Away From The Madding Crowd

KajiKita

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81970145#Comment_81970145

I would be delighted 😊

You're doing really well on both V1nted and the groceries budget 👏

KK

jwil

Well done on the sales!

Humboldt

Thanks for taking the time to comment @KajiKita and @jwil. I am on a mission to declutter our home and Vinted is a great incentive to do so.

Today's simple pleasure - this morning I added chopped wild garlic leaves to softened butter. I then wrapped portion sized amounts in greaseproof paper and froze them. We can use them to spread over flatbreads, melt over a steak, to make garlic bread, or to add to boiled new potatoes.

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul – Alfred Austin.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £300. Week 4 spend was £81.16. Total spend to date for April is £251.13.

Bought a top in the F@tFace sale, reduced from £35 to £22.

Negotiated with my mobile provider. To be fair, I didn’t expect much. However, I managed to reduce my monthly DD by £1, whilst retaining the unlimited messages/ calls/EU roaming, and increasing my data allowance. Not a lot, but lots of small wins add up.

Made full use of this week’s free electric from our gas/electric provider.

Used the railcard that we purchased last week when booking our train tickets for a UK city break in a couple of months, saving a 1/3 off the original price.

Visited a fairly local walled garden. We bought annual tickets costing £16 each, which included a free souvenir guide book and 10% off any purchase from the garden centre. Day tickets would have been £15.50 each! Minimal cost for us to enjoy numerous days out throughout the year. They also have a picnic area for use during the warmer weather.

Freebie. Weekly prize draw via our mobile network provider - DH won a £3.50 M+S e-voucher to be used when buying a sandwich. We were passing M+S on the way to a local forest, so it made a yummy addition to our picnic.

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Mushroom omelette, with salad. Eggs were reduced in price, but still in date for a further week. A quick meal after returning home from our overnight stay away.

Tuesday – Spanish-style chicken bake (H@iry D!eter’s recipe). Chicken thighs are from the freezer and I have half a leftover chorizo in the fridge. I will swap the new potatoes for carrots and sweet potatoes to increase the vegetable content.

Wednesday – Imam Bayildi (Turkish stuffed aubergine – P0N recipe), with orange & almond couscous (He@rt UK recipe), and smoked hummus. Good sized aubergines are currently only £1 at M+S, they also sell whole-wheat couscous which I struggle to find elsewhere.

Thursday – Ping Meal – cook once, eat twice -saving on time and energy costs.

Friday – Roasted cod with Parma ham and peppers (H@iry D!eters recipe). Cod was reduced in price and frozen until required.

Saturday – Dry Aged Aberdeen Angus beef burgers in a wholemeal bun with cheese, sweet potato wedges and salad. Burgers were bought when on offer in S@insbury’s £3 (Nect@r price) and frozen until required.

Sunday – Tuscan bean soup (slow cooker recipe), with homemade whole-wheat sourdough bread. The celery, rosemary, and kale are from the garden. I am still using the onions that I purchased for 4p (Easter offer). This is a filling nutritious soup, that includes 3 different types of beans.

Followed by homemade apple and blackcurrant crumble, with custard. The apples and blackcurrants were kindly gifted from a friend’s allotment, prepped and frozen. I will fully utilise the oven by the cooking the sourdough and crumble.

Healthier lifestyle.

I had an email from the C0oP this week stating that they are supporting the new (hashtag)BangInSomeBeans campaign led by The F0od Foundation and Veg P0wer, which aims to double UK bean consumption by 2028. If it is of any interest, information can be found on any of their websites.

Completed 0 free online workouts.

Last week’s step count was 58,801.

Completed 4 free meditations.

Simple pleasures.

A sunny day and time spent in the garden. DH and I weeded/tidied the garden borders, re-potted all the strawberry plants (at last), mowed and edged the grass, and planted more seeds. Seeds sown earlier are now ready for potting on (a job for next week).

DH and I met friends and visited a walled garden. We enjoyed lunch in the pretty café that was located in a renovated glasshouse.

Ald! conference pears were delicious this week, only 99p a bag.

DH and I visited a local forest. We saw numerous wild flowers, 2 roe deer, and enjoyed a picnic in the dappled sunlight beneath the trees, surrounded by the sound of birdsong. DH uses the Merlin App to identify the various birds. £6 for carparking, free entrance to the forest, free exercise and mental health benefits - so a fabulous day out for very little money.

Just updating you on the books that I have read so far this year.

01/26 – A Thousand Feasts - Nigel Slater – loved it.

02/26 – The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake – Aimee Bender

03/26 – The Other Hand – Chris Cleave. A difficult read at times, but a book that will stay with me long after reading it.

04/26 – Spells for Forgetting – Adrienne Young

05/26 – The Second Chance Convenience Store – Kim Ho-Yeon

06/26 The Flither Pickers & The Herring Girls – Theresa Thomlinson – great social history content.

07/26 – The Celestine Prophecy – James Redfield

08/26 – The Moroccan Daughter – Deborah Rodriguez (a library book).

