It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

QueenJess

Bluegreen143 said:

There’s a lot of that in cloth nappying anyway, some patterns become collectible and people spend so much money building a huge (unnecessary) stash where some nappies only end up used very occasionally! 

Wait what? This is actually a thing? I’ve never heard this… so I live in a little box or something 😆 Of all the things to collect, that is insane….

I love my cloth nappies (and wipes) and mainly chose them for environmental reasons, although I did calculate I should make a saving overall. Also loads of councils give you some cash back for buying cloth nappies, but you have to search very hard to find them… In any case they are expensive so bought them a little at a time and only bought more when it was obvious I didn’t have enough. Managed to get DH on board when it turned out there was no disposable DD wouldn’t leak out of at night, but the reusable ones worked. Even trained up the nursery who I thought were going to be a pain about it, but the person there said she thought I was doing a great thing.

I will be selling them on once I’m done as well.

I love period pants.. they’ve properly changed my life! Maybe it’s not so bad when you only need disposables for a few days, but often I need them for a whole depressing week. I think it’s the plastic in the disposable ones that make me itch and make me uncomfortable after a day or two and I can’t get on with them. 

Bluegreen143

@QueenJess it’s been a couple of years since I’ve been buying cloth nappies so perhaps the “bubble” has burst, but if you looked on YouTube and Instagram you could find plenty of videos/photos of people showing off their “stash” with 50-100 nappies in and boasting about the designs 😯 it also made me laugh when buying them on FB groups as people would be selling enormous stashes they’d clearly have no way to use all of. Though at least they’d be able to make some money back as they were selling!

There was a bubble with babywearing when my eldest was little and wraps and slings used to be released limited edition then sell for more than they did new, and some people online would have about 20-30 of them! At the time you could take a gamble trying slings as you were guaranteed to make your cash back. I don’t *think* it’s the case now as the market slowed down when DS was getting big for babywearing and now I can’t even manage to sell on what I’ve got left from DD (nothing collectible though) but I don’t mind as they served me well through two children. 

By the way, I remember seeing people posting up several wrap slings for sale (often costing a couple of hundred £ each) “because we need to pay off some of the credit card debt” or “my husband is cross at how much I spend” or even “pay via PayPal so I can keep the money there for my next sling, then husband won’t see it in the bank account” 😯😯😯 I mean, if you are in credit card debt why are you buying multiple expensive wraps to carry your child in?! Fundamentally you only need one! And it doesn’t need to be from a sought-after designer.

I’ve seen similar bubbles for expensive wooden toys being treated as an investment which also made me smile. I do in general prefer more traditional or open ended toys (wooden train set, dolls, Lego etc over trendy or electronic or TV character toys) but if people are paying £15 for a single wooden animal figurine it’s for the adult, not the child. My kids at least have always ignored anything like that I’ve been swayed to buy 😅

Others may disagree but fundamentally I don’t buy more expensive “stuff” thinking it’s an investment and that I can justify the cost by selling it on later. I buy stuff I need, which I can afford at the time, and if I can later sell it on that’s a bonus.

OrkneyStar

Bluegreen143 said:

@QueenJess it’s been a couple of years since I’ve been buying cloth nappies so perhaps the “bubble” has burst, but if you looked on YouTube and Instagram you could find plenty of videos/photos of people showing off their “stash” with 50-100 nappies in and boasting about the designs 😯 it also made me laugh when buying them on FB groups as people would be selling enormous stashes they’d clearly have no way to use all of. Though at least they’d be able to make some money back as they were selling!

There was a bubble with babywearing when my eldest was little and wraps and slings used to be released limited edition then sell for more than they did new, and some people online would have about 20-30 of them! At the time you could take a gamble trying slings as you were guaranteed to make your cash back. I don’t *think* it’s the case now as the market slowed down when DS was getting big for babywearing and now I can’t even manage to sell on what I’ve got left from DD (nothing collectible though) but I don’t mind as they served me well through two children. 

By the way, I remember seeing people posting up several wrap slings for sale (often costing a couple of hundred £ each) “because we need to pay off some of the credit card debt” or “my husband is cross at how much I spend” or even “pay via PayPal so I can keep the money there for my next sling, then husband won’t see it in the bank account” 😯😯😯 I mean, if you are in credit card debt why are you buying multiple expensive wraps to carry your child in?! Fundamentally you only need one! And it doesn’t need to be from a sought-after designer.

I’ve seen similar bubbles for expensive wooden toys being treated as an investment which also made me smile. I do in general prefer more traditional or open ended toys (wooden train set, dolls, Lego etc over trendy or electronic or TV character toys) but if people are paying £15 for a single wooden animal figurine it’s for the adult, not the child. My kids at least have always ignored anything like that I’ve been swayed to buy 😅

Others may disagree but fundamentally I don’t buy more expensive “stuff” thinking it’s an investment and that I can justify the cost by selling it on later. I buy stuff I need, which I can afford at the time, and if I can later sell it on that’s a bonus.

