Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

PennysIntoPounds

I'm sorry your relative's estate skankers haven't even been run of the mill vultures, how horrible. 

Excellent shopping and non shopping! If you're not in need of boots and it was the sparkly laces that particularly called to you, maybe you could ask Mr F to ask Santa for sparkly laces of the right length in your stocking 

foxgloves

Hi Sunday Savers,
Great idea about the laces, @PennysIntoPounds..I will bear that suggestion in mind.

A calm laid back day today. Budget positives as follows, such as they were:
*Hopefully securing next year's rhubarb crop by supervising Mr F in dividing the monster triffid & replanting a quarter of it. Another chunk of the crown potted up for my sister when I see her later this month.
*Spotted some self-sown freebies while grubbing around in the rhubarb - potted up 3 foxgloves, 2 aquilegias & 2 primroses for filling gaps in borders.
*Picked last 2 small tromboncino squash & composted the plant.
*Made 2 shepherd's pies - one for tonight & one for Tuesday. Saved 100g of mince for making a tamale pie tomorrow.
*Entered a competition.
*A no-spend day.
*2 post-rhubarb baths from one fill of hot water.
*Noticing that the central heating (set at 18° from 6am to 9.30pm atm) is coming on, but not all that often, so the weather is clearly not yet sufficiently cold to be hammering up the gas bill. I'm sure we will see colder temperatures before too long. We haven't lit the gas stove yet, but ought to do so soon to check it is working correctly. It is serviced annually along with the boiler, so should be fine 
Lots of fireworks going off, but Soot & Ash more bothered about their dinner atm.
F x

marionmgcars

Super productive day for you Foxgloves, inspired me to make my jobs lists for tomorrow, as a few been lingering too long.  

Was lucky to get two huge cauliflowers from Olio.  One was delicious as a cauliflower cheese for tea.  The other I have made cauliflower rice for first time, so will try it out with a curry tomorrow night.  I am hoping it’s tasty, then I’ll swap out for rice, as I would rather save my carb intake for other dishes.  

joedenise

@marionmgcars - I find cauliflower rice a bit bland and not as filling as rice.  Think it's probably worth sprinkling some spices on it to give it a bit of oomph!

marionmgcars

Thanks @joedenise,  I’ll give it a go 👍

Sun_Addict

@marionmgcars cauliflower rice is ok if you cover it with curry, chilli or whatever. However cauliflower mash is absolutely delicious 😋 

rtandon27

We often make cauliflower fritters, similar to these, but bake them in the oven.  They freeze well and reheat nicely in the microwave, also are great to include in a lunch pack-up as I quite enjoy them at room temp as well.

Humdinger1

Ooh well done @foxgloves for resisting the call of the boots! Back in my spendy years, I was eyeing up black patent thigh-high boots in that temple of delight R and B (not the music, though I could well have ended up improvising along the lines of my money's gone left me).   They were £500 back in 2007....that took some courage to contemplate! I'd almost convinced myself that they were completely necessary when a matching bag appeared.  If I couldn't have both, I reasoned in best Princess manner, then no.  It would have been a grand total of £800! Yes, an extra £300!!! My future self must have made a very rare excursion to my earlier self.  I look back and tremble..

Your desk news got me humming that song about a bunch of blue ribbons, to tie up my bonny brown hair.  Are they? Love Humdinger xx 

marionmgcars

wow, the cauliflower mash and fritters sound very tempting, thanks. 

EssexHebridean

Many years ago I had the most glorious pair of metallic gold DMs which is always made a point of wearing with metallic purple sparkly laces...they were truly a thing of wonder, although sadly never actually terribly comfortable in wear! 

As for the cauliflower - plenty more tasty things to do to it than trying to pretend it's rice, IMO! Cauliflower cheese, for a start!