From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

peb

I'm so pleased you can find an opportunity to explain real money to LG.  When people had real envelopes it was possible to "see" where the money went but now it's all invisible. 

I have 49 p leeks and 52p onions (equivalent of three packs on onions(!)) so there will be soup.  ASDA. RTC.  However none of the cereal I buy.  Only the branded make which is twice the price.  Lidl don't do it so it means going to a Sainsbury or if I am passing a bigger ASDA/Morrisons.

peb

I actually popped on to say whilst I don't have an Aldi the one I occasionally go to on the way home from visiting a friend is always as you describe.

Greying_Pilgrim

Hey peb - ta for popping in.

Yeah, this money/cash/budgetting mularkey is far from simple, and we're at least trying.  Although LG is far from spoilt, I do sometimes get the impression that they think there is a magic money tree somewhere, that can meet all needs and wants, and keeps giving, irrespective of household income.  They are reasonable with their 'stuff' and look after it, but I suppose with eg clothes, when they are outgrown - take school uniform as an example - there are always replacements to wear.  I don't quite know how far to go with illustrating 'lack'.  My childhood was littered with lack, and I don't remember it being a pile of laughs......  The only difference being that (way back then) there were far more of us 'in the same boat', so you didn't feel any different - whereas now there seems to be so much more disparity.  I remember LG being in floods of tears the first (and as yet only) time they 'lost' their water bottle at school - it eventually got found and returned the next day by a TA who found it at the back of the console the bottles were placed on in the class.  Contrast that reaction, to the grandparent of someone in the same class who routinely complained that their grandchild had 'lost' their water bottle again, and another had to be bought/provided - then at the end of the week, the child could be seen exiting the school with a clutch of water bottles in their arms.....   We're incredibly lucky with LG in comparison, but I just hope that the finite nature of finances clicks soon.  And then we can move on to working out how to get what you need + have maximum fun on what you've available to you.

I've never been a dedicated a$da shopper - more based on its location/difficulty of access rather than anything else.  But there was a period when I did shop there more - when their 'value' range was quite well priced, extensive and was quite good quality.  But since c'vid, much has changed and not necessarily for the better.  I wouldn't 'not' go into a store if I was passing/was near a larger store (our nearest isn't particularly massive).  If it was the only store available, I'd have to suck it up, but whilst I have choice, I can't think of anything much that a$da sell that I can only purchase from there iyswim.

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Sounds like you are doing a great job with LG and teaching about money 😊 It's inevitable really that things will be confusing but I'm sure you are an excellent navigator! 

Our MrA is rubbish too 🙄 It recently moved to a new location, and despite being 'bigger' it now only has 5 aisles instead of 6 - a fact which annoys me NO END as I go up one, down the next, up, down, then up - and oh look! I'm at the back of the shop and have to go back down the same aisle to get to the til 😠 Doesn't remotely bother me in a larger supermarket as I don't go down every aisle, but, well - I am trying not to get annoyed about it 😂 But I agree, very poorly stocked and unreliable at the minute. I wonder if it's an overall policy of some kind??

Greying_Pilgrim

Cheery_Daff said:

 But I agree, very poorly stocked and unreliable at the minute. I wonder if it's an overall policy of some kind??

I'm trying to remember if MrA$da has new owners.  I thought the big american supermercado chain had offloaded them 🤔 can't be sure why I thought that, but it may explain things.  

I know what you mean about the aisle maze - the h3r0n f00ds that remains in the nearby market town did have a dead end - in the middle aisle!  you literally had to walk around the whole store (albeit it, not one of the biggest shops I have ventured into), to get to the tills/exit the shop.  Thankfully, someone/a new manager saw sense and the barricade was removed.  But yes - extremely vexing! 🤣 in a first world problem type of way..... #pullinggreyingsownleg

I was listening to beebeecee eye-player, and episode of the Food Programme 'Feeding Norfolk'.  Very interesting and a good example of what can happen when a few people act in a community minded manner.  No wonder the project aims to provide free fruit and vegetables at low or ideally no cost, so that other foodstuffs can be purchased.  Eating well is blessed expensive. 

I'm still not sure what to make for tea, as DH isn't feeling very well/isn't particularly hungry (which is a sure sign he's not well!).  I'm craving 'fresh/crunchy/salad', but that won't float LG's boat - not that we have a spiffy selection of foodstuffs that fit into that category anyway - so I'll have to keep trying to work out what to conjour up.  I'm determined to not go shopping until tomorrow though.  Perhaps some sort of soup may hit the spot? 🤔

The day remained dry.  I could have put a wash out........🙄

Greying X

northwalesd

Greying_Pilgrim said:

I'm trying to remember if MrA$da has new owners.  I thought the big american supermercado chain had offloaded them 🤔 can't be sure why I thought that, but it may explain things.  

Walmart sold it to the Issa brothers in (I think) 2021.

badmemory

Asda bought by the Issa brothers & others & did what they all seem to do now & laden the company with debt & then interest rates go up.  Well someone has to pay the interest & the dividends.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

Ah, that makes sense.  There are a number of reasons why MrA isn't my 'goto' supermarket, but certainly our local store isn't currently enticing me to shop there more often.  That said, it certainly isn't the only store that seems to have 'bare-ish' shelves on a (seemingly) more frequent basis these days.

I opted for Bob Chorba soup in the end.  I don't think it quite met the 'Monastery' definition, as i did add garlic to my version.  I think it is on EH's thread where winter savoury has been discussed - this is one bean soup that would (I believe) usually be treated to a 'seasoning' of salt, savoury and majoram.  As we are munchers of  beans, I ought to seek out a plant to grow for my own culinary endeavours. I did substitute in black eyed beans over white beans, as I didn't have any cannellini/haricot/butter beans, plus my bell pepper happened to be orange.  The soup was served with mini wraps for scooping and mopping.  Clean plates all round - even from DH who is just not feeling too perky at the mo.  Natural yoghurt for pud, for anyone that wanted.

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

DH looked after himself and returned home, rather than ploughing on
That tea came together from the store cupboard, and was actually, 'just right'
for interesting radio programmes

Ta for popping by and joining in the conversation.  Appreciated.

Greying X

rtandon27

oooo - a storecupboard meal to start the month! - Well done GP!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Aw, thank you rtandon - that is such a supportive comment.  Thrifty but satisfying meals will be the order of May I feel, as unfortunately we've kicked off the month with DH being sick, which will of course affect income 😕 But there is no use in 'pressing on' it just means you're likely to feel crook for longer.

Shopping today.  I think the total will be high, as I need to stock up - even on the pedestrian stuff like chopped tommies, baked beans and bread flour.  

As I type I've just had words with DH who has got niggly because he feels he 'ought' to go into work - whether he 'should' is another matter......

I don't think I will get any washing done today - it looks dreich out there.  However, the dawn chorus this morning was absolutely fabulous.  Even without trying I could hear blackbirds, wrens and robins.  Utterly uplifting.

Tea will be some sort of curry plate.  Whether I will make it up on the hoof, or raid the freezer remains to be seen.  I have a (smallish) piece of swede that will need using up, and I bought sweet potatoes last week for curry/stew and have yet to use the majority of them.  We'll see what type, but curry plate is the most likely option.

Can't think of owt else MSE related at the mo, so I'll shuffle off and be a supportive spouse......... 😁😉

Ta for dropping in.  Greatly appreciated, by me, as always.

Greying