Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

foxgloves

@PennysIntoPounds - Lol, they are very nice, unusual crisps. They were a bone of contention here last year as we bought a bag to add to our friends' gift bag, then they completely sold out so Mr F couldn't get a bag for himself. Well, you'd have thought the sky was falling in. He even convinced himself that they were far too exotic a flavour for these particular friends & that they probably got binned!! He has now tried a bag, loved them, but hasn't been able to get any to put away for Christmas as they've currently sold out again. Mr F takes crisps almost as seriously as coffee!
F

foxgloves

Hello Sunday Readers,
Not a no-spend day as have been out to a farmers' market where 1.5kg  expensive coffee beans were purchased - a treat from the recent back-pay. Budget-friendly efforts (such as they are):
*Bought a big bag of beef bones from organic butcher's stall for soup/stock making.
*Did not get tempted in the gift shop.
*Ditto the nice little garden centre.
*Ditto lunch out.
*Made the most of more use-it-up toiletries at bath time.
*Saved a bit of hot water as Mr F decided to jump in my bath water afterwards. Gas use has been very reasonable so far as it simply hasn't been cold enough to trigger the CH to come on much. Some days I'm not even needing a cardi.
*Remembered I'd still got anti-evil weevil nematodes in the fridge - expiry date tomorrow - so dealt with that. £10-49 to save my lovely collection of container heucherellas. What a waste of money if I'd forgotten. And potentially a waste of plants too as those damned weevils make their presence felt every year. If only Weevil Bashing could be a new sport for cats!
Well, m'dears, that's quite enough woffle. Reading time now & more of my charity knitting project later. 
Have planned a productive week ahead so let's see how that goes.
F x

foxgloves

What a soggy old day it is today. We've had 2 spells of deluge & it's still raining now. Cats are fed-up. Ash was difficult about taking his painkiller this morning but has grudgingly had most of it now. I think he's sick of gravy tbh. 
Hello Diary Readers, 
Look at me, yakking on before I've even welcomed you into my steamy kitchen. Hope you are managing to get this new week off to a reasonably decent start. It's been all old-style kitchen witchery here.
*Roasted the chunky organic beef bones I bought yesterday, then simmered them for stock from early morning.
*Froze 1 container of stock then used the rest to make beef & vegetable soup, having stripped the meat off the bones halfway through simmering. It's nice & thick, just right for this time of year - 6 portions.
*Made a batch of my (secret recipe) hot pineapple chutney - 1 jar of which is heading for a festive hamper. Leftover pineapple will do dessert/packed lunch.
*Baked a wholemeal loaf.
*Did 2 loads of laundry - am now adding an extra spin for hopefully less heated airer & dehumidifier time.
*Continue with present knitting now as I am done with jobs for today.
I have deferred Monday Morning Budget Updates until tomorrow as kitchen witchery took over most of my time today.
Cheers,
F x

KajiKita

Lovely to read of all your kitchen witchery … 😊

I have been trying for years to convince all the cats I have ever owned that, slugs are an amazing source of protein, all chewy and munchy … not one has even looked at a slug so far … 😉😂

KK

foxgloves

@KajiKita - I know many people over the years have thought me really domesticated, but my enjoyment lies very much at the gardening/kitchen witchery/crafting end of things. Cleaning.....& especially ironing, I could well do without!
I did once live next door to a cat who ate a big slug. I think his owner was horrified that he might come indoors & start licking her! 

foxgloves

Hello Diary Readers,
Today seems to be disappearing very fast. I think my sense of time has been skewed by Mr F having a much later start time at work to make up for the fact that he has one of his occasional very late shifts tonight. Anyway, a reasonably productive day with budget-friendly offerings as follows:
*Chose next week's meals from November's master meal plan.
*Chatted through our diaries to make sure we have everything written in up to Christmas. Although we only have 2 family meet-ups & are not the most sociable of people, we were surprised at just how booked up we are already & decided we are almost at capacity for the amount of stuff we want to do. Added in some changes to Mr F's working days too, as I like to know when the wheels are available!
*Made tomorrow's packed lunch.
*Did deferred Monday morning budget updates.
*Did a few surveys. November PA earnings already at £21-68 so I must keep checking every day.
*Entered a competition & a draw.
Oh & remember the frog? I had a feeling that it might not remain swallowed & indeed, it has not! I'd say it barely croaked its way to the nether regions of my oesophagus before launching itself back out, shouting, "Haha, sucker! I'm still here!". I have re-swallowed it with more vigour this afternoon. I am very much hoping I will not need to go for the hat-trick. If there is something which really winds me up, it is people who waste my time! 
Ash has his extra check-up at the vet first thing tomorrow, which we hope will go well. He wasn't discharged because there was a little query over the healing from one of the extractions & the nurse wanted to rule out a possible infection brewing. He's done quite well with his food today, also his painkiller & was doing zoomies out on the courtyard earlier, so we are hoping these are all good signs. 
Well, it;s just me & the cats tonight. I shall be Queen of the Remote Control & intend to start watching 'Alias Grace'. I think I may have read the book ages ago, I shall soon find out. I am also going to knit - either cracking on with the 2nd pair of Mr F's birthday socks while he isn't around, or the snowman mitts I'm making for a charity thing. Also have a good book on the go.....Janice Hallett's latest novel set in the world of pub quizzes, which I'm finding very amusing, having been to pub quizzes in the past with similar types of teams. @Blackcats - If I remember rightly, I think you like her books. Have you read this one yet? 
Enjoy your evenings all. Stay cosy.
F x

PennysIntoPounds

Hope all goes will with the vets.
That book sounds fun, what's it called?
Have a lovely evening Queen of the Remote Control 🥂

thriftmonster

Hope all goes well with Ash. I have had a couple of similar reviews with the vet but in fairness they haven't charged extra -just making sure they were 100% happy to discharge His Cattiness

Blackcats

Thank you for the news of a new Janice Hallett.  I really like her books so it's going to be next on my list.  I'm currently reading Love Marriage by Monica Ali which I'm thoroughly enjoying.  Actually I'm listening to it on aud *ib*le and it's beautifully narrated.

are you watching the knitting competition on Channel 4?  I watch it and think that our very own Foxgloves would be a brilliant competitor.

Sun_Addict

I’m sure Ash will be fine. Cats usually make it known when they have an infection by curling up in a tight ball somewhere out of the way. It certainly sounds like he’s healthy enough. 

Enjoy your evening in charge of the remote.