I have lost my OS ways, help!

CRANKY40

I haven't done much today. Still recovering from the cold. I did go to @sda for some milk though. I usually go on a Friday morning but I don't fancy battling my way through the crowds tomorrow. Our local, smallish store has hired extra security. I'll be giving it a very wide berth.

Caterina

Oh Cranky, poor you still battling that pesky cold. I hope you get well really soon. Tomorrow I have to shop but am headed for a no spend weekend.

ginnyknit

Just had a pootle on the local market as hubby fancied egg and bacon and had a look in the freezer shop. Its all bargain stuff and somedays you can fill a big bag for £3. I picked up 800gm of little brocolli florets for 25p 18 pecan/ maple syrup bake yourself pastries for £1 and 12 mini pies for £1. I said to the cashier you can feed you children for very little here, theres no need to go hungry for most people. She said 'yes but they still try and get things reduced or steal stuff :eek: A lot of their products are slightly damaged things not good enough for the sm's but taste just the same. You can tell M&S stuff as its in blue wrappers.

The cake stall has 4 big madeira cakes for £1 and birthday cakes for £1 - you really cant go wrong. The veg stall does 2 trays of fruit and veg for £1 and have a good variety. It makes me wonder why people round here arent feeding their children better. Believe me I understand the problem of low income when you have littlies but mine always had a good filling meal after school and I was feeding 4 kids and 3 adults 5 nights a week as I helped my friend by looking after her 2 and fed her when she got home from work.

I worked out whilst wandering round I could do potato wedges, mixed veg or peas, fish fingers then cake and instant custard for 4 people x 3 days for £3. Chuck in a bag of porridge (75p) milk £1, jar of jam 35p for breakfasts then if the children are in school just lunch for parents its about £5 I dont think thats bad.

moments_of_sanity

Cranky40, hope you are feeling better today.

Caterina, good news on the Tai Chi classes. Not sure I really know what to do with lentils

Ginnyknit, we don't have anything here that sounds like the shop you visited.

It has been a quiet week for me as I desperately need to save money after spending out on DD's Birthday dinner at the weekend so yesterday was the first time I had left the house since Saturday :eek:

I popped into Morries with my £5 off a £10 fruit and veg spend so got lots of nice fruit for the week. I will pop back with DH on Sunday to get a few more bits, onions, mushrooms, etc so I can make our food stretch that little bit further. Dinner tonight is home made bacon quiche, we had the first half last night with potato wedges so not sure what we will have with it tonight, DH doesn't eat any kind of salad so that is a no no.

Eldest DD comes back for her Christmas break a week on Saturday so trying to get as much done before she comes home in terms of cleaning etc as she is a whirling dervish and the place looks a tip 5 mins after she gets back! Youngest DD has been a bit 'off colour' this week, nothing that we can really pinpoint, just unwell.

DH has been working so hard this week, yesterday he worked 11 hours and drove for 200 miles so I am sure that when he gets in today he will be asleep in the chair for a good part of the evening, good job my cross stitch entertains me! :rotfl:

I am a bit worried about what eldest DD will do next year in terms of accommodation as she will have to move out of halls but doesn't like where the uni is and her Boyfriend finally got notification that he will be made redundant (I use that term loosely) on the 15th April next. His employer has been quite 'clever' really as he started this job at the end of April this year so won't be entitled to any redundancy payout! :mad: I am sure they will work something out and DD knows she can move back home any time.

I hope you all have a lovely OS Friday x

ginnyknit

Sorry MOS I should have qualified my last post - I dont know how anyone round here cannot manage to feed their family. xx

CRANKY40

Thank you, I'm feeling much better today. I could have cried though when I realised that the house elf's new game, which he pre-ordered and saved his birthday money for was due out today. He was so excited that I had to go and fetch it, so I joined the queue from hell in the 'game' shop. At least I was sure that I would be getting what I wanted when I finally arrived at the till unlike some of the other customers.

