2014 Frugal Living Challenge

Buffythedebtslayer

Cantfindafreeuserid wrote: »

So I do ditch it? or do add something to it? and if so what?


sorry I haven't read I have the most dreadful headache and am so shattered.
XXX

Cantfindafreeuserid wrote: »

I add lentils and pearl barly to mine when I do it. The lentils kind of disolve and thicken it and you would never know they are there. The pearl barley bulks out the soup and makes it stretch further (but my son doesn't like it!)

I basically strip the carcas of all meat then boil the carcas with a carrot, Parsnip and celery. I also add herbs and chicken stock cube/s.

I boil all of that for a good couple of hours then I strain it and add chopped carrot, parsnip, potatoe, herbs, Pearl barley, lentils and more stock cubes if needed to the stock oh and not forgetting the chicken :-)

Boil until your happy with the taste and consistancy etc adding more of anything you think it needs as you go.

Hope this helps

Thank you XXX I shall add more stock cubes and mixed herbs..... it's all an experiment


Also for dinner as the soup fell a bit flat, I had the left over sausages in (part baked) bread rolls. it was LOVELY.


thank you so much for this thread!


xxx

InClover

NSD for me today and an almost NSD yesterday as only spend was 5 pound to charity. I dont think that counts as a spend really. Its good to remember that no matter how dire things seem there are always people a lot worse off.

Pleased with my progress so far this month as way ahead if ny budget. Was hoping this would mean extra money for debt reduction at the end of the month but having done my tax return on line it looks like I have to pay it by jan 31 st. How???

I ticked the box to have it collected through my tax code as am employed now but it still said due by 31st Jan. Anyone know how to get it on tax code instead??

Frugalsod

I kind of did well until I got an email telling me that a Kickstarter pledge succeeded and so they took payment. The good thing was that I had already accounted for that last month, when I made the pledge. Other than that nothing else bad happened.

Skinnylatte

InClover wrote: »

NSD for me today and an almost NSD yesterday as only spend was 5 pound to charity. I dont think that counts as a spend really. Its good to remember that no matter how dire things seem there are always people a lot worse off.

Pleased with my progress so far this month as way ahead if ny budget. Was hoping this would mean extra money for debt reduction at the end of the month but having done my tax return on line it looks like I have to pay it by jan 31 st. How???

I ticked the box to have it collected through my tax code as am employed now but it still said due by 31st Jan. Anyone know how to get it on tax code instead??

Yes I get mine collected through my tax code, or I will be come April . Give them a call to check, they were really helpfull when I spoke to them.

Money_Tree_Faerie

I bought fruit, vegetables and down from £20.18 to £2.02. Still seems like this is the only way I can save money. Am currently half-heating one room for about £10 a day! :eek:

Frugalsod

Money_Tree_Faerie wrote: »

I bought fruit, vegetables and down from £20.18 to £2.02. Still seems like this is the only way I can save money. Am currently half-heating one room for about £10 a day! :eek:

I got through a tough winter with one of these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/MusucBag-Classic-Black-XL/dp/B005R0DNR0

I used the principle of heating myself, rather than the house. After putting the sleeping bag on I would also stick a hot water bottle in as well, I was then able to sit at my desk for as long as necessary. You might need to wear a woolie hat and mittens for your hands. You can still do quite a bit and walk around if you need to do things. My gas bill for the winter was 50p.

At night I would jump into bed with an extra duvet and hot water bottles and be fine all night.

If you are spending £10 a day it will have paid for itself within two weeks plus you will always have a backup if the heating fails.

TM6

Cantfindafreeuserid wrote: »

I very rarely sign up to anything else. I have opened 2 catalogue accounts through swagbucks for the bonus bucks. It also helped with xmas :-)

I generally only do surveys and watch videos some days it is hard going today for instance I have had no qualifying surveys and have only managed 17 swagbucks but tomorrow I could get a few good paying surveys to make up for it. I also try to watch videos to boost my bucks but today I just can't face it

Hope this helps

I prefer just watching the videos so it is Nectar Adpoints for me not Swagbucks.

littleskintdragon

Well yesterday turned into a spendy day,which is not unusual, i think ive managed 1 nsd all month so far.... I would usually have had more, but ive started shopping for what i need as i need it. I used to do this when money was very tight a few years ago, and only spent 30 odd pounds a week! So ive got a memo pad and list everything i need to buy, and so far have only spent £65 on groceries compared to my usual weekly £50 budget plus top ups (family of 4 plus 3 furry friends!)

I need to make bread/rolls today, and make some more soup out of half a swede a carrot and some pots i have in the fridge leftover from last soup. Dd is asking for the soup everynight, which is great as its healthy & cheap!!
A stew pack 87p, plus a couple of potatoes and 3 stock cubes will have made me 12 portions!! We eat it with a couple of slices of value cheese and a slice of bread.

Had to buy dd new trainers yesterday as hers had gone to small. I had her feet measured to check she wasnt just wanting some new shoes!!
Also had to buy pet food.
Have to pay for two new school jumpers today as hers have gone to small, she barely grew last year but has just shot up now!! Another £30 gone!

Everyone is doing so well, and the thread is moving so quickly i love it, thank u for all of your ideas

kb_soma

Buffythedebtslayer wrote: »

The fox may have got the bits of chicken out of the bin.....

Yeah, I am a bit disappointed today tho, I blended it and to be honest it is not very tasty. Bit watery and thin - which ok, it was a clear ish soup but it has no body to it, not like when I make stew type vegetable soup.


So I do ditch it? or do add something to it? and if so what?

I'd be tempted to keep it and recook it, freeze it until you're ready. I'd chop some celery, garlic, onions, fry these up together and then put it all in a pan together and bring to the boil, chop and add some potatoes then chuck a couple of stock cubes for a bit of flavour. If you have some, put in some pearl barley. That should take it up to a nice tasting thicker stew.

mummy2threeboys

[QUOTE=macwah97;64387460

had a u sound scan yesterday which showed a 4cm cyst on my last ovary and DS has been referred for further medical and mental assessment......Ah Well .. onwards and upwards.


Macwah[/QUOTE]

HI hun try not to worry cysts are very very common, i get them all the time, last one grew up to a tennis ball size, more painful and annoying to your cycle than anything, so not allways great if yur trying to concieve, thankfully my baby making days are long over (took me 8 years to fall with my first though!) they almost allways go away, its usually down to hormone build up. Loads of love xx