2021 Frugal Living Challenge

Shopaholic_no_more

@CRANKY40 thanks that’s good to know. Yes, I think this will be a system that will work for me also 👍🏻

Tanya12345

evening all, what a lovely lot of posts to catch up on !! Things busy here. Spent the last couple of days building a pig pen (building materials made a big hole in this months finances !!) then Picked up 2 piglets yesterday - sooo sweet !! Also  dispatched a couple of sheep so been bagging and freezing, this afternoons job was  starting to cure the skins. Really bushed now so will probably veg out after supper. Had a Frugal Fail  in the week when the cat ate  3 lunches worth of Lentil Wedge !! The air was blue !! Who knew Cats liked lentils !! Trying to avoid shopping and working hard to use what I've  got........ Stay warm and safe everyone xx

CRANKY40

Our cat has stolen all sorts over the 11 years that we've had her @Tanya12345 but I've never thought of lentils being a cat thing. The frozen prawns were interesting (cat ice cream?) and  she once slurped all of the stock that I was going to make soup with. She's a posh cat - a Korat - who was a present for my son when I was widowed. She seems to have the digestive system of an alley cat though because her most favourite thing to beg for (and steal) is doner kebab meat. I'm actually rather impressed by you having a cat that eats lentils and I'm also very sorry but I laughed. 

YORKSHIRELASS

@5yearsfree I could have written that myself, I look forward to the weekend then its just a bit rubbish because we cant do much.  I am not good at sitting about.

Very cold here but the wind has dropped a bit.  No more than a few flurries of snow thankfully.  Heating is off now and the fire is lit, we have lots of free wood to use.

We have started having a roast dinner on a Sunday just because cooking it gives us something to do!  So the chicken went in the SC earlier, we have all had a nice feed, and DH has stripped the carcass and divided it into two bowls, one for us and one for the dog.  There is some breast meat for sandwiches and I will do some kind of creamy pasta dish with the rest.  Oh and I made some veg soup for lunches, and some scones.

I have forgotten to collect my prescription but I think I need to go into town for work tomorrow anyway, dont want to make a special journey.

Oh and I do spreadsheets, but also make notes in my journal about my finances, I find that things seem to stick in my brain if I write them down.

Mummy2cheekymonkeys

Its been nonstop snow here today since 6am. Looks to be about a foot deep. Went in the garden for about 20 minutes with the boys as its the first time they have been old enough to see proper snow. When we had the beast from the east I had just had my youngest. I was planning on popping to tesco for some bread but that went out the window when i saw how heavy the snow was. I have lots of bread flour so I will pop the bread maker on tonight. 

Viking_mfw

We made some very acceptable lentil wraps for lunch today using this recipe:

Easy, low cost, good protein source. DS1 ate his wrapped round grated cheese and ketchup (?!) without demur. They would also make an excellent naan substitute. They were a bit thicker than normal wraps - bit more pancake like but I'm putting that down to having lost some of the water. 

willow_loulou

I love my spreadsheet but I’m also a list fan, I find the note book and scrap paper (used envelopes torn up mostly) the most inspiring way to get stuff done. I’m also doing an itemised spend list to refer back to. This really helps me see the spends I make are worthwhile or must try harder. 

I have an essential trip Tuesday so going to hopefully olio and fareshare, I’ve got my veg box coming tomorrow so veg stew and curry this week as well as bubble n squeak. 

I really need to not buy more food this week, so I’ll be in my jack Monroe books after I finish my work hours. Payday is Friday and I’m £2 over budget as my nail clippers exploded 🤣 so no more spends please! 

Couldsavemore

Morning all.
I've survived a weekend in isolation but will be at work today doing lateral flow tests each day.
I went for a test on saturday which was negative. 
Am sure I'll be fine as had it back in nov/dec. So fingers crossed I've dodged the bullet so to speak.

Really feel for all of us struggling with lockdown... Work is all work and no play and the same on the weekend!

We've snow to make us even more short staffed... what with people testing positive and people on long term sheilding.. now others won't get in due to snow.

I might feel like I'm on my knees but at least I haven't taken a financial hit.

Hope all is well

mumtoomany

Morning all, no snow here, yet, but very cold. Sheep all sheltering in the barn. Managed to write eight pages of my book so far! Still need to do a freezer inventory, but they are both so full. I'm worried that if i tack stuff out to count it, it might not fit back in. More seeds started, yesterday, might try some more today, if I can brave the cold to get the compost. Hi, @Tanya12345, what breed are your piglets? We had Berkshire last year, but have Mangolizas/Kune kune cross, in the past, as well as a large white, a tamworth and an iron age boar, that came with the house. Hope you're all well, and warm, mumtoomany.

MazzieD

Just got back from a very chilly walk, it's been trying to snow here all morning but the snowflakes are tiny and not even reaching the ground.  Hope it stays like that - I'm fine with snow but always worry if it turns to ice in case I have an accident..

I'm now using up all my frozen veg in an attempt to avoid doing any grocery shopping as I'm not sure if my food budget is going to stretch to the end of Feb.  Few more batch cooked meals to make but don't need to buy anything for that.  it's a fine balancing act with food in the freezer and fridge at the moment, I'm trying to keep enough in in case of illness, accidents or other variables but also to use things up!.

As it's so cold I'm going to spend a bit if time this afternoon making two lists, indoor and outdoor jobs so that I don't forget what needs doing and can hopefully plan according to the weather. I think my cat might try and surgically attach himself to my lap so I need to find things to do like reading when that happens as it's really challenging trying to use a computer with a really big cat on my lap!. If I chuck him off he just gets back on.  He doesn't steal my food though