Sneaky ways to save the pennies

shays_mum

Ohhh just came across this!, too many pages to look at in one go, to keep in the spirit of things, i do keep the water from my dryer (only used 1/2 months in the winter months out of the whole year!) overnight to cool, then water my plants with it.
I also go bulk food shopping with friends & we split the bill 3 ways, as we all might need crisps etc for kids school but not box of 50 from cash & carry!.
I use a hippo water saver in the loo....! & encourage my little ones to switch off all lights in an unoccupied room & take things of standby, at my house & other family members places.
Also water down clothes conditioner by atleast 2/3rds & last but not least put a lid on a saucepan after boiling it & switching the gas off to make perfect pasta!
Ok 'enders on now, i am sure all these tips are here somewhere, so thanks to the op's

Savvy_sewing

Getting so used to stretching things now, that the neck of lamb casserole in the slow cooker, which was only put in for me, will actually do me another two meals!. I added so much veg etc that needed using up, I only served myself one of the 3 slices of lamb. It was still full of flavour, and served with a microwaved jacket potato, as its not worth putting the oven on for one potato!.
I bought some red lentils (look orange to me???) a few weeks ago, but still havent added them to anything.? So used to just adding a handful of oats to my mince.
Must remember to try lentils next time.

Patchwork_Quilt

Try green lentils, Mooloo. They're even better. Red ones seem to melt into the food, so they do a good job of thickening it but the green ones have more texture, so if you add them to mince, for example, they seem more meaty.

Am I making sense? Anyway, the Crazy Jacks organic ones are the nicest.

frugallily

I actually use the green lentils like mince and don't put meat in at all. I make a green lentil spaghetti bolognese just like usual but no meat. Guess that this probably won't be to everyone's taste though. Try decreasing the meat and adding more lentils over a period of time to see when everyone in your family moans!!!

Savvy_sewing

Will be trying that. As there is now only me, and DS. (He doesnt seem to be here for meals much anymore. ) He tends to just have the snacks and dissapear just as Iam about to serve up. So I end up with what ever I cooked for two days running.
I need to invest in some containers for the freezer next time I get out of the village!. Hopefully the car will be back on the road soon.!

madnessandmayhem

Not really sneaky, but a couple of little things i do-I don't but the kitchen cleaners, i put a squirt of bleach in a spray bottle and top up with water, does the job just as well as mr muscle, and a LOT cheaper!!
also once or twice a week, me and oh will have something like omelette and chips for dinner, using up what needs to be used in omelettes-cheese, ham, mushrooms, whatevers in the fridge!! Also when serving up fruit to my children (2 and 6) I cut it up and split it between 2 bowls, cos neither of them ever eat a whole apple or banana and it just gets wasted.

Also on the subject of the programme where they spent loads on food, i watched 'spendaholics' on sky yesterday, and on that the woman was spendin £600 a week on 'stuff' and her monthly food shopping was about £700 :eek:
and that was for her and hubby, and 2 children-and shee didn't seem to pleased when they cut it to 'just' £400!!!!

Savvy_sewing

Havent got Sky to watch that programme, but I remember many years ago, there was a programme on the TV called, "Bazaar" I think. Anyway they inspired home made, dressmaking, cooking and all sorts of things. Bit of a magazine type programme, but it inspired me, and I have often thought that it would be good to have a magazine or a programme to help people that are on benefits,etc and are struggling. (like my Twins and all of the other young mums that didnt get to learn much at school about life!).
There has got to be plentry of people that are surviving on low incomes and living reasonably well, because they have the life skills that many do not?
Bit like when Bernadine Laurence tried to get her book printed all those years ago, How to Feed your Family on£4 a day, the benifit book!!
Bit off topic, sorry

rosemary54

just added up (roughly) the cost of last nights supper which was not the cheapest meal we have in a week by any means.

chilli and rice followed by merangues(home made using left over egg whites),strawberries(from fruit farm) and cream (from a cow!....joke)(for 5)cost around £5 so multiplied by 7 would give £35 to maybe £50 spent on main meals in a week(this is only rough working out) so £130 allowed on the programme seems very generous to me. my whole housekeeping allowance for OH,me and 3 grown up hungry boys would not cover the cost of "food" the family were buying !!!

mogchops

frugallily wrote: »

I actually use the green lentils like mince and don't put meat in at all. I make a green lentil spaghetti bolognese just like usual but no meat. Guess that this probably won't be to everyone's taste though. Try decreasing the meat and adding more lentils over a period of time to see when everyone in your family moans!!!

I'd like to try this - so if I am making bolognaise, at what point do you add the lentils in? When it is bubbling, or before? And do you have to soak them or do anything to them first? Sorry to sound a bit dim....:o but this sounds a really good way to make it go even further!

shazrobo

mogchops wrote: »

I'd like to try this - so if I am making bolognaise, at what point do you add the lentils in? When it is bubbling, or before? And do you have to soak them or do anything to them first? Sorry to sound a bit dim....:o but this sounds a really good way to make it go even further!

i've got bolognaise in the slow cooker now, i just threw everything in together at the same time, and switched it on, red lentils dont need soaking, not sure about other types