The hardest challenge yet

lessonlearned

elantan wrote: »

Today is the day before i go back to work, I feel as if i dont have enough organised even though i have saved a few grab and go meals, the fridge is full but there is nothing jumping out at me, tonights dinner is the remainder of the fajitas, lunch is home made indian, for Oh and lettuce wraps for me, Soup is all ready for work salad and fruit all bought, so I should be ok, but I am concerned and i dont know why. I'm sure i will figure it out

Baby steps......It's hard when you are so busy, especially when you work shifts. It will take time to change habits and get new routines established. Even if you only manage a couple of days a week, it's a start.

Tinned spelt - the one I tried is made by napolina, don't know if anyone else makes it in tins. Currently on offer at Morrison's at 50p. Asda have it at 85p. Most big supermarkets tend to stock it. If you can't source it I guess you could try tinned barley?? I find the world food aisles tend to have the best range of tinned pulses etc. Although if you have access to either Asian or Polish supermarkets they would probably be cheaper.

I love risotto but like you say it can be a bit fiddly and time consuming. I love butternut squash risotto so I might try it using the tinned spelt.

Today I had some left over lentils, again tinned. Sainsbury's own green lentils usually 55p.

Anyway I had half a tin left so I used them as a base for a shepherdless pie. Red onion, tinned tomatoes, a few chestnut mushrooms, left over cooked carrots and peas, Chuck in the lentils, seasoning, mixed herbs and a glug of port. Job done....made two portions and cost pennies. I have frozen them ready for when I'm in a hurry.

I know dried pulses, lentils etc are cheaper but tbh I just can't be bothered. Lazy I know but I just buy the tinned versions, easier and quicker.

I think you need to look at short cuts such as using tins/frozen produce. Tonight I did myself slow roasted beef in my slow cooker. I roasted some frozen parsnips. Not quite as good as doing them from scratch obviously but Ok. I do think it's worth having easy things on hand for when you are busy or tired.

Wednesday2000

elantan wrote: »

visited "friends" last night, you k now the friends your husband had when he was just a boy of 10 so over 40 years ago, the ones who for some reason unknown to anyone else you keep around, but you dont see them often as you dont particularly like them but you remember something from a long time ago that makes you feel responsible, obligated etc... We havnt seen these "friends" for well over two years. Oh my talk about toxic, anyway toxicity aside the wife as usual starts to become judgey on how we lead all our aspects of life and goes to her usual fall back on how she can do a months shop for 4 plus dog for very little and states I need to go shopping with her... i dont think i could handle the stress and reckon i could land up in jail for murder .

As I sat listening to my lecture I got to thinking how this couple who were given a huge lift on life that basically gave them the opportunity to be mortgage free, but they chose instead not to be mortgage free but to go on a few fancy holidays buy a car and spend like crazy for a few years, so I got to asking " last time we caught up you were saying about your mortgage hows that going now did you manage to reduce your term" not only had they not reduced their term but they added more onto their mortgage they are now sitting with a mortgage of over £145k from a chance of being mortgage free to owing over £145k that's some feat. They now have a hot tub and a time share.

That would have really annoyed me too!

skogar

Hello Elan,



I found your comments on using cash interesting. I use cash routinely for day to day spending except fuel. I do use card for online payments, holidays etc. Many people I know routinely use cards for these types of purchases and find it quite strange that I still use cash.



Interestingly you found it much more stressful using cash. I could understand the worry about having enough cash. I supose this is easier for me because as there are only 2 of us I do small shops with a basket so it is easier to keep track of the cost. Also I know the rough price of staples that I buy on most shopping trips and I estimate the total price as I put the items on the till belt. probably a carryover from when I was a student and didn't have much money but I still do it as it is easier to spot if reduced items or offers have been missed. As I know how much I usually spend it is easy to make sure I will have enough before I go.



Although you didn't enjoy shopping with cash. It may be worth persisting with it a little bit longer and see how it goes. There have been studies that show that people are likely to spend less when shopping with cash than with card because it feels more painful parting with real money. This is quite an interesting article.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-science-behind-behavior/201607/does-it-matter-whether-you-pay-cash-or-credit-card
The first point of the purchase being with more painful with cash I wasn't really suprised by but the 2nd that they found that people were less likely to impulse buy unhealthy food I was suprised by.



I also find it is a lot easier to keep track of what I am spending because I know what is left in my purse.

skogar

Re risottos - if you don't want to stand stirring them there are recipes for risotto baked in the oven like rice pudding. I've done the delia mushroom one and it works well. If you google you will find similar recipes. I usually make them in the traditional way though.

Siebrie

"The price of alcohol is something we are experimenting with, we are slowly bringing down the price of a bottle of wine till we reach a level we are satisfied with, that is ongoing."

Would there be a UK book about supermarket wines? In Belgium and the Netherlands there is a wine connaisseur who tastes a lot of supermarket wines and then rates them. Very often a very cheap wine actually comes out as the best.

elantan

lessonlearned wrote: »

Baby steps......It's hard when you are so busy, especially when you work shifts. It will take time to change habits and get new routines established. Even if you only manage a couple of days a week, it's a start.

