2020 Frugal Living Challenge

Herbyme

Finally solvent and/or Frugaldom, please could you post your flat bread recipes? Sound yum and easy!

CW18, I was beginning to think you were my neighbour, most of what you wrote about your town is the same for mine! Even down to the expensive clothes shop! But there is a weekly market which is a good thing, and uses less packaging than the SMs, but the range of fruit and veg is quite limited. I need to buy greens for my rabbits every 2-3 days but they don't sell (eg ) kale or spring greens on the market unfortunately.

We do have a milk delivery 4 x a week, much more expensive per pint but useful as an emergency top up and supporting a local business. But I plan to freeze a pint tomorrow and take it on holiday, no substitute for it in tea!

CJRyder

I also make flatbreads in a frying pan. Yoghurt and SR flour make good pizza bases too.

Pizza base: 1:1 natural yoghurt to SR flour. Bake at 180C (preheated oven) for five minutes just to firm up slightly, add toppings and return to oven until done. Usually in about 8-10 minutes.

Flatbreads - Use whatever flour is to hand. Plain and SR both work well. Take two cups of flour and season (salt, pepper, herbs, etc.) before stirring and gradually adding water until a thick, sticky dough forms. Flatten out in a lightly greased non-stick frying pan and heat over a medium flame. Flip over and press flat. Repeat until there is suitable colour on each side. This can make either one massive flatbread or lots of rounds.

DdraigGoch

stud26 wrote: »

Does anyone have much success with sharing refer-a-friend offers, to gain a few extra quid?

Frankly, no! Not even family!

Time to get serious, DP is away for a coue of days so it's back to Envelopes for budgetting. It brings home how much there actually is to spend/save, currently that's much needed!
On another budget front, I've decided to use up my vast and ill-thought out craft stash by making Cmas cards, gifts and home decorations- twee is not my style but I may have no choice! It's got to go ����

Christianne1957

Reading your post has given me confidence to join in and start posting.
I am in my 60's & live a pretty frugal life already but I look after my 3 old horses - 2 are rescues from meat trade. I was managing on DIY livery until this winter but getting up at 5am to turn them out before going to work (full time), going back in my lunch break to put more hay out and then back mid afternoon to bring in has been exhausting and means I've had to work every evening to get my work hours in. I need to bite the bullet this year and pay for either part or full livery to save my health and sanity. I figure that I will make an immediate saving in petrol - 1 journey a day rather than 3 but my livery costs are going to escalate so I need to be disciplined and not waste money

Frugaldom

stud26 wrote: »

Does anyone have much success with sharing refer-a-friend offers, to gain a few extra quid?

This used to be a great way of earning a few pounds etc extra but over the years they seem to have closed the net, shutting out many of us from even being able to get our referral links seen. You would need a huge audience of friends with similar interests and even then, they probably are doing the same thing. Good luck if you pursue referrals or affiliates, share the secret to your success if you happen upon it.

Frugaldom

Nice start to financial fitness February with a small win on premium bonds... Enough to buy the rescue foals an extra bale of hay.

Flatbread recipe... Mine are just plain flour, water and salt then pan fried in a bit oil. I don't weigh or measure anything.

mezzamay

Is it too late to join?
I would like to pay off my credit card bills and combine saving money with being more environmentally conscious where possible.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

willow_loulou

CJRyder wrote: »

Thanks for that. I found the 1kg 75p bag in Lidl. The same bag in Tesco was made of non-recyclable plastic. Aldi is certainly closer to me though!

It’s £1:49 for I kilo of kavannah organic oats which is in what feels like paper and says it’s widely recyclable on the side.

mezzamay

Also, any recommendations for budgeting apps that connect to your bank account? I found a MSE post from last year but the one I really liked the sound of, i.e. Squirrel, no longer seems to be available.
I will use the spreadsheet but would find it useful to have a real time app on my phone.

Frugalistamama

Hi everyone. I did 3 NSDs but then had to go to the dreaded supermarket this morning to top up on a few lunch bits for the kids. I am so pleased I managed to stick to the list and spend £5.58. it's been such a long time since I went in and spent so little. Feeling chuffed with myself. I was walking around saying 'i don't need it, I don't need it'

This week I made a chicken last for 3 family meals and using last of cooked mince tonight for a small lasagna, beefed up with veg as it's already done two family meals. If I keep this up I'll never work through my food mountain!

I'll have to spend tomorrow as I have a lunch meeting, so train fair £12 and lunch £10 ish. Feel annoyed about that but I have to go.

I'm going to try to make the flatbread. The same recipe - plain flour, water, salt also can be rolled into fingers and boiled as dumplings in soup or as a side for the carbs. They do this in the Carribbean. Also if you use self raising flour you can fry it in shallow oil for fried dumplings. Like an alternative to bread or again on the side. Carribbean friend taught me. So now I have a new use for the mixture, flatbeads! Such a cheap option too.

Xx