From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

rtandon27

Our local food waste diversion scheme is in the community centre & they practically beg folks to take a loaf of bread even if you are just passing on the street heading elsewhere!  I'm not sure how to explain that UPF-bread does not agree with either of us, so we tend to avoid it - I now walk on the other side of the street to avoid having to make excuses!  Now if they were handing out fruit/veg/eggs we'd have a look and probably make a donation, but these things of course get snapped up first and much as I want to stretch the budget further, I wouldn't make a special trip to get there early in the day and lay claim to the goods!

Greying_Pilgrim

Morning MFW'rs

Dreich start with us.  I was all for leaving the wet washing out in the rain burst we've just had, but LG and DH brought it in, getting soaked in the process....... Sometimes gambles don't pay off.

Our food waste diversion scheme sounds similar to everyone's.  Ours operates in different locations, and up until yesterday, the particular location i mentioned had a very small offering.  Unless they have more "stock", asking for a specific amount in donation is a bit "off".   I don't go to the schemes for bread really - I got a loaf pressed into my hands one time - costly branded white sliced - which was blue with mould when I opened the pack at home. No-one's fault, it was only 1 day out of date, and the bag was opaque, so you couldn't see the bread.

Much the same as you can't build a grocery budget on the expectation that you will be able to access a waste veg box from MrL, MrS or your local greengrocers/market, I'm not so sure the 'pot luck' nature of a food waste diversion scheme is any more beneficial.  I think I may go back - when DH & LG aren't with me - and get to the nub of what the system is, and how it's changed.  If I encounter the volunteer again, and they are abrupt, then I shall consider my response.  I'm in the fortunate position of not being reliant on these schemes - and may just go back to avoiding using them.  I'm quite sure there will be folk who abuse the system - and spoil it for others. I only ever take what I need, or know I will use - I have walked away from MrL green boxes that have nothing I need/can use - and whilst I don't object to paying, I don't see the point of having to pay more for something that is supposed to be destined for landfill.  I'm afraid I also can't see the point of a waste diversion scheme putting stuff into paper bags - isn't that adding to waste?  - and adding to costs, which you're then asking people to cover with a standardised donation?  I'm sure beanie will put me right, but I thought the reason why FB's were less able to offer 'fresh' or 'loose' produce, was, as much as anything about food handling issues.  Perhaps the legal position has changed for waste diversion schemes too.  

DH had been tatting about in the garden - rain stopped play - but he's just been back out to finish off.  LG and DH will be going off just now for a pootle around, running several errands, and will be back later for lunch.  Pondering whether to do soup or sandwiches (nice dilemma to have, I know).  

We've heard from the garage ref the car, and we've got to wait on some things being done to it, so we've no idea when that will land.  I'm sure the garage will dilly-dally until it comes to them deciding they want their moolah, and I'm sure a sense of urgency will kick in 🙄

This weather's mad.  DH just got soaked moving the car, and going out.  The sun is now shining 🙄

Can't think of anything else MSE to add at the mo.  So will push off to cupboard rummage for soup ingredients.  

Ta for popping by.  

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

So, lunch was munched (very like the first incarnation of this post 🙄).  I ended up doing cheesey cauli buttah beanie soup.  It used an onion, some garlic, some frozen cauliflower, a can of butter beans, half a stock cube, some water, some dijon mustard, a chunk of cheese.  I put the ingredients (less the cheese) in a saucepan and boiled them up, and then blitzed with the stick blender.  Then I added in the cheese to melt in the residual heat.  I was going to do sandwiches, but decided against them in the end.  We had a medium bowlful each and some bread for mopping.  I can't say that it was LG's favourite, but it was eaten up, and the bowls cleaned with the last of the bread.  It was just about the right quantity for a lunch.

The washing went back out during the mid-afternoon.  We are supposed to stay dry until the middle of the night and there is a reasonable breeze, but it is getting less as the evening wears on.  I should have respun the garments, as an hour in front of the dehu didn't make a significant difference this morning, but I think when I get them in, they can at least go on the airer, and should be dry by morning.  I've been spoilt recently getting bone-dry washing each day.

