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Friendly Frugaleers Ambling into Autumn, watching our wallets and the weather!

999 replies

Cagliostro · 29/08/2018 10:53

Hello! All welcome as we continue trying to use our money wisely!

OP posts:
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Justanothermile · 29/08/2018 19:27

Oh my, you lot are good, damn good.

fluffy those instant pots are £££££! Have you got one? I'm being drawn into the thread and starting to feel that I need one. I'm wondering though about a 3.5l slow cooker though for DS? I wouldn't dare send him with an instant pot, apparently very little comes back undamaged or even at all. Probably curry I reckon.

He only gets one shelf in the fridge, a cupboard and one drawer in the freezer.

Risotto is the one thing he doesn't really like, he says it's slimy?! He's pretty darn good though in general and would still eat it if I made it for tea. But he won't make one himself.

How did I forget fish finger sarnies and nachos! I think he'd run to a chicken or casserole. Tray bake yes, we do a lot at home. I'd thought of jambalaya as I went for my run cag, great minds. There's even plenty of cheap packets of the flavourings he can use. Fajitas he can do already and I've suggested are good value as the filling lasts ages then and he can have wraps for lunches.

Thank you, you lot rock.

cag, my brothers were useless when they left home as DM did absolutely everything for them. I call it #makingyourkidsfunctionalindividuals actually! Mine do all their own washing, ironing, and are expected to empty the dishwasher if it needs it, peg washing out, walk the dogs, vacuum downstairs daily (dogs), strip their beds and remake etc. Contribute to the running of the house in other words. Nowt wrong with that!

Justanothermile · 29/08/2018 19:27

Congrats love on the new job, and the officeSmile

thistimenextsummer · 29/08/2018 19:38

A good cheese sauce (think there's even an mn recipe for a microwaveable one?) for macaroni, cauli and lasagnes.

Congrats on the new job love!
Tiredness led to a hugely expensive £100 Sainsbury's shop. I don't usually shop there but it was convenient and I bought a lot of convenience Grin! However we're now nicely stocked up to start proper frugalling in September (love fresh start September!)

thistimenextsummer · 29/08/2018 19:39

Oh and I bought some GF baking ingredients - going to try pizza dough first - so il join you on the new venture cag!

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/08/2018 19:44

Blimey, that's not much space to store food. He will have to shop like a 1960's housewife.

I would buy him a pressure cooker tbh. If you get him a good strong steel one it'll withstand bumps and bangs plus its quick. I reckon you'd get one for £30ish

If another student switches off the sc your fucked. Dh did that once one boxing day when I had a joint of meat in one & a treacle suet sponge in the other. My voice was so high pitched only dogs could hear me.

I haven't got an instant pot. You should buy one and review it for us.

Wolfcub · 29/08/2018 19:45

Fluffy I’ve been after one of those instant pots for a while and they were reduced on Amazon the other week. You are an enabler!

Em I’ve had that headache too but I echo others comments re early medical help

Jam I think was after uni recipes, I used to do a lot of veg - carrot leek parsnip etc in cheese sauce with chunks of bread in it baked in the oven. also a lot of chicken nugget sandwiches! I had about £20 a week to live on and in the first year a lot of that went on ice cream drowned in Irish cream liqueur. Fajitas, enchilada, burrito, Mexican. Bake all utilise the same basics. Mac and cheese for essential white sauce practice, I make mine with chicken stock and mustard, it’s cheaper and lighter than using milk. Sausage pasta - Nigel Slater has a good recipe that’s basically just mustard onion and stock for the sauce.

I still make the bread and butter pudding I made all the time at uni. It’s a doddle - bread product (croissant, brioche, plastic loaf whatever) vaguely buttered and layered up with a shake of sugar each layer. Add raisins or apple or berries or chocolate whatever just sling it in there. Eggs depending on size of dish - probably start with four. Two tablespoons of double cream per egg plus a couple for luck. Mix. Slosh over bread. Sprinkle with sugar. Shove in oven. Test every five minute after about 25/30 mins when you can stick a butter knife in and it comes out without being covered in runny custard it’s done. Also feel free to add booze to any fruit and vanilla to the custard if you have it

Wolfcub · 29/08/2018 19:47

Love congrats on the new job

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/08/2018 19:51

www.argos.co.uk/product/6088222

Steel pressure cooker. You can spend nectar points in argos.

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/08/2018 19:56

Only when it's a sensible buy Wolf Grin

ememem84 · 29/08/2018 20:02

DM is home. She’s waiting for a call back from the out of hours. Dads said if they haven’t called by 830 they’re going down there. They’re (the ooh service) are usually pretty good and will call back fairly swiftly. Ddad said Dm called them from the car once they were off the boat.

Boat apparently did the crossing In an hour. It’s usually hour 20. So that’s good. And it was calm. Yay.

They got home just as we were having dinner. Black pepper salmon stir fried veggies and rice. Dm didn’t want anything. Had to force ddad to eat. And we said no to him having a beer just in case he had to drive Dm.

ememem84 · 29/08/2018 20:03

Dr is on the phone now.

