2025 Frugal Living Challenge

Prudent

fionaandphil said:

It must be a day for it with this cold, we also had hm soup today. The last of the Christmas 9p veg which has just started to go wrinkly and I made carrot and parsnip soup.

@Prudent we need to know which charity shop sounds like you always get good deals!

I am getting close to the end of the Christmas veg too. Just potatoes left now.

Yesterday's shops were in Dunfermline. It is my second visit there and both times I have come away with a large bag of clothes. The t shirts were extra lucky as the shop was having a half price sale on all clothes. I will definitely be going back.

fionaandphil

I know Dunfermline very well so will have to pop in next time we are in Scotland.  I had forgotten that I still have some potatoes left, they are all still fine but once the weather starts to warm up I'm sure they will sprout.  No chance of that today, we had hale on the school run!

Gem-gem

@Prudent That is some cs finds -well done you. 

We had our h/m soup yesterday. Today was just marmite on toast after I got back from the gym. I was busy with washing and hoovering before DH got home. He doesn't like the noise so I try to hoover when he is out. Dinner tonight was ys gammon slice, ys potatoes made into chips, ys eggs and full price peas. 

Regarding Christmas veg, we still have swede left - I chopped it up and froze it rather than stored it in a cold area.

Tomorrow I am having my Christmas present from my DH - a spa day. I am so looking forward to my hot stone massage. It helps with lymphatic drainage, improves circulation and de-stressing. 

Prudent

What a fabulous Christmas present @Gem-gem. I hope you have a blissful time. 

Frugaldom

@Gem-gem Hope you enjoyed your spa day! Sounds fab.

Nile mince on the go here but I've been decadent and made it pure, as in undiluted by oats or lentils. 8 lots of Bolognese and enough to convert some into chilli by adding the chilli and  kidney beans. 

Weather is still dry here so we are battering on with fencing and tree planting. Hope everyone is enjoying similar weather. 

Gem-gem

Thank you @Prudent and @Frugaldom, it was a lovely day, the massage was bliss. My DH doesn't like buying physical presents unless he knows it is something that I would use eg new pair of straighteners, a new mobile phone, he prefers to buy experiences. My birthday present for this year is a ticket to see/hear Ludovico Einaudi at the RAH in the summer. I am happy to buy DH an experience when he doesn't need a new jumper or trouser / jeans. He is 6'4 so we only tend to get his shorts in a CS.

Today, I gave my DH a pedicure and included a lower leg massage. I then did my own pedicure. That is £61 saved. 

Made vegetable soup for lunch. Leeks, onion, carrot, potato and chicken stock. Chucked it into the slow cooker this morning. Tonight is chicken wraps and salad. @Frugaldom what is Nile mince?

Last night, I tried a peppermint tea bag (100% peppermint, no tea) and it acted like a laxative. Has anyone else had that? I'm going to try an infusion of mint and hot water to see if the effect is the same. My mint plant is showing life - yay!

Gem-gem

Good morning everyone, 
Yesterday, I spent the morning cleaning the house and cooking the breakfast. 

The afternoon working on my blanket whilst having a chat with a friend.  I have crocheted the granny squares together in one long line and have started to crochet trebles above the granny squares. 

In the evening, I met my DH for food at the Spoons - two meals with drinks £12. Then we went to Cadogan Hall to hear Hayden's Creation. Tickets £15 each - in the cheap seats at the back. It was very enjoyable, first time I had heard it. I bought a tub of mango for the interval. £2.40 and we drank water. DH travel is free. He had been to football for 50p. My travel will cap at  around £13. A night out for two for just under £58. We usually eat at home beforehand  to keep the cost down but DH didn't have time to get home from the football. Overall, a very enjoyable evening. 

Frugaldom

@Gem-gem over the years, we have experimented with various foods to see how many meals we can make from them. Someone started the 'rubber chicken' for how far one chicken could go and I set up 'Nile mince' for how far a pack of mince could go; like the Nile, it goes a very long way. From a basic mince and tomato based sauce you can have any number of concoctions, served with potatoes, dumplings, pasta, spaghetti, add some kidney beans and chilli to serve with rice or wraps or baked potatoes. The mince can be padded out while cooking by adding oats or grains or lentils or extra chopped veg, beans etc. It just keeps going on and on and on, easilynmaking a dozen or so meals from a 400g pack of minced beef. Frugal food, indeed.

Frugaldom

I still can't upload photos on my phone but have added plenty on my FB page and InstaG. Weekend was spent working at the project, cutting willows and replanting them elsewhere to grow a free willow fedge (fence x hedge). Soup making was done on the logburner. I also gathered up a big bucket of pine cones as kindling. Next job is moving the manure, which is now composted, to top up the raised beds. The rhubarb is coming through but I've not down any seeds yet. Been offered 4 free fruit bushes so will prepare a space for these in the hope that they materialise. 

Quantaqa

Good Morning All,  DH and I took advantage of the nice weather on Saturday and blitzed the garden.  It badly needed a tidy and the shed got a good clear out and reorganise as well.  We made a decision to rethink the garden so it's more manageable as we get older.  We planted up some heathers and a wee conifer tree in wooden barrels to give the front some colour.  

I stumbled across a TV programme a few days ago called Batch from Scratch and feel quite motivated to try some new recipes and ideas after watching it.  I do batch cook up to a point and my planning isn't particularly good.  I also need to up my fruit and veg intake so it's really got me thinking.  I made myself a smoothie to take into work today for a snack which I have just enjoyed.  I think I'll make two tonight (I only have 2 bottles to put them in) and set them aside in the fridge.

I have a hair cut this week.  This is only my second time at this hairdresser.  My previous hairdresser was more expensive by about £15 so I really wanted to cut the cost down.  The new lady does a great job so I'm delighted.

Looking ahead to Mother's Day coming up soon I have a nice hand soap and hand lotion set (bought in the Boots sale) for my Mum and DH's Mum, and were going to do a basket of flowers each as well.  I already have the baskets and I'll pot up some spring flowers into them.  I just need to get cards now which I'' try and do in the next day or so.