The 'I'm less money-idiot more money-savvy' Diary

judi24

takingcontrolatlast wrote: »

Hi Judi, you have had a productive morning:) You are not on your own with regards housework and maintenance being an issue - i would describe my home as "lived in";)! Everyone mucks in to some extent though constant battle with my 18yr old to do anything voluntary :mad:

Ive noticed a lot people freeze food - apologies for being stupid but its something ive never done (i do have freezer with peas, fish, ice cream, chips and ice for the alcohol) being the main ingredients. Im just not sure what HM food i can freeze - any tips where to begin?

I am not sure making lists is technically productive - productive would be making things on the list happen - which has not occurred so far today!!!! But I do like a good plan! and I might (only might!!!) get myself motivated to do something other than lazing around on the computer later!


I am the same with my 21 year old - she doesn't do anything voluntarily and she is currently parked on the couch with a duvet and a hangover!!! the mere suggestion of 'doing something to help' got the response of 'I'm not technically here as I was meant to be away this weekend so not doing anything even though I am here!' - :mad:


To be honest - I freeze almost anything!!! Not sure if you are meant to but I haven't killed anyone yet!
I cook most things from scratch and usually have a portion at least left over so that goes in a plastic tub and get thrown in the freezer (freezer surprise - as I often don't label it so don't actually know what I have taken out until it is defrosted!!). I freeze leftover veg from a roast and turn it into bubble and squeak at a later date, and any leftover bits of meat that get added to some sort of pasta concoction! I even freeze milk so I have one in reserve to save me nipping into the local shop and spending £20 co I have run out. I need to be a little careful with this as my DS is obsessed with sell by/use by dates and if he sees milk that looks out of date because it has been frozen he won't use it! If I have veg that is about to turn in the fridge I either make it into soup with a couple of stock cubes and freeze it for me for work, or blanch it and freeze it in portions to use later. You would be amazed at what I have in my freezer! I might do the inventory properly and list it on here just for fun and you can see what I keep! I have done that before and posted on the OS board an the lovely peeps on there respond by coming up with some really inventive recipe suggestions!


Off to do a freezer inventory now- you have got me thinking what else I freeze (I have 2 freezers! - so it might take a while!)

judi24

Ok freezer inventory done - It's quite amazing how much 'stuff' I have in there!!! My plan is to post it on the OS board and get people to comment about what I can make with it all - if I am creative I'm sure I could live on this plus fresh bits and half my grocery bill for Jan and Feb at least!


Here goes!!!


Meat/fish/veg protein
2 chicken breasts
Pack of minced beef
Large piece of rump steak (YS item)
Cooked pork (LO roast)
Cooked ham (LO from Christmas)
6 large good quality burgers
3 sausages
5 x square sliced sausage (DD2 brought them back from Scotland so cant really use them)
1 lemon sole fillet (very old YS item I think)
1 tuna steak
1 small pack smoked salmon shavings (YS item)
1 pack mini turkey kievs
2 packs chicken livers
2 veggies sausages
1/4 pack quorn pieces
1 pack chicken tikka masala
tub of HM chicken stock


Veg and fruit
Blackberries - from autumn foraging
Elderberries - as above
Fruit salad
Several part used packs of sweet corn
Several part used packs of peas
Mixed veg
Corn on the cobs
3 tubs cooked red cabbage
1 tub mashed potato and cabbage
Pack of Mediterranean veg - not sure this will defrost well as it has raw courgette in it! (YS item)
Almost full large pack oven chips


Bread
1 Garlic baguette
2 Part baked baguettes
2 Garlic flatbread
1 loaf brown bread
1 pack potato scones
1 ball pizza dough (2 small pizzas)
1 pack pitta breads
1 pack sandwich thins
1 pack bread rolls