Making the best of a bad job, I decided to go to Chester and do my Christmas present shopping, which is nowhere near as bad as it sounds. I was fairly sure that the stores that I needed to go in wouldn't be doing anything Black Fridayish and I was right. I only needed 5 presents and the funds for Christmas have been saved each month out of my budget so it didn't take long and I won't have to mingle with the panic buyers of Christmas gift sets as I would if I'd left it much longer

Ginny, I think it's lack of education. So many people think dinner comes in a tray from @sda that you bung in the oven. I was lucky because my nana lived with us when I was young. My mum worked, but my nana was at home so could afford the time to teach us to cook and bake. We used to stay some weekends with my wee Scottish gran who was very thrifty out of necessity and any gaps in our education of how to make a meal for two do for four where filled by her.

My friend's grandaughter started cookery lessons the year before last, and the first thing they did was make a sandwich, the second was spaghetti bolognese with mince and a jar of sauce, nothing else. Her brother arrived home with what was supposed to be an apple crumble. The crumble mix was on the bottom of the dish, and the apples, halved but not peeled or cored were resting on top of the crumble mix. A £1 pizza from the freezer section must seem like less hassle I guess. I might have been tempted to try it on occasion but the house elf wouldn't touch them. He will eat pizza if I make it, and I've always made his meals myself because I hide his veg (he likes the taste of it but not the look of it and he knows I do it).

villagelife

Not managed to post this week. I have been had a few NSD this week and have cooked from scratch but it seems to have been an effort and that it is very hard work to do it. I feel that there is too much to do and not enough time. Both DS's are home from next weekend for christmas and I had hoped to be more organised by then than I will be.
I have also hurt my back this week which hasn't helped in how I'm feeling.
Tomorrow I will hopefully be able to spend some time in the garden as it does make me feel better and more positive.
I am also going to marzipan my christmas cake and get some of the ironing done.

Caterina

Good evening,

Ginny your shop sounds like an OSer's dream, what a good bargainous shopping, well done! I agree with Cranky about the lack of education in cookery skills, what a pity, people could eat so much better and healthier if they were taught how to, from childhood.

MOS, lentils are among the most versatile foods I can think of, they go in soups, stews, curries, sauces, burgers, salads....I could go on. Try! I hope your DD's BF gets another job soon.

Cranky, glad you are better, but today must have been rather an ordeal in the shops, you must be relieved you have got it over and done now.

Villagelife dont worry about not posting, we are all rather busy especially at this mad time of the year! Hope your back gets better and that you find some joy in your beloved garden. Doing things from scratch is hard work and time consuming. Do what you can and forgive yourself for the odd freezer meal or even takeaway if you are so inclined!

Today I finished my shopping for the month, bang on target, and this includes a couple of bottles of fizz for Christmas. I also had a haircut, my last prepaid one, and also bought 5 more in advance, using all sorts of vouchers and coupons hocus pocus. Had to pay some cash as well but overall I got a massive bargain, all redeemable and this means I have haircuts and stocks of shampoo sorted for the next couple of years!

Tomorrow and Sunday are NSDs, apart from my (fully refundable) mystery shop on Sunday, which I don't count.

Tomorrow afternoon I am volunteering in a community Bring and Fix event, am really looking forward to it, then pot luck dinner at friends, I have bought the stuff to bring already, bread cheese and salad, so no need to spend tomorrow.

Aren't you glad this stupid Black Friday is over? Tomorrow is Buy Nothing Day, much more fun.

Good night.

CRANKY40

There is no chance of tomorrow being a "buy nothing" day here. It's the boy's first school fair at his new school. In the interests of supporting a school that has been amazing in it's support for the new boy, I feel at least £5 will have to be parted with. It is money well spent though, the school is superb.

villagelife

I am feeling more cheerful and positive today probably all related to my back feeling less painful and is now at a manageable (just) level of pain which resulted in a better nights sleep.
I will be able to spend time in garden today and will rake up leaves again.