if am assuming that's what it is ) can you set up a 'mum blog'? Check out Britmums, if you can establish good content and readership (something tells me you could opportunities for paid advertising, sponsored posts and family items to review are very likely to follow, it's an area where real money is being made and you have the skills for it.
I don't mean a fortune but a sponsored post can be anything from £40 to £150, which isn't bad for not that much work. Or how about a money saving blog? Plenty of stores want mum bloggers to review their wares and send out £50 of vouchers to established and popular bloggers who understand engagement -- as you do from your posts here -- to give it a go, plus hotel chains invite good family bloggers on trips.
Anyway good luck with everything.I know the above may be time consuming but in the long run I reckon there's a good chance of being worthwhile. I'm seriously considering a thrifty themed blog while I take necessary time away from other writing work.

pennies_from_Heaven

Hi S & S,
Just a quick note about fruit and veg, do you have a local box scheme? We used to have an organic box delivered, but switched a couple of years ago to non organic, we get loads of items each week and they do a price comparison against the major supermarkets, and save quite a bit. Here is ours http://www.cosseyproduce.co.uk/box/index.aspx
it might be worth looking into one on your local area, of course its delivered free too!

mrsdee

i was also going to mention about freezing tomatoes. As well as oven roasting larger ones and then freezing them for use lter in pizzas, cherry ones that need using up can be popped in a bag and frozen whole. Then you can simply cook them straight from frozen to make a sauce or add to soup etc - delicious!

Oranges - you can juice them and freeze the juice (or drink straight away) or put in a cake along with the zest.

Other fruit I just slice and put on (or in) porridge in the morning. Chopped apple or pear is delicious put in the porridge before cooking it in the microwave. Berries are an expensive treat at this time of year. I think, so I would advise just buying whatever is seasonal and plentiful and therefore lower cost at the moment...

Canady

Hi all,
I am a newbie here also, this thread has had some great contributions on tips I have learned loads, so thank you all.
S & S keep up the good work, it is hard if people disagree
wth some of the postings, but I say keep up the good
work its certainly all helped me and mine

ScrimpingandSaving

Taking veg out of bags and prepping them is a great idea! Will also try the paper towels - cheers!

tesuhoha - the 3 PAYG phones are only topped up once every 2 to 3 months. I have a months worth of free texts on mine and when that's gone the £10 credit lasts me an extra month. My husband uses around a tenner every 3 months as does my daughter so we are pretty thrifty as far as that goes.

Also I am now buying cheap turkey cuts and slow cooking curries made from £1 jars. Once bulked up with some veg and a little water or milk I can make enough curries to last 2 weeks so it is working out cheaper - I wouldn't know how to make them from complete scratch although I suspect, as you pointed out, that it would work out more expensive.

MrsCautious - thank you! Can I ask, do you use free hosting for your blogs or do you pay hosting costs and buy domain names?
I will check out BritMums - thanks. The bulk of my work is writing blogs for clients who want to increase their web presence and I specialise in SEO blogs and content. I'm on Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Facebook and regularly update to make contacts. I also write my own blog which I share on social media.

I am asking clients now if they would give me a testimonial as well as endorsements on LinkedIn. It's all about making the right contacts isn't it? I also need to put myself out there more, I realise that and I should devote more time to that. Thanks for your lovely advice

I have never been so busy in the kitchen baking, cooking, using up food, etc! Kids seem happy enough though, they are having some interesting lunches!

suki1964

ScrimpingandSaving wrote: »

I have never been so busy in the kitchen baking, cooking, using up food, etc! Kids seem happy enough though, they are having some interesting lunches!

Welcome to my world :rotfl:

But then I enjoy pottering around the kitchen and making Dom scratch

I've the radio or tv on in the background and I make a huge mess cooking a couple of mornings a week. I do really enjoy it


I know you have found a few hours cleaning but have you looked at market research?

I worked as a field worker for a few companies when I last lived in England and to be honest , was easy money

Well ok it was never guaranteed that I'd earn x amount each week, but I worked the hours that suited me. I'd have a time frame to complete the job, and if I couldn't get out to work till 8pm then that was ok, as long as the job was done in the week specified Some days I'd earn £100 in two hours, the following week might take me 6 hours to earn it. But as a second wage earner, it was doable. All you need is a methodical mind and to be able get along with all walks of life


Re the curries, I use the £1 jars as well BUT from reading the forums here, you can't go wrong with the curry queen recipes. I'm planing to plan a morning trying them

satchmo1

Don't forget to add yellow lentils to curries, stews, bolognese, chili etc to eke out the mince. No-one will ever know. Also, the best and cheapest side dish for curries is dahl. Chop a large onion finely, fry in a little butter until soft, add about a cup of lentils, a teaspoonful of turmeric powder and two or three cups of boiling water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, put a pan lid on the saucepan and simmer for at least 30 minutes or until the lentils have thickened and stir into a thick puree. You may need to add more water.

It tastes yummy, and can be thinned out to make a lentil soup. It can be frozen, so I make enough to split into three portions. One to eat, one to keep for the mid-week curry, and one to freeze.

MrsCautious

Hello, I have used free hosting through Blogger and paid for on Wordpress and Typepad, with paid for domain names. I've led workshops on blogging and all that malarkey, if you have got to grips with Google+, I'd say you could make some good money getting people along to one or doing in-house training, so few people I'm aware of know their stuff about this, me included. I hope you can get things going and consider putting your prices up Also with your SEO knowledge, I hope looking into mum blogging could bring you some worthwhile opportunities.

chambta

What strikes me about threads like this is that there are people who take a perverse pleasure in being miserly and depriving themselves of things they can actually afford!