Put away your purse & become debt-averse

foxgloves

Yes, I agree, @kayannie. I don't think there is really any saving that is too small now that energy prices are sky-high with further rises to come. I'm going to build up as much credit on our energy account as possible before October, in an attempt to off-set the increase. Usage is about the only part of it we can control. I know I will regret it if I don't try.
F

Sun_Addict

Well done on resisting the garden centre temptation. They sell so many nice things other than plants, it’s very naughty of them. My house is mostly hard floors and I find it better to use a brush than the vacuum most of the time. 

foxgloves

They are indeed full of temptation, @Sun_Addict. I used to spend a fortune in them back in the Spendy Era. I am a lot better now. I did buy a summer dress there on my previous visit, but I was honourable & paid for it using my Personal Spends, as it was a 'want' rather than a need. I'm glad I bought it though as it does look nice with sandals & black footless tights. I'll admit I did have a sneaky little look yesterday just to see if they had it in another colour or pattern, but they didn't, so that avoided a dilemma over whether to purchase another one. I think the prices are pretty good compared to the clothes shops I usually favour, but although that can be a good reason for buying, I also find I can use it as justification for buying something I don't really need. 
F

foxgloves

Hi @Suffolk_lass, I'm just heading down the garden to cut the rest of the chard for a pesto-making session & that jogged my memory that you'd asked me for the proportions. I use the recipe from Delia's summer cookbook but use chard instead of basil:
50g chard leaves

1 large garlic clove

1 tablespoon pine nuts*
6 tablespoons olive oil

25g pecorino romano cheese, grated

Salt

*I used pistachios in my trial batch & have bought cashews to use in today's as they were on a 'twofor' in the supermarket this morning. I usually use pine nuts for my annual basil pesto-making but honestly, the price of them has shot up. Saw a tidsy little bag of them on sale last week for well over £5. So I'm using other nuts with the chard version.
Right.....off down the garden with my trusty basket, no doubt with cat 'help'.....
F

foxgloves

And it's 'Hello' from Chard-Woman.....sounds like the sort of hero that would wear its pants over its trousers.....seriously though, I've been armpit deep in the stuff today. Have harvested a huge bundle & turned it into pesto until the other ingredients ran out, then shredded, blanched & froze the rest for wokking with garlic & chilli at some point. 
Grocery shopping bright & early - M*zzer's for main shop, for which we had a £2.50 money-off voucher & Waitr*se for the remaining 4 items, making use of loyalty offers from their app. For the 4th time recently we received a £4.50 off voucher for Soot & Ash's favourite meat, resulting in a box of 40 pouches of stink for £8.50. Can't get it that cheap anywhere else. As the meal plan resulted in us being well within budget, Mr F's hoped-for take-away pizza can go ahead tonight & there should also be a bit left to add to a savings pot, I will see how things are looking when I do the budget updates on Monday morning.We use a local indie pizza place as they make good food at a much lower price than the major chains which we used regularly back in the Spendy Era.
Last night I spent what turned out to be an amusing couple of hours perusing a handful of vintage cookbooks which belonged to an elderly relative. One is an old 'Daily Telegraph' publication from the 1950s for which the great & the good were invited to submit recipes. How tastes have changed! And so much faff & lah-di-dah fancypants nonsense! Brain sauce anyone?
F x

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

I'll have a pot of pesto please but no thanks to Brain sauce 
Enjoy your pizza, i'm having tomato tart on puff pastry base 

Love Deni x

foxgloves

That tart sounds lovely @Deni_debt-free_dreamer - so nice & summery. Brain sauce sounds hideous, doesn't it, but I suppose it was to do with no part of the animal being wasted.
F

Suffolk_lass

Thanks for the Pesto proportions, looks great!

foxgloves

You're welcome, @Suffolk_lass, it's always nice to share ideas for using home grown produce, as well as generally.

Just a quick post today, Sunday Savers. Both of us have been busy in the garden. I've weeded, fed & netted the strawberries & weeded the big raised bed which will soon be used for the beans. Mr F has mowed the lawn & weeded the bed I intend to use for extra tomatoes & some of our courgettes. He also made me another 'shopped from home' pot-ring by bashing the base out of a large flowerpot. I just need to cut some lettuce & pull some radishes to use for tonight's salad & that'll be my garden endeavours done for the day. I'm looking on all food growing efforts as even more money saving now than in previous years because of food price inflation & increased living costs. 
Would love a productive week ahead, including a bit more exercise. 
Enjoy the rest of your Sundays, Frugalistas.
Love F x

foxgloves

Morning Monday pence-warriors,
Just on my 2nd cup of coffee which will hopefully galvanise me into action. No spending planned for today except for a very small amount from my personal spends on a knitting pattern download. Today I intend to do my regular Monday morning budget updates, bake bread, do laundry & line-dry it before the rain reaches us, catch up on admin & enter some competitions. First though, I need to get my rubber gloves on & fetch a bucket ready to de-gunk the pond. I've been putting this job off, but it never takes as long as I think it will, so I am going to get it out of the way early today so I can feel pleased with myself, instead of cross because I've deliberately ignored it again.
Wishing everyone a good positive start to the week,
F x