Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

misstara

Hello all, I have to say I don't really keep an eye on how much we use of various things but clearly it's something I should start doing

I'm currently trying to do a meal plan which will hopefully be super frugal and cost very little. I have a few things to save for over the next couple of months so any savings will go towards that.

What is everyones plans for the Easter weekend? I'm unfortunately working but I'm going to make some creme egg brownies tomorrow to see me through the weekend.

[Deleted User]

Golly and there was me thinking I was just being daft by sticking the date on things :):)it seems I am not alone.

I gave up bread just over a year ago and changed to crackers/crispbreads instead and as a result no longer eat butter. On my crispbread I will usually have either soft low-fat cheese, or maybe a low-fat pate with tomato or cucumber on the top.

I only ate bread with soup anyway so it wasn't too hard, I did manage to lose well over a stone as well which I was pleased about.

I found as I don't eat bread I no longer buy butter (I do have some portioned up in the freezer for baking shortbread though) for normal baking I use soft stork, or half block stork & lard for pastry. I had to lose some weight for anoperation and just never went back to bread. I can honestly say I don't miss it at all.

I too date stuff as I open it as it gives you a rough idea of how much is used and when you need extra.Its probably easier for me as I live alone.
Jacket spud have just a sprinkle of grated cheese or a spoon of philly.

Salt is also something I gave up, but I would find it hard to not have pepper.(have you noticed how even the small tubs of ground pepper have shot up in price, almost doubled since last year and now around 70p for a 25gm tube !!!

Aldi do a very nice low-fat pate at about 49p which is very tasty and great on crispbreads.

I am at the moment trying to use up some of my store cupboard stocks this month as the cupboards are far too full. So lots of NSD hopefully for me :):)

kittym

Morning all

Like Misstara I don't date things, but I'm going to start as it sounds a great way to keep track of things. I do meal plans and use all left overs, which is a good job as last months budget was well over.

Spent £3.21 on some lovely fruit and veg at the market yesterday, freezer and cupboards not bad for stuff so I shouldn't need anything for about a week. Fingers x. I'm determined to stay on track this month.

DD treat me to a lovely hair do yesterday. She put my long hair in a lovely French plait. Added bonus it didn't cost anything. £15 for the privilege of my hairdresser to do it :eek::eek::eek:

It is very wet and overcast today so I have decided to put my feet up and catch up on some reading.

Hope you all have a smashing day. xx

vhalla1478

Morning All,

Raining and miserable here, so it's just as well I took advantage of the weather yesterday and washed 15 sofa cushions and loose cushions and got them all ironed and put back onto the settee and chairs. I was going to wash the windows today but the weather has put paid to that. Instead I'm teaching GS2 (at this end - he's GS6 if you include my daughter's children) how to make chocolate and chilli cake. He demanded one for Easter and panicked when I agreed but said that he must make it with me. I know he'll get a sense of pride and satisfaction by doing it rather than just eating it! We need it anyway, we're having a large gathering of the tribe tomorrow.

I'm now feeling guilty, I consume a good amount of unsalted butter as I don't like any form of margarine - it all tastes plastic and synthetic to me. I also drink my coffee with double cream and only buy ground coffee and loose tea. I don't think I'm ready yet to give any of those things up as I'm not overweight and, more importantly I enjoy them. I don't take sugar in my coffee, nor do I add extra salt to my food.


As the weather was nice yesterday I turned off all but two of my storage heaters and shall try not to put them back on now until winter returns. I'll post a recipe later as there is still a chance I might get Mimi (my DB's cat) and need to check what the conditions will be like with Ryanair. DB back on Sunday, but straight offshore on Monday - however, we do have future plans to go to Venice for a few days.

Have a good day, Folks.

Viv xx

good_advice

Good Friday
What a day? Gray and wet looking outside.
I wonder what religious films will be on TV today? I watched Noah and the arc a few nights ago. More about building the large boat and very little of them on it with all the animals.

Having a staycation this Easter.
Bought the chocolate eggs and given out a few.
Gammon today and roast lamb on Sunday.

We are now on a water meter. The men who know came and did the whole long road last week.
I am trying to do my bit by having even less water in my bath than before. I always have a shallow bath anyway. Can't help thinking of reading of war days. They use to have a line marked on the bath.
Every one else has a power shower here. No water saving there.
Some days wash up the breakfast and lunch things together.
Always fill the washng machine before it gies on @ 40C.
Water stations will be in the garden again this summer for dog and watering plants.

Random - love that advert = Money supermarket. Just been on the box

!2 mid day now - the gammon joint is in the slow cooker for dinner.
Made some Chocolate Easter nests. Rice crispies with little chocolate eggs and others with jelly bunnies.

silvasava

Morning All - grey day here too never mind there's lots to do indoors and a mountain of washing!
JackieOI buy black peppercorns in my local Asian shop to go in my grinder. You get a good sized bag that lasts ages and fresh ground tastes so much nicer.
vhallzGood for you - I only use butter too but I don't care for cream. You enjoy what you are eating & drinking there's not much point otherwise is there?
Boat goes in the water tomorrow so fingers crossed that everything is OK - DH & I have worked b*** hard on her. As there's no more dirty work to do on her I've had a little pamper this morning. Nice bath - defuzzed - face mask - hair condition & now I feel somewhat more human lol.
Off to do DH his hot cross buns - have a good day all

vhalla1478

Silvasava, I endorse what you say about buying peppercorns (and all other spices) in Asian shops - so much cheaper and better to grind them from a 'foodie' point of view as you need them.

