Marching into a miserly march with the mumsnet frugaleers

[Fluffycloudland77]

Newbies, helpful tips & lurkers always welcome.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1600030-Small-money-saving-habits-petty-even

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1543785-your-top-tips-for-money-saving-and-a-more-frugal-life

Car passed its mot n service with no additional costs hooray.

Had my free tea n cake in John Lewis

However I did buy a toy on offer little one has been desperate for it was £18 n he can give me the money out of his money box have been teaching him if we sell his old toys he has money for new ones- he is only 3 though.

I had never made bread before Saturday either ellis. Very easy to do - just takes time to rise. I made it using this recipe but only added a teaspoon of honey and let it rise twice (let it rise once, knead it again and put in tin to rise before baking). I have some in the freezer that I'm going to use for my sandwiches tomorrow.

Adora Good idea, I am going to fish through and chop/sauté/freeze anything that isn't too manky. Should be fine to throw in soups even if they go a bit soggy on defrosting I guess?

Ellis I am fairly crap at bread making (although have always been successful at pittas/naan/English muffins/pretzels, weirdly), but do a semi-sourdough recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. It's a book but the recipe might be on google somewhere or you could order it in the library maybe. Much lower maintenance than sourdough, but less risky than normal bread for me.

Yes, exactly Possibly, the basis of soup, casserole, spag bol, curry, rissoto, burgers, anything where you would start off with onions really.

Glad your car passed East

Spotty what a pain, is there enough To eat still or did it all spill?

It over flowed as it froze so there's plenty left but I'm annoyed at the mess!

My freezer is messy ATM. I thought it was clean but when I took veg out this morning I got purple marshmallow on my hands. no, DD1, that gunky stuff doesn't freeze solid, it runs every where so that's a Job for later this afternoon.

A least you still have some soup.

I need to join a diet thread, not a frugal thread! I keep eating crap when I know it will make me feel ill/bad about myself. I'm just knackered at work, and craving sugar because I'm so tired. Not that it's any excuse (snacks today so far - 2 peanut butter cookies, 2 squares of chocolate, 1 slice toast with thinly sliced tofu on it, 1 small bowl raspberries with fake cream!!!) This is on top of breakfast and lunch. argh.

I've eaten two biscuits, two mini flapjacks, a slice of lemon cake and two squares of Lindt chocolate. I'm knackered too so I think it's a good excuse

Nsd for me. Well I bought ds one of those dinosaur backpacks with reins on but used JL vouchers so didn't cost me anything.

Cadbury - thanks for the link I'll try at the weekend and report back

Possibly - I'll have a google tonight and see if I can find that one to try too.

I need to stop eating rubbish as well. I have convinced myself if I make brownies, cookies etc then it's ok to eat them because I haven't bought them so they are 'free' as it's just ingredients from my cupboard not sure how I worked that out! This frugal thing is surprisingly fattening. I never bought cakes and biscuits but now I make them all the time!

Well at the end of today I've got lots of stuff cooked and baked and minimised the chances of any veg going off. Mixed potatoes, veg, leftover roast ham with boursin cheese leftover from last week and a bit of cream. stuck it in a dish with grated cheese on top and baked it. dd has already asked when we can have it again . Still enough ham left to mix with a chicken though and some veg to put in a pie. 3 meals from a small looking piece of ham.
Bread is much easier if you have a food processor or mixer to do the kneading I think. I'm lucky enough to have inherited an antique (1960s) Kenwood chef which does my kneading for me. Agree that long rise is important. Definitely have a go, its so nice, especially warm!

I've never made bread either. I have a mixer with a kneading hook on though....

This is hfw bread recipe, I use a bread maker but you could make by hand too. Yeast is cheaper if you buy it in little tins from asda.

I've heard you can get it free in bakers fresh but I've never had the guts to ask.

200g bread flour (White or wholemeal)
200g plain flour (using part plain flour makes the bread even cheaper!)
5g dried yeast
5g salt
15ml oil
260ml water

NSD. Will catch up later.

NSD for only the second time this month, I think. I'll read through later.

Ok not an NSD after all because I've just put an order through at Sainsburys because they've added free delivery pass to my account.
£55. I'm thinking that I probably could have just spent £40 for that in Aldi. Feel bad but I'm seriously running out of time to do stuff. I have done pretty well though on shopping at Aldi several times this month. This shop will be counted as my weekly shop so this might just take us to the end of the month or close enough.

Hope your first day back tomorrow is ok northender I fine after 10 mins back it's like I've never been away! Good and bad.

3.50 into softplay. I think I was overcharged but didn't twig till I was on my way home. 2 for a coffee.

I had to pay for next term for DS's swimming lessons today, which I wasn't expecting. 70.20.

NSD again today. Normally I would have spent loads of money on the last week, instead, almost nothing.

I may have sold my playpen listed on Gumtree, but I'll not count my pennies chickens until I have the cash!

Adora, normally DH makes her a snack, but because he is on a diet yesterday he didn't do it, he let her get herself something to take, but the pack of crisps was not as much as the wrap he usually makes her.

NSD.

Which Lindt was it Spotty? DH has some in the fridge from his birthday, I've been at the toffees, again.

A packet of crisps never works, does it Audit, but DCs don't understand these complicated things. Have you mentioned her lack of good nutricionally sound and sustaining food can't see why being on a diet makes a difference myself ?

SSE owe me £50 after telling me based on my readings I was being billed correctly! They can lower my DD while they are at it too.

I knew this house was needing less power.

I just got another bill from Scottish Power (who I left on 19th Sept 2013!!!) now apparently THEY owe ME money. Last week literally 5 days ago they were climing I owed them.

I have a complaint filed with the energy ombudsman.

I have been rubbish at posting on this thread but have done quite well this month, savings i have made- cut sky package to minimum-saving £50 per month, not bought any packed lunch biscuits, made my own from storecupboard ingredients-£10, cut wine consumption by half_saving £20,have also shopped in aldi, bought sack of potatoes, turned down a work night out, every little helps.

69p on a double decker

Thanks oh help as on my mot was advisory for one tyre as nail in it so should get that done soon

Had hair cut today group on deal so £15 that's my max now for wash cut in blow dry n £30 with half head highlights as always a group on deal on for either.