No Magic Money Tree....

beautiful_ravens

Katieowl wrote: »

I've never seen a sheep's skull, but I could nip over the fence and arrange one? Comes with a free freezer of lamb, and plenty of fat for home made soap and candles :rotfl:

I'm thinking of ways to expand our income, but whatever it is has to be physically possible, I've got eight years to go before I retire, and I'd quite like to survive until then, I'm one of the moved goalposts women!

:rotfl:A whole lamb is worth holding on to!

Aw gawd, my mother in law is one of the moved goalpost-ers, my own mother just nipped in on the last year before they changed it. My MIL started a degree last year on the presumption that she wouldnt have to ever pay off the fees...!

Anyway, as for making more money, providing/offering a service is a good way. Cooking lessons?

Katieowl

beautiful_ravens wrote: »

:rotfl:A whole lamb is worth holding on to!

Aw gawd, my mother in law is one of the moved goalpost-ers, my own mother just nipped in on the last year before they changed it. My MIL started a degree last year on the presumption that she wouldnt have to ever pay off the fees...!

Anyway, as for making more money, providing/offering a service is a good way. Cooking lessons?

I have done some cooking workshops before... Mmm maybe could resurrected that! Not sure how well it would pay round here though, every seems to be pretty much in same boat!

greenbee

Maybe you could do a Rayburn management masterclass once you've got the hang of it

Cooking classes for students used to go down well when I did them. (how to plan, budget, cook with one ring and a microwave... You could add 'how to use a washing machine and read clothes labels module too....)

Katieowl

greenbee wrote: »

Maybe you could do a Rayburn management masterclass once you've got the hang of it

Cooking classes for students used to go down well when I did them. (how to plan, budget, cook with one ring and a microwave... You could add 'how to use a washing machine and read clothes labels module too....)

The lessons I did were how to save money buy making things from scratch, funnily enough I found my hand outs a couple of weeks ago, I Will dig them out over Xmas and have a thunk.

Leccy was lots yesterday because it was a cooking day and we did loads of washing up. So oven was on for ages and we had to boost the hot water too. Was over £3 when I went to bed at 11 pm and OH forgot to switch it off so 40p already today :mad: but I did bring a load of washing in when I'd finished cooking and it's dried overnight :T

The Rayburn book came, worth while read for the temperature info alone.

It's the last market before Xmas today hence me being awake at this ungodly hour. I'm having my second thumb injection this afternoon (steroids) and apart from last pasty order of the year tomorrow and one Xmas order I am done then until 8th Jan :j

Toying with cooking the turkey breast joint in the Rayburn now I have 'structions!

moneyistooshorttomention

Katieowl wrote: »

I have done some cooking workshops before... Mmm maybe could resurrected that! Not sure how well it would pay round here though, every seems to be pretty much in same boat!

Could you maybe (once or twice a month) do one of those pop-up restaurants that have become the thing in recent years?

Even in a poorer area - there will be people that can spare money for meals out noticeably often (and are probably used to this from having lived in other areas prior to having moved there) and may well be having problems ever finding the chance much to have meals out that are up to a decent standard. So a poorer area may not support a decent-quality restaurant that runs all day/every day on a regular basis - but for those coming from areas that are used to this = they'd probably leap on the chance even of a decent-quality meal out say a couple of times a month.

EDIT; One slant on pop-up restaurants could be that (if only in the months of the year when the weather is most "reliable") having Posh Pop-Up Picnics somewhere attractive/public green space/conveniently-located. That's one variant on a "sit at a table in a building" that is also possible besides pop-up restaurants - so Pimms and posh pate and decent (!) bread etc etc for instance. Forget things like ready-made bread and cheapie ham/standard cheddar cheese/etc. Make it something like artisan sourdough bread/quality cheese/vegetarian and vegan options (plural!!!) because its the 21st century now and veggies of both descriptions expect as much choice as everyone else gets/organic decent-quality salads and fruits.

Katieowl

Ooh the Rayburn book is a penny well spent! I made some soup for work earlier in the week and when I came to blend it up, I thought there was a bit too much liquid so I pulled a litre off thinking I'd add it back if needed. I didn't use it so I stuck it in fridge. When I made pasties yesterday, after I'd prepped the veg for those I bunged a few onions and all the rest of the carrot through the dicing thing, and tossed them in a pan with the stock I saved and a whole load of coriander stalks....bring to the boil and transfer to the Rayburn oven..two hours later I have a yummy pan of soup for us with so little effort!!! I would never have thought of cooking soup in the oven!!!

I STILL haven't used the drier been over a week now :T when DS mucks out his pit and brings me three tubs of washing I might crack, but hey! I must have saved quite a few quid!

greenbee

That's great news Katieowl.

You'll just have to make DS wait for his laundry and inform him that he has to put it with the rest regularly as you're not doing his separately. One Rayburn-full a day is the schedule and that's tough! He'll soon learn, and it might cut the number of loads of washing too.

Katieowl

Getting near the end of the month now, and I've done my Xmas shopping! I did all the things. Shopped at home first, made a list, didn't even look at stuff that wasn't on the list really. Mr T shop had some basics that I needed too, a bit more dog food, olive oil, milk etc and came to just over £90, but I had £65 of clubcard vouchers I had been saving for Xmas as they don't do the double up things anymore. DS had crossed my palm with £20 too so I just ended up forking out about £11 took my mum and DD#2 on that trip to get their shopping in too, and yesterday I took DD#1 to A!di and spent another £30, there were a few treats in that, because I thought the guys would be sad if I didn't. Filled the car with petrol too, as I shall be ferrying the girls, mum and my grandkids here for Xmas dinner and home Xmas day. The house is well stocked with good healthy food, I was given a brace of pheasants :j on Thurs and DS dealt with them (good boy) so that's dinner tonight, will take the turkey breast out of freezer today, and prob make some mince pies. Mine are dairy free and gluten free, we couldn't find any dairy free for DD in the shops, I have some ingredients left from making them for work, and although I have an order for four dozen for new years eve, I have spare!

I had to order another batch of frozen raw dog food, as although the pet shop is open after Xmas the supplier isn't making a raw delivery until second week Jan! Can't risk running out. Also had to buy chicken food!

I'm going to manage to aim of staying in the black this month :T but the next few are going to be a challenge. Work is a lot quieter in the winter months, I need to get the heater fixed in the car as a matter of urgency now, a massive chunk broke off my tooth yesterday so that needs looked at (thank goodness it doesn't hurt ATM) and DD#1 is expecting baby at end Jan!

greenbee

If you're near a pharmacy, get yourself a tooth repair kit. I now keep one in case after I broke a tooth over new year once! It always seems to happen when dentists will be closed. It will make things a bit more comfortable over the holidays.

Well done on keeping your costs down. Keep that Rayburn earning its keep and hopefully the electricity bill will go down too!

Katieowl

I couldn't find a tooth repair kit last time I looked locally Greenbee!! It doesn't feel too bad, it doesn't hurt, I think it must have been root canalled years ago, I'm just about worried because it's the tooth behind the one my denture wires hook around and if I take that out it might loose the rest of the tooth (and then hurt) so I decided I'd just leave it in place until I've seen the dentist. I have to call first thing Weds for emergency apt, I just caught them Friday afternoon. Trouble is it's an 80 mile round trip :eek: and you know they always get you back for an appointment to sort it after you've trekked all the way there. Sadly not a closer dentist, the joys of living rural!!! Been trying to think of I can make the trip do double duty, think there is a couple of different supermarkets there!