From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

FrugalHedonist

Hi @Greying_Pilgrim im not sure how well cauliflower goes down in yohr house but i made this at the weekend, didnt bother with the rice or dip but the curry itself was relatively inexpensive for those with a store cupboard and it turned out well
https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables/keralan-veggie-curry-with-poppadoms-rice-minty-yoghurt/

Greying_Pilgrim

Thank you all for your kind words.

I went for 2 walks. 

A small one in sunshine (plenty of opportunities to spot 'garden' birds in one stretch) to the local PO - which was heaving, so I came straight back without bothering to join the queue. 

Then I hitched up my big girl knickers, gave myself a stern talking to and set off to go into Greying Town via a different route.  It doesn't provide the absolute 'nature immersion' that I probably need, but if you can ignore the one stretch by a really busy trunk road, there are pockets of loveliness - and indeed EH, on the one stretch I definitely heard the tell-tale cheeps of a family of long-tailed t1ts, and something that may have been a goldcrest, but as I really couldn't spot it (dense, high holly hedge), I can't claim that one, and my bird song recognition isn't good enough to rely on.  But I seem to recall that Goldcrest's have a disappointing cheep, cheep, compared to their glorious feathery loveliness and their super diddy cuteness.  The area is the frontage to a private special school, and I didn't want to linger, plus also a gaggle of staff were on the roadside, having a fag break and I didn't want to smell like a pub ash-tray either 🙄

I had seen a little shop that I wanted to explore on the outskirts of town - I usually pass it at night, coming back from taking LG to club, and its closed, so I went in for a peek.  Their Christmas ornaments had caught my eye, but it sold a range of things - I think best summed up as in the 'new age' vibe.  I did buy a Christmas card that will be perfect for a friend - will have to send it next year now, but at least I supported a small business in a teeny-tiny way.  

I resisted the temptation to pop into the pub advertising mulled wine/cider at £4 a glass, on account of it was a bit early in the day and I've got to drive LG to activity later.  Plus I didn't think you wanted me to get into that type of Christmas spirit...... 🤔

Coming into town a different way enabled me to pop into a couple of knick-knacky shops that I wouldn't normally, and I spotted a new bakery/coffee shop which I suspect is modelling itself on a 'Scandi' style vibe.  Funnily enough I had been looking at a blog with LG that featured a coffee shop which was genuinely 'Scandi'.  When did cakes and buns and muffins get soooooo expensive?  

Anyhoo, I went to the bank and sorted out the CHB - leaving some in the account to cover club excursion instalments.  Although the instalments have begun (because, unlike school, club give adequate notice of adventures, and make instalment payments easier for the majority of parents to manage), I must get onto sorting out some element of 'saving for' with LG in the New Year.  I think it helps them to realise that stuff isn't magicked out of thin air and that may help them to appreciate all that they do have and experience.  LG is far from spoilt, but I don't think we should miss the opportunity to reinforce the lessons of 'costs' either.  

The washing is drying well.  I am super pleased.  It's relatively warm here, but it is very grey and cloudy and the early sun disappeared, but I won't have to take the stuff to the launderette to dry, which was one of my fears.  

Need to get cracking to make a curry for tea.  Then before you know it, it'll be the school run and the dreaded country lanes in the dark.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Just back in from a pre-emptive shop at MrS.  I'm so pleased to report that whilst it was 'medium' busy (no busier than a normal Tuesday I would have thought), there was no 'panic' or harrassed folk claiming the last [insert item of choice].  I did have 3 separate fellow customers try to just barge through me to get whatever it was they wanted off the shelf, which is a bit disappointing, but perhaps they always shop in MrS, at that time, on a Tuesday and they don't expect Greying to be stood there, trying to wield the smartshop zapper.......

Disappointingly, this is my what, 5th? 6th? smartshop, and I got checked again.  Yawn.  The CSA was extremely polite, but they reeked of cigarette smoke and weren't overly careful with how they moved my items around to re-zap the barcodes - but they did compliment me on my careful and organised packing...... 🙄  And I passed the "test" 🙄 But smartshop is losing it's attraction for me, not that it was ever "up there" with things I wanted to do in my life.....

£36.90 spent on 33 items - gee.  No alcohol in that, and the majority of stuff was storecupboard/freezer.  A pretty pedestrian shop actually 🙁

LG had a good session at activity last night, and the drive there and back wasn't too bad.  

I forgot to say, I made soup at the weekend to use up some of the sweet potatoes I had got in a recent MrL offer.  It was made up, and was along the lines of vegetarian Harira, but I used cannellini beans rather than chickpeas.  LG raved about it, ate up a bowlful and asked if there was anymore (there wasn't).  Not too sure if it was actually all that amazing, but the fact that they scoffed up a bowl of soup makes it a winner for me. 

Tea last night was curry, lentil dhal and rice.  The curry used a packet sauce, so a cheat, but it's one we like and it made a portion for the freezer, along with some l/o dhal and a portion of rice, so we have the makings of a 'fakeaway' for the festive season if needs be.

Can't think of anything else MSE worthy, so I shall amend my siggie and shuffle orf. 