Other bits
1/2 pack profiteroles
3 tubs icecream (part used)
1 tub double cream
1/2 pack mozzarella sticks
2 tubs soup (1 parsnip 1 turkey and rice)
2 tubs left over pasta bake
1 pack 4 cheese tortellini (YS item)


Now just need to create a menu plan!!! (after this week I will have used the chicken breasts, mince and going to do a sausage casserole instead of stew so will use the 3 sausages - to add to the 4 I have in the fridge)

patanne

What is it about males and use by dates. My DS was in his middle 20s before he would let anything ON DATE pass his lips (if he knew). He has just began to accept eating some things actually past their used by dates - he's in his 30s now. I got quite good at removing yellow stickers without leaving a mark & also at obliterating use by dates.

Of course it didn't help that I have a very poor sense of smell (since I gave up smoking many years ago - yes I know that is supposed to improve your sense of smell & make you fitter - that is not ALWAYS true) and used to ask him to come and smell something cos I wasn't sure if it was off or not.

ETA the courgette should be fine especially when stir fried. Big favorite here.

takingcontrolatlast

Well sunday is supposedly a day of rest so lazing on Sofa sounds good to me Judy :j

Kids always have an answer for everything dont they! mine bicker like mad about whose turn it is to wash dishes or whatever and then im dragged into it like its my fault - wish i could turn back the clock to nappies and bottles and i didnt think id ever say that

thanks for getting back to me with freezer suggestions. im ashamed to say all these years ive thrown the veg away! How stupid and wasteful ive been:eek: having roast today so i will defo freeze whats left for bubble n squeak (my mum used to make that) - left over meat i either take to work on sandwich or make curry with - so thats a brownie point! i think blanch is part boil then cool then freeze?

I do like HM soup but in work the microwave is absolutely "yuk" im frightened to use it, but others do so maybe if i clean it and then brave up to use it... i'll see as bored of sandwiches! And ive never frozen soup. There's a whole new world i havent explored :rotfl:
What is the OS board please Judy? And I look forward to seeing your inventory of 2 !!! freezers. BTW i got a slow cooker for xmas off OH - how romantic ... can i defrost overnight and put in slow cooker next day? i cant believe im writing this i sound so stupid! Ive always been home to cook teas fresh but now ive increased hours im in after 6 and just dont want to start standing in kitchen all night zzz

judi24

Yes takingcontrolatlast - blanching is preparing the veg as you would cook it, place in boiling water for a few mins drain let it cool and stick it in the freezer. It helps preserve the colour and texture I think!


A good way to clean the microwave is this


http://lifehacker.com/use-a-lemon-to-make-cleaning-the-microwave-easy-1525960405


Just shove it in the microwave switch on and come back 10 mins later wipe it out with a cloth and it should be sparkly and fresh.


The OS board is the old style board - it further down the list on the forum list - and is great for helpful ideas on doing things the old style frugal way - lovely people over there too!!! If you post what you have in you fridge, freezer etc people will come up with idea of what you can make - there are also indexed collections for virtually anything - cooking and cleaning related - its very helpful I have found some amazing tips on there.


I have a slow cooker - I either prep the night before or in the morning before work and switch on in the morning - dinner ready when I get in. My mum looks after the kids most evenings after school and she isn't great at cooking - so this way I don't have to start with dinner prep when I get in from work - there are some good cook books for it but again the OS thread has lots of tips. Cook extra and freeze it in portions for lunch in your new clean microwave or keep for days when an instant meal is needed (helps to prevent takeaways for me!)

kdalwayskint

Thanks Judi, I'm gonna have to try that microwave thing mine is really old (I reckon it must be about 15 years old as my ex husband owned it before we got married in 2004) it's great it's one of those combo ones. To be fair I mostly use it for porridge in the morning but it does fairly nice jacket spuds and is handy if I haven't taken anything out of the freezer!

judi24

It works really well - and so easy too - smells lovely!!! - and great for when you buy lemons for something and don't use them!!!

