Living on next to nought - is that the key?

moneyistooshorttomention

Emerges from semi-lurkdom on this thread to say:

googling around this morning and found a blog that prompted me thinking "Not for me...but I know who will like it".

So:

http://culinarycheapskate.wordpress.com/

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Well done Ireland! Super victory and such a cliff hanger of a match! I'm glad that they won fair and square, as if France had won by anything less than 2 converted tries, then the (correct) controversy over the 'try that wasn't' would have marred proceedings. As it is, Ireland are champions and should I think everyone is happy with that as an outcome

little_sweetie - oh dear to you having to 'wrestle back' (ouch!) shopping duties But well done on the biscuit cutters! A definite bargain, that will provide fun for years

satchmo - very well done with the sale. I glad that the weather stayed good for you and it was a pleasurable time. And I am in awe of your DH suggesting doing a boot sale. I have only ever attended one as a 'seller' - helping a friend raise money for charity. Never again. I cannot stand the 'pawing' and 'emptying out of your car' - folk won't even wait for you to display your wares. I got niggled and it wasn't even my stuff! :rotfl:

We ended up watching back to back episodes of Gardeners World off tape last night. Mmm, it's got a bit dry and boring again...... Then we watched the film 'One Day' starring Anne Hathaway. Romantic chick type flick (although DP actually taped it!). But quite a weepy bit towards the end, although it was telegraphed throughout....... A good way to spend a Saturday night though - and no-ones mobile phone went off in the middle of the film! :rotfl:

We've the rest of our list to crack on with today. We did quite well yesterday - considering we quit half way through the day! I actually thought that kick-off was 1pm, only to discover at 12.20 that it was 12.30pm k.o! :rotfl:

I've not had breakfast yet, but I suspect dinner will be the version of egg fried rice that the Hairy Bikers did on their 'asia' series the other week. Looks quite straightforward - chop omelette into vegetable fried rice.......

I also need to make the gu1ness casserole for tomorrow, so that it has time to 'steep'. Plus some colcannon potato scones too.

Today will be a NSD - we need nothing, and we have plenty to be getting on with, so no time to go 'leisure shopping'

Oh, I made a version of 'energy bars' yesterday too. I've taken a pic and will post about them when they have been sampled by DP. Need him to get active first though, as the sugar quotient is :eek:

Right, best shift a tail-feather. I've made DP a cuppa tea in bed, so he'll be ready for brekkie just now.

Thanks for popping by reading and commenting. You know that I appreciate it.

See y'all later.

Greying

Greying_Pilgrim

:wave: moneyistooshortomention - hey, cross-posted. Thanks for the linkie - mmm, worth an investigation. The 'old' and 'new' sites look like they'll turn up some good recipes I'll gloss over the point that you think I'm a cheapskate....... :rotfl::rotfl: [JOKE ]

Greying

moneyistooshorttomention

The blog title was a bit unfortunate, but we'll gloss over that and it's just some of the recipes remind me of ones I've seen you mention doing.:)

Karmacat

Hello Greying

That pizza photo from Friday was amazing ... and I was noting how little it cost too (notice how I don't say "cheap" )

Satchmo, amazing amount from the sale - good for you!

dreaming

Karmacat wrote: »

That pizza photo from Friday was amazing ... and I was noting how little it cost too (notice how I don't say "cheap" )

I second this - must put pizza on the meal planner soon.


Although still a bit blowy it's another lovely sunny day here - out in the garden shortly. DD came over yesterday and we had lunch of egg and bacon muffins, and she bought me a bar of my favourite sea-salt chocolate (which I didn't even have to share with her). I sent her back with 3 pots of grasses I had split earlier in the week, which had previously been donated by my sis-in-law a couple of years ago.
Money seems to be running out the door at the moment - first the driveway; now the boiler is playing up; then MOT and car tax next month. Oh well, as long as I can play in the mud I'm happy. Agree about Gardener's World GP. Last series they seemed to have the formula right but I occasionally find Monty a bit smug for my liking. Perhaps it will get better again as it gets going. Loved seeing Nigel the dog again though. Right - off to finish my new gravel path then seed sowing to do.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon

