2014 Frugal Living Challenge

sparrer

Nothing exciting to report for the last few days, I've not been out for 4 days out of the past 6 plus not going out today so will make it 5 nsd/npd's in total for the week.
The heating has been on 15 from 7am to 8pm but off today so far as it's so mild.
Made Scotch broth using some scrag end of lamb and two good sized lamb bones, with lots of pearly barley, onion, celery, swede, diced potatoes and leeks, all ingredients rtc, it's going to give 8 meals and two tasty bones for the dog. Made enough swede and potato for mash to go with the haggis I brought back from Oban on my last visit, for this evening's Burns night supper
Have cleaned the car seats this morning with an all-n-one spray/brush a friend gave me as she's emigrating and cleared out her cleaning cupboard in my favour. Very effective, and the covers look like new again.

Becky_2

Thanks for all posting on this inspiring thread. I don't post much on here but I read all your posts.

Work has been very busy in January so haven't had much time to spend. We could do better with spending less on food. I found the bargain of the week yesterday in M&S, bought a bottle of extra virgin olive oil for £1.24 because the BB date was end of January. We are making home made fries tonight so that will save a few pence.

Keep posting everyone I enjoy reading them. Good luck to you all

Goldiegirl

Afternoon all !


It's been a busy sales weekend on eBay, and some more will sell tomorrow, I think it'll be a record breaking weekend.


For lunch today we had pizza, the base done in the bread maker. Topped by pepperoni left from last weeks pizza, chorizo left from the stew I did earlier in the week, and some mushrooms and sweetcorn from a tin. The rest of the mushrooms and sweetcorn will go into a sausage casserole on Monday.


For afters we had our first home made yoghurt, which turned out really well.


We have bread rolls for tea from the batch of rolls I made last week, which have been in the freezer.


I'm really pleased with progress so far.


Not so pleasing is our loo cistern. The handle now works property, but there is still a little leak. I've ordered a seal from eBay - this should put it right. In the last couple of weeks we've had to renew the entire innards of the cistern! Lucky I have the money in Paypal, so I don't have to take it out of budgeted money

Antwerpen

Hello. I hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Soo I've had a craving for pizza..... I was very tempted to buy a take away. Instead I'm making some homemade wedges and I've got pizza in the freezer. With corn cobs and lots of butter . Maybe a Chinese next Friday, for Chinese new year. I get paid on Tuesday. Wahoo.

I'll prob make my own to save money!!

afoolwithmoney

OH is back in work yippee not sure for how long but does mean we can attack the last cc together. Up until I joined this thread we were living on my earnings & topping up from cc each month. Since joining this thread weve been managing to stay within budget & no cc spends. If we can keep this up at last inroads can be made!

LionessInWinter

Is there a table that shows how long food can last past their best before dates and even their use by dates? We adhere to the dairy dates pretty strictly but we're a little flexible on canned and dried goods but would love to know what others use as a guideline.

Thanks

LionessInWinter

afoolwithmoney wrote: »

OH is back in work yippee not sure for how long but does mean we can attack the last cc together. Up until I joined this thread we were living on my earnings & topping up from cc each month. Since joining this thread weve been managing to stay within budget & no cc spends. If we can keep this up at last inroads can be made!

That's great news, as the sole earner right now I completely understand how you feel. Best of luck with the debt busting

SarahB1989_2

Was doing a lot of spending in cash to keep an eye on outgoings, but realised that Natwest are giving me back 1% of everything I spend in Tesco on my debit card! Will take a few months to get enough to cash it out (min £5) but all worth it

Florenceem

LionessInWinter wrote: »

Is there a table that shows how long food can last past their best before dates and even their use by dates? We adhere to the dairy dates pretty strictly but we're a little flexible on canned and dried goods but would love to know what others use as a guideline.

Thanks

I don't go by dates - use my eyes and nose. If it looks and smells okay - we eat it.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

I bought some reduced braised beef from the co-op 2 days ago, and it is fine, looks and smells good, TBH It is better than some meat that I have seen being sold in date...


What I understand best before is fine to eat way past their dates... it just means that the quality starts deteriating.. I have eaten tinned beans 2 years after their date, and they were fine..


I used one of the reduced pack of braised beef today to make a casserole, as well as adding herbs etc I added a packet casserole mix that was best before may 2013..


If in dought use your gut feeling... at the end of the day you have got to feel happy using the item...