2014 Frugal Living Challenge

mum2one

rocky road recipie - (nigella special0

25 grams soft butter
300 grams best-quality dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids) broken into pieces
3 tablespoons golden syrup
200 grams rich tea biscuits
100 grams mini marshmallows
2 teaspoons icing sugar (for dusting)
NIGELLA EXPRESS
NIGELLA EXPRESS

Method

Melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in a heavy-based saucepan. Scoop out about 125ml / ½ cup of this melted mixture and put to one side.
Put the biscuits into a freezer bag and then bash them with a rolling pin. You are aiming for both crumbs and pieces of biscuits.
Fold the biscuit pieces and crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture in the saucepan, and then add the marshmallows.
Tip into a foil tray (24cm / 9 inch square); flatten as best you can with a spatula. Pour the reserved 125ml / ½ cup of melted chocolate mixture over the marshmallow mixture and smooth the top.
Refrigerate for about 2 hours or overnight.
Cut into 24 fingers and dust with icing sugar by pushing it gently through a tea strainer or small sieve.

skintygerlinky

That's great mum2one - thanks very much!! xx

Got no golden syrup though - but have got honey and maple syrup. What do you reckon - would either of those do instead??

mum2one

skintygerlinky wrote: »

That's great mum2one - thanks very much!! xx

Got no golden syrup though - but have got honey and maple syrup. What do you reckon - would either of those do instead??

Its just a personal thought but I would go with the maple syrup, - shame you can post me a piece down!! virtual will have to do!! xx

Mint1955

I return to the uk today after two weeks away and have been reading all the thread so I am ready to get started.

I left the house clean and tidy and freezer not too badly stocked...... BUT also left one 22 year old there!!!!!!

Wish me luck ;-).

Frugal wise We need to cut right back on spending so that we can execute a master plan of selling up and moving to North Cyprus full time. Step son moving back into family home rather puts a halt on it short term but I did say don't unpack and get too comfy lol. The plan is to be here full time in NC by sept 2015 so this year frugal and saving and next year house on market and major selling of other stuff that won't go with us.

Mint1955

One of the good things about being here for two weeks is I have had loads of time to scrutinise the spending last year. We use Account manager app which we plug every penny into under categories and it also does budgets and reports so I can see how much we spent in either a category like food shopping or petrol or even how much we spent in a certain shop I.e Costa coffee (not funny)

Bus fares when I can be bothered to walk!!! Amazon for book club reading when I could go to the library !!! Parking for car when I could have walked to town!!!!!!!!!!

Well that's three things I am going to put money away in a jar each time I DONT do it.

Not renewing the gym membership this year although I do go regularly but I need the money more.

Clothes definitely cut back it seemed to have got out of hand last year.

Food wasn't too bad average £69 week with half year for 4 people and half year for 2 people. But I do need to get creative as we are so in a rut and I can't do that magical open the fridge and rustle up something amazing from nothing.

Usually I don't want to get on the plane back but with our goal now in sight for next year I am thinking frugal and determined.

Mrs_Cheshire

nat21luv wrote: »

Today I went shopping for craft stuff and food for the boy's birthday. I managed to make a smashing piñata at home for free (saving £8) by using stuff around the house. I must say, it looks pretty good Also made pin the tail on the minecraft pig(I don't know what it is either!!) for free using card from the craft box and a firing aim bunting thing with different minecraft characters on, again free, and bought some sticky shooter things for the boys to play with at the party so they can take aim For some other materials for decoration, balloons, banners, the cake ingredients and icing, party food, main presents, a few more small presents, sweets for the piñata and his bday card, I have spent a grand total of....£16.16 Very, very pleased! The house will look great and all I need to pay for now is the boys entry fee to the climbing centre (£25ish) My budget was £50 for everything so im very pleased with myself, cant wait to see his face as he has no idea

Where did you find everything so cheaply? I need some money saving ideas for our sons birthdays later in the year, they are 5 days apart!

Mrs_Cheshire

Loving reading through and getting so many tips! Going to add the Chickpea burgers to my menu plan for next month, and will check out her blog for more ideas, trying to do at least 1 new recipe a week!
Have been managing very well on our budgets, need to go out today and buy some birthday presents. Our eldest son who's 4 has been invited to 2 party's in 2 days, 1 for twins so thats 3 presents to buy!

mummy2threeboys

Hi all been awol. The entire family (except hubby thankfully) has just recovered from a s and d bug thats been doing the rounds..all at exactly the same time..all fighting for sick bowl and loo at the same time..thankfully it was a very fast 6 hour thing, and the babys only had sickeys and not the other as well..im wiped out..slowly recoverng.
really fancy doing some knitting today..its going to be a plod along recovery weekend. Isnt it amazing how much better you feel after a hot shower? water therapy has a lot to answer for. Still plodding along..just over 2 weeks and i can kill another 1 debt and about another £100 off another

mummy2threeboys

Oh does anyone use valued opnions? Im up to £8 but i saw you get £15 amazon voucher at just £10 so £5 extra? Im sure i heard you can stockpile vouchers in your amazon account is this correct..im going to see if i can get maybe £75 at the end of year in the amazon account to buy some christmas goodies ..thanks all have a great weekend xx

tatabubbly

Hey I've been lurking rather than posting the last two weeks.

Our wifi box is playing up!

So OH is stuck at work for the next couple of days and won't be home meaning if I want to get anywhere I have to get transport! Gah!

Haven't been very frugal recently but I still only have one debt to pay off and then I will be home and dry. I really want to get our wedding saved for by the end of the year! That way it'll give us some breathing space next year to save for a nice honeymoon and all that jazz!