Justanothermile · 29/08/2018 20:06

Grinat the SC incident. I've never used a pressure cooker, got to say. I'll have to investigate. I once tried one when I was in my early twenties to impress DH and tried to open it when it was still pressurised..........I wondered if he could put the SC in his room but not sure. He probably won't bother anyway.

Thanks wolf, the bread and butter recipe sounds ace. I had no idea university students were into cooking etc. It gives me hope he won't live on kebabs and shots....

God, I've had a glass of wine, I'll end up buying an instant pot by the end of the evening.

QuitelovesStrictly · 29/08/2018 20:11

Shop Well for Less is on.
They have 2 sets of twins plus a 10 year old .

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/08/2018 20:14

Why not leave it till he comes home at Christmas Jam? By then he'll know what he wants to do re food.

ememem84 · 29/08/2018 20:16

Dr says no need to go down. Dm needs a blood test and can get this done at her gp tomorrow. They’ve made a note of her symptoms and if she feels worse to go straight down.

QuitelovesStrictly · 29/08/2018 20:32

Thats good em
Very good advice Fluffy
I wouldnt splash out on stuff just yet.
It will all depend on what his mates/housemates do .
One of mine is in a nice house and they all cook/share together or could being doing pizza for one Wink

lifelongfrugaleer · 29/08/2018 20:34

Jam did anyone mention chunky soups - chick pea and potatoes and ham, winter veg?

lifelongfrugaleer · 29/08/2018 20:39

That's good then em.

Wreck did the code work?

I never went to uni do have no idea about cooking. My DC will be able to function though.

Watched bake off now. Right choices for star and home I think.

WreckTangled · 29/08/2018 20:49

'Fraid not life. I read the t&c's and don't think I was doing anything wrong? Not to worry though Smile thanks for doing it

WreckTangled · 29/08/2018 20:58

I have to say, despite all my moaning about dh he does have his positives. Today, whilst I visited a friend and baked cakes, he has washed, dried and folded three loads of washing including our bedding, remade our bed with clean bedding, built ds' Lego with him, finished painting the stairs wall and done some more repointing on the shed.

Cagliostro · 29/08/2018 21:04

Excellent idea fluffy to wait and settle in a while before adding any new gadgetry.

Completely agree jam it is no good to do everything for kids as they won’t learn then. DSD was horrified to have to teach some of her flat mates to cook and use the washing machine as they had no clue at all.

The Caglets have been putting their own laundry away for a few years but it’s only now they have their own rooms, with space for their own laundry baskets, that they are in charge start to finish. Doing well though and it’s so much easier all round as less sorting at the other end. They are also taking on more jobs like taking rubbish/recycling out, they pitch in loads.

Having said that, I can’t be all #smug because in her excitement to put the wash on, she washed her phone DH noticed quite quickly and I was popping to the shops anyway so bought a crapload of rice which the phone is now submerged in. She is utterly distraught bless her. If her phone doesn’t recover she can have my current android as DSD gave me her old iPhone which I haven’t set up yet.

OP posts:
ememem84 · 29/08/2018 21:31

Dm is in bed. I’ve made her write down what she’s taken and when. And have shown ddad where I’ve noted it. I’ve sent her off with water and a camomile tea. And have taken her phone away.

Catface is in with her. She’s a good nurse.

We’re all in bed.

QuitelovesStrictly · 29/08/2018 21:53

Sleep well em and family .
Hope DM is feeling better tomorrow

LonelyOversharer · 29/08/2018 22:58

I hope your mum feels better tomorrow em

Thanks for the new thread cag hope dd1's phone revives.

Spends were £16 on a chippy tea, £35 birthday shiz for my sister, and £41 on feesh for my big tank. Was at the big garden center after work and though why not. A dozen rumy nose tetras, 6 bright orange platys, and a most prehistoric looking pleco.

Have been frantically tidying up tonight, the living room looks huuuge. But only because I have filled the big car with bags and boxes of stuff. Really. Surveyor tomorrow. Fingers crossed as my little mortgage is relying on my house valuing ok.

mammynowanauntyIRL · 30/08/2018 02:21

Cag i used the red pesto in it Smile

I wanna make soupdragons flapjacks but I'm scared to do the macros on them Grin

I want an insta pot & it's on my list for new/improved home whenever that happens.
Saw the perfect house for sale today, great location, very outing so can't posts but about twice what I can afford. Will take inspiration from it though if I purchase the house I've been to view.

Em hope your dm is feeling better soon

Wreck your dh was on a mission today

Ds has just joined me, he starts big school in the morning & apparently can't sleep GrinGrin his father didn't bother taking time off for his first day of school AngryShock but I'll enjoy it all the more alone anyhow Grin
€20 book rental scheme
€42 bus for this week & next
€10 copies for ds
€50 gymnastics 8 weeks dd
€20 horse riding