Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

Onebrokelady

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

That's really good if you get six meals out of one pack of Quorn OBL. Quorn curry sounds yummy .

I'm slightly addicted to Linda McCartney mozarella burgers, which are half price in Mr T at the moment.

I have a banana and a satsuma every day as they are cheapish. Satsumas are lovely and juicy, and bananas are good food on the go and filling too.

I always buy the family pack so it's a bit bigger and goes further, I haven't tried Linda McCartney burgers they sound yummy,I don't normally eat oranges as I'm not keen on them but I have been craving them,I think my body needs vtiamin C

[Deleted User]

Must try the Linda McCartney burgers if I ever see them on offer. Thanks for the mention:T. I don't ever shop at Tesco but I expect Morrisons or Asda might have them. I'm not vegetarian but love things like that for a change. Difficult to know what to cook on one of my non-meat days that's quick, easy and tasty.


I must admit I eat masses of veg, always have and was never a child who my mother had problems with getting to eat my greens:rotfl:, but I rarely eat any fruit:eek:. OH is a big fruit eater, he comes back from the local market with carrier bags full every Saturday, usually grapes which he can eat in industrial quantities:eek:. There's a lot of natural sugar in grapes though, they can be a bad calorific choice as I understand it. He also loves pears and plums and buys loads of them in season. They are his 'treats', he pays for them himself, thank goodness. He hardly ever buys sweets or snacks. I pay for all the household food budget so we both think it fair that he buys his own 'treats'. I'm certainly not using my strict food budget to pay for the huge amount of grapes he can get through when he doesn't actually need them. He gets very well-fed by me as it is. He doesn't eat the fruit as a meal substitute or dessert, they are just in-between munches.


We've had a brilliant apple crop this year, our trees are still laden with various eating varieties and cooking apples. We both eat an apple a day and I often cook with the Bramleys but that's about my sum total of fruit consumption. Must do better:o

Willowtree222

You are right carboot about the fruit and the sugar. I am intolerant to sugar, so have to limit myself to one piece a day so if you're not wanting to eat it, it could be your bodies natural way of avoiding unnecessary sugar.

Hope you enjoy the coffee. There was a thing on MSE about having unlimited coffee at Starbucks for £1.30. Providing you bring your own cup. x

in_need_of_direction

I'd say don't completely forego gift exchange for you and DH. Last year we set a small limit for gifts for each other and it was good as we put more thought into what we spent the pennies on. I nearly blew the budget when I saw a pair of cuff links that at £6 would have taken me over the limit but I knew he would love. When I went to pay, they had a further 50% off so I hit the budget on the nose. I also loved that I got the kind of thing that I'm always looking for round the house e.g. Black hair elastics, emery boards, etc. it was also quite nice to see the thought that had gone into the purchases as opposed to buying more desirable but less useful things.

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Must try the Linda McCartney burgers if I ever see them on offer. Thanks for the mention:T. I don't ever shop at Tesco but I expect Morrisons or Asda might have them. I'm not vegetarian but love things like that for a change. Difficult to know what to cook on one of my non-meat days that's quick, easy and tasty.


I must admit I eat masses of veg, always have and was never a child who my mother had problems with getting to eat my greens:rotfl:, but I rarely eat any fruit:eek:. OH is a big fruit eater, he comes back from the local market with carrier bags full every Saturday, usually grapes which he can eat in industrial quantities:eek:. There's a lot of natural sugar in grapes though, they can be a bad calorific choice as I understand it. He also loves pears and plums and buys loads of them in season. They are his 'treats', he pays for them himself, thank goodness. He hardly ever buys sweets or snacks. I pay for all the household food budget so we both think it fair that he buys his own 'treats'. I'm certainly not using my strict food budget to pay for the huge amount of grapes he can get through when he doesn't actually need them. He gets very well-fed by me as it is. He doesn't eat the fruit as a meal substitute or dessert, they are just in-between munches.


We've had a brilliant apple crop this year, our trees are still laden with various eating varieties and cooking apples. We both eat an apple a day and I often cook with the Bramleys but that's about my sum total of fruit consumption. Must do better:o

Nicnak wrote: »

You are right carboot about the fruit and the sugar. I am intolerant to sugar, so have to limit myself to one piece a day so if you're not wanting to eat it, it could be your bodies natural way of avoiding unnecessary sugar.

