The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Good Morning :hello:

It's always amused me about 'ordinary' things, being played with by children, how their imagination goes into overdrive and the 'things' become whatever they want them to be. They 'chatter' away to a thing, like it's a long lost chum, push, pull, pick-up or throw down something. Stack or knock down - use as a phone or a pram to transport other toys..... endless fun.

I'm approximately (haven't written in my notebook yesterday's milk/bread/citrus receipt yet) £6 in the red with my food budget. We will be getting very close to my - £10 'limit' I've notionally set myself, as I need to buy coffee today - we won't be able to make 1/2 a teaspoon last all day tomorrow We do have everything for tonight's tea (fish, chips & mushy peas) and there will be enough to make 'something' up for tea tomorrow. There will be just enough cheese for sandwiches :j I have eggs, so we won't be going hungry

Tea last night worked out OK. I didn't take a picture - but actually, because the courgette was yellow, it worked well with the orange of the carrot and the red of the curry sauce. I based it on my recipe for sweet potato jalfrezi that I got from the 'Meat Free Monday' cookbook. Unfortunately, there isn't a proper link for it on the web Which is a shame, as it's a lovely curry - and you don't have to put as many ingredients in it as the original; honestly, it'd be cheaper to go to the curry house and have a sit down meal...... I always use Jaymee O's jalfrezi spice mix. I think it's from his 'cook wif jaymee' book - there is a page of spice mixes. Very handy, if you've the spices to hand to make up your own versions. I also made a pot of vegan dal, which is quick and simple - but does come out a funny shade of beige if you use red lentils (think I used brown last time), and did some steamed rice. Filled us up, used up produce from the fridge and was inexpensive to boot. Just how I like my curries

I managed to get about 1hr snooze on the sofa yesterday afternoon - DH looked after BG and then I was in bed by 8.30pm Think this week has rather taken its toll. Still, I feel all the better for it, so here goes another day And looking on the brightside, you can't be spending money if you're asleep

We've a bit of family fun planned for today, a little bit of shopping and then it'll be doubtless back to choresville I'm savouring my coffee currently - trying very hard with my '1 cup a day' rule. It's worked for the most part, and even on days when I've indulged in more cups, I've reeled it back in the next day, so I'm pleased with my progress.

Right, best get ship-shape and organised. Make sure I've my money and my list and everything else that you need to set foot out of the door these days....

ta for popping in, reading and encouraging me. It is greatly appreciated. Always.

Greying X

Well, the rain dun come and joined us It hasn't spoilt any plans really. We were half-heartedly thinking about going across Greying Town to an event, but I shall be honest, I'm not sure if it was today, or last sunday The weeks! They go so fast!

I was able to do some shopping in the next market town across today. I quite like it there. It has free parking on a Sunday and all the same shops as Greying Town, but on the whole, the staff are much nicer (exceptions, either way, of course). There was nowt YS'd in m&$ that I wanted, and I didn't think that which was reduced was exactly being given away.....

I did call into a c00p that we've passed umpteen times, as sometimes on mse, folk mention that they've picked up some bargains. It wasn't worth expending the petrol to turn into the carpark of this particular store. They'd knocked 30p off some things, but I gave up when I saw a pile of blackened, mushy cucumbers, reduced to...... 50p. 50p will get you a perfectly nice cucumber in m&$ - you can get one for only 44p in mrL and for those of you lucky enough to still have decent street markets, I bet you could get 2 whoppers for 5op!!! Why would a shop even have this stuff still displayed?

I picked up the bulk of my shopping (for the first week of August) in mrL. I got rocket and celery out of the potw - the rocket was all dated for the 1st August, and wasn't particularly perky... I didn't notice any absolute bargains in anything that I bought, but I'm pretty sure that the prices of everything was still the same as when I bought it last.... Oh, I tell a lie, since I bought any last time (some months??) the chocolate has gone up 3p to 30p a bar.

Oh, and when we popped into mrS for a very specific item, I did pick up a couple of their 'basics' carrots for 40p ea/kilo bag. Even DH, who is something of a 'blind' shopper (ie I tell him what to buy and he buys it, not looking at the price labels), asked if the carrots weren't cheaper than the bag he'd got me from mrL last week? Correct - 4p cheaper!

I need to update my spending diary now - and make a start on August entries.

I've done my menu plan for this week. Trying to be mindful of utilising stores and not buying something for every meal. MeandO mentioned about having beans on toast for lunch. That is something that I hardly ever think about having. Which is daft of me! We like beans, we like toast. And I know that in the early days of being at home with BG, beans became a valuable standby for those times.......*insert reason here*....... So I did get 4 tins of mrL beans - they are £1 for 4, and I'm sure everyone has their own preferences, but we like them well enough. They will be useful for a lunch or for a quick meal if time/circumstances overwhelm us. Somethings you just need in your storecupboard, eh?

DH and BG are having a snooze. They will be stirring just now. I'd better get on and update my notebooks whilst I can in peace and quiet!

Greying X

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Ah Greying, I'm sorry you have fallen foul of what we call 'C0-op style reductions' :eek:

Ha ha Cheery - i know just what you mean. I have to be fair, all the retailers are at it. In mrS today, an 'operative' had yellow stickered bag, after bag, after bag of 'in-pod' peas. How much had the reduction been? 30p. I kid you not. Has someone not worked out that operative time, plus a sticker probably amounts to more than 30p? Why on earth didn't they knock 'em out for 20p a bag? I'm sure over the course of the day, every bag would have been sold and they'd of not had the problem of what to do with them. Charities won't accept them - after all, even if they take fresh food - who has got enough volunteers to stand around shelling peas?

My only YS'd bargain today came from HB. I got a 250g punnet of mushrooms (closed cap, white) for 35p instead of 69p. They look OK-ish, so I'm happy with them and will use them. At least 50% off is a decent mark-down

Certainly it is no good me basing my path to millionaire-dom on YS shopping......

Greying X

Good Evening :hello:

Just been watching the women's :footie: match against France. Certainly better entertainment than watching the chaps.....

We munched our fish, chips and mushy peas whilst watching the match. The chips were m&$ again - steak cut. don't think I'm going to get into the habit of buying them - they lack flavour The h3r0n ones for £1.09 a bag (less weight too I think iirc), are marginally better. we finished off with bargain icecream - or should that be iced-cream? from mrL and some tinned peaches. Retro

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

a car to get us from a to b

for family time out and about and for family time at home

a no-hassle tea - I appreciated the minimal prep tonight......

Ta for popping in, and the conversation. Appreciated.

I'm away to my bed. All set for another new week.......

Greying X