2025 Frugal Living Challenge

joedenise

Your oven at it's lowest setting (50%) will be fine for dehydrating.  It's a similar temperature to the dehydrating bit on the Ninja.

Debsnewbudget

i got my dehydrator from Fbook marketplace and its been fine - the lady who sold it was getting a much bigger one.

mumtoomany

Morning all. Well I won't need more train tickets after all. Hurray! A relative was unfairly dismissed over a year ago. However because they only worked part time, on little more than minimum wage, nobody would take it on on a no win no fee basis. So for around a year three of us have been helping her to form a case. The tribunal should have been next week but at the eleventh hour, it has settled out if court. It's lovely not to have to think about it anymore. 

Bought a new sheet yesterday. £12.99. Brushed Egyptian cotton. I will now have lots of rags/dusters from the torn one. 

Car still not on the road. But hopefully in the next day or two. Then OH will finish getting a VW T25 camper on the road. The car can then be sold, and we won't need to pay any more road tax. Vehicle over 40 years old. Then he can finish fixing the other two! Yes he has 3 of these. All barn finds. 

Collected more vegetables this morning. Had to use the wheelbarrow again. At least they sell and I make a few pennies. Thanks for the suggestion of Olio, @Frugaldom, the few that don't sell are fed to the chickens. Have made over £300 so far this year, and lots more year left. The best year to date. £300 covers the cost of all the seeds, compost and animal feed for the year. 

Right off to take advantage of this good weather and fo some washing,

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xx

mumtoomany

A couple of pictures of the tunnel/jungle! 

Prudent

I dehydrate allotment produce in my air fryer and it seems to work well enough. Just now we have a glut of courgettes too. Lunch today was courgette and sweetcorn fritters. I am going to make a courgette cake tomorrow. 

I got the £2 off £20 for Morrisons too. OH likes veggie sausages and they are currently on offer at £2 instead of £2.50. With the voucher I got ten packs for £18, a saving of £7 on the full price. We have had some very decent veggie boxes with lots of fruit and useful things like butternut squash. The past week has seem a few chilli's and curries go in the freezer from veggie boxes and the allotment. I also had a wee charity shop potter and got two Arran Aromatics body lotions for £1 each which was an absolute bargain as they are usually £17.99. I like the scent of the Glen rosa one best. In general I am still remaining restrained in the charity shops after my big de-clutter in January, but I did need body lotion.

I haven't posted much this week as I have been trying to sort out my boiler issue as the hot water has been cutting out. After exploring different avenues I have been able to sort out an installation of a completely new heating system (boiler, radiators and piping) which is being installed mid August so I am hoping my boiler holds out until then.

C_J

I used to have one of those 5-tier white dehydrators (possibly a cheap one, possibly Andrew James, can't remember) but I donated it to the charity shop after I got my 15-in-1 Ninja which dehydrates so much better (and quicker). 

This week I dehydrated and blitzed several punnets of mushrooms from the Community Fridge to make a small jar of mushroom powder which is delicious in risottos or casseroles.

Prudent

@Mummytoomany your polytunnel is huge and so full of crops, that's fantastic!

@C-J I hadn't thought of dehydrating mushrooms, that is such a great idea.

mumtoomany

Thank you, @Prudent. The theory is, if I fill it to the brim, the weeds are suppressed. Mostly works, though still a few thistles and nettles pop through. The down side is that the plants grow over the paths. At least when I fall over, (often) the landing is soft. 

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xx

Highlanddream

Debsnewbudget said:

i got my dehydrator from Fbook marketplace and its been fine - the lady who sold it was getting a much bigger one.

good idea thank you. 

fionaandphil

That is an amazing poly tunnel @mumtoomany no wonder you are getting such fabulous crops. I'm completely in awe but know I couldn't cope with anything that big. My little greenhouse already seems jungle-like but I like the idea of not weeding