How long can I make £187.15 last?

Kaylataste

hello,this is brilliant! just one question,what happens at christmas with regards to presents and the little things that make christmas special for the little ones?

mumtoomany

Hi @Floss, thanks, unfortunately, DS-i-L works mostly from home and DD1 works strange shifts, NHS. None of our supermarkets are 24 hour. They do bring stuff in if they can, but i seem to run out when they are not at work. I would buy more milk and freeze it, but at the moment the freezers are overflowing. Hugs, mumtoomany.xxx

mumtoomany

Hi, @Kaylataste, the £187.15, is just groceries. Presents will come from a different budget. I've already got a turkey crown in the freezer, from 24th December last year when they were reduced, also a reduced Christmas pudding. I will buy some mince pies and maybe a cake, (might make one yet). Neither OH or I are big drinkers, so little cost there. DD1 and DS-i-L1  will buy any alcohol they want to drink. We always seem to be gifted lots of chocolate. And if the money runs out, we have other money we could use. I'm just interested to know how close we can get to the end of the year, before we get to the end of the money.

Lunch today was salad and ham sandwiches. Then we finished up the trifle. Tea will be salmon fish fingers, HM chips, mushy peas, leeks in cheese sauce and french beans. Everyone may choose two of the vegetables. I almost never give them choices, but I only have two tins of mushy peas, and very few beans. 

Right off to peel some potatoes, hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx

Kaylataste

hi mumtomany,that's good to know! christmas is such a lovely time of year and i wouldn't want anyone to go without! i love the fact you already have your christmas joint,we have too.A leg of lamb has been in the freezer since Easter,i really hope you can do this challenge,i will be watching in interest.

London_1

I usually aim to buy my Christmas mincemeat for mince pies just after Christmas the previous year as it keeps very well. Last Christmas I snaffled 6 jars of Robertsons Best mincemeat from my local Tescos at 10p a jar around midJanuary as they sell them off to make room for Easter stuff :). I like lattice mincemeat tart during the year sometimes for a change  

JackieO xx

mumtoomany

A lady after my own heart, JackieO. I always look out for reduce mincemeat too, but this year couldn't find any. I'll look out again after Christmas. Last year Aldi had an offer one week, at some point before Christmas, where mince pies were much cheaper. I'll keep an eye out for them doing it again, not paying over £1 for six!

Tea went down well worth all except the youngest DGD. Some sort of pasta dish tomorrow I think. 

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx

sheilavw

hi mumtoomany. Having had a new kitchen recently my freezer is much smaller. I used to have one of the American cabinet types and had lots of stuff in the freezer for ever! However, on a recent tv programme it said that you should use things up in a few months. I hope your Turkey crown will be ok after 1 year (I know all things ive used from a long time ago have been fine) I was surprised when I watched this programme about how long things last in a freezer for

mumtoomany

Hi, @sheilavw. I have three freezers! Two big chest ones and an upright fridge freezer. All are full! I've often kept things frozen for more than a year, without noticeable difference to taste. I remember reading once about how, during the Russia revolution when people were starving, woolly mammoths were dug out of the permafrost, and eaten. I think things last for ever, or at least a very long time, when frozen. Even food with freezer burn is edible, just may not taste quite so good. I'll let you all know on boxing day, if we all survive! Haha.
Hugs, mumtoomany.xxx

YORKSHIRELASS

Oh I love these sorts of challenges, I will be cheering you on! x

I went a bit mad tonight, I bought some stewing beef earlier in the week and made slow cooker chinese beef with some frozen stir fry veg, noodles and a bag of supermarket own brand prawn crackers.  Invited DS for tea and it was lovely.

I have the same dilemma about the Too Good to Go Bags, we pick up a bag in the nearest town which is 2 miles away sometimes and it is sometimes doubtful whether the diesel cost makes it worthwhile, but the bags are only £3.09 and we have sometimes had things like chicken breasts or sausages in them.

[Deleted User]

Just a thought, I haven’t peeled spuds for years. No need to, even for mash. It changes the texture ever so slightly but nothing really noticeable. Saves a job and a lot of nutrition is in the peelings x