Frugaleers chatting and saving even further into August...

[AGenie]

Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

Useful links copied from last year:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/other_subjects/1324074-For-those-who-cant-afford-to-use-central-heating-this-year-How-are-you-going-to-cope

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

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

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1628874-Gas-Elec-Bills-monthly-and-SKY-so-angry

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/1911061-NO-MORE-COLD-MUMSNETTERS

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2209167-Slow-Cookers-are-shit

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2224969-saving-money

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/2258202-Debt-mutual-support-thread-number-6-start-the-new-year-with-a-clear-purpose-and-keep-moving-forwards-even-by-tiny-steps?

orchard.tesco.com/ Sign up to this.

www.topcashback.co.uk/home And this.

www.quidco.com/home/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub ditto.

www.checkoutsmart.com/ Plus this.

www.hotukdeals.com/all/deals/new?page=3 Check this daily.

Agenie: yes made my own little notebook over all her advices. She's a wise little indoe lady a shame we don't speak the same languages...

Morning, we are packing a pic nic and going to English heritage at a famous sea side town. They are doing a Dracula play subtle probably get chips for tea.
Yesterday was £61 for food shop.

Morning all, waiting for my new freezer to arrive. Apparently I have to leave it standing for 24 hours before switching it on. I have a large pot of soup to box up and freeze.
Enjoy the sailing Wreck. Very jealous. I love sailing but get sea sick so live on Stugeron tablets. We go diving. I love dive boats but get sooo sea sick!
Local fete later... But only if freezer arrives in time, which I doubt.
Hope B&Q is not too rammed, Snuggly

Not much planned here either. Paid for Longleat tickets with Clubcard boost yesterday (£45 for 3 tickets) and got £7 off my M&S jeans, so £28.

Fluffy you've inspired me to get back into doing surveys again. Trying to get a few vouchers/nectar points stocked up for Christmas! Hope your cat is ok Wreck

Hi all, enjoy sailing wreck its a beautiful day for it!

I have had a very lazy morning so far, rolled out of bed at 9.40 and been mostly sat on the sofa ever since! Did put some pain au chocolates in the oven though, have I told you lot about the frozen ones I found in Morrisons? They are amazing and the frozen butter croissants, pretty frugal as well compared to what you would pay in a coffee shop for the same thing.

Plan today is to catch up on washing and make a start on de weeding the from garden, so going to go to b&q to look for some plants and slate. Will need to do a food shop at some point as well, dd has two days at the holiday club tomorrow and wednesday so need to meal plan and get pack lunch bits.

I have finished the Glysophosphate epic in the front garden. neighbours both side are away so it seemed a good time to do it - until a leaflet deliverer turned up with a dog on a long lead. He let it go for a scruffle in the newly poisoned weed patch, despite me saying I have just sprayed the weeds there. Hosed the dog off for him. Hopefully the dog is OK. I am not so charitably minded towards the man.

Well no, I wouldn't be either, he had been warned!

Loving the idea of a (presumably outdoor) Dracula play! :o

I have heaps to do today. Ugh. Unmotivated doesn't even cover it.

Setting up DH's sports classes though. Four sessions should make the money back on the equipment he's bought so far, and hopefully there'll be two groups a week (older and younger). He is SO nervous bless him! :o

So far have walked 4km just around the house. Cleaning. Yippee! Sent Dh to the shop with a massive list. Am enjoying listening to radio 1 at present. Reminds me of my bank holiday weekend in Ibiza a few years ago... old enough to know better

Italian would you consider sharing the contents of your remedy notebook. I love all that stuff? There's a lot of that in traditional Scottish medicine too and it works a treat. We could swap if you would be interested.

Unescorted Apparently the trick to the marestail is to stamp all over it before spraying because that breaks the waxy cuticle and allows the weedkiller to enter the plant. Probably a flame thrower would have the same effect if you have a lot to do. I see you've already done the spraying, but it probably works to stamp on it afterward or just hit it all with a big stick or whatever.

I seem to have crashed myself but have had a nice morning sitting in bed with ds doing construction kits and activity books. That's quite a big step up. In previous years he would have jumped all over me if I'd tried that kind of thing. Age 6 is clearly a new place to be.

Me too Italian - if you don't mind, I'd love to know more remedies like that. I'm trying to gradually reduce the amount of chemicals we use in the home etc.

That sounds like a lovely morning Genie! :)

italian I'm a huge fan of alternative natural remedies. The onion worked a treat on my arm. I did smell a bit after but it stopped he itching

Fluffy - yes you could definitely make a Roman blind on a home machine, I've made one before and mine had blackout lining too. You can buy Roman blind kits, try Amazon, they have all the ties etc. Does take along time perhaps a whole weekend. But they look amazing.