Amina Bennis has returned to her childhood home in Morocco to attend her sister’s wedding. The time has come for her to confront her strict, traditionalist father with the secret she has kept for more than a year – her American husband Max. Amina’s best friend Charlie, and Charlie’s feisty grandmother Bea, have come along for moral support. But Charlie is hiding a secret from her past – a mystery man from Casablanca. And then there’s Samira, the Bennis’s devoted housekeeper. Hers is the biggest secret of all – and the one that will strike at the very heart of the family ….

This is the fourth book that I have read by this author. Not only does it have a storyline with twists and turns, but it also provides you with a wonderful insight into the sights, culture, food, and traditions of Morocco. As the review from the Sunday Express states, this author is ‘Brilliant at transporting her readers to far-flung destinations’.

Random fact – apparently, the North African spice blend rase el hanout translates to ‘head or top of the grocery shop’.

Thank you for dropping by and taking the time to read my diary.

KajiKita

I think you have underestimated your win with the mobile provider - I only ever see prices increasing! To get a contract price to come down with so much built in is impressive 😊

Thanks for the banginsomebeans mention - I've not come across that before. I will have a rummage.

I am jealous of the walled garden and cake trip - sounds lovely! 😊🎂

KK

Humboldt

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980120#Comment_81980120

Hi @KajiKita, my telephone conversation with the sales person regarding my mobile contract was beginning to sound like the bit in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel film, when the wonderful Judi Dench was asking about her wifi account 😂 In the end I had to say "I have no idea what you are talking about, so please stop trying to sell me things. All I want is to reduce my bill, but to keep what I already have".

I love a walled garden, especially the old glasshouses. Having read the book The Lost Gardens of Heligan by Tim Smit, I was thrilled to get to visit the gardens themselves when on holiday in the area. I would happily recommend both the book and gardens.

Today's simple pleasure - sourdough toast for breakfast, with homemade blackcurrant jam that tastes like summer in a jar.

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

Choose to be optimistic, it feels better – Daili Lama

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £300. Week 5 spend was £48.25. Total spend for April was £299.38. Only just underbudget, but I did stock up on G0ld Blend instant decaff coffee this month. £5.20 in S@insbury’s, which is the lowest I have seen it for some time.

Monthly interest gained via various savings accounts for April was £126.06.

April’s V!nted sales total was £43.69. Money transferred to the Christmas/Birthday account.

May’s premium bond win was £200 (2026 total to date is £325).

I recycled 5 toiletry containers instore at Bo0t’s, spent £10 and gained £5 worth of Adv@ntage points.

Took advantage of S@insburys wine buy 6 save 25% offer – saving £11.02, plus £7.25 Nect@r price savings.

Freebies.

A £2.75 M+S e-voucher to spend on a ‘sweet treat’ via my mobile network provider. I chose a bag of mini whips (walnut whips minus the nuts), that have been added to our treat stash.

The free sweet pea seeds (Heirloom bicolour mixed) courtesy of our local ‘seed hub’ have germinated and are doing well. I will plant them out when the overnight temperatures warm up a bit more.

A Delici0usly Ell@ cacao & almond energy bar via my mobile network provider. Not something that I would buy, but I did enjoy it.

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Cajun-spice fish with hot salsa (from one of my recipe scrap books). Salmon was reduced in price and frozen until required.

Tuesday – Roast chicken and coronation slaw (Jack Monr0e recipe), with salad. M&S 600g pack of chicken legs are currently £1.60 and generally contain 3. I will cook the chicken in the air fryer to reduce energy costs.

Wednesday – Ping meal of sorts. I will cook the extra chicken leg and add a couple of chicken thighs from the freezer, and serve with more salad and the leftover coronation slaw from yesterday.

Thursday – Homemade soup from the freezer and a hunk of homemade sourdough. Just me tonight!

Friday – Creamy spaghetti with bacon and courgette (from one of my recipe scrap books). I will replace the spaghetti with whole-wheat pasta, reduce the bacon content and add cherry tomatoes along with the courgette. I use Ald! lighter cream cheese and add a splash of milk rather than cream to loosen it.

Saturday – Away visiting family -Eating out at a Nepalese restaurant.

Sunday – Away visiting family.

Healthier lifestyle.

It’s May Measurement Month! If it is of any interest, find out more on the British He@rt F0undation website. According to their website, up to 8 million people are living with undiagnosed or uncontrolled high blood pressure in the UK. I was one of those people, until I was diagnosed following a routine NHS Health Check at the age of 60. However, by making lifestyle and dietary changes I managed to reduce it to a normal level, and continue to make efforts to maintain it.

Completed 0 free online workouts (nursing a knee issue at the mo).

Last week’s step count was 46,944.

Completed 4 free online meditations.

Simple pleasures.

Cherry blossom.

I am a member of several research forums (free to join). This month one of them selected me at random to receive a £25 shopping voucher.

So many ladybirds in the garden this year.

The clematis in the garden is now in full bloom and looks stunning.

My M+S tulips are also in full bloom and were worth the wait.

Books read 09/26 – The Moonlight Market – Joanne Harris (library book).

