From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Watty1

I have a neighbour who put in a large wall so no-one would see her underwear on the line from the road. She told me this when the wall was being built. Now, usually I would never notice what anyone has on their line but this has given me years of quiet amusement when I see she has pegged washing out. I have never seen underwear on the line. Either (a) she has no underwear or (b) it is very - shall we say - 'racy'.

Even friends who know the tale look over the fence when she has washing out 😂

Greying_Pilgrim

Lawks Watty - a brick wall to hide smalls………. the mind boggles 😳

So I popped out to do the weekly shop. I went to MrL and MrS. I dropped everso lucky and got a green box. I think there were half a dozen or so, and I think half had been snapped up by the time I left the store. Everything is useful in the box, although I could have done without more easy peelers, but I'm not complaining, good food is good food. I got limes and a cucumber in the PoTW, and I got some YS'd brussels sprouts in MrS.

In total, I spent £29.73 with over 2/3rds of that being in MrL - including the waste box. I did manage to go over my budget 🥺 by £5.23 - or pretty much a bottle of wine (I see wine has shot up 30p since last week in MrL - has there been a budget or something?).

I haven't put a wash on today. We're supposed to have gusts throughout the day, and I don't think I've enough pegs……. 🤣 I'd be no good being an Orkney dweller, would I? 😁Anyway, it was a boost this morning to be able to put away the bedding, knowing that it was bone dry. That's a luxury.

Right, I've popped the shopping away, so now it's time to start on the lentil mix for the 'smash tacos'.

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Our washing line now has a public footpath running near it, no fence, so arguably we're in a worse position than before, although with more space and less traffic (well, NO actual traffic, but fewer people on foot too). I confess I still peg out my underwear, whatever the variety, and like to think it makes the ramblers smile to see a bit of flounce swinging in the breeze amidst the flannelette sheets occasionally 😂😂😂

Greying_Pilgrim

Cheery, perhaps you ought to set up a frame (an old-fashioned TV look-a-like) in between the washing line and footpath and have a tip jar strapped to it. Maybe the ramblers would pay to watch flounce or flannelette (depending on preference) 0wn-Lee-fAn-sees styleee 😁 Could help with your after work pension pot top-up😁🤣

Greying X

rtandon27

Haha - I love the thought of a brick wall between us and Mrs & Mr Plastic grass! - it they ever become affordable then mine would be 8 foot high!

Greying_Pilgrim

Thinking about it - rather than just simply making excuses for myself. I was over the grocery budget by £5 this month - as I was last month. Hence the rather odd £195 that I started with, rather than £200. Probably last month, and certainly this month, I have purchased items that we will be taking with us self-catering on holiday. I'm not sure it adds up to £10 entirely, but the cereal (£2), and pasta sauces £2.20(ish), some flapjack/breakfast-type bars for just under £3 starts to add up……… as well as some rice and pasta I bought as well. Mmm, maybe I have been closer to my target than I'm thinking I am. And whilst I shouldn't need anything else before next Tuesday - never say never - I will give myself a small, and gentle pat on the back if I do achieve this month's groceries for £200.23.

I do know that I wouldn't have been able to keep to approx 5% 'over' without green box contents, share table gleanings and some YS'd veg. And whilst I have bought one or two 'interesting' things; mArm1te dupe, rye bread, decaf teabags, sauerkraut and frozen arancini, much of my purchasing is a) very pedestrian, and b) very samesy.

Still, I know it's not just me. Other MSE'rs, here, and on the Frugal living and Grocery Challenge boards are reporting precisely the same thing.

Greying X

rtandon27

@Greying_Pilgrim - pat yourself on the back hunny - 200 for three mouths for an entire month is quite the feat! I honestly have no clue how you do it! That amount only buys food & household items for two of us for 1/2 month!

beanielou

I think your food budget is amazing. Mine is more than that but I will qualify that by saying I buy things that work for me as a disabled person and I am aware that that obviously costs more.

Greying_Pilgrim

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81936886#Comment_81936886

Too true beanie - and no qualification needed. Ever.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

Well, the new to me recipe of tacos was a great hit with the team 😁 I don't think there was anything specifically 'novel' about the recipe, it was vegan - but I did a vegetarian version, so used conventional cheese etc. And I'm sure folks make meat tacos every other school night, but it isn't something i have ever done. I used the brew-woof seasoning in the lentils, which was a good move - the right flavour profile, plus I added in some coriander. I know folks aren't keen, but for me it prinked up the taste 😁I served it with a mixed leaf salad (bagged lettuce), a cucumber and tomato salad, which used part of a red onion that was in the green box last week, and some of the cucumbers from the share table. I diced up half the honeydew (?) melon that was in last week's box and there were some tortilla chips that I served on the side, rather than crumbling them up and putting them in the lentil mix, as the recipe gave. LG has asked if we could have them on holiday…… Not beyond the bounds of possibility, as today, when I'd actually made the lentil mixture, it occured to me that rather than seasonings and a tin of chopped tomatoes, I could have used the jar of jaymeeO fajita seasoning that I had in the cupboard. It might be easier to use that if we are away from home.

LG has decided that they really don't like melon 🤔 The melon I had was actually spot on ripe, and there was a delicate perfumed/floral flavour to it - but I really can't see what there is to dislike 🤣 Never mind, LG did have some of the lettuce and the tomato salad, plus the lentils in the tacos, so they did eat their veg 😁

It will be yoghurt and banana for pud.

Greying X