Please help me get BACK TO THE BASICS of os moneysaving

[Deleted User]

Menu making I think is a must.I do my menus every Sunday morning just before I do all the prep for the weeks veg.I have done this every week almost for over 50 years.My late Mum did the same,so I guess I am just following what she did.

My youngest DD who has a large family (only three lads left at home at the moment) has a menu on a board in her kitchen and their meals revolve around that.

Both her and her OH work full time and I am there after school and during the holidays for the three boys ,so often I will do the veg prep in the afternoon for he or get stuff out and ready for her or her OH to cook when they get in They eat late for dinner as DD often doesn't get in until 6.45 in the evening but I make the boys a snack when they get in from school so they won't expire We are all organised and her house runs quite well as everyone knows whats for dinner and whats needed.

The boys all muck in with the odd bit of hoovering and tidying up (or a frown from Granny ) but they are good lads and know that given the choice Mum would rather be at home, but its not an option at the moment

Her eldest son is at Uni so we both help him out with an extra bit of cash now and again . a lot is down to being organised really Both she and I batch cook at the weekends as I often don't get back to my own house for dinner until gone seven some nights so I don't want to be standing cooking really.

I batch cook mince meals of curry,lasagne,chilli's and shepherd's pies.Stuff I can easily whip out of the freezer and stick in the fridge in the morning and zap in the microwave in the evening .My pre-prepped veg in water in the fridge is easily steamed in 10 minutes for dinner.

I think a decent chunk of minced beef goes a good way as a basic builder in a lot of meals.I always try to buy the best that I can as often cheap minced beef is full of fat .I still pre-prepare it as my Mum did though before cooking I will bung it in a pan just covered with water and bring to the boil for a few minutes to get rid of any fat, then drain before using in various ways.Even best minced beef has fatty bits in it and its the meat I want to eat not the fat .

An overnight SC cooked chicken will have meat falling off the bones and gives you not only every scrap of meat (handy for curries etc) but a great stock that if poured into a jug and once cold skimmed of fat leaving a nice tasty jelly is useful as stock for virtually any sort of soup and a 'free' by product
as my wise old Mum would say 'cheap is good but free is better' :):)

lessonlearned

I had the misfortune to have a car accident last week and have been suffering from whiplash. Luckily I had some home cooked "ready meals" in the freezer, also easy things like sausages, frozen chips, hash browns, potatoe croquettes. Also cous cous, pasta and microwave rice in the cupboards plus of course all my spices and bits and pieces. With all that and just buying salad bits I've managed very well considering my neck, shoulders and back have been killing me and I've had splitting headaches.

It just goes to show that it's good to have easy things to hand for those days when we are ill or tired or out of action for any reason. Some of the meals have been a bit basic, tonight's was sausage, oven chips and baked beans :rotfl: but at least I have been able to cobble meals together and not had to waste money on ready meals or takeaways.

just_trying

Hope your okay, my son was involved in a accident recently, idiot driver pulled out in front of him, though it's been straight forward as they admitted liability straight away.

Never noticed him though wearing very hi vis. I said to go through his insurance though he's happy enough with the offer, he's young and wants it over !!.

Broken bone, cuts, bruises and shoulder and neck pain, went over bonnet.

milasavesmoney

Bulk cooked yesterday and now have loads of meals from two different recipes. I had bought 6lbs of hamburger (mince as you say)divided it into sections, then used it I'm my recipes and packed the rest to freeze. I try to always buy it on sale in a good meat/fat ratio as Jackie said. The good stuff goes on sale every three months.

As sales come in cycles, I try to buy what I need and have it last until the next time it goes on sale. This is especially true towards Christmas when a good brand of spices that I like goes on sale for 50% off once a year. In that case look at expiration dates!!

thriftwizard

You'd all be very proud of me & my DD2... last night we were carefully stitching around a floaty little sun-dress that's taken just 1m of fabric! And she's made her last few dresses (and a gorgeous playsuit) herself, mostly from patterns she's found free online, printed out, & pieced together, which almost takes longer than actually making the garment. OK, there's a cost in paper, ink & sellotape, but much less than the £7 or £8 for an up-to-the-minute designer pattern. She's also turned a couple of her father's worn-out shirts into little dresses; he's 6'2" so wears an x-large although not overweight, and she's a size 8-10 although quite tall herself, so it works on her & she looks like a off-duty film star in them, given a pair of £land sunglasses & bling-y sandals. Mind you I'd look like a sack tied in the middle - not to mention mutton dressed as lamb!