I used cloth nappies too, well over 10 years ago, I ended up getting some for free (samples) partly to try new styles out and review, and also some to test washing powders on! I had bought a small amount myself too, so ended up with more than we needed - but that was fine on bad weather days, when they took longer to dry. I sold lots of mine on after use (only used on one baby) and donated the rest to a nappy library, so others could get use of them. Some people did buy far too many though, parading them like they were some sort of fashion accessory, and spending far too much money! I also found it shocking that some people suggested they were worse for the environment due to all the washing, and get this....ironing!!! Who irons nappies??? The one thing I did like were some of the cute wraps (which were needed to go over certain types of nappy, but not all), I did have to stop myself indulging in too many of those as some of the designs were so cute! I sold/donated those on too.

ariarnia

-taff said:

ariarnia said:

recipe? my soups always taste like salty water with boiled lumps in (if i blitz it make that watery mash). i really don't know what i get wrong

Are you following recipes or making it up as you go along? Is there a particular soup you want a recipe for? What kind of soup do you like?

thanks for all the tips all. i'm trying to do what people recommend here and making soup with the leftover and wonky bits not a recipie. sometimes it seems that other people could chuck a stone in water and make soup.

i'll keep trying but it feels like if i use my veg and saute and so on then the flavour just doesn't seem to get into the water and it doesn't thicken. if i use stock to help with the flavour then it seems i have to use so much to get the taste then it's just salty. i tried using cauliflower because someone said it broke down into the sauce but then it was grainy and still didn't taste of much other than boiled veg. i've used gravy granules before now and that was nice tasting but then it was a casserole more than a soup

the only soups i've actually tried to make were a wonderful sweet potato soup i had out for lunch once. i asked how they made it and when tried to make something similar and it was runny mash. same with sweetcorn soup. all grainy and like i'd forgotten to drain the veg after cooking. maybe i'm just not a soup maker. 

Bluegreen143

@OrkneyStar ironing nappies!!!!

I must admit nothing gets ironed here except DH shirts for going out, but he does them himself, just as he needs them. 

DH works a manual job with uniform/PPE which doesn’t need ironed, and I stopped ironing DS school shirts as they wear a knit v neck jumper over the top every day so you can’t actually see the shirt anyway 😂

I don’t buy clothes which need ironed for myself or the kids as we are quite casual/practical in our tastes 😂

I certainly didn’t iron baby clothes and sleepsuits but I knew many who did.

Siebrie

I thought you should never iron nappies or teatowels, as it stops them from being absorbent, defeating the purpose.

-taff

ariarnia said:

-taff said:

ariarnia said:

recipe? my soups always taste like salty water with boiled lumps in (if i blitz it make that watery mash). i really don't know what i get wrong

Are you following recipes or making it up as you go along? Is there a particular soup you want a recipe for? What kind of soup do you like?

thanks for all the tips all. i'm trying to do what people recommend here and making soup with the leftover and wonky bits not a recipie. sometimes it seems that other people could chuck a stone in water and make soup.

i'll keep trying but it feels like if i use my veg and saute and so on then the flavour just doesn't seem to get into the water and it doesn't thicken. if i use stock to help with the flavour then it seems i have to use so much to get the taste then it's just salty. i tried using cauliflower because someone said it broke down into the sauce but then it was grainy and still didn't taste of much other than boiled veg. i've used gravy granules before now and that was nice tasting but then it was a casserole more than a soup

the only soups i've actually tried to make were a wonderful sweet potato soup i had out for lunch once. i asked how they made it and when tried to make something similar and it was runny mash. same with sweetcorn soup. all grainy and like i'd forgotten to drain the veg after cooking. maybe i'm just not a soup maker. 

I normally put onions, celery and one small carrot into most soups, fry off for a little bit then add the rest, water and a stock cube [a Knorr stock pot]. If the soup is tasteless for you, are you OK with tasting other stuff? And for thick soup, you either need something that makes it thick, like lentils or peas or potatoes, or less water. To make it smooth, you really do need a blending stick or a food processor jug, or push it through a sieve [ the last will only work if the veg is super soft] Some veg is no good in a soup, either it will turn bitter, or you can use too much of it. Cauli is OK in a cauli and cheese soup but I wouldn't put it in a normal veg soup, ditto for kale, too bitter. Broccoli, also wouldn't use in soup unless it was specifically broccoli and cheese of some kind. Basically, most brassicas really. I would reccomend having a look on youtube and following someones soup recipe on there. If you can find one you like, cook along and see how it comes out. If it's still horrible, but looks like it should, it may be

 your tastebuds are affected. If everything is tasteless, unless you over salt. Does everyhting else taste OK?

Bluegreen143

@ariarnia if it’s grainy in texture you’re not cooking long enough. Especially if you’re going to blend it, the veg should be soft enough to just fall apart when touched with a fork. If you blend veg which is in any way al dente, it will go grainy (done this before!). If soft enough, it’ll go creamy. The same thing happens if you try to mash potatoes which aren’t ready yet, as I have also learned through sad experience 😂

For sweet potato soup I’d do:

- gently sauté an onion and maybe celery, seasoning it with salt as you cook it

- add your cubed sweet potato, veg stock and simmer til really really soft (it’s 20 mins under pressure but maybe take an hour on the stove) Don’t go crazy with the stock, just cover it as it’s easy to add more water later. But do check it doesn’t go dry!

- You can add some carrots or a handful of lentils with the sweet potato if you like

- once very soft, blend. It should be really thick and creamy in texture. Add a tin of coconut milk or normal milk/cream (but coconut milk is nicer!) and top up with extra water. Taste and season if needed 

- if you want sweet potato and chilli, which is lovely, add some chilli (fresh or dried flakes) to the pot while sautéing the onions

IMO most soup problems are caused by underseasoning early on, not taking the time to sauté off ingredients first, not cooking long enough or by using things which don’t taste nice together as @-taff points out. I too wouldn’t start with brassicas if a soup novice.

Brambling

I tend to be a throw veg in a saucepan or  soupmaker type of cook.  I did go off of blended soups but this one works really well if you like tomato soup?  

https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/nanas-magic-soup.html 

I rarely saute my veg first if blending it but for something like minestrone soup I will fry off some bacon first then use the fat to fry off onions, celery, carrot before adding the rest of the veg, pasta, beans etc. I'm the kind of cook who will add a bit of this or that or a dash of something like worcestershire sauce or mustard.

Unless I'm adding pasta I will usually add a potato (not new) which will thicken the soup even if you are not blending it.  

Spices or herbs will help to add flavour and when using stock cubes be careful on how much salt you add, you can add more at the end but can't take away and there is only so much salt a potato will absorb if you are trying to rectify over salting.  When making something like a tomato and lentil soup i leave the seasoning to after it is cooked and add the juice of half of lemon before adding salt.  

Spendless

ariarnia said:

-taff said:

ariarnia said:

recipe? my soups always taste like salty water with boiled lumps in (if i blitz it make that watery mash). i really don't know what i get wrong

Are you following recipes or making it up as you go along? Is there a particular soup you want a recipe for? What kind of soup do you like?

thanks for all the tips all. i'm trying to do what people recommend here and making soup with the leftover and wonky bits not a recipie. sometimes it seems that other people could chuck a stone in water and make soup.

i'll keep trying but it feels like if i use my veg and saute and so on then the flavour just doesn't seem to get into the water and it doesn't thicken. if i use stock to help with the flavour then it seems i have to use so much to get the taste then it's just salty. i tried using cauliflower because someone said it broke down into the sauce but then it was grainy and still didn't taste of much other than boiled veg. i've used gravy granules before now and that was nice tasting but then it was a casserole more than a soup

the only soups i've actually tried to make were a wonderful sweet potato soup i had out for lunch once. i asked how they made it and when tried to make something similar and it was runny mash. same with sweetcorn soup. all grainy and like i'd forgotten to drain the veg after cooking. maybe i'm just not a soup maker. 

I used to have the same issue. Whatever I did it never came out right and I could never identify where I was going wrong. A few Christmas ago with some points I bought a soup maker at Argos. They are expensive  and would be considered 'a waste of money' for those who are fine making soup but for myself it was a game changer. Inside is marked levels the first for your veg/lentils etc to go into and then a min and max line that you add water to. Add these select whether you want chunky or smooth switch on and come back 19 mins later and serve. 

As I've gone on I now sautee onions first as it releases the flavour, if using fresh garlic I add these too. Then the onions and  garlic go in first, followed by the rest of the chopped veg. I'm also a fan of using lentils or potatoes to thicken it but I did find that the blandness of the spuds can 'leach' into the soup unless it's seasoned enough. I often add some tropical peppercorns I have in. They are from my son's school cookery days and he's now 22 and they're still strong enough to use! I add stock pots because someone told me they help with flavour and I'd had too many mistakes prior to trying this. Now, I'm worried that if I try a stock cube instead (which would be cheaper!) it will take me back to my disastrous mistakes. I also add salt and black pepper and can tell if I forgot and have to add at the table instead.

As I've had mine several years it's paid for itself not just because they're cheaper than cans but because it's produced meals for pennies and meant I haven't had to serve up plan B when the soup idea went wrong as previously. I wouldn't recommend you buy just in case, but maybe see if anyone has one you can borrow or keep an eye out in the likes of charity shops/car boots.

Jackie - for some reason it's not letting me tag you, but the toasted bread for croutons. How long will they last in a jar, might they become mouldy?  Crusts don't get eaten at our house either. As a child I wasn't allowed them as they were my Dad's favourite. So, I was really excited when leaving home and buying my own bread that I could at long last see what this wonderful treat was - only to be disappointed! I'll eat them with something very wet, like beans on toast or in soup but otherwise I'm not keen. Making them into croutons would be a good idea.