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

Longwalker

Nelliegrace said:

Tortilla, omelette, frittata, or bubble and squeak. 
DH gave two eggs, because she had run out and couldn’t get any, to the bossy person who had demanded all asked for a regular supply of our surplus eggs. We don’t want that sort of pressure, and to be apologising if they don’t lay, or going without to supply her. We sell a few, putting a box out at WI or other meetings, and put the money towards their feed. We don’t want a sign at the door advertising, “chickens to be stolen here.” We swap a few eggs, (Maureen does a wonderful lemon meringue pie,) but it is nice to have some really fresh eggs to give away to say thank you. 

This is what happened to us Nellie. We had a few hens, then a couple turned out to be roos, so gave them away and got a few more hens, and you have to introduce in bulk so to speak so we ended up with half a dozen hens, who all started laying, daily, so we did the honesty box at the door thing. Then every time we lost a couple ( dogs next door usually ) we added more, ended up with 20 of them, and still we couldn't have kept up with demand. Before you knew it ended up being near on a full time job and costing a fortune, So as we lost them, we didnt replace and slowly reduced the flock and sold the whole set up 

Keep thinking of going again, just three hens for us, but I know chicken math will kick in and Ill lose the garden again

Anyways even though still crippled with pain, I had a productive morning. I had two litres of semi skimmed UHT sat in the stores ( you never know how much snow we will get ) which was not getting used so I decided Yoghurt. My Ninja has a yoghurt function, so I thought might as well. I had a small amount of greek yoghurt sat in the fridge left from a curry to use as the starter. Using UHT means you dont have to do the long slow boil and slower cool, just straight to ferment. 6 hrs later a pot of yoghurt, but not that thick so into a muslin and set in the garage ( its bloody cold out there ) to drain. Only this was after tea last night and after quite a bit of alcohol ( Paddys Day ) and I fell asleep . Woke this morning and I had the most amazingly thick creamy yoghurt - but twice as much whey lol. I think tbh if I had left it any longer it would have been cheese . It was that thick if came off the muslin with hardly any mess

So I thought cant waste the whey and I certainly cant drink it - its a texture thing, even pouring into the jug my stomach was going flip flops.. So a loaf of bread made. With the iffy arm, it didnt get much in the way of a knead, just enough to bring it together really, into the Ninja to prove for 2hrs and 20 mins after that, a tasty, very tasty loaf of high protein bread. Defo make that again when my arms better to give it a proper kneed, didnt rise as much as Id like

Off to watch the Rugby this afternoon so not a thought about tea. Perhaps some pasta. I ve very little appetite with the tablets Im taking, which is no bad thing

Nelliegrace

@Longwalker Our flock increased too, we have had hens laying a pretty assortment of coloured eggs, white, cream, pale blue, turquoise, green, various shades of brown, and speckled, over the years. 
Now we buy two hybrid pullets every August, and don’t keep any over three seasons. 

I make a small batch of kefir every day, a fermented yoghurt drink, just using the strained kefir grains from yesterday and fresh milk. It doesn’t need heating, just putting somewhere warm. 

I used longlife milk for yoghurt too, warmed in a glass jug in the microwave. To thicken it I added a heaped tablespoon of dried milk, then a spoonful of plain yoghurt and poured it into a warmed flask to thicken. For cream cheese I strained  the yoghurt through muslin in a sieve. The whey is very good for scones. Milk on the turn is good for scones. 

YorksLass

I had a much better night's sleep last night so have caught up on the things I was going to do yesterday but didn't.  All back on track now.

Not many leftovers in the fridge at the moment    just half a tin of chopped tomatoes (not difficult to use up) and a bowl of chicken stock that I'll use for a soup base tomorrow.  Half an opened large tin of evaporated milk has been turned into a SC rice pudding that we can have with fruit or a dollop of jam/lemon curd during the week - cheaper and nicer than the ready made pots.  I've also unearthed a carton of UHT milk that's just gone past its BB date so will use some of that tomorrow to make a large custard tart, plus either jam tarts or mince pies with the pastry trimmings.  I'll use the rest of the milk for a couple of milky coffees, not something we often have as we're normally tea drinkers, and have added a replacement to my next shopping list.

I'm not planning on doing any shopping this week but will have to go out at some stage to collect DH's tablets - thankfully I'll not be passing any shops so temptation will be avoided.  

DH is currently watching the Ireland vs England rugby, not sure how it's going as I can't hear any cheers or groans, but I suspect it will be an Ireland win.

Very disappointed to find that Boots have discontinued the foot cream that I use.  On their website there are lots of comments from customers asking why this is.  I wonder if it's yet another example of "there's no call for it" or is it whoever makes it for them has ceased trading.  Either way, I'll have to find something else - sigh.  

Florenceem

No spending here today and as I don't shop on a Sunday - can total up the weeks total spend - £5.35.

elsien

Mother’s Day lunch tomorrow. I’d normally cook but sibling is turning up as a surprise so I’m doing a buffet instead and leaving it in the back of the car till needed.
Is it bad that I’ve just picked up a load of yellow sticker food – things that will be fine tomorrow, to decant into a bowl so no one can tell the difference?
I was going to make more of it myself, but there’s taste the difference potato salad and veggie quiches for 25p each and it’s just seems silly not to. Although I do now feel like a bit of a cheapskate. And I’ve still spent nearly 30 quid. Although some of that I’ll freeze for myself for another time.

Longwalker

Well dinner was thanks of the freezer, it is always worth saving those couple of spoonfuls

I did have to cook fresh rice but I need cold cooked for tomorrows dinner

In the freezer I found three bags ( never labeled ) of what looked like curry so I went for it, 2 onion  bhajees  from lord alone knows when, and a bloody awful nan bread - one of those thats too flat, too dry and just crumbles? But seeing as it was frozen, I buttered it and then gave it a good run under the cold tap - it worked - was edible

Oh when I say bags, I mean perhaps a ladle full. Seriously Ive stopped throwing out anything.