Hope you enjoy the coffee. There was a thing on MSE about having unlimited coffee at Starbucks for £1.30. Providing you bring your own cup. x

Nicnak is right about the fruit, the veg is probably better for you in a way. I only have two pieces of fruit a day and often no veg at all, so I could a lot better . You are lucky having an apple tree Carboot.

The Linda M mozarella burgers are lovely. I have to tell DH not to eat them . Bit pricey at £2 for two :eek: but they are half price at Mr T atm.

HairyHandofDartmoor

in_need_of_direction wrote: »

I'd say don't completely forego gift exchange for you and DH. Last year we set a small limit for gifts for each other and it was good as we put more thought into what we spent the pennies on. I nearly blew the budget when I saw a pair of cuff links that at £6 would have taken me over the limit but I knew he would love. When I went to pay, they had a further 50% off so I hit the budget on the nose. I also loved that I got the kind of thing that I'm always looking for round the house e.g. Black hair elastics, emery boards, etc. it was also quite nice to see the thought that had gone into the purchases as opposed to buying more desirable but less useful things.

What a bargain INOD. Thoughtful low cost gifts are nice.

We do usually get each other something. Maybe I can find him a book in the charity shop. I have got him some half price Matchmakers and a half price chocolate orange. He would be devastated at a Christmas with no sugar!

jwil

That's frustrating about the energy bill, I pay quarterly actual bills because I was fed up with the constant changing of DD. I prefer the credit to be in my account rather than theirs!

[Deleted User]

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

What a bargain INOD. Thoughtful low cost gifts are nice.

We do usually get each other something. Maybe I can find him a book in the charity shop. I have got him some half price Matchmakers and a half price chocolate orange. He would be devastated at a Christmas with no sugar!

I recall something earlier about your DH being diabetic, HH, or did I get the wrong end of the stick:o? How does he cope with all the sugar in the chocolates and biscuits that he likes?

The idea of a book is great, something to enjoy and keep long after Christmas has been and gone. I've just discovered a small box of books I treated myself to with Christmas money and Waterstones vouchers last year. I had to buy them from normal bookshops not my usual charity shops or table top sales but I waited until they had a sale on or 3 for 2 offers. I put them away to enjoy later, being a rare treat as they were pristine and not already used, and completely forgot all about them:o.


I expect you don't feel much like reading at the moment, HH, with all the emotional events that you've had recently. I felt exactly the same at such times and when I was ill earlier this year I couldn't concentrate on anything even enjoying a book. I'm getting back into it again now though thank goodness. I don't watch much TV and have missed my reading.

HairyHandofDartmoor

jwil wrote: »

That's frustrating about the energy bill, I pay quarterly actual bills because I was fed up with the constant changing of DD. I prefer the credit to be in my account rather than theirs!

If we could get a bit more money in I would prefer to do it that way I think. We owe them money though (due to the meter not being read for a year) so until that debt is paid we can't pay quarterly (I don't think) or switch supplier :mad:.

We had this trouble with our BT broadband and phone. We were paying £60 a month and they wanted to raise it to £90 a month because we were using more. When I asked them what exactly we were using more of they couldn't tell me. So we switched to another supplier for £47 a month. Then when we we got our final bill from BT we were in credit :mad:. So why were they trying to raise it to £90 then? :mad:

HairyHandofDartmoor

carbootcrazy wrote: »

I recall something earlier about your DH being diabetic, HH, or did I get the wrong end of the stick:o? How does he cope with all the sugar in the chocolates and biscuits that he likes?

The idea of a book is great, something to enjoy and keep long after Christmas has been and gone. I've just discovered a small box of books I treated myself to with Christmas money and Waterstones vouchers last year. I had to buy them from normal bookshops not my usual charity shops or table top sales but I waited until they had a sale on or 3 for 2 offers. I put them away to enjoy later, being a rare treat as they were pristine and not already used, and completely forgot all about them:o.


I expect you don't feel much like reading at the moment, HH, with all the emotional events that you've had recently. I felt exactly the same at such times and when I was ill earlier this year I couldn't concentrate on anything even enjoying a book. I'm getting back into it again now though thank goodness. I don't watch much TV and have missed my reading.

DH is diabetic so he only has chocolate for Christmas and birthday, etc.

I can't concentrate on reading or tv at the moment, but hopefully I will be able to eventually.

That's lovely that you found some new books Carboot