Not Buying It- A Consumer Holiday 2016

chirpycheap

Thankyou for some super ideas on eating healthily on a budget.

Greenbee: I love the idea of buying up fruit and vegetables when cheaper and freezing them. I often disregard cheap fruit and vegetables because I don't see how I could use them before they go off but freezing would certainly be a great way of making use of special offers.
I haven't made yoghurt since the 1980s when I bought a Salton Yoghurt Maker (does anyone remember them?) but I was only ever able to make yoghurt that would strip paint. However I am up for a challenge so will be researching this idea.
I have a seed sprouter gathering dust somewhere so that needs to be reused as I do love alfalfa sprouts. Can't remember where I bought the seeds from though so more research on that one.

Wildthing01: I will soon have a lot more time on my hands so growing my own in the garden sounds like a good idea. Herbs on the windowsill is something I've been meaning to do but haven't got around to it-roll on spring!
Love the frozen banana idea and I will certainly be doing that. I've never tried cheap yoghurt so am probably missing out on perfectly tasty food so I will definitely be trying some of the value ranges of yoghurt.

Jackie O: Fruit soup sounds like a great idea and would presumably keep for a day or two in the fridge once I've made it?

Thank you so much for taking the time to post some ideas. Much appreciated:)

mavvymoo

greenbee wrote: »

Good running shoes are an investment Mav. They save you having to pay for gym membership/diets/therapy Running gets you outside, gets the endorphins going and means you can eat what you like... I must get organised so I have time to go today. I also need to make some time to go and get some new running shoes - I'm using a new running app that allows you to track how many miles you have used your shoes for and when to replace them which seems like a good idea!

Mine had done about 450 miles Yep I love running and it is my therapy for sure.I do belong to a gym as well but for under £10 a week I get full use of the spa as well as the pool etc. So use it at least 5 times a week so for under £2 a time I do think its pretty good value

Still not opening my purse to buy unwanted carp Just buying what I need to buy and spending what I need to spend

and no extras thrown in So I am happy with that.

Mav x

GrannyKate

Not strictly NBI but gave just had email to say I have won £100 national garden vouchers. That will pay for my bedding plants for pots this summer and some veggie seeds and seedlings. Otherwise just 20p spend for tea at history group.

[Deleted User]

GrannyKate , thats brilliant and so useful if you have the room maybe a few raspberry canes or a fruit bush or two it would be good for freezing exrta berries for the winter.

My DGS help me forage for blackberries in season and I usually have several bags of frozen apples that I have stewed and frozen for times like now when crumbles or just a few berries in the porridge or yogurt brightens up the day.

Chirpycheap: she says in the fridge it will keep very well through the week and I have done this and she's right its a great way to get some fruit portions without breaking the bank

GrannyKate

Jackie - I have a small patch of loganberries and raspberries and we had lots of fruit last year. I have lost my gooseberry bush so may replace that.

butterfly2507

Hello fellow ship mates :beer:

We normally go grocery shopping on Saturday but we only did a short stop at the gas station since we didn't need that much! :T Then I went ahead today and bought season 10 of my favorite tv show!

You could chose between season 10.1 & 10.2 for 12,99 each which had some behind the scene & some other bonus stuff on them. I bought the complete season without the bonus for 16 €. Honestly, I think that bonus stuff is overrated anyway :rotfl:

firesidemaid

chirpycheap wrote: »

My plan is to swap some of my expensive buys for cheaper ones so more cabbage and fewer fancy salads. Fewer posh fruits and absolutely no ready prepared pots of fruit and organic will have to be a treat. I'll be looking at offers on fruit and vegetables in the supermarket. I must admit that I'm set in my ways but I'll be exploring frozen fruit and vegetables. I know tinned vegetables are cheaper, I'm not keen but I'm willing to revisit them.

Do people buy yellow stickered fruit and vegetables and find that they are okay? I always worry that they will be inedible. I once bought a YS bag of lettuce and it was rotten when I opened it and it's sort of put me off.
What tricks and tactics do other canny shoppers use to keep down the cost of fruit and vegetables?

LIDLL is where I now start for fruit & veg, but generally buy what is on offer/seasonal. also value ranges. when it comes to YS fruit n veg, I try & go for the more robust / forgiving varieties

firesidemaid

Well, as we adopted our rescue pup a week ago and have incurred some initial planned expenses we are now being very frugal regards everything else to pay for it out of our budgets.

Have been making h/m pizzas, pitta breads, falafels and hummous. A few YS bargains from marks at work and generally just making do.


I am really trying to stay out of the food shops & use alternatives and what's in the cupboards where poss. Got 2 massive punnets of cherries for 45p each (instead of £4.25 each), and so will make some cakes with these.


We even managed to get a fab, excellent quality coat for him from an animal cs for only £1.50.

Aril

Day 18/366 NSD. have bought home some teacakes a client gave me which are at date. She knows I'll eat them whereas she will throw them away!
Arilx

Lynplatinum

Ahoy there all

Over to DS1 and his GF and made them sit down and do all the forms to claim for the benefits they can get now, and after babe is born (ok there are some bits we couldnt fill in yet but brains will be scrambled once babe is here!

Took them to Aldi (they do not have a car so it saves them carrying!) and was very good - I kept on saying NSD and NBI under my breath!! Only purchase was on Aldi Super 6 for 59p some red onions as I have had requests for my caramalised onion chutney again and I said I would make some once I saw onions on offer!!!

House is groaning with food - just from £13 purchases + an hour cooking yesterday! Incredible! I just feel very lucky! And its a lot to do with you lot on here :A changing my attitude to money - now how can I alter my viewpoint on chocolate cake????????????????
:rotfl:
Nite all