Tinned spelt - the one I tried is made by napolina, don't know if anyone else makes it in tins. Currently on offer at Morrison's at 50p. Asda have it at 85p. Most big supermarkets tend to stock it. If you can't source it I guess you could try tinned barley?? I find the world food aisles tend to have the best range of tinned pulses etc. Although if you have access to either Asian or Polish supermarkets they would probably be cheaper.

I love risotto but like you say it can be a bit fiddly and time consuming. I love butternut squash risotto so I might try it using the tinned spelt.

Today I had some left over lentils, again tinned. Sainsbury's own green lentils usually 55p.

Anyway I had half a tin left so I used them as a base for a shepherdless pie. Red onion, tinned tomatoes, a few chestnut mushrooms, left over cooked carrots and peas, Chuck in the lentils, seasoning, mixed herbs and a glug of port. Job done....made two portions and cost pennies. I have frozen them ready for when I'm in a hurry.

I know dried pulses, lentils etc are cheaper but tbh I just can't be bothered. Lazy I know but I just buy the tinned versions, easier and quicker.

I think you need to look at short cuts such as using tins/frozen produce. Tonight I did myself slow roasted beef in my slow cooker. I roasted some frozen parsnips. Not quite as good as doing them from scratch obviously but Ok. I do think it's worth having easy things on hand for when you are busy or tired.

Tinned lentils as well another thing i have never heard of, i tend to just use lentils i find them easy enough just shove them in and let them do their thing, will need to find a wee tin or two though as it's always good to have a back up supply, I tried shepherdless pie and just didnt like it, maybe it was the recipe i used will look out another one,

will occasionally use frozen veg and keep a handy supply but will be honest and say i dont find them as tasty and probably the way i cook them i find them too soggy. but maybe this is also something i need to work on. Thanks

skogar wrote: »

Hello Elan,



I found your comments on using cash interesting. I use cash routinely for day to day spending except fuel. I do use card for online payments, holidays etc. Many people I know routinely use cards for these types of purchases and find it quite strange that I still use cash.



Interestingly you found it much more stressful using cash. I could understand the worry about having enough cash. I supose this is easier for me because as there are only 2 of us I do small shops with a basket so it is easier to keep track of the cost. Also I know the rough price of staples that I buy on most shopping trips and I estimate the total price as I put the items on the till belt. probably a carryover from when I was a student and didn't have much money but I still do it as it is easier to spot if reduced items or offers have been missed. As I know how much I usually spend it is easy to make sure I will have enough before I go.



Although you didn't enjoy shopping with cash. It may be worth persisting with it a little bit longer and see how it goes. There have been studies that show that people are likely to spend less when shopping with cash than with card because it feels more painful parting with real money. This is quite an interesting article.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-science-behind-behavior/201607/does-it-matter-whether-you-pay-cash-or-credit-card
The first point of the purchase being with more painful with cash I wasn't really suprised by but the 2nd that they found that people were less likely to impulse buy unhealthy food I was suprised by.



I also find it is a lot easier to keep track of what I am spending because I know what is left in my purse.

oh we are sticking to cash, we have to, we have to get on top of this and we have accepted that it is going to be uncomfortable for quite a while,

was chatting with one of my brothers today and we talked about the psychology of buying things on amazon and other places how he just puts it in the basket and pays for it not thinking about it till the bill comes in and he's like WTAF did i buy, whilst i dont tend to buy from Amazon ( dont like how they treat their employees) i do buy other things ( including shopping) and didnt think about it cause it was on the debit card or the visa.

skogar wrote: »

Re risottos - if you don't want to stand stirring them there are recipes for risotto baked in the oven like rice pudding. I've done the delia mushroom one and it works well. If you google you will find similar recipes. I usually make them in the traditional way though.

Yeah the amount of times we make it it will probably be worth making, but having an oven method would be a good idea as well... I am gonna try tinned spelt first ( if i can find out where to buy tinned spelt... admittedly havnt tried yet)

elantan

Siebrie wrote: »

"The price of alcohol is something we are experimenting with, we are slowly bringing down the price of a bottle of wine till we reach a level we are satisfied with, that is ongoing."

Would there be a UK book about supermarket wines? In Belgium and the Netherlands there is a wine connaisseur who tastes a lot of supermarket wines and then rates them. Very often a very cheap wine actually comes out as the best.

I know lidls has a kinda award thing and i imagine every supermarket is the same. I am very skeptical of them though, its the cynic in me i spose. The cheaper wine experiment will continue just now I am not drinking anyway so it isnt really at the forefront of my plans as i still have plenty left over from xmas to be working on.

It would be a great idea if there was such a book though, it would be handy to let people know what wines are good quality and value wines.

I tend to buy the more expensive as they taste better and i dont have a headache from one glass, I think the sulphites in the wine give me a headache tbh

elantan

Today is my day off, was hoping to go to the shops and find tinned spelt, might still do it if the weather improves, I have counted the money we have to do us till next Wednesday, we have £67 left, lets see if i can make it, £8.37 a day hopefully doable.

Siebrie

A quick internet search brings up wotwine, which seems to be independent.

elantan

Siebrie wrote: »

A quick internet search brings up wotwine, which seems to be independent.

Cheers, its not something i have looked into before will check it out