From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Watty1

Simple times when the internet was interesting rather than a sales tool. Maybe that is why I love this forum so much. Genuine people helping each other out and moving forwards.

rtandon27

You have Sunshine?!? - we are overcast and cold! - After a good week of decent weather!

Currently on my way to the office adorned with a scarf and gloves and a spring jacket with hood just in case.

themadvix

Schools round here finished last Friday GP - assume LG has a week either side of Easter instead? 

You’re right about t’Internet - all the blogs are now so full of rubbish these days and far fewer straightforward recipes. We do use cooked.wiki to get a clear recipe though - and you can adjust quantities and measurement units too.

Greying_Pilgrim

Spot on Watty - and when I can share a recipe that may help others, or that someone may be interested to try, I like to do so.  "places" I went in the early noughties for recipe inspo don't exist anymore tho.  

rt - yes, we've sun and haze.  It's already too hot for me, although I greatly acknowledge and appreciate that I've been able to peg out a wash.   But I did wonder if it were nowt but my hormones, as I sat down to come here, because someone walked past the house in something suspiciously like a wild swimmers 'robe of dryness'....... Perhaps they had nowt on underneath 🤔...

tmv - yes, we're plugging on until tomorrow.  I think I prefer Easter in the middle.  Relatives (teachers) are back to school just after the Easter weekend.

So shopping done.  I ended up spending more in MrL - on food and non-food today than MrS, so didn't get to the cut off point to earn extra points in MrS.  But I spent enough.  Anyone else noticing prices are creeping up again?  I'm looking at you olive spread, cream cheese and milk.......... ☹️  Green boxes were being put out as I was at the till in MrL.  Although from a glance (at distance), there looked to be possibilities, I was so p*ssed off with getting my shopping thrown at me, on the till, (and no, I don't try and pack at the till, I do just put it in the trolley and move to the packing bench at the rear of the store), that I couldn't be bothered to go and have a look, rejoin the mahoosive queues and get my purchase chucked through again. 

There was initially only one till on.  I think the operative may have been asked if they would wait until all the trolley was loaded on, before scanning - which is fair enough.  So the two customers before me had full trolleys to pay for.  Two people with only one/two things came and joined the queue, and I let them go before me.  Luckily it caused a ripple effect and they moved up the queue and got served before the first trolley was all loaded on.  Finally another till was opened, so I moved to that.  I and 3 other customers had loaded our shopping on, before the member of staff came to the till.  I think the staff member prefers stacking shelves to working the till.  They like chatting with their chum on the drinks aisle.  So I don't think they wanted to be there, and as their queue had built up by this time (and the original queue hadn't moved either, as there was an issue with a product), they decided to launch my shopping through in double quick time 🙄 By this time, a third till opened (the other member of the chatty circle was opening that one), but by the time I started to pack my shopping at the bench, that till was closing again 🙄  Our local store make it very difficult to remain loyal.  I spent £26.32 on food and £8.10 on spf 50+ lotion and after sun cream.  You watch the weather change now.......... 🤭

There were no boxes at MrS.  I did a smartyshop to get a couple of things for better prices, but at a pinch I could have done without them (veggie sausages and qu0rn pieces), they will be in the freezer for 'cheat' meals or emergency meals in case I run out of time or energy over the hols.  I spent £19.42 in MrS.

£45.74 on food (inc 1 bottle of plonk and 1 pack low abv beer), and £8.10 on non-food.  And no, dear reader, that is not representative of 1 week's meals - far from it ☹️ And yes - depending on contents - a green box may have helped, so there is no-one but me to blame for choosing to not look at them/leaving them in the store.  

Right, off to amend my siggie figgie.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

I was beginning to wonder if the 'big 4' supermercados were going to let the 'discounters' get on with it, in regard to vegetables 'for Easter Luncheon'.  Luckily my preferred loyalty card store MrS - has come up with their own 15p selection - 15p for; tatties, parsnips, carrots and swede.  From next Wednesday to Easter Day (but aren't supermarkets closed on the 20th?).  Meatless scouse for the rest of the month for me.

Greying X

greenbee

Thanks GP. I will be filling the freezer with carrots for the dog as he's nearly finished the christmas ones!

badmemory

I actually prefer the Lidl/Aldi way of shopping (my local ones have never thrown things at me yet though).  Even though I put stuff on the checkout in the order I want to pack in Mr T they seem to pick things from further back so it throws me out.  I would much rather go to the packing benches.  I know many people at a supermarket just seem to put things back in the trolley & pack in the boot, but I suspect that works best if you have a big boot & I don't.

teapot2

Agree on food prices seemingly rising further   Some schools up here will be going back on Easter Monday 🤷🏼‍♀️

Greying_Pilgrim

badmemory said:

I actually prefer the Lidl/Aldi way of shopping (my local ones have never thrown things at me yet though).  Even though I put stuff on the checkout in the order I want to pack in Mr T they seem to pick things from further back so it throws me out.  I would much rather go to the packing benches.  I know many people at a supermarket just seem to put things back in the trolley & pack in the boot, but I suspect that works best if you have a big boot & I don't.

I always put things on the belt in the order of 'heaviness/non-squishability' and how I subsequently pack, and can normally keep up if the till operator is scanning and passing, but this individual stands up and literally scans, throws and then pushes your stuff down the conveyor belt for good measure, even when there is nothing left to scan.  And then announces what you owe and stands there waiting for you to pay - even if you're still trying to put your stuff in the trolley. I know that staff are 'timed' by management, but some of the staff manage to hit the sweet spot of being quick but without overwhelming.  

teapot - the price rises I noticed today were; 6p,10p and 10p.  It does add up, doesn't it when it's on several items and every week (this is the second week I've noticed we're back to '10p at a time' increases on prices.

Greying X

kayannie

I bought a box of Mr T own label maple & nut cereal last week - the price has gone from £1.80 to £2.10!
KA