Perfect for fans of Ben Aaronovitch and V.E. Schwab, follow a young photographer through the secret layers of London where a magic war, a lost prince, and an epic romance are waiting to be found in this spellbinding modern fairytale. As a fan of the author, I am always amazed at how imaginative and thought-provoking her books are.

Thank you for dropping by and taking the time to read my diary.

jwil

You have done so well with your sales, freebies, wins and bargains!

Enjoy your time away

Humboldt

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81990404#Comment_81990404

Thanks for dropping by @jwil, I was so pleased to win the £25 shopping voucher, which I have now exchanged for a M+S e-voucher. £200 is the most that DH and I have ever won on the PB's! The freebies offered by our mobile provider seem to have dwindled now, but we took advantage whilst we could. I have no allegiance to any business/company, they all have to work hard to get me to part with our hard earned cash, and I am happy to seek out a bargain 😉

Today's simple pleasure - time spent with family.

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

What we do in life ripples in eternity – Marcus Aurelius.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £300. Week 1 spend for May was £55.64.

Took advantage of an offer on beers at S@insbury’s and stocked up for the summer. 10 x Do0m B@r and 10 x Old Speckled H£n for £20, saving £7.

Used a 20% off code when ordering a M0on Pig personalised, multi photo card for a family members special birthday. Ordered well in advance so I could make use of the lower cost postage rates too.

Freebies.

A fringe cut. My hairdresser offers these free in between hair appointment’s.

A K!ND dark chocolate and sea salt bar via my mobile network provider. My DH also received one of these. Not something that I would buy, but they will make a nice addition to a picnic.

A periwinkle plant kindly gifted by a friend from their own garden.

This week’s main menu.

This week I have taken inspiration from recipes on the B0ld Bean C0mpany website. Thanks again to @teapot2 for highlighting this website on another thread .

Monday – Frozen fish, chips and peas. A quick and easy meal after our weekend away visiting family.

Tuesday – Homemade wild garlic pesto and goats cheese pizza. Wild garlic pesto is from the freezer. The remainder of the pesto will be used in tomorrow’s meal and the leftover goat’s cheese will be included in Thursday’s meal.

Wednesday – Roast chicken thighs with chicken spice (bought whilst on holiday in sunnier climes), with chickpea, courgette and pesto orzo salad (recipe on the B0ld Bean C0mpany website). I will adapt this recipe and use leftover homemade pesto and a tin, rather than a jar of chickpeas. Chicken thighs are from the freezer (I freeze those not used when I buy a pack).

Thursday – Gigantes Palki (recipe on the B0ld Bean C0mpany website). I accept that jars of beans are more expensive than those in a tin, however, given that the butter beans are the star ingredient of this simple dish, I am happy to pay more. I will add leftover goats’ cheese instead of feta. Celery is homegrown from the garden (it has overwintered and this is probably the last picking).

Friday – Adana lamb kebabs, lemon wholemeal couscous and roasted veg, tzatziki, and middle eastern flat bread. The kebabs were reduced in price (£7.50 to £2.79, a BH bargain) and frozen until required, as were the M+S flat breads. I will use mint for the garden when making the tzatziki. The roast vegetables will be whatever is left in the fridge at the end of the week.

Saturday – Golden chickpea, squash and coconut curry (recipe on the B0ld Bean C0mpany website), with a small portion of rice. I will use a tin of chickpeas instead of those from a jar. Lime juice will be from the freezer (I froze the leftover lime juice when making the coronation slaw last week). Green chilli will be from the freezer (I buy when reduced in price, prep and freeze). I will swap the spinach with overwintered chard from the garden.

Sunday – Lasagne, with salad. I will use a small pack of 5% fat beef mince and add a tin of green lentils. Cheese sauce will be made with reduced fat cheese.

Healthier lifestyle.

Completed 0 free online workouts (still nursing a knee issue at the mo).

Last week’s step count was 58,060.

Completed 4 free online meditations.

Simple pleasures.

Visiting family. Helped with a DIY project, a fabulous meal out at a Nepalese restaurant, doggy walks, and a visit to a local nature reserve.

My sunflower seeds have germinated. Seeds bought at a local walled garden for a £1 (sunflowers seeds collected from their own flowers).

A goldfinch appears to have joined the other birds that regularly visit our garden.

Whilst DH was out for the evening, I binge watched ‘The Other Bennet Sister’ series and thoroughly enjoyed it.

A walk with friends and a cool glass of local beer midway.

Books read 10/26 – The Princess Diarist – Carrie Fisher (library book).

When Carrie Fisher discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star War movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved – plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naivete, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized.

I picked this book at random, not knowing anything about the author, other than she played the part of Princess Leia. I vividly remember queuing outside the pictures in 1977 to see this film and the Star War’s mania that followed. Not sure what I expected of the book, but from my perspective, it turned out to be a sad story of a person who had a difficult childhood, went on to be exploited as a young lady (she was only 19 years old when she became Princes Leia), and who never really ‘found herself’ until later in life. Perhaps her saving grace was a sense of humour.

Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to read my diary.