Of course I'll share, just need them translated first, unless you lot are good in Danish too I have written them down as I get them both from mil and my grand mother, both an expert in natural remedies and tips for natural stain remover ect. I'll try writing them down in English and then share here or pm? And would love to know the ones you know...
Em: glad the onion worked, sorry for the smell tho

Oh got 2 mumin books for dd, 13£ ( my friend works in a book shop so I get 33% off), then 15£ in h&m on socks, ballerinas and body's for dd. Were invited for a baptism and I don't think dd can go in nice looking clothes and sneakers lol, so found so sweet ballarinas on sale for 3£. Returned the maternity dresses so should be getting my 60£ back and ordered 3 new one for 65£ in total, will only need one, so will return the others. Thank god for free shipping and return going to make a Swedish dish tonigh so spent 3£ on the bits I was missing...

£120 quid in B&Q, we really want to tackle all the little jobs that need doing before the twins arrive. DH is considering doing a basic DIY course which is £120. I think it would be money well spent as we wouldn't need so many handyman visits!
Also our tv seems to be dying. It looks like there is pink dye dripping down the screen. Just looking online, there are some good bargains. Could get a Smart tv for £160, we are very tempted...

Successfully made jam. Then dropped one of the empty jars on the floor.
Still 4 jars and a bowl of jam is not bad for £1.25 (cost of jam sugar).

Still have about 800g of blackberries left so am going to throw some in a bottle and too up with jack Daniels. And give as Christmas gifts.

Made the mistake of cleaning the kitchen before jamming. Jam spat everywhere. but on the plus side JAM!!! I love jam. 💜

Dh spent £65 at the shop. And we've got loads of fruit veggies and other things. Yum.

Mmmmm jam. Shame about the jar, at least you didn't drop it with scalding hot jam though.

My natural top tip is Manuka Honey on burns. I was skeptical but my friend slathered some on a massive burn on my arm and it healed within a couple of days, and the pain went instantly. Amazing! Apparently Manuka is also good for sore throats.

Also for itchiness, like chicken pox, stick some oats in an old muslin or a stocking foot, tie it and leave it under the tap while you run the bath.

If you like putting essential oils in the bath, they disperse much more evenly if you put them in a cup of milk, and then pour the milk into the bath! I learned that one after having the Caglets - I'd put tea tree and lavender oils in a milky bath.

Need to get Mum to teach me how to make salt/sugar/oat body scrubs with essential oils too.

I get loads of sore throats. Manuka honey is my saviour. Manuka and thyme steeped in hot water with lemon.

Sometimes with a slug of whisky.

Just put in a Tesco order for delivery tomorrow. It added up to €76.10 plus delivery charge of €4. I had vouchers worth €16.50 so the net cost was €63.60 .

I forgot to say 'brilliant' to the bra purchase Cag, colour sounds lovely.

Turmeric is brilliant stuff, great for stiffness and joint mobility, especially when mixed with flax oil and ground pepper. We give it to the pony in his feed as he's 22. You would think he's 22.... he thinks he's 3..

I've been frugaleering on the d'debit front. Phoned Sky, and knocked £11 pcm from the bill. Cancelled a couple of d'debits to charities and National Trust, which we don't use. Think I've saved about £25 pcm.

Next on the list this week is gas/electric.

Surprising how the DIY materials add up isn't it Snuggly?

Spends today will just be the tenner to DD.

I need to menu plan, as we have so much fresh fruit and veg that will need using.

Fluffy, you know those cloths I bought for an extortionate amount of money? They are really very very good, I hate to admit......

Does anyone have any rice dishes they'd like to share? Preferably not too spicy or DD won't eat it.

I cook a lot with potatoes and pasta but I quite like rice too. I just don't have any rice recipes, apart from curry.

I feel like I've got into a bit of a rut when it comes to meal planning. I fancy something different.

tayto have a look for nassai goereng. It's an Indonesian rice dish. Stir fried rice with chicken/bacon/prawns/shrimp basil onions garlic ginger bit of chili and a fried egg on top.

You can buy the flavour paste in supermarkets.

I'm led to believe it's a typical breakfast dish.

We have it as a use it up dinner.

Em: how funny was just going to mention nasi goreng which is indeed a noodle or rice dish typically served in the morning with fried eggs..
What about sticky rice on the pan with veggies and eggs.
Or rice with frikadeller, gravy and vegetables?
English recipe for frikadeller
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frikadeller

Tayto, I boil some rice. Then mix it with whatever I have in the fridge: cheese, cornichons, sweetcorn, peas, spring onion, tuna, whatever really. Season and eat warm or cold.

I also mix it with peas and a couple of eggs and make egg fried rice.

Stir fry works well on rice too.

Or risotto?