Frugaleers Flying into the New Year All Welcome on the January Thread

[SpottyTeacakes]

New thread hopefully someone can add some old links?

Welcome silvertap

Sorry you are not feeling well luxy Last gammon joint I bought from Lidl was rather salty so I made gammon, leek and mushroom potato bake - I just make a filling like for a pie and then top it up with potato slices instead of pastry and bake it at 200C fan for 30 minutes add some cheese on top and bake for another 10 minutes. I have also done it before with leftover chicken from roast.
NSD today
The decorations are back in the loft and dh replanted the tree back in the garden. We have also managed to split and stack lot of firewood since the weather was cooperating - very windy but no rain so far.
I have dinner in the slow cooker - brisket with vegetables which I will whizz up for sauce so I just need to make some Czech dumplings later.

I have lot of cookery books but dc keep asking for same dishes - I just wish I could get them to eat other things as well but don't want to waste food by making dishes they won't eat. No surprise they will happily try different cakes

We're pretty flooded here now (nowhere near houses or to the same effect as Cumbria etc) but enough that we can't get to one of the three small towns we are between. It feels quite cold today too.

I love my new lamp

We're having lamb grills for dinner quick and easy.

I have some bananas that need eating but no eggs. Any suggestions?

Freeze the bananas?

Then make banana ice cream or smoothie

Spotty hope it goes down soon and there isn't too much damage to roads/ electricity/ gas & water.

Love what are Czech dumplings? I love dumplings so am always on the lookout for new recipes.

It is lovely to see so many returnees and newbies

Is it ok if I join back in please ? I was on this thread a couple of years ago but have seriously fallen off the wagon since then. I need to get a grip of my spending especially after Christmas. I have made a small start by finally defrosting my freezer and doing some batch cooking over the last week so I now feel a lot better that I have some meals ready to eat in there. I am also planning not to be so wasteful with food and to try and freeze leftovers more.

Welcome newbies

£11 in John Lewis on candlesticks. They were £18 in store . 2% cashback on Kidstart.

Well we have been swimming today £8 as we don't say ds1 is now 5 especially as me n ds2 are only in for half hr

Made fish cakes with ds1 for lunch used leftover maash tinned mackerel and tuna ended up with 12 kiddy sized ones for freezer left

Dh back to work tomorrow in klaat 2 weeks he has worked 2 odd days as had annual leave to use up which meant no ho!iday club for ds1 and nursery was shut Xmas week for ds2 but they don't charge for it.

I am back Tue and boys are back to school n childcare and I am dredding working 4days 2.5-3days suits me better but finances dont work.

Finally watching the Christmas EWFL on iplayer, goodness me! £1400! Mind you, I didn't agree when Greg and Chris were laughing at the amount of pigs in blankets they bought and saying they'd end up in the bin. Not in our house they wouldn't :o no such thing as too many pigs in blankets.

I have spent the afternoon trying out my Chistmas present ..... chocolate making stuff from my bro. They have worked - all proper shiney too. Dark chocolate & salted caramel. I can see my NY resolution for next year will be to lose weight.

Welcome back Fanta. Is it really that long since you've been off the threads? I can't help with the gammon issue, as I'm veggie and don't add salt to anything anyway- apart from chip shop chips and scrambled eggs!

Spendy day today, as I had to collect DS from the airport. £23.45 on public transport, £2.30 on a coffee whilst travelling (it's nearly a 2 hour journey one way) and £15 at Pizza Express, including a tip. I used £22 club card vouchers too. Total: £40.75.

Thank you CremeEgg - yes I think the last time I posted was in the summer of 2014 which I can date from when DD finished school. Time flies! I was contemplating defrosting my freezer then if I remember correctly and have finally done it last week it was shocking and just so full of ice and some items I couldn't identify! Now it is lovely and I am determined to use it properly and get my grocery bill under control.

Luxy do you like curry? You could make a bacon and vegetable curry which might disguise the saltiness?

Welcome back fanta and welcome silver.

Wow, it really doesn't seem that long ago, Fanta. Time truly does fly!

Welcome to Silver too.

It's great to see so many old and new names here! I've been a bit off and on with the threads but really determined to be fully accountable for my spending and bad habits from now on, DH too.

I also need to get to grips with the freezer. It's always frosting up. Still got to do our inventory... DH reckons some of the sauces I've frozen in bags are past it now, freezer burn or something. Bah.

Problem is I can sometimes find the time and energy to do a massive batch cook but then I'm rubbish at actually using what I've made!

Welcome newcomers!
The river by us flooded today too, spotty, nothing too dreadful but the road is closed.
Your chocolate sounds great unescorted.
Hope luxy feels better soon.
Just spent 89p today on milk but still haven't managed an NSD yet in 2016. Otherwise we've found free ways to entertain DD. We went out to splash in puddles, played skittles and built a den. The den was a big hit, we draped a massive sheet over some chairs then lay underneath on cushions and made shadows with a torch. I think we enjoyed it as much as she did!
Finding my budget app really helpful eg if asked, I'd guess I'd spent a couple of quid on groceries over the weekend but in reality it's over £7! I'm using January as a trial run based on estimates and will adjust the categories as needed next month e.g. I think I've over estimated food but underestimated money needed for gifts etc. Obviously things like the mortgage are accurate.

I've frozen bananas before but they always go weird when I go to use them

Welcome back Fanta!

Thank for I've found you all, thought I'd lost you for a while there

Not too bad a day today, baking then took Christmas decs down, went for a walk and had hot choc and a bit of a top up shop so spent about £12.
Can't seem to go a day without needing something from the shop though, even though I meal plan there always seems to be something I have run out of, today was milk and Weetabix, yesterday was cucumber,cheese and bananas and I have just realised we need more potatoes and beans. What am I doing wrong!?

Also discovered my boots have a hole in them, was hoping they would do until spring but maybe not, could do without needing new ones now!

Fuzz I don't batch cook why more as we just don't eat it. We too have no issue with eating all the bacon wrapped sausages.

I went to collect my sale orders and take back the wrong stuff from ssinsbury delivery. I swapped the baking sheet I didn't order and wasn't marked as a sub for fwo very small baking trays. I use cake tins for small amounts but these will be better

Dinner today was crispy lamb in hot rolls. I sliced up the end of the leg from Friday and put in a hot pan with salt and pepper till crisp. I had intended to make Indian shepherds pie but this was easier!

£5.50 on proper Cornish pasties and £1 on parking in Truro.

-what that sounds lovely

Hi all, had a lovely day spent the day baking a chocolate cake and scones for my mums bday - all turned out lovely. Spent £8 in Tescos on baking things, cream and jam.

Mum loved all her presents so was pleased with that.

This week will prob end up being fairly spendy as am off work!! Tomorrow want to take dd swimming as not done that for ages.

It was, crispy shredded lamb may not be good for you but it is lovely! Next time I might serve it with plum sauce, spring onions and cucumber.