And I hope it is a good afternoon with you all

I'm doing jobs and then rushing outside for a few moments to soak up the sun, then dashing back and doing something else, making DP a cuppa and taking it outside to him, and lingering in the sunshine, before coming indoors to do another little task. Such is my day and I'm having a ball

I just wanted to say that the energy bars got the definite thumbs up from DP this morning. Well, we were onto a 99% sure bet anyway with DP's sweet tooth...... but the recipe is a keeper. The recipe is supposed to make 16 bars, and I have to say, if you're not going to be mega active, then that is the portion size you want to go for, as they are just a sugar fest! However, as it happens, I divided my square up into 12. I'm happy with that, as DP will be burning up sufficient calories to warrant the marginally bigger bar size. I am banning myself from eating them - I had one for a taste test, loved it, but that is it for me

I'm not sure they are super cheap to make, but actually, they can be made from a small selection of relatively inexpensive ingredients, and I think they are certainly more cost effective to make than some of the branded cereal bars. Particularly those that do actually have sultanas/pumpkin seeds/chopped dates, or ingredients of than nature in them.

Picture of my efforts here;



And a copy of mr Hugh F-W's recipe HERE if you think that it is something that you would like to make

I take no responsibility for expanding waistlines - they are yummy and moreish. Nuff said

Karma - hello, thank you for your kind comment. But you're right, certainly more cost effective than getting a pizza from one of those overpriced chains........

dreaming - I'm loving the plant swap. So good that you've made more out of a freebie - that's the way to build a garden. And yes to making pizza - perhaps when the grandchildren visit?

Right, I'm off to find an excuse to nip outside again

Greying

rtandon27

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

...Right, I'm off to find an excuse to nip outside again...

:D:D
Do you REALLY need an excuse???
:D:D

My day has been much the same...
...my "excuse" is the laundry being hung up in the fresh warm air!

mcculloch29

Hello Greying, I've joined your merry band being wholly appreciative of your supportive posts on the diaries of others.
Something I wanted to say that hopefully is helpful.
You said that you didn't do surveys as you had an unusual profile that wouldn't suit.

That's exactly WHY you SHOULD do surveys. I'm often screened out because there are too many people of a similar profile to myself who have got their answers in first.
Even so, I make around £400 a year in vouchers which pays for the majority of birthday presents for my family and extended family. It means I can give gifts to my great nieces and nephew, that I might otherwise have to look twice at getting. It allows me to have some indulgences.

It does help that my job as an e-tutor is internet based, and that I can quickly pounce on surveys that come through.

I checked out the Culinary Cheapskate blog, being a fan of Jack Monroe. Obviously this lady has access to ingredients that aren't so common here but there are a few interesting recipes there.
I am a fan of Shirley Goode and Jocasta Innes' budget cookery books, last night I found one of Jocasta's that I hadn't read on Am@zon, though I actually tracked it down by doing an online search on my county library services catalogue.

Anyway, I bought it for 1p with £2.80 postage, paid for with survey earned gift certificates. One of the other things I bought some time ago was a battery charger, so I no longer need to buy batteries for my bike lights and cordless mouse amongst others.

One set of batteries and the cordless mouse came my way via the Amazon Vine programme. I have reviewed books etc on Amazon for a long time and some years ago Amazon invited me to become a reviewer for them. Every month I am offered various goodies by Amazon and can choose items to review, four a month.
Most of them are quite low value items - books, batteries as mentioned, audiobooks, software. Not all are though.

My You View box came courtesy of Amazon Vine as did my Jamie O. food processor and my Breville soup maker, along with my hairdryer, straighteners, electric toothbrush, epilator and shaver, plus my son's shaver. The choice can be fairly random too; because I bought baby goods in the past for the extended family I am still offered them, although I have no need or use for them.

I have no idea why Amazon chose me specifically but if you enjoy writing reviews it's a way of being rewarded for it, if they spot you.
Anyway, this waffle has hopefully explained how I have been able to keep my head above water whilst still being able to have a few nice things around me.

dreaming

Fab afternoon in the garden - managed to dig out a bit more grass (I hate mowing!) and place one of the half sleepers I obtained last year as an edging between grass and flower border. Took all afternoon to do one as I have very stony ground. 2 more to go! There were loads of butterflies sunning themselves on the patio.