And her friend, a costume graduate, is going to teach her to draft her own patterns in return for crochet & vegetarian cookery lessons - NOT involving Quorn & McCartney, but chick peas, lentils & spices. So there is hope for the younger generation... and it all seems very new & exciting to them!

monnagran

Some lovely posts here and some that I find very nostalgic.
Those of us who are of an older generation have known real deprivation, not just the annoyance of not having the latest gadget or having stern letters from the bank about excessive overdrafts.

I was born before the war and would never wish the way we had to live on anyone, but my goodness, didn't it make us grateful for each and every little step towards an easier life?

We were also expected to be independent at an early age. I went off to College at 18 and from then on my life was under my own control. I had lovely parents who were always interested in what I was doing, always ready to listen and offer advice but never, never interfered or 'helped out'. It was made very clear that once we left home our lives were our own.

When our generation moved into our own flats or got married we expected to make-do. When we visited newly wed friends and found them sitting round the fire in deck chairs we didnt blink an eyelid. When they entertained us with beans on toast and orange squash in wedding present crystal glasses, we didnt turn a hair. Our expectations were minimal.
I tried to explain to my own children that they were expecting to start off their married life with the equipment that it had taken me 30 years to acquire.

However, this has strayed far away from the thread. Blame JackieO, she has this effect on me.

x

Teacher2

I agree with all the excellent suggestions for money saving above and would like to add a couple that haven't been mentioned.

The most important things in frugal living is to be aware of your finacial situation all the time down to the last penny. Buy an account book from W.H. Smith or do an online SOA or spreadsheet. Put all of your income and outgoings into it and forward plan for bills coming up. Work out your true disposable income every month and spend only that - but- only after you have saved something for a rainy day. If you can't afford something save for it or go without.

Another area for saving which hasn't been flagged up is that of birthdays, Christmas or special occasions. They often break budgets and land people in debts they cannot pay down easily. So:-

-Have spending limits and stick to them, do 'Secret Santas' instead of buying everyone something and limit Chrismas gifts to children only.
- Tell friends and relatives you are cutting down and limit exchange gifts to a fiver or a homemade cake or present.
-Ask for essentials for birthdays (new coat or shoes for example).
-Save up Tesco's points and use them for gifts.
-Have your own 'Christmas Club' where you put a fixed amount away into a savings account for Christmas food and drinks.
-Buy cards and paper in January sales for the next year
-Instead of sending cards through the post get a Jacqui Lawson subscription to free e-cards and send them on all occasions (£13 for two years and unlimited year-round, all occasion cards)
-Have 'no present' agreements with relatives such as spouses and parents - at least until you are flush again
-Ask for debts to frinds and family be partly or wholly cancelled as your present
-Ask for small contributions to 'crowdshare' a big ticket present

Good luck.

Teacher2

I have an empty used 10 litre emulsion paint tub that I stick in the shower and run the water into that and usually get at least three quarters of a tubfull of water.This goes on my lawn and shrubs rather than use the hose to water the garden.

I put the plug in when I shower to monitor how much water I am using (to keep the amount less than that of a bath) and also to warm my poor cold feet up.

Teacher2

milasavesmoney wrote: »

Making a small change in habits can make a real difference.

For example, cut down on coffee out and alcohol consumption. Becoming mindful of where your money is leaking out can make a real difference.

For me it was wasting food and too many meals in restaurants/ take away.

Anyone else want to add a bad habit that needs changing?

Yes. Using the tumble dryer on warm days. I must knock that on the head as it costs about 50p an hour to use the TD. It's not as though I mind hanging out and getting in the washing. I just don't like the whirligig dryer messing up the view in my lovely garden. How 'peel me a grape' is that! Smacked wrist.

Teacher2

"I tried to explain to my own children that they were expecting to start off their married life with the equipment that it had taken me 30 years to acquire."

I agree. However, when children go off to university they now leave home with an 'Argos bottom drawer' of kettle, duvet and bedding, mugs, teapot etc. so when they come to set up in their first places after graduating they have the basis off their own equipment and you don't have to buy it for them again. If they want fancy stuff they can save for it themselves. I bought my DD cheapo mugs and then when she wanted special 'Alice in Wonderland' mugs at £10 a pop she had to buy them herself or ask for them as birthday or Christmas presents.