2014 Frugal Living Challenge

InClover

Well yesterdays NSD didn't quite come off as it turned out it was my turn to buy milk for work. Still £1.49 wasn't too bad and a friend asked me to tea so that more than covered what I'd spent. Thanks to everyone who posted ideas re batch cooking etc. I guess I just need to get a bit more organised.


Are there any singlies out there with a weekly food budget? Just wondering what I should be aspiring to. Tbh don't really know what my weekly spend is at the moment and as I still have a lot of stuff here from Christmas it isn't a good time to judge it but could do with an idea to put into my spreadsheet.


I'm loving this thread. Very inspiring :-)

redsheep

Please can I join the challenge...

Have £3700 of debt...

miss_empty_piggy

Good Morning Frugallers:hello::hello::hello:

Well I have just packed DOH off to that big london again for a week but am now up with the larks which is a good thing as need to get back into these early mornings before return to work on Monday.

I have made lots of soup and frozen it ready to take out ready for work lunches. My two DDs both get school dinners which cost me over £80.00 a month. I wish they'd take packed lunch but the "ick" factor at school is a big no no for eldest DD, and for the little one she was a mega fussy eater and would ONLY have ham sandwich, crisps and 2 finger chocky biscuit. Since going school dinners she is eating a hot meal everyday (which is especially important in winter) and has started to become a lot more varied in her other meals now too, which is a big bonus. The magic that primary school teachers seem to have over kids is amazing (the kids will listen to them rather than their own parents). I wish I had the same effect on the 17 year olds that I teach!!:rotfl:

Plans for today include:
a) make food from stocks
b) go to mr T later for YS items (mainly bread for freezer)
c) get some more marking and planning done
d) update spreadsheet
e) look into how I can make my house warmer without spending too much money

InClover was that milk 4 pints for £1.49? - just thinking that if you've got an Iceland nearby they do it for £1. I don't know how often you buy the milk for work but thought even if it's once a month 49p will soon add up. Every penny counts here.

have a wonderful day everyone :j

redsheep

I have a big bag of carrots left over from Christmas Eve, off to make carrot and corriander soup ready for next week's works lunches.
Have a great day..:)

happycrafter_2

Morning everyone! So glad my 2nd day at work is a Friday and then it's the weekend
Have curried parsnip soup (made last night froze the other 5 bags) and the left over home made crackers from Christmas to dip in it. Sent OH to ald! With a small list of things to buy (mostly veg, milk, and more condensed milk if its reduced to 49p still)

Hope you all have a great day

Dollydaydream_2

Hi, I will be joining with you because I have got to get used to living on a low (£600 a month[FONT=&quot]) budget when I retire in July. I live very frugally now but ho[/FONT][FONT=&quot]pe that this thread will hel[/FONT][FONT=&quot]p to kee[/FONT][FONT=&quot]p me on track. Intend to stay in today, a[/FONT][FONT=&quot]part from walking the dog. Like Miss Em[/FONT][FONT=&quot]pty [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Piggy I have [/FONT][FONT=&quot]planning for school to finish and will be batch cooking for the half term. Living alone I batch cook u[/FONT][FONT=&quot]p as much as I can so that I can have a home cooked 'convenience' meal each night when I get home. Today I ho[/FONT][FONT=&quot]pe to cook 4 [/FONT][FONT=&quot]portions of roast veg lasagne, mousakka, and a big batch of carrot and lentil sou[/FONT][FONT=&quot]p. [/FONT]

tokicat

Morning all

Some great inspiration on being frugal will have to try and catch up.

Managed a no spend day yesterday and cooked with good we had left

Am going to try and meal plan the next seven days to help and I am going to print off some coupons to help with my food shopping

Off to check my bank balance now

Mrs_Cheshire

I need to make soup with my leftover veg, I've got Carrots, parsnips, leeks, brussel sprouts and beetroot. Thinking carrot and coriander (dried as no fresh in), curried parsnip, leek and potato, brussel sprouts with maybe some bacon, and a beetroot. Trouble is I haven't got much space in the freezer.
Off to see if there is anything we can have for lunch out of the freezer to make more space.

his_missus

Mrs_Cheshire wrote: »

I need to make soup with my leftover veg, I've got Carrots, parsnips, leeks, brussel sprouts and beetroot. Thinking carrot and coriander (dried as no fresh in), curried parsnip, leek and potato, brussel sprouts with maybe some bacon, and a beetroot. Trouble is I haven't got much space in the freezer.
Off to see if there is anything we can have for lunch out of the freezer to make more space.

When I freeze soup (or even chilli etc.) I pour into freezer bags, freeze in tupperware tubs then remove the bags from the tubs once frozen. You create "bricks" that take up less room than the tubs do. Just remember to place in a tub to defrost...I always seems to managed to somehow make tiny holes in the bags, probably the way I man handle them in the freezer

quidsy

Thats how I freeze most things like soups, stews etc as well His Missus. takes up less space & when I take one for lunch at work just double bag it to prevent any leaks.