**Insert witty diary title here**

Seasidegal58

Another one here who tends to only use the slow cooker in winter - must rethink. 

Thanks for the meatless product tips - I quite like the Linda McCartney rosemary and caramelised onion sausages. 

Re baked beans in Shepherds Pie - I've been doing this as well for more years than I can remember. Everyone who has ever tasted it loves it - apart from my dear departed dad who didn't like it at all!😀

moving_forward

Seasidegal58 said:

Another one here who tends to only use the slow cooker in winter - must rethink. 

Thanks for the meatless product tips - I quite like the Linda McCartney rosemary and caramelised onion sausages. 

Re baked beans in Shepherds Pie - I've been doing this as well for more years than I can remember. Everyone who has ever tasted it loves it - apart from my dear departed dad who didn't like it at all!😀

Yes! Another baked bean shepherds pie fanatic 😍 Are we twins seperated at birth @Seasidegal58 ? Everyone whos tasted my beaned up shepard pie (both meat and meatless version) has loved it.

moving_forward

N.b. re the twins comment. Obviously not seeing how you can spell and I cant 😅

Seasidegal58

... oh I don't know - my words get pretty mixed up at times!😁

moving_forward

Hullo diary land.
So what has been going on in the M_F household I hear you ask:
Well as you asked so nicely I shall tell all -not ALL ALL you understand just the non disclosure bits
*  The new slow cooker was broken out this weekend with a vegetarian tagine.  We froze it and are defrosting in the fridge for reheating with some couscous tonight.  Tasted lovely the big dollop that jumped in my mouth as it was cooling down so looking forward to tonight's dinner.  We used the spicentice morrocan tagine sachet replacing the lamb for a can of chickpeas and some roasted butternut squash as per their idea and will add some toasted flakes almonds tonight when serving.
*  We have managed to get a balance transfer card for 26 months so will transfer half the debt thats ending from Nov 20 to Jan 21 and will transfer the rest back onto a cleared card using an offer or apply for another card in the new year.  The amount of interest it should save according to my spreadsheet is amazing!  Just shows how its worth the effort to tart about as they say! Its a bit earlier to apply than I usually would but with the way the world is going i wasn't going to risk being stuck with whopping great interest payments in the new year.  Yes we could have managed them but I'd rather the money go towards the capital and getting the debt shifted once and for all than line the pockets of Mr and Mrs Banker (other titles are available).
*  Grocery spending is shuddering to look at, need to get a grip on that.  The wants and we deserves seem to be taking up a huge chunk of the budget so if its not come down next month will have to think about separating it out further to make us more aware.  Some of the higher spends are down to the CV19 situation but we can't blame that for everything can we.  Will try and think more about sticking to the weekly budget when doing the main Mr T online shop and then rethink what we actually NEED from the top up shop/s.  In order to stick to the budget it needs to be attainable so we are setting it higher for the next few months so we are more realistic in what we actually spend against the wish we only spent xyz.

Sun_Addict

Good news about the balance transfer card and the amount of money it will save you. The tagine sounds lovely, I've never tried Spicentice, do you recommend it?  I've got a cupboard full of all sorts of strange spices that I rarely use, bought just for one recipe and never used again. I'm also spending far too big a chunk of my spending money on groceries, mainly because I'm having to buy what Mr M online has in stock and just lately the cheaper versions seem to have been replaced with more expensive brands, plus I'm having to do top up shops in Mr T Express which is quite expensive. I'm limited because I don't have transport. Before CV19 I used to shop around for the best deals between Mr S, Lidl and Aldi and just get the heavy stuff delivered from Mr M.  Now I'm WFH I don't have that option. Like you I need to work harder on that front.

redofromstart

Great news on the saved interest, shows its worth faffing about.  
Similar on the food, not shopping round at all and the bills have gone up/  Thing is, I don't think I want to go back to it for the tiny amount involved, especially once I allow for fuel.
My vegetable eating sibling swears by the various spice mix delivery companies, despite being a fellow miser. 

Naomim

Great news on the balance transfer front.

I love a tagine, never thought of doing one in the sc.  I shall have a look at this and add to my ever growing meal planning spreadsheet.  I have upped our grocery budget by £80.  Just being at home and eating more meals, snacking and less offers in the shops is making it all more expensive but we've also had more takeaways. Certainly this month.  I was losing my cooking mojo.

Naomim

moving_forward

Hello all. 
Yes we heartedly do recommend spicentice. We found them at the goodfood show a few years back and have never looked back. 
My spice cupboard used to be full of one recipe purchases. Now i just buy the kits and individual spices if we use them lots.

foxgloves

I love my slow cooker too, Moving _Forward. It's one of those with a big black lidded cauldron-shaped crock which can be used on the hob to brown stuff before fitting it onto the slow cooker base. I made chickpea & spinach curry in it recently & am using it for spicy pulled pork on Sunday.
Re grocery budget. Ours is up too. I increased it by £20 a month at the beginning of this year when we paid off the last of our mortgage. I thought this was a generous increase (up from £50 p. w to £70) & that we would have a surplus some weeks which could build for things like topping up the wine rack or bulk buying coffee when it's on offer. It was working well until the Covid supermarket shortages. I don't think we have been buying lots of 'treats & we deserves' but we have bought multiples of hard to find items when we've come across them. Also, it is very noticeable that some brands, esp some supermarket own label products have been unavailable & so we have had to go 'up' a brand, which is more expensive. Yogurts are a good example of this. The kind of mid-tier yoghurt we'd normally buy has been erratic in terms of availability, so we have chosen to replace with more expensive brands rather rhan cheaper, because I don't like yoghurt which is stuffed with artificial sweetners & other unnecessaries. Over 3 or 4 different grocery items over a month's budget, these kind of swaps can add up. We've done slightly better this month so far, but the grocery budget is still very definitely not back where I want & need it to be. I am doing sensible meal plans & lists, but then being clumped by what is actually available. Supplies do seem better than they were, though..... well, until no-deal Brexit. That will be the next thing.....
Stay safe, 
F x