Cooking for one (Mark Three)

moneyistooshorttomention

Before I head off for my bus - just a quickie (not that sort of one Pastures:rotfl:or Farway:rotfl:).

Just had a 2nd phonecall through purporting to be from HMRC and telling me I'm under investigation for unpaid taxes:rotfl::rotfl:.

Don't know how widespread these calls are across the country?? I know there's quite a few of them being received round here. This may (or may not) be down to the number of unmarked vans driving round here - which could/possibly/conceivably sometimes be "doing a hobble" (to use the local phrase). Ahem.....

I'm never quite sure if there is a "real person" hovering there in the background that can hear what one is saying back to the would-be thief? But, in case they can, :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:at the thought of what their reaction would have been to what I was saying back:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Wednesday2000

flubberyzing wrote: »

Yesterdays cinema trip was unusual for me. I can't recall what I saw last... I perhaps only go 2 or 3 times a year. I'm more likely to go and see those 'National Theatre Live' screenings of plays and musicals. They are a little more expensive, but more of an "event". And it sounds awful, but also a higher class of clientele. Generally less of the "popcorn crunching, fizz slurper, kick your chair" crowd. There are also very rarely any under 18s. Mostly I'm guessing because of the content, and they are usually school-nights, and don't even start until 7:30/8pm.

I went to the theatre this year and noticed the audience were far more quiet and well behaved than at the cinema.

My brother went with me and he said it was unusual for the men to be washing their hands in the bathroom as when he usually goes to the cinema and to gigs the men usually walk out without washing!

Ewww! So gross.:eek:

Wednesday2000

Speaking of loos, mine will only be fixed tomorrow!:mad:

I'm glad that it is about to run out this month as we are obviously going to switch to another home insurance supplier after Morethan were so ******* useless.

I read the best ones are Saga, John Lewis and Direct Line.

I just had a gluten free pitta with vegan cheese and salad.

I'm going to make Singapore noodles later as I had a craving.

PasturesNew

One thing I find with CFO is that, unless you're DETERMINED to make a change, it's harder to get out of the rut of food because you've a wake of leftovers behind you that need using up.

It's harder to justify buying in the ingredients for "something completely different" as that means ignoring what you've already got that needs using up ... and in buying the new ingredients you'll then be eating that for 3-4 days and end up with another bunch of leftovers that'll lurk (even if they are jars).

So it's harder to switch between cuisines without filling the cupboard with more packet clutter. I've a bottle of soy sauce I've not opened since I last used it over a year ago ... but when do I fit that in with all the other stuff?

It just becomes easier and less wasteful to "stick with what you usually get" as single people are rarely filling a basket with food that will all be consumed that day. Somebody cooking for 4-6 can have a meal in mind and go and get the ingredients in a basket, then cook 90% of that basket of food and eat the meal the same day. A single either has to commit to eating it every day for the next four days .... or pondering if/how it can be frozen .... or halving the recipe and eating it for two days but still having half a basket of food that "needs using up" but now without a recipe that's any different to the first one.

bouicca21

I don't think I mind paying more for running the flat as a singleton, since I choose to have somewhere spacious rather than downsize to a one bed place. What really gets me is discounts for buying in bulk or spending more. It's those two4one and buy 3 for £10 offers and the coupon that regularly spills out of the till telling me I can save £x on a spend of £50.

And my related gripe about 3 for £10 is that that clearly means that individual items are really £3.33 rather than the price on the ticket. But when they go YS they calculate it on the price on the ticket and tell you it's being discounted at £3.90.

Wednesday2000

I've probably said that I'm not single but because I'm vegan and my husband isn't, I usually am cooking for one.:)

The thing that bothers me is that a person living on their own gets the same size dustbin as households with more than one person. We have 3 cats so we use cat litter and our bin gets full up really quickly. I think if you are more than one person you should have a larger bin!

I don't know what people with big familes do.

It doesn't help that the bin service in my local area is appalling and the binmen often miss our street. I wrote a complaint about it and I got a reply yesterday saying the council will respond by the 23rd of March! Thanks so much

and BREATHE...:rotfl:

PasturesNew

Wednesday2000 wrote: »

.... a person living on their own gets the same size dustbin as households with more than one person. We have 3 cats so we use cat litter and our bin gets full up really quickly. I think if you are more than one person you should have a larger bin!

I don't know what people with big familes do.
...

For me I wish it was smaller. I am having to lug out the whole bin containing about one carrier bag right at the bottom.... and if I discover one more item to go into it I can't reach it.

The bin men also don't even drag the bin away most of the time, once they open the lid and see one binbag they remove it and walk away with just the bag. I usually put a small bag inside a full sized bin bag just in case I want to add one more item... and to make it easier for them to reach the bag rather than having to reach full depth for a tiny bag at the bottom... so that's a waste too.

Here you can request a larger bin, rather than the standard one, which is 140 litres. I'd do OK with 35-50 litres.

Wednesday2000

I'm just eating some sweets and a satsuma. I blame whoever was talking about fruit pastilles on here the other day!:D

PasturesNew wrote: »

Here you can request a larger bin, rather than the standard one, which is 140 litres. I'd do OK with 35-50 litres.

They don't do that where I live.:(

caronc

I'd be quite happy with a smaller general waste bin & recycling but as a keen gardener I need a full size one for stuff I don't or can't compost.
I think bouicca21 made a good point, most of us CFOers seem to live in "family-size" spaces so it's a "space" cost rather than a CFO cost, I suppose if I really wanted to reduce all my bills I could down-size:)
I don't mind family packs of things if it something I use regularly as I'll either use it or split and freeze it but it can be a pain if that is the only option or if smaller amounts are much more expensive . I find as a CFO I need as much food storage space as I did before (though I could get away with a smaller fridge) so I can have the choice of food stuffs that I want to have but again I'm paying a premium for making that choice. One of my friends lives in a tiny flat, her choice she could afford something bigger, she loves it but it would drive me nuts. I like my space:D

[Deleted User]

Wednesday2000 wrote: »

I

The thing that bothers me is that a person living on their own gets the same size dustbin as households with more than one person.

then the singles should pay a lot less in council tax. I pay £169 pm and a working family of 5 down the lane pay much less, they have a big nice old house and very large garden. I have one bin empty every 2 weeks for that, no lights nothing