I'm back! Trying to spend less on food!

mumtoomany

@2Scratters, the freezer is your best friend, closely followed by your blender. Plastic bag in the freezer. Throw in any bits that won't be eaten. When it's full, zuzz it into soup. I do this. Everything can be frozen, some things don't thaw well. A typical, if there is such a thing, soup here might be: carrots, potatoes, onions, cucumber, tomato, apple, crust of bread, lettuce, curry sauce, but of cheese, etc. Thawed, blitzed, some sort of stock added, soup for two, or even "two soups" in the words of Julie Walters. Hugs, mumtoomany.xx

BenjaminIsco

This is a must to do challenge to save money!

Katiehound

OP did very very well last year, but judging by her signature she lost the plot with adding up this year!

I am still enjoying baking your carrot cake @mumtoomany and miss reading your up dates. 

mumtoomany

Hello everyone. I last posted on this thread in December 2023. In January our finances improved, very, slightly. Dadtoomany started claiming his state pension. This, added to the few small private pensions he is claiming, gives a total annual income of around £17,000. A great improvement on last year. However the prices of everything have been shooting up, as we all know. We have a lot of work needs doing in the house and barn, expensive work, like roof replacements! Even with the extra money coming in, we are still seeing empty bank accounts by the end of each month. I think I've taken my eye off the ball somewhat. So I'm back here to regain some accountability.

A bit about us, for those who don't know, or can't be bothered reading back through the thread, (i don't blame you). OH, (dadtoomany) and I live on a smallholding in South Wales. We share a house with DD1, her husband, S-i-L1, and their three children, DGS1, DGD1 and DGD2. At present we have chickens and sheep and grow quite a bit of fruit and veg, much of which is eaten by rabbits, slugs and caterpillars! Until around a year ago I shopped and cooked for all seven of us, now it's just the two of us and occasionally the grandchildren. We also feed lots of visitors, especially during the summer, our other children and grandchildren, siblings and their families, friends, etc. unfortunately i still seem to be shopping for at least seven. The house is heaving with food, again! I need to use some up and buy less, hence why I'm back. These threads have held me accountable in previous years, so I'm hoping they will again. 

Welcome onboard any newcomers, welcome back previous readers/posters. My journey to spending less money on food starts, again, here.

Speak soon, hugs, mumtoomany.xxx

Elisheba

Looking forward to reading your posts again, @mumtoomany. I always enjoy them!

Katiehound

Nice to see you back- 'though maybe not for particularly pleasant reasons!

I heard that prices have gone down this month. really? Not where i am standing (or shopping)

I think it's your carrot cake that I am still making.
Thanks
The last one was actually carrot, courgette & very ripe banana- delicious. Recently I have been doing 1/2 carrot to 1/2 courgette, so I reduced those amounts to add the banana. Mary Berry calls something similar a 'Sunshine cake' 'though mine is not iced!

mumtoomany

Hello, everyone. Busy day here. Spent many hours filling in online forms for a family member, and having to source all the information needed. Also had care of the grandchildren all afternoon, Handy when the sheep decided to plot an escape at five o clock. They are useful for chasing them back in. 

Due to bring busy I've not really planned meals today. Breakfast, I had yogurt and jam, home made jam from blackberries. Dadtoomany had cereal and toast. Lunch I had the rest of last night's sausage pasta bake, pasta, reduced sausage, cheap peppers and mushrooms, home grown onions and a pack of chopped tomatoes donated by sister in law, only a bit out of date. OH had leftover chicken soup, home made, with crusty bread, baguettes reduced to 10p each. Tea, after a busy day, I cooked two jacket potatoes, served with salad, some home grown, and reduced chicken. Might go and find the rest of the apple pie in a moment. 

Probably won't need any shopping until next week, then possibly only milk. Spent just over £82 on Tuesday, told you I had fallen off the wagon. Much of it was reduced, but only really needed milk, bread and crisps. Maybe didn't actually NEED crisps. 

I've inventoried the kitchen freezer, enough meat in there for most of the rest of the year, and I know there is also lots of land and mutton in the other two freezers. Must try to find time to inventory the other two, find out exactly what's there. Maybe when school is back. 

Hello, @Elisheba and @Katiehound. Glad your still enjoying the carrot cake recipe. Can't actually take credit for it though. It was the great, and much missed, @weezle74. I've made muffins this week, with a recipe given to me many years ago. Rediscovered the recipe list week. 

Right, do it coffee I think. Tomorrow I'm going to cut the tops off the potato plants, ready for lifting. And collect more tomatoes.

Hugs, mumtoomany.xxx

Floss

Great to see you back - am looking forward to reading your plans for your freezer stocks!

mumtoomany

Hi all, lovely to have you along for ride too, @Floss. 

Been out to the polytunnel, more tomatoes, french beans, very few runner beans but lots of small ones still growing, more courgettes and marrows (the courgettes that got away!), four pods of broad beans, these have been fruiting since February. Also collected half an ice cream tub of blackberries. The blackberries have been very poor this year so far. Small, dried up and hard. Last year was especially good, we froze a LOT, so many that a couple of weeks ago I used the remainder to make 16 jars of jam. This was after using them all winter to add to porridge and for pies, crumbles and fruit salad. No damsons this year either. 

I really need to go back to the tunnel and finish watering, but it's now too hot. Can't believe I'm saying that, almost the first time this summer. Maybe this evening. 

Breakfast was porridge and blackberries. Granddaughters had it too. Lunch salad and ham sandwiches, with crisps and a chocolate biscuit. Tea will be liver and bacon, from the freezer already cooked. With potatoes, french beans and, at the request of dadtoomany, fried tomatoes. Might clear a bit of the glut. Sold some tomatoes on the gate too, so £1.50 better off.

Hugs, mumtoomany.xxx

sheilavw

Nice to see you back, I enjoy your posts