From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Update: the points are back being shown on 'my offers'. As yet the breakdown isn't showing on the 'activity' page. Not crucial today, as I only earnt 10 pts, but useful if I've bought a few items. But at least I am back to being able to see how many points I might accrue if I buy 'X'.

It's almost as if someone from MrS is reading on here……….. 🙄 If you are, please could you stop filling my 'prices' with stuff I don't buy, or stuff I bought once several months ago. Should MrS provide offers and incentives for things I do buy, I may well return to spending a little more money in your store. Jus sayin……. Thanks for reading.

Greying X

BookWorm

How odd. Must be gremlins in the system. Glad your are sorted now

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

I hope no-one is here for the latest instalment of 'disappointments of a n*ctar card holder'. My new (especially curated just pour moi), prices have dropped this morning…… 🙄 Grated Mozzarella…. didn't I buy that recently, and I have some left…… branded 5x more powerful washing up liquid, which I've never bought…..Yoghurt which is more expensive to me on 'my' prices, than it is when it's SEL 'N*ctar priced' 🙄and is cheaper elsewhere all the time anyway…….red leicester cheese, I haven't bought since 🤔 I can't even remember. The list goes on….. in that vein. Way to go MrS to entice me back shopping with you 🙄 Not.

I was half watching 'race across t'world' last night. I marvelled at the beauty of the landscape in Kyrgyzstan, and the hospitality shown. But I got to pondering about the cuisine and assumed that it was possibly meat heavy. It is, but there are vegetarian versions, and I fell down a rabbit hole of hand pulled noodles…….That ties in with that utoob vid that I was watching about the family in rural China, and their food prep, including biang biang noodles.

We did have a mish-mash of stuff for tea last night. LG and I had pasta neapolitan, and DH had tomato rice with 3 bean chilli. I'm not sure what will be for tea tonight - slight paralysis of choice, but I need to really put my mind to a watertight plan of using what we have in an ordered manner, as I'm already half way through my grocery budget, on week one…… Dearest Soontobeoap on the grocery thread was talking about 'Bread and iffits' - we're definitely on bread and iffits until the end of the month 🤣

DH did mention his outstanding test results from the hospital last night - he did check the app, and I think they are still not listed anywhere. I forgot to ask him this morning if he's going to chase. Work had promised a 'bonus' payment, which I think was due this month. They have now started back-tracking, and goal-post rearranging. It gives me no pleasure to say it, but I'm glad, so glad, that we're not the types to have mentally 'spent' any income before it's actually within our hot little grasp. I don't know whether this means the company is likely to go 'pop' at anytime (which company/industry can say they are cast-iron, watertight 'safe' to continue trading, these days?), or whether the owners don't want to forego their new supercar and annual holiday 'of a lifetime'; to give their employees a little token of appreciation. I've said it before, but budgeting is boring. I remain glad to be boring.

Right, snap to prep. Best shifta.

Greying X

rtandon27

Bread & Iffits - a lovely new turn of phrase for me - everyday is a school day chez Greying!

Your comment about supercars and annual holidays has my brain going down a rabbit hole! - I once left a job driven mostly by the fact that I ran the payroll and knew the owner prioritized his millions in shareholding rights over payraises for the men who provided the company with it's livelyhood (not to mention my annual bonus). Also made me think that the reason overpayments can be made on our mortgage is that annual holidays are no longer a thing, we have been staycationing for years!

Greying_Pilgrim

Oh, the praise for 'Bread & Iffits' definitely belongs to Soontobeoap, over on the GC board. They mentioned it, and I just knew that Fam. Greying is destined to join in with the 'concept' for the rest of the month 🤣

Some high-stakes entreprenurial risk is worthy of the reward, but I think many folk get over-seduced by all the 'shiney things', and forget on who's backs these fruits have been borne. Ah well, it has always happened, and always will. But given figures had been bandied about, I'm awful glad that Fam. Greying ain't chicken counters, and hadn't come to rely on the money to purchase something.

We've strange weather with us. The beebeecee forecast rain, but we've had none. We've had glorious sunshine, and it's warm - and was still. Now it's gone cloudy and the breeze has picked up. Thus far, perfect clothes drying conditions 🙄I did gardening instead.

