An Avalanche of Austerity for April - Mumsnet frugaleers continue!

[MissAnnersleyismyhero]

Thought I'd start a new thread for April

Fluffy. I want the Christmas crackers!

Just posted up a rather thrifty Quiche recipe that can be adapted according to what needs using up in your fridge.

Quiche Lorraine and jam tarts from odds and ends

Here's the quiche.

Here is what went into it (plus pastry).

That's a good point Cadbury. I shall check that out. Though I wonder if I can transfer my od balance into a credit card?

So I didn't get a chance to ask my aunt about her frugal-ness on Easter Sunday but bit the bullet & text her tonight explain what I was trying to do. Ah she sent me such a lovely email full of tips much like you guys have given about topcashback, tracks cub cards- even ensuring she always takes her own bags as you get extra points for those. So I've replied & think she is going to send me more ideas!! It's left me feeling so so chuffed!

Was thinking I might meltdown some of our Easter choc for dd to make nests & take into nursery for her teachers. We have a load of those little yellow chicks left too & baking cases do that might be a project for my day off tomorrow. Will have to resist eating them

Thank heaven for friends, eh NK?

It worked, I got shopping with DDs. Spent £45 including slipper type socks for DDs. Shouldn't need anything else this week. DH needs to buy Frontline and pay the now long outstanding vet's bill.

Also need to get someone in to fumigate and lay rat traps outside our fence as building work next door is bound to disturb some. Unfortunately we're in a newly developing area that was farmland surrounded by wilderness until 10 years ago, Sounds lovely, and it really is, but the downside is the smaller members of the wildlife. Eagles and pumas I can admire but rats, not so much.

There was no cheap Easter chocolate I checked 2 supermarkets.

I can't think about Christmas yet. We have DD's birthdays, dieceocho and Halloween to deal with first.

Eagles & pumas

I can't think about Christmas either I have to get married first plus dd is starting school which is quite big!

Yesterday £9.15 buying lunch and some fruit in Tesco. Then £6 buying a notebook for the new job meeting today (would have been cheaper in Tesco but I forgot) plus two (for the price of one) Maryland cookies in Waitrose.

60p parking for DD1's extra dance lesson before an audition next week, plus gave another mum the parking money as she didn't have change. However, she is going to take DD1 to the Friday extra rehearsal and I'll collect her daughter so I don't need to leave work early again.

It is a bit frustrating as I don't think DD1 has a chance of the part anyway, but her group were added to the children to audition, but they weren't told to learn the song over the holidays so now we have hard work to get ready. Unfortunately DS isn't tall enough to audition for the boys parts, his teacher would like him to!

Boffin I tend to make enough pastry for tarts and quiche but I make the tarts first as I can roll a quantity of pastry out and the cut out circles. I then just press the pastry into the tin so it all fits without needing to cut off trimmings. Or any excess pastry gets put in the freezer and ever so often I defrost the lot with 2 eggs, 150ml milk, some frozen peppers, frozen sweetcorn and any bits of cheese knocking about and cook for 35 minutes. I don't grease the tins as I find the fat in the pastry stops them sticking if you remove after 10 minutes cooling, if you leave them too long they stick though.

Thanks to Fluffy my dc enjoyed a free lunch at Debenhams yesterday. I was a bit at the price of my food and drink but as theirs was free it was still amazing value. I hope they repeat this promotion! Also the staff were really friendly and helpful, so much so I think I may actually email them to say how impressed I was. I'll definately go back, even full price.

Hmm, I've looked at account and I think we've got 52 for 2 weeks worth of fruit (more apples, bananas and satsumas then), milk and any other stuff that crops up (dc not back at school until Monday, may cash in some Tesco points). It's doable, just, and because we don't have an overdraft with our account we always leave 100 in the joint account so if we do go 'overdrawn' we're just using our own money and not being hit with massive charges the following month.

adora rats Having lived overseas, I certainly don't miss the wildlife, particularly giant cockroaches in my underwear drawer and a plague of black locusts one year.

I'm fascinated by the different costs of living in different parts of the world and so inspired by adora I have just looked at er, a comparison site. So, Sydney is more expensive than London, which is more expensive than NYC. On the site I looked at Delhi is the cheapest place to live by far.

Iamnotanugget, that is a good idea, doing the name tarts first so there is not waste at all. I might well try that. I think your comment is excellent, by the way. If you want to add it to the blog post on the quiche it would be really helpful for people

jam tarts

£10 eyebrow threading
£2 parking
£1 cat collars
£1 crisps

£10 petrol.

I'm not doing to well with all this frugality & I need to rein myself in.

I've applied for a first direct account which stops my monthly fee for having a business account .

Sainsbos are doing half price chicken thighs and drumsticks, so I've developed a recipe for a hearty family dinner. Chicken and Tarragon in the Slow Cooker

Boffin, that chicken recipe looks great. Do you have any tips for how to cook chicken breasts in the slow cooker?

Brown them all over in a hot frying pan using some sunflower oil. Put them in a pre-warmed slow cooker dish, reserving the fat. Using the fat, fry up a chopped onion and some sliced red peppers. Pour this over the chicken breasts. Then in the same frying pan, pour in a tin of chopped tomatoes with garlic and herbs. Add some fresh basil leaves. Heat through until the leaves wilt a bit, and then pour over the whole lot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook on HIGH for 30 minutes and LOW for 6+ hours.

Hurrah! Dh has told me that work owe him £100 in expenses, might get some pears as well . £8.45 entertaining dc, tomorrow will be nsd. £5.05 in Aldi.

boffin I'll add comment later while sitting with ds waiting for him to settle.

I forgot to get a broom head yesterday, need to get it today.

Fluffy we all have the odd off day, don't be too hard on yourself.

Spotty congratulations on your upcoming nuptials.

I like the look of that chicken recipe Boffin, no slow cooker but it should work in the oven methinks.

Cheer Nugget.

Yes, both recipes would be fine in the oven. Say 60 minutes or so.

Boffin that dish looks lovely - I will try it in the oven too as I don't have a slow cooker

NSD.

Nsd and I got my bag I ordered on Monday

Love slow cooker recipes...keep them coming.
€5 on last swimming class for ds 5 months & €5 on a bowl of soup for me afterwards BUT normally I'd get a diet coke as well but had glass of water instead so I was semi frugal.
Lots of chocolate left in our house I'm a unislim leader so shared a small one with dh sun night. I have now got 19lbs to lose for my brothers wedding so chocolate not on menu. I'm kind of all or nothing with chocolate if I avoid I'm fine but if I start at all there's no stopping me!