Goodadvice - I watched part of Noah but lost interest when I saw all his sons had modern haircuts and that Noah and his wife had bedside lights! Come on TV makers, let's have a bit of reality, please.

Speaking of TV - I've been meaning to mention this for the last few days - did anyone see Benedict Cumberbatch reading the poet laureate's poem 'Richard' at Richard the Third's re-interment - a most moving and spine tingling poem , beautifully read by apparently Richard's descendant - third cousin sixteen times removed.

Viv xx

cheerfulness4

Will it ever stop pouring? I'm itching to get out in that garden and begin the work we've planned.

Caught up with my first spends of the month. I'll post them now as I'm off out later.

WED 1ST APR 2015
DAY 1

Money Spent Today - £2.85 Vouchers Spent - £0
Money Spent in Total - £2.85 Vouchers Spent in Total - £0
Money left in purse - £0.15 - Float left- £8.74/£15
Jan non-foods left- £10.02/£15

New month and a chance to stock up a bit. From Aldi we bought 750g 'Readybrek' @ £1.49, 600g Parsnips @ 39p, 1kg bananas @ 68p and Leeks @ 29p. These all came out of the grocery budget.

From the extras budget we went got 1kg of sugar @ 49p, 300g Nescafe coffee @ £4.69, 1x flan case @ 69p and a Pasta n Sauce @ 39p.

From the non-foods budget we bought from Poundstretcher 125g Colgate @ 49p, 1x 6 wheelie binliners @ £1 and 1 pk of 3 Blitz kitchen rolls @ £3.49.


THUR/FRI 2ND & 3R APR
DAYS 2 & 3

Money Spent Today - £0 Vouchers Spent - £0
Money Spent in Total - £2.85 Vouchers Spent in Total - £0
Money left in purse - £6.15 - Float left- £8.74/£15
Jan non-foods left- £10.02/£15

NSD.


While I was on my own this morning I used the flan case bought on Wednesday to make a fruit flan with a tin of apricots that I can't remember buying as it was so long ago and a Quick Gel, also from yonks ago. Grandkiddies are visiting tomorrow and they love that sort of thing.


I'm going to be cheating and having fish and chips tomorrow when family come as I've not been so good recently and DH and I decided that a completely carefree day is in order. I want to spend my time enjoying the kiddies and relaxing. I love fish and chips, as do the rest, so I'm really looking forward to it.
DH and I are sharing because the portions are huge!

Sunday we are back to our frugal best and having that lovely YS joint of lamb I got last week. I've already checked that there's still mint sauce ready. :drool:

[Deleted User]

peppercorns sound an excellent idea if only I had an asian supermarket near to me. I will have a shufti next time I go to my sis-in-laws as Macknades Farm Shop at Faversham may sell them,they sell all sorts of wonderful stuff and I always spent bundles in there.I could spend all day just walking round smelling things in there. Its like Harrods food hall (along with the prices :):))
Nice quiet day watching tv and knitting and generally just slothing out.Weather is really nasty and wet so I'm pleased I didn't have to go out at all

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

I buy most of my herbs; spices; rice and noodles in a Chinese supermarket - we have 3 here in Milton Keynes (dont shoot me! I know it is the land of consumerism - where folks go weekly to the Temple of Commercialism (the City Centre) to sacrifice their lives on their Credit Cards but I am only a migrant worker here and intend to head home to Cornwall ASAP!!) Anyway you can really save monies in these places but quantities are large but luckily I can always share them with DS1 (he lives in Northampton!)

Fabulous food tonight!! Parsnip pastry with creamy leeks in white sauce on top. Having returned home - am determined not to go shopping until I have had some clients so I have some money to go shopping with!!! LOL So hopefully I can follow Viv's and Jackie O's example and hardly go out! bought milk today -45p!
This is an old recipe from the War days from my MILs friend:

Parsnip pastry: Steam 1 LB parsnips - mash with 1/2 teaspoon French mustard (Dijon), salt and pepper, add one level tablespoon plain flour. Oil a pie dish with olive oil then press in the 'pastry' Bake in oven for 10 mins - GM6 or 200C
Meanwhile prepare Topping: either white sauce - Saute 1 leek and 1 clove garlic (crushed/finely chopped) - remove from heat - sprinkle in 1 level tablespoon plain flour - put back on heat stirring so flour cooks a bit - remove from heat and SLOWLY stir in 1/2 pint of milk - return to heat and stir until thick. Or just make up sauce and add cooked cauliflower or broccoli.
Put Topping onto Parsnip Pastry. Top again with grated cheese or breadcrumbs and crushed walnuts. Put in oven for 20 mins. Serve.

Alternative topping : Tomato sauce based - saute an onion or leek - add garlic (crushed/ finely chopped) - stir in 1 tablespoon tomato puree - add other veg (mushrooms; peppers; green beans (chopped) or whatever needs using up) and can of tomatoes (chopped) - simmer until reduced and very thick. Top the Parsnip Pastry and Top again then bake as before.

Havent made this in years and forgotten how tasty it was - a good 'use up' dish for any bits of veg you may have only a few of! Enjoy folks
Must go to bed now!! Working tomorrow!:rotfl: