Friendly Frugaleers Festive Preparations and Financial Accountability

[Wolfcub]

New Fred

wolf can you get Flood RE cover? Everyone with flood insurance pays a bit to the fund which then means those properties that are uninsurable can get cover.

Today is tidy up day. I live an exciting life.

It is heartening to hear everyone else has a huge collection of cookbooks - I keep culling but they breed.

Morning all! Nigella 'Feast' was my first proper cook book bought whilst at uni. I love reading it (so many memories!), often write little notes in the margins about recipe adjustments or the special occasions we've eaten particular thins at. It would be my Desert Island book choice 😂

Spent about £30 yesterday - drinks at pub and then a couple of bottles to take back to friend's house to accompany all the cheese. Late night and sore head this morning but frugally, I've cancelled a meal out and babysitter tonight as I feel we all need a night of 'normal'!!

The Roux Brothers Classic Cuisine was my first.... quickly followed by Delia Smiths Complete Cookery Course. I still have both. Delia is stuck together with Gaffa tape.

Mary Berry's Dessert cookbook was my first hardback cookbook. I asked my aunt in law for it for Christmas when I was 12. It's still much loved.

Mary berry complete book here. The 70s version. Delia when I left home

€9.95 on groupon on some ear crawler earrings
€62.50 on two pairs of boots
Used money dm gave me for Christmas to spend on myself

€11.40 on deli counter breakfast with dc
€8 on sweets promised if they were good while I was shoe shop

£25 pony club, £20 trampoline park later.

I write notes in my recipe book too, Madden. Yesterday we added a few "improvements" to Jamie's Christmas book. I think they are more to do with the quirks of our oven than anything else. I have a lot of recipes from magazines in a lever arch file but it's a pita as it doesn't fit on my bookcase so it's always lying about somewhere. A scrapbook would be much more sensible.

We've been out for some much-needed fresh air and exercise today. I think everyone is happier for it. Trying not to think about dh having to go to work next week and getting back to normal. I'm enjoying some nice time all together with no rushing to get up and eat breakfast and so on.

I think my first cook book was Jamie’s ministry of food. Mum has always had loads though.

We’ve been into town. Ds and Dd stayed with dparents.

Dh bought a pair of trainers, I picked up a couple of skirts in warehouse (a purple cord one and a tweedy one) - gift card purchases

£38 in next sale on a few next size up bits for Dd

£31 M&S on some booties for Dd.

I use the Jamie Oliver 30 min one, River Cottage& and couple of others. Now I also use slow cooker at least twice a week.

Today was soft play, mum paid for kids so I bought us each a coffee and scrambled eggs on toast (x3) for kids and fish finger sandwich for me (mum had already eaten). Only came to £11.30 for all of that which is (I think) a real bargain and one of the reasons we use that soft play so often, plus only £3 entry at any time.

Went to charity shop after and bought 9 DVDs for £3 (6 are for gifts as part of little hampers) and a lovely teapot for £2 which is part of an expensive range stocked in local shop that I often admire (in photo). I did notice a sign on wall saying 'half price end of year sale', but couldn't bring myself to raise it with the cashier as the stuff was all so reasonably priced and for charity. Also while in same shop a sweet elderly man gave each of my 3 little ones a pound each for Christmas-how sweet!

Went to Herons (cheap food shop that has some great bargains) after and spent £23 but some great value deals like dolphin friendly tuna for 59p a large tin (going to have tuna pasta for dinner now). Also had milk in glass bottles for 75p, more expensive than plastic but always trying to make better environmentally minded choices where I can.

We have heron food near us me. I do like a mooch when I'm in the village.

£22 Sainsbury's but picked up a reduced duvet for next Christmas.

Lifelong- they're good aren't they? Some of it (the cheap frozen meat, turkey diapers etc) looks a bit grim but they do sometimes have great offers, they had Rachel organic yogurts 4 for £1 the other day and always have Linda McCartney veg sausage rolls for £1 for 6 (they are a picnic staple in our house).

Lovely teapot me 🥰

Oh I LOVE Ministry of Food Em! I don't own it myself but always have a good flick through when I visit MIL - makes me feel all frugally!

Sausage rolls - might try the veggie ones as it's something I can guarantee my very fussy children will eat (and they are fooled/satisfied with veggie sausages)

Ok... just spent c.£45 on Amazon for presents for next year 🙈! That's godchildren (x2) sorted for birthday and Christmas 2020!

Frozen diapers?????!!! I guess it could soothe the nappy rash.

Chicken biryani for supper tonight - I am so glad to step away from Christmas food. Except the roasted sprouts which were this years unexpected hit.

I have most of Jamie's books I think although not the ministry of food one. I like the 5 ingredients one best I think. Apart from the Christmas one which is just amazing.

Ds has horrendous nappy rash since we bought a different brand of wipes. I might try freezing his nappies! Had to go and buy his usual wipes today.

Turkey diapers not sure if that would be small nappies designed for the birds, or actual nappies for babies made out of turkey meat. Either way, like I said, 'grim'.

Tempted to try the JO 5 ingredient one, I love his 30min one, bought the 15 min but was at the stage where he had got a bit, erm, self indulgent? 15 mins cooking time but 57 ingredients required that you can probably only by from fancy shops in the Big Smoke, and not the small part of North East England that I'm from , where Herons, Aldi and Co-op are nearest shops.

Is the Ministry of Food one designed to be frugal meals?

Have any of you tried the Jack Monroe meals? They always sound lovely but wondered how they taste?

Madden- defo recommend saus rolls, added bonus is that the only packaging is cardboard. Also curious what you bought from Amazon? I almost always by gifts ahead and always have some generic whole class bday party appropriate gifts in cupboard.

Snuggly- not cheap but Neals Yard Baby Balm worked well on our middle son's stubborn nappy rash. We had a pretty tiny (just bigger than lip balm size) tub that was part of a gift set with baby massage oil etc but only needed a teeny amount and it worked a charm.

Me and you where are you from?. I'm in the North east in a town beginning with D? Pm if you prefer

buy gifts

On the edge of a little village called Wylam, classed as Northumberland but equidistance between Newcastle and Hexham.

Yaaas I love the 5 ingredients book by JO. Dh bought it for me when I was on mat leave for the first time.

Fave meals from there are the gnarly peanut chicken and the sticky ginger beef.

Ooh and the flat breads eggys and mango chutney.

Hmmm, there was I, the hypocrite 'I don't want more bloody recipe books...' Wait, strike that, am now lusting after two new JO books! And before anyone suggested the library, I have horribly big fines so am just resigned to the fact I can't use it.

I'm further south than you. 45 minutes south of the toon . Nice brewery your way though

Durham? Darlington? Erm, I'm all out of D places

Loving the recipe book chat. I have an addiction too but road test from the library as much as I can. DH got me the Hugh FW leftovers book for Christmas & so far I'm impressed. I'm tempted to try potato peel soup or root veg peel crisps! Properly frugal.
We're en route to Devon, about 40 mins from pil's at the moment. DH doing the final stretch of the drive. Staying for the weekend, heading back Monday night.
We were later than planned setting off as we were both working today & then had to try to make sure none of the Christmas food was wasted, so had spicy turkey wraps for tea, made soup & froze the rest. Satisfying to get it done, in a very frugal way!