Tea was a curry plate.  Parsnip curry and Aubergine & lentil curry with basmati rice.  I learnt my lesson from the carrot and coriander soup the other day, and was much more careful with how much coriander I added to each curry.  I also added in coconut milk into the parsnip curry.  Yoghurt and banana for pud.

No money spent today.  I decided that I wouldn't go shopping today.  Will definitely have to go tomorrow though.  I'm not too sure how to do this with DH & LG - they're not quite up to speed with my silly little challenge - and I'm conscious of making LG worry about money.  I'm just trying to stick to a small budget to divert money into our two priority savings pots - one of which will be emptied shortly when we purchase the car.  At the moment, school peers who's families (seemingly) have 'everything' all at once, seem to hold much more sway than folk who budget/save up for what they need.  I don't actually believe that "everyone" in LG's school is super rich, and has 'more' - I think perception paints a cruel picture of 'haves and have nots'.  Will have to try harder on working out how to explain and include, without conveying 'lack'.  We're pretty 'rich' from where I'm standing.

Greying X

beanielou

When I was involved with the FB we were in the amazing situation of being able to offer fresh fruit & vegetables, dairy including milk cheese and yogurt. This was paid for by donations and grants. The local baker also were very generous with donations. 

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks beanie - our FB/food waste divert charity provides that range too, but have had to invest heavily in fridges/freezers etc

Shopping done.  

We went to the metropolitan town along the way.  It has a huge MrT (and yes, I did feel ashamed clutching my £3.50 voucher in such a glory hole 😔).  We got some clothes (some PE kit and some general) for LG, which comes out of the CHB.  We also got just what was on the list to buy with the voucher.  I did also buy some cherry toms as they were YS'd to 45p from £1.  There were some strawberries (I was thinking of ed!), but they were only reduced to..... £1.35????  and they were only the st0ckwell brand, so I didn't think they were worth it.  At the same location we went into hB and got some yoghurt - but they didn't have any apples.  We then managed to pick up some pumps that are 'good enough' for PE for LG from a$da l1v1ng.  They were on the sale rack, fitted and didn't cost very much - YAY!  Thank heaven I have a kid who is not (yet) wedded to branded 'anything'.

On the way back, we called into hB in Greying Town.  LG and DH were despatched to get apples and some bleach, and I popped into MrS across the road to get some clothes washing powder as it was one of my smartyprice offers.  I did look at the strawberries (ed was def. on my shoulder today!), but the only offer on strawberries was 2 for £4, so I'm afraid I came away without any berries.  There were no veg waste boxes today.  

In total, on food I spent £3.50 (voucher) plus £2.92 in cash, and on non-food I spent £12.74.  I have already amended my siggie figgie to reflect today's spends.  As you can see, I have gone over on non-food this month.  I've been under (by quite a margin) for several months, so I'm not too concerned.  Plus this month I have bought a haircut, washing powder and multivits for DH from the budget, so those always bump up spends.  

MrT - the one we went to is mega huge - had done their usual trick of knocking tuppence off their YS'd stuff (with the exception of the tomatoes, but they were trying to get rid of loads.  But I was surprised at how easy it was to pick through - nobody else was sifting through, in the YS'd produce aisle or the YS'd bread aisle.  

I did notice that MrT have (limited) offers on some world food products.  I didn't indulge, but the 2kg bags of chickpeas, channa dhal and red lentils (La1la brand) were 20% off, which made the channa dhal £3.20 and the lentils £3.25 - I'm sorry, I didn't take in the chickpeas price.  I didn't indulge as I still have plenty of the MrAl red lentils from Ramadan, but I just thought I would mention it.  

By my reckoning, I have £3.18 of my grocery budget left (I've just noticed I didn't add £1 for the apples to my spends), and I have to get bread with that.  We may just - and it is a "just" - limp in with the available budget for May.  Meals are certainly getting "pedestrian", and it won't get any better.  But neither have we done without, so we'll see.  I'll need to go shopping on Sunday, 🤣 But we might finish out May on.....  what.... c.£172 - which isn't bad.  

Can't think of anything else MSE.  So ta for popping in.  Always great to have you here.

Greying X

rtandon27

Well done on achieving your frugal May grocery budget!

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks rt.  Not quite there yet - we will need some bread, if only for Saturday/Sunday morning.  But I've done better than I thought I would, as it was a super squeaky tight challenge.  But if I do, that means I can 'stash' £250 of May's unspent budget (May's money was made up of March and April savings coupled with £50 of May's money) into the car/windows budget.  I shall be realistic, it'll be going in the car budget.  We're short on that, and it's put pressure on other budgets, so anything, anything that we can save will help at the moment.  

Tea was lemony, spinach hotpot with basmati rice.  OK, so there is some repetition with rice - same as last night - but it was nice and filled us up.  I have finished off the spinach from the freezer and used up the last lemon, which was from a MrS box.  I'd made the hotpot using potatoes and an aubergine from waste boxes, so it was an inexpensive meal 😁 Lunch was cheese and cucumber sangers for LG and cheese and beetroot sangers for DH and I.  There is one beet left.  

2 days to focus on and put summat on the table 😁  I hope I got this 🤣

Greying X

rtandon27

Greying_Pilgrim said:

...I hope I got this 🤣

Of course you do!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon MFW'rs

Success today.  We went to the market town across the way.  

I got a couple of tops for LG.  Just under a fiver spent for t-shirts, of interest/good quality. One will definitely do for this summer, the other will do for this summer and next I think.  They were new, but from an 'outlet' type store.  LG bought a book at a chazzer.  We decided to get a coffee (you're asked for a donation), at the community cafe, which is also the HQ for that particular town's food waste diversion charity.  I don't know how linked they are to the one in Greying town.  They aren't of the same "franchise" as the one in Greying Town, but they do have some sort of connection.    Anyway, we had a lovely cup of coffee made by an enthusiastic volunteer.  Then as we sat down (in the sun by a window - DH has no idea of being a "woman of a certain age" 🥵 we noticed that there were boxes of food items on the table across the hall.  People were just wandering up - as they were waiting for their 'waste' lunch (pay what you can, although a guide is given), and taking stuff from the boxes.  There was plenty - and I mean plenty. 

When I'd finished my coffee, I went to have a look, and was immediately pounced on by a volunteer, imploring me to 'take something, take what you like, take as much as you like, we've got so much and it's not moving'.  It was embarrassing how much there was (very little bread, but loads of veg).  So I chucked in the remainder of my May budget in the collection tin (I'd bought a loaf), and took some veg that I know we will use.  The food was in it's original packaging (no brown bags).  This charity is - at least - clear in it's mission to avoid food going to landfill.  A 'strongly suggested' (but possibly not rigidly enforced), charge for the meals they create is given, but they do also tell you "why" - (power, heat, water, etc for the cooking/washing up/presentation of meals and provision of cutlery etc) Prior to C'vid the charity was much more about using waste food to make delicious food for anyone to eat, and there was less emphasis on making a donation.  I don't think the system was abused, but I do think costs have leapt up since that time.  There was only one other child in the room though apart from LG, which given it's half-term was surprising.

Pizza and oven chips for tea.

The weather has been variable here today.  Raining one minute, roasting hot the next.  It's like we need a good downpour to sort it out, as the prevailing condition is "muggy", which is not nice - whether you're a "woman of a certain age" or not 🙄

I must amend my siggie figgie.  I'm bust - with one day to go - although we have food to eat for tomorrow, so I think I shall be able to meet my target.  

Greying X

rtandon27

We've been on a yellow sticker hunt!  Paycheque is in so we spend some of June's budget and had a bit of fun.

I thought of LG when we found 'crumpet people' in the reduced section at Waitflower - you seriously need to be closer so I can indulge my inner child without OH threatening to disowning me for my food choices.  Had you been closer I'd have popped over with some butter-style spread and jam and enticed yer little one to indulge with me.  I did point out to OH that tomorrow morning they will go nicely with our MrL poached eggs & he won't be laughing at me then!