I think we'll probably have wraps for tea. It will use up the last of some qu0rn filets I have - I'll slice them to make enough with other bits and pieces to put in the wraps.

LG and DH have designated tonight a 'Family sit on the sofa together' evening to watch the Dave Attenborough concert.

I haven't spent any money today - YAY! go me 🤣

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Yum.

Wraps scoffed. The wraps themselves were seeded ones from MrL, which I seem to think were on special offer when I bought them, as I normally go for wholemeal wraps. I made Pinto bean pate but subbed in borlotti beans. It was OK, but I am guilty of not making it far enough in advance, and in the end, I caved and put some some of the brew woof seasoning in it, to give it a bit more of a presence. However, as a concept, it worked. There were 3 qu0rn filets that were sliced up. I grated some carrots, shredded up the last little gem lettuce that had been in the last green box I bought, and I made some yoghurt, mayo, garlic and mint dressing.

A nice tea, which didn't break the bank and used up the last qu0rn filets, the last tin of borlotti beans and the last lettuce. A wrap 'boofay' is quite LG's favourite type of tea, and long may it continue 😁

Greying X

ladysummerisle

I’m a bit worn out so forgive my scattered thoughts having read the past few pages:

1. Rukmini Iyer seems to put too much salt in some things. Beware. (Based on green veg cookbook).
2. Have you ever tried vermouth instead of wine for risotto? Also decent for the chef but lasts longer than wine.
3. Is it time for summer risotto? https://pin.it/1n5lrD8kP

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks ladysummerisle - that's a good tip re: salt, but I'm a……slightly…. instinctive cook, I just put in a sprinkle, or a peck or a pinch, rather that add the specified 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, or 1 dsp. But you're right, if following a recipe, measure for measure, we should be aware of how much things add up to.

I bought Vermouth a long, long, long time ago, and I agree, it is a lovely ingredient - and I'm just trying to recall……. which radio programme I was listening to that was talking about vermouth production in…… 🤔 Wales? Scotland? Battersea? Somewhere not Italy, France or Spain…….. But I don't find it lasts that long……. and it was possibly a bit pricey….

Both DH and I like risotto - of pretty much any ingredient make-up, but unfortunately LG doesn't seem to like it at the moment, ans so we have to have a think about when to put it on the menu - which isn't often, regrettably.

Aw Sir Dave got a (well-deserved) standing ovation.

Greying X

VintageHistorian

Dearest VintageHistorian has achieved some wonderful meals and freezer stackers with a haul of YS'd/on offer foodstuffs from MrW, and I'm inspired by her thought process and planning - on the hoof - to make the best of the ingredients.

Aww I'm very flattered GP! I have long admired your ability to turn a £2 veggie box into multiple meals and puddings and take a lot of inspiration from you explaining your thought processes of long term vs short term use ❤️

We all need bigger freezers 🤣

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

I'm fast running out of options to keep costs low. I've done the brand shift challenge (years ago, as my cupboards were full of blue & white striped tins and packets - when MrT had their valoo brand first time around). We don't have any really good pannier/street markets locally. MrL boxes aren't always available or sometimes they just aren't worth £2. I'm rarely - not always - but I'm rarely in the right place at the right time for YS'd things. And YS'd prices are often still not attractive - I'm looking at you M&$.

First wash is set out on the line (LG's uniform/clothes), and DH's workwear is in the machine now. The weather is bonkers. We were supposed to have wall-to-wall rain today. But currently we have really warm sunshine and a useful breeze. That could all change of course, but I'm hopeful I can get some things dry.

I don't know what lunch will look like. It may be too warm for soup 🤔 Or it could be bucketing it down by 1pm - who knows 🤣 Not too sure about tea. Mushroom pizza would be good, but I don't know - I mean pizza isn't going to get any refusals from my crew (although LG would prob prefer a mushroom free bit), but again, it goes back to making use of what I've got, in order to try to stretch this month's budget to last. I think I'm on to a loser, but you've got to try, right.

Right, the workwear is on it's final spin, so I best go and peg out.

Ta for popping in. Lovely to chat, as ever.

Greying X