judi24

Ok today has not been practically productive - but I do feel much better having a few plans in place now to help me through the next few months. I get so frustrated and down about the house - the issue is it is a big house (5 bedrooms, 2 lounges, conservatory, dinning kitchen etc) and its a lot to keep clean and maintain on my own never mind pay for and I have often thought about down sizing - however I still have 3 kids at home and one who might end up coming back later in the year and its in a good place for schools and public transport etc. It is affordable and will be easily affordable when debt free) but I get so down when I see everything needing doing! I don't seem to have the energy, motivation, skills and money to get on top of it! yes I could pay a cleaner, gardener, handyman etc but I want to get the debt paid off and I hate paying for things if I can do it myself - my ex was great at DIY bit for the year before we split he had bought his own house and was doing that up so nothing got done in my house and last year was just a write off in relation to doing anything other than surviving.


So this year what I want to do is to get on top of some of the smaller (and cheaper) jobs so that when I am debt free I am in a position to just save for the more expensive things that I want done. I am happy to stay in this house - I want pay off the mortgage quicker than the 18 years I have left but also have the house the way I want it and well maintained.


So I have been thinking (been doing a lot of that recently to the point where I can't sleep) and decided I need a plan! Need to be able to see what it is I need to do, prioritise and get things done so I feel like I am moving forward this year not just standing still and paying debt!


As I posted earlier I have around £100 a month 'spare' in my budget to do bits to the house which I will put away with my emergency fund money. If I save on the other elements of my budget (like food shopping and entertainment) I will be able to do more.


I also want to note that I have almost no DIY skills or tools (for some reason each time I have split up (3 times in total!) they have taken their (our) tools with them! I have tool box with and electric screwdriver and a hammer but not much else!!!


So my next post is going to be the lists!!! I have 3 in total:


one for things I can do myself and won't cost anything or only a little
one for things that either will cost a little more or I need help to do
one for big things that will have to wait until I have no debt

judi24

So list 1 - things that need doing that I can do myself and won't cost anything (except time and energy) or very little!


1. De clutter everywhere - this might even be profitable if I can get my act together and ebay or car boot!

2. Deep clean everywhere

3. decorate kitchen - had a leak last year in bathroom which affected kitchen ceiling. I have sealed it but need to paint kitchen and give it a bit of face lift and reorganisation - not an expensive job - got white paint so only need the wall colour and I have £120 in Ne*t vouchers to buy and nice bits to spruce it up. I would like some shelves on the empty wall but not sure my DIY skills are up to that!

4. Sort out TV in family room and reorganise so that kids actually want to use it! - TV used to have second cable box but cancelled to cut costs - result is TV doesn't work so would be good to sort it to even play DVD's (whole room needs sorting but that will be on another list)

5. Tidy garden - this is quite a big job - I would like to grow more so need to do quite a lot to get garden ready for that

6. Fix garage door and chop up old fence panels to burn in chimnea (will need help here as I don't have the tools or the physical strength to do this on my own!)

7. reorganise and de clutter garage

8. Lounge - investigate getting couch fixed - have a big corner couch which I love and has got another few years wear in it (see third list!) but one seat (the one I sit on) has gone saggy underneath and I wonder if it could be repaired? Look at broken dining room chair and either fix or get it fixed! sort out remote controls so all devices actually work!!

9. Fix or replace a couple of lights (hall and outside front of house) I have tried to change bulbs but still not working!

10. Hang some pictures - used to have lots of family pictures on display going up the stairs but took them down to decorate and never put them back up again!

enthusiasticsaver

I think B and Q sometimes do free handyman (or woman:)) workshops so you could try going along to one of them. Not sure when they do them but I have seen leaflets in our local one. I feel for you as I am not diy inclined at all either, except for painting. Hubby much better. My friend who is on her own has a local handyman she just pays hourly to do odd jobs for her. Home maintenance is so expensive - I have to pay £400 tomorrow to get some trees lopped :mad: