Not Buying It- A Consumer Holiday 2016

tatabubbly

Morning all!

NBI here - but not a NSD. Got to pop out and get the remainder of the bird cages for my sisters wedding, and then figure out how to transport them on the plane

Also, I need more eggs and onions. OH has given me the car today so I've already left him off to work and returned. I need to get up and do the dishes but it's so cosy curled up with a book in bed.

dND

chirpycheap wrote: »

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 bought a cheap L!dl's yoghurt maker about 15 years ago. After a couple of goes faffing about with heating the milk etc. all I got was pretty poor yoghurt. True to my hoarder self it then languished at the back of the cupboard until a few years ago :eek:

Lightbulb moment came when I read that you didn't need to steriise the milk if you use UHT and you didn't get 'starter' problems if you use a fresh starter each time. So that's what I do now; I use the live yoghurt from L!dl, which I buy as a 12-pack and will last in the fridge way past it's use by date. (simple rule, if the lid is concaved or flat it is OK, if it's domed up it isn't )

So one small bought yoghurt makes a litre of HM yoghurt with only mixing to be done. The texture is different as I use semi-skim milk and I don't add dried milk powder. It's more like a thick drinking yoghurt but I now prefer the taste to bought yoghurt. I know exactly what is in it and I use home-made jam or syrups or fresh fruit to sweeten it if I want and I know exactly how much sugar I am adding.

I also found I have to use the maximum cook time to get a reasonable set so if you have problems with the set, experiment with the warming time. Good luck

wildthing01

Well, I have an extremely rare day off work without the kids today (using up some annual leave before year end in April) - I never get a day off without the kids as my leave usually all goes on school holidays. I don't partic need it for childcare as DH is available during sch hols, but as a full-time working mother, I have always felt that I ought to spend all my available spare time with the kids. Am coming round to the idea now they're a bit older though that I do need a tiny bit of time to myself, else I'll be running myself into the ground. I work flexibly and can mostly fit my work in around the school day/working from home, so I do all the school runs and before and after school care as well as working full time hours, so feel I am perhaps owed a bit of a day on my own every now and then, and maybe work some of the sch hols!

Anyway. Was really looking forward to lovely lazy day on my own, but instead have had to go to doctors for inhaler as my mild asthma been getting steadily worse, and now have to drive 40 mins to collect ebay purchase (wooden stools for kitchen, £20 the pair, to be painted to match kitchen). The next day off next week will be spent baking DD's birthday cake, and trying to make it look like her favourite character from her fave computer game. So that will def not be relaxing either!

Not a NSD as had to pay for the inhaler prescription - it's over £8 now!! (it's a few years since I last had a prescription), but def a necessary purchase, I feel better already after just couple puffs.

Bathory

Good afternoon folks, I'm back and ready to board the 2016 ship.

I'm still adjusting to life without mum. The first 2 weeks or so when it happened was like a bad dream. I remained firmly on a 'Not Buying It' frame of mind when it came to the New Year sales as I haven't bought anything apart from a £2 pair of pj's. However, one thing I have noticed is that I've been comfort eating way too much and feeling like rubbish from consuming a lot of sugar. This is something I will have to rectify as I need to lose weight not put more on.

I start work at the beginning of February. My old boss from the job I was doing last year called to ask if I was ok to do a month or so for them and I agreed. I know its not much but it will give me some money, plus it should stop me from going a bit loopy in the house when I'm on my own.

One thing I have had to buy is a new laptop. My trusty old xp pc of 12 years finally broke down. I'm finding this new thing a bit awkward but guess that's because I've been use to the old machine for so long.

Thank you Aril for the new thread.

Rowan9

(((Bathory)))
X

Aril

Day 19/366 I have spent money on getting my hair cut and red highlights put in. It just gives me such a boost this time of year and keeps me from looking quite so wan. The salon is one where you don't book an appointment you just wait so it cost me £32 all in which for the South East is brilliant value. I used the time in town to run other errands and walked in. This morning I did 3 hours cleaning for a friend as part of a non cash exchange. She has made me another morris dancing jacket in return. As for this evening's entertainment I've just sorted out several bags of recycling for a local scheme [I have proper gloves!] which will raise money for charity.
Arilx

Greying_Pilgrim

Lynplatinum wrote: »

changing my attitude to money - now how can I alter my viewpoint on chocolate cake????????????????
:rotfl:

Lynplatinum - would a £1 chocolate cake recipe (excluding cooking costs) enable you to maintain your NSD NBI mantra? I found a recipe last year that is really quite good value, and certainly delivers something of a chocolatey 'hit'. You can see my version of it here and if you follow the link in the post (look for the *pink* text) it will take you to Sarah's website and the recipe. I actually make my own ganache, based on a 20+ yr old G00d F00d mag recipe, and tend to make it 'bitsa', but I enjoyed making the choc curls that were suggested. If you prefer, the cake batter can be made as individual buns, and un-iced, they freeze perfectly well.

HTH.

Greying

Lynplatinum

ahoy there

Wildthing - you are definitely entitled to time to yourself. You are a lynchpin of the family - if you breakdown it all falls apart. Book yourself some 'ME' time in your diary AND STICK TO IT! Don't let anything or anyone impinge on it!!! (The chores (or collecting stuff) somehow get done even if you dont do it!! This was the best piece of advice given to me by a busy full time working Mum of 4 when I asked her how she got so much done and was still sane! I pass it on to you!

Hey Bathory - welcome back!!

Well - I took some shore leave today and went out for lunch with my friend - yes, I could have been at home doing worthy NBI/MM&M stuff but I went and played hookey!! I paid £8 from my happy stash for a yum pub meal - since I drove my friend bought all the drinks - next time it will be the other way round!!!

Great food; great company; great laughs; great beer (only a half - coffee for the rest) great day!! Feel v lucky!

So, hopefully you will let me back on board to be working at NBI and MM&M tomorrow.
Nite all

Happytravelling

After high and mighty claims at the start of the week of being pretty good at steering clear of food brands, I have failed epically today and I’m not even certain that is a word.
Food shopping was done and dusted for £20 at the weekend (we weren’t home for Christmas so don’t have overflowing stocks, pretty chuffed with £20). OH has a bad throat infection. I only had 1 portion of frozen homemade soup, and after work I’ve also had to sort my mum’s landline out (seemed to not be working. She’s so good at NBI she still hasn’t replaced her broken mobile, leaving her without a phone. She had called my dad who is currently working away from my Gran’s phone, Dad rang me… and that’s how I ended up going to the rescue. To me fair, my 4 year old niece is sleeping over at my mum’s tonight so didn’t want her to be without a phone.) Anyway, that is why I’ve been weak and gone to buy some incredibly expensive (compared to mine!) soup as well as well- known branded energy drinks, yoghurt, milkshake and more soft fresh fruit that he can easily swallow. It felt a bit mean to deny these, he really isn’t good. !!!!!!- there goes another £15! But, if I’d spent more than £20 at the weekend, I’d still have spent nearly £15 anyway so it could be worse.
So I’m here sheepishly, but spurred on by everyone’s successes and confident that I’ll be back to normal and denying treats in the weekly shop!

Although Greying Pilgrim may have something to answer for when I sneak the ingredients for that cake into my trolley, it looks delicious

Greying_Pilgrim

Happytravelling wrote: »

Although Greying Pilgrim may have something to answer for when I sneak the ingredients for that cake into my trolley, it looks delicious

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Greying x