We are Resolutely Frugal! Frugaleers continuing their new frugal year. All welcome!

[fuzzpig]

Hello! I hope nobody minds me starting the new thread :o

Thanks need. That's a good way of looking at it.

My neighbour is getting scaffolding soon so I think I might get a woodburning stove priced just so we can use some of the burnable rubbish to heat the house a bit. The work can be done from the top of her scaffolding hopefully. We constantly have the bins overfull with cardboard and prunings from the garden. It seems silly not to use them. I know it will cost a lot initially but it means we'll have it for years and years as a way to heat the house for free. Seems like a good idea. Also great for just heating the one room when we need to.

Ha, in the 'bag' that should say!!

DH has been given the all clear, he has to go back in 3 months but the consultant is very confident that they have got all the cancer out

Hooray!

Fantastic news need hooray!

Sainsburys order just came. £49.86, which should be enough to take us through to next Friday, apart from bread, milk and sone fruit and veg. I even remembered to use my 24p off voucher!

Meal plan:
Today: jacket potatoes with cheese and beans or pesto for DS. Going to make kale soup for lunch, as there's some left over.
Wednesday: quiche, new potatoes and salad.
Thursday: same as Wednesday.
Friday : veggie burgers in baps with cheese slices and ketchup and wedges.
Saturday: pizza.
Sunday: Quorn escalope, new potatoes and vegetables.
Monday: pasta, pesto, avocado and hardboiled eggs.
Tuesday: jackets with cheese and beans or pesto.
Wednesday: Lentil Bolognese.
Thursday: same as Wednesday.

Freezing here too. It's been 0° since about 8 p.m. My heating is set to 6-7 a.m., for DS getting up, 9-10.30 a.m. for me,and 4-10 p.m., with 2 half hour breaks in that, but I may have to adjust that today. We'll see.

Oh need, that's brilliant. So pleased for you all. The relief must be immense. Make sure you have a family treat soon to celebrate.

Brilliant news need!!

NSD planned today again. £7.99 came out of my account from Amazon that I wasn't expecting, turns out I signed up for kindle unlimited last year and have been paying for it ever since. Cancelled. Damn it. £80 for nothing. Rage.

Great news need!

We are very lucky that our flat is a new build and very warm so our heating is only on for 30 mins a day atm 6.30-7am. That and my DH is a bit obsessed with not putting the heating on! Wood burner sounds like a great investment though Ipos

Can anyone help me think of frugal birthday gifts? I have three birthday this month (Step Dad, female friend and DH) can only afford to spend about £20 on each. Ideas?!

need that is amazing news!

I've been offered some freelancing work so that's £220 extra for February. Yay!

Great news need

I've come out of the wardrobe. Found a few more things for eBay. Nothing amazing. But just things I don't wear. May as well get rid. do I really need 5 black cardigans....?

Fabulous news need. What a relief. We'll be celebrating that here too. Hope you have a knees up there to put that three weeks to an end. Yay!

Well done Collie. That extra money will help a lot.

I just realised why I can't get anything done this morning. It's only 15 degrees in the house. D'oh! Maybe that's why Ds couldn't get going as well. Must get the place warm before he comes home.

Great news need

Brilliant news need

Few days off and already you have a new thread

Great news need
That's great collie I am sure extra money will help
Hope you find some other work soon laska
ipsos wood burner is great and you can always get free pallets at the local industrial estate and free wood on Freecycle, I have tried to make paper bricks out of shredded paper and although they burn well they don't give out lot of heat

NSD today
After the mad rush before X-mas and doing long hours for DPD, they layed off 10 people so dh has no work at the moment, fingers crossed agency will find something else soon; he is helping our builder at the moment while he builds my new airing cupboard in the bathroom
Meatballs for dinner in the slow cooker and orange marmalade cooking on the stove so the house smells lovely but it's freezing today, it's dry but really windy and I don't really want to put the heating on since the guys keep going out for materials and leaving the front door open

5mins some of the shops are still flogging off Xmas gift sets in the sales, could those work for any of the gifts?
Meal plan:
Tonight: Jamie Oliver spinach, feta and chick pea parcels with salad.
Tomorrow: Paneer tikka with salad.
Thur: Pizza with using up bits topping.
Fri: Pasta, tomato sauce and garlic bread.
Sat: Spicy shepherds pie.
Sun: Root veg pancakes and feta salad.
Mon: Leftovers.

Need that is fantastic news for later.

Groceries ths week have come in at a little under £70.

Thanks for the new thread Fuzz really will try to keep up

need that's fantastic news!

Having worked at home without heating all day yesterday and feeling poorly because of it I caved in today and switched it on an hour ago. Being cold is no fun.

Sod's law in action - found my passport I cancelled on Friday. I've rung and tried to stop them cancelling it being cancelled but they've told me its 99% definitely too late. :-(( it had six years on it. Such a waste. Gutted.

So I've been to Aldi for nappies, Dd2 is going through them at an alarming rate at the moment, £3.79 for 44 is not to be grumbled at, I spent 12.60 in there and then £6 on lottery, no more spending today.

My main aim from now on is to start meal planning again, and to try and save much more towards the holiday.

I abandoned my freezing living room and spent the morning batch-cooking in the hot kitchen instead. I tried buying a Pork Loin Joint, which is just like about 10 pork chops that haven't been cut apart yet. I sliced it in one inch thick slices and grilled it to put in the freezer. It tastes nice but is a bit tough. It seems a shame to have to cook it for 2.5 hours though when I could cut it up and cook it for 0.5 hours for much the same effect. I think I'll call that a win.

Just did the weeks shop for delivery on Friday night. All for £52 including nappies & treats. Very happy!

Have left lots of time to make changes if necessary.

Great news need! Nsd a success for once. The first thing dd said when she woke up was could she have a packed lunch today. I sent her in with a note for her teacher hopefully she is happier today.

Got dd's physio assessment from her hospital appt and she scored really well I find them hard as they obviously pin point all the things she can't do.

Dinner is roast chicken with salad in wraps best put it in the oven! Can I freeze the cooked chicken in freezer bags once it's carved?

need brilliant news!

super I am really into the batch cooking since I have finally defrosted and sorted out my freezer - loads more room now. I freeze curries, bolognaise sauce, chilli and casseroles. I also make extra shepherds pies and fish pies to freeze. I try to have it on a rotation so that each week I add at least one extra meal into the freezer but also we eat at least one meal out of the freezer.

I was finding that cooking from scratch every night was too time consuming so that was my main reason to do it and so far it is working out well. Less clearing up too!

Spotty yes I would freeze the cooked chicken.

spotty yes I do that all the time.

Thanks frugal buddies

I was just looking at the Tesco website to find the cheapest way to buy meat and they have a weird thing called Tesco Value Beef and Pork Mince. (in a bag). I wonder why it's cheaper to buy the two mixed? Mysterious!