Me and he are stuffed full, there was lamb in one bag, chicken and spinach in another and what I thought was chicken - turned out to be mince and lentils. . Plonked the rice in the middle of the plate and a spoonful of each of the curries around it and told him is was an Indian Thali and would cost at least £20 a head if we were eating out. Clean plates

Ive always sworn that freezing that wee bit of extra pays off. I might have just one extra sausage from a pack, its wrapped and frozen. Yes I do end up with a drawer full of "carp" but then, when money is so tight it squeaks coming in and screams on the way out, those wee bits come into their own

Its Mothering Sunday tomorrow. Mum eats very little and refuses to be taken out, shes asked for Chinese - hence the rice. So we are using up 2 pork chops ( pork with ginger and spring onions) a 90p bargain packet of tiger prawns, ( probably a garlic and ginger dish )  braised cauliflower in oyster sauce, egg fried rice and if I can find some peppers not costing an arm and leg, those in black beans. A feast using up freezer bits and bobs on the whole and some cheap veggies - loads of spring onions required

And the left overs ( which there will be ) will either Mr L's lunch box or frozen for another day 

Oh I have the card and choccies for her already. She knows she gets her flowers mid week when Tesco reduce them

Longwalker

elsien said:

Mother’s Day lunch tomorrow. I’d normally cook but sibling is turning up as a surprise so I’m doing a buffet instead and leaving it in the back of the car till needed.
Is it bad that I’ve just picked up a load of yellow sticker food – things that will be fine tomorrow, to decant into a bowl so no one can tell the difference?
I was going to make more of it myself, but there’s taste the difference potato salad and veggie quiches for 25p each and it’s just seems silly not to. Although I do now feel like a bit of a cheapskate. And I’ve still spent nearly 30 quid. Although some of that I’ll freeze for myself for another time.

Hell no, id be doing the exact same - read my post lol

The money spent isnt the issue, its the experience

We went away with friends last year on a 3 night break - all costs shared equally between the four of us. I paid for the ferry for all of us using my tesco points, at 450 quid it was a huge part of the costs, Didnt matter if I paid cash or baked beans for it , it had to be paid and as far as I was concerned I paid the £450 towards the holiday costs. The other couple paid the £500 accommodation and we needed £100 fuel - everyone put in 260, but I was left with 200 spending money

Same as this year, Mr L paid the flights, parking  and spending, I paid the hotel - using club card . Cost me personally  about £25 in cash compared to his £300 all in, but the hotel was originally £300 , did it matter I paid in vouchers?

Spend what you can, dont over spend and if you have food you are happy to serve, serve it, and enjoy the day. No one roots around bins looking for receipts , they are there to have family time

euronorris

Yellow sticker everything if you can! 

Only 1 yellow sticker worth us having in sainsburys today, which was bread. There were some 'taste the difference' meals being stickered up, but at £1.99 each they were still pricey in my opinion!

Needed olive oil, and haven't had to buy any for a while. Boy was I shocked at the price! Ended up buying a 500ml bottle as the price was a little more palatable.

I also wanted to do a cooked chicken sandwich, and thought I would buy some pre cooked chargrilled chicken pieces (as a treat). Scanned them. Changed my mind. They wanted the best part of £5!!! It was about a single chickens breast worth! So gave daughter a quick education in savvy shopping and showed her much cheaper it worked out to buy the chicken breast, chop, season and cook ourselves and how much more we got for spending less money! And I know that's always the case, but I just really wanted to save myself a bit of time and effort today. Wasn't to be. 

Haven't had any trouble getting salad bits, and peppers etc for the last couple weeks which is good.

We then hit the charity shop and she got 6 books for £5, and a large where's wally puzzle (which hadn't ever been done once we opened it).

Longwalker

Had to hit lidl today for spring onions and shallots and a couple of bits and pieces and got a good sized organic chicken for £2 and a pork loin joint for £2 as well - result 

I needed peppers. Well the 3 pack was up from 99p to £1.59, for what was basically 3 green peppers of varying ripeness and all quite scrawny. The organic pepper, large and plump and red and yellow - £1.79 - no brainer

Perhaps I got lucky the other week. Meribel whole peanut butter - no added oils etc - 99p. Went to lift a jar today - £1.99.  There was nothing I noticed before saying it was a special, glad I got it when I did

joedenise

euronorris said:

Yellow sticker everything if you can! 

Only 1 yellow sticker worth us having in sainsburys today, which was bread. There were some 'taste the difference' meals being stickered up, but at £1.99 each they were still pricey in my opinion!

Needed olive oil, and haven't had to buy any for a while. Boy was I shocked at the price! Ended up buying a 500ml bottle as the price was a little more palatable.

I also wanted to do a cooked chicken sandwich, and thought I would buy some pre cooked chargrilled chicken pieces (as a treat). Scanned them. Changed my mind. They wanted the best part of £5!!! It was about a single chickens breast worth! So gave daughter a quick education in savvy shopping and showed her much cheaper it worked out to buy the chicken breast, chop, season and cook ourselves and how much more we got for spending less money! And I know that's always the case, but I just really wanted to save myself a bit of time and effort today. Wasn't to be. 

Haven't had any trouble getting salad bits, and peppers etc for the last couple weeks which is good.

We then hit the charity shop and she got 6 books for £5, and a large where's wally puzzle (which hadn't ever been done once we opened it).

You can buy a whole chicken for about a fiver which would be even better value and you'd be able to make several meals from it.  I very rarely buy just chicken breasts.  If I buy pieces it thighs as I think they have more flavour.