Ta for popping in.  Greying X 

EssexHebridean

Goldcrests  make a sort of squeaky noise - a very high pitched trill - usually heard from way up in the treetops, but they do like a dense hedge too, so your holly hedge is a very good possibility!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon MFW'rs

Quick duck in for me.  Not mucho been happening that is on a MF vibe.

I did go shopping again today, as I wanted to see what the MrS 15p offering was like.  I have to report - very good.  I know that MrL has slashed the price of the veg down to 9p, but honestly, I'm super happy with what i got.  DH seemed delighted that I'd procured brussels sprouts when i spoke to him at lunchtime...... 🤔...🤣

In total I spent £27.47, but that includes a clutch of alcohol today, plus a token gift for a christmas stocking, so not too bad.  And yes, I did go through the served aisle today - not even bothering to do a smartshop having bought alcohol, which would need authorising probably anyway.  Interestingly the store was slightly quieter today - and yet there was more 'tension'.  But to be absolutely fair, everyone was so polite and  no one tried to reach through me today to secure themselves a tin of cullen skink....  A nice experience, and I have to say it will make tomorrows food shop just for (pretty much), 'normal' things.  I really hope I'm not simplifying to the point of boredom - but we will have our (equivalent) roast meal on Saturday, and something pasta bake-ish on Christmas Eve.  Those are the most important meals to me.  Everything else can be pizza or soup as far as I'm concerned.  I'm thinking of making a 'never fail' cake over the weekend, and getting LG to cook some welsh cakes with me as an Advent activity.  We have ice-creams in the freezer.  I don't think we'll starve.......

I did also spend £3 on washing up liquid.  I think the equivalent price in hB is either £2.95 or £2.99, so I figured it was close enough to buy in MrS, to save having to schlep around another shop (which was likely to be busy, looking at the carpark).

So I need to amend my siggie budget lines accordingly.  I did also pop around the PO (mercifully there was a smaller queue today), to deposit the shopping money spent yesterday into my account as I paid for the smartshop by card.  I did have the added bonus of spotting LG in the playground, as it was lunchbreak 🥰

Ta for popping by - oh, interesting bird spot for yesterday was a wren.  We're quite lucky, as they are quite regular visitors here - but I have never seen on bobbling about on the ground before.  This one was in next doors garden, which is - admittedly - quite overgrown, but it was hopping around on some mossy/grassy hummocks in the (former) lawn.  Never seen that before.  

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Morning MFW'rs

Shopping done.  £38.42 spent in MrL on "normal" shopping, and an additional amount (not in grocery budget) for an extra few bottles of wine - white wine specifically that we will use with a couple of meals.  It was far busier than it was for a typical Thursday, but the vast majority of folk were good natured, and there wasn't a scrum at the 8p veg counter.  For 8p, you can't argue, but personally I'm happier with the veg that I got in MrS - the tatties for example, make better mash than the MrL variety.  But I did indulge in a (nother) mahoosive swede as now that I have invested in finding a gazinty million swede/swedish turnip/rutabaga recipes, I can use it all up.  

Originally the weather forecast was for a dry morning today, but I see that it had changed.  Given it was so breezy though, I took a punt and put on a wash and pegged it out before I went shopping.  As I drove to MrL, I did wonder if we were in for a snow storm, the sky got that dark....... naturally we had a downpour, and the washing is now definitely wetter than when it went out 🙄  Ho hum.   I knew it was a gamble, and I lost.  At the minute the washing is still out there.  But I think i had better bring it in and get the dehu going.  You win some and you lose some - and I have been incredibly lucky with laundry in the recent past, so I can't complain.  But DH will need workwear for part of next week, and the forecast is dire from hereonin, so money is going to have to be spent on drying methods somewhere along the line.  

Meter readings done and submitted.  I must check what the new account balance is, as I don't think we'll be much in credit anymore.

Busy afternoon with school activities followed by club - although we may not get to club/LG will be too tired.  The end of term is inching towards us.  It's been a strange one, no doubt.  I am glad that I have started to stand my ground on extra costs.  I don't think I'm alone in thinking the school has no clue regarding the financial demographic of the families it serves, but I am pretty sure I am still in a minority with regard to refusing to pay for x, y and z and NOT sending LG to the activity, so that it looks as if we've paid.  That just makes it more expensive for everyone else that does 'pay to play' irrespective of their ability to afford it.  But of course, there will always be those that won't pay, because they want to spend their income on what they want to buy...... like the rest of us wouldn't like to be afforded that option.

Right, off to amend siggie, and finish off putting the last few groceries away.  We are blessed, and our cupboards are full, even if it isn't chocolate and multiple treats.  We won't starve.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

I just noticed, I started this diary exactly a year ago to date.

Happy 1st anniversary 😁

We are still in credit with the leccy board, but of course, we're entering the 3 most expensive months of the year.  We used £20 worth more energy this month, compared to last.  I didn't put the heating on until later in the evening last night, as it stayed quite mild.   I'll take the 'wins' where I can.

Anyhoo, you're doing very well if you're still reading this.  I'm wittering and have been for a whole year!

Greying X

northwalesd

Happy first anniversary GP 

peb

Happy anniversary GP, it's been lovely to have you back.

beanielou

Happy anniversary.