Anyone want to join for a No spend January

[ivykaty44]

As done in other years, a no spend January

But also perhaps a budget cooking month, to really keep costs down

the idea is we only spend money on transport & food shopping - so those items don't count, but lets try and keep the shopping spends low

I shall be following the likes of cardiff mum and taming twins for budget ideas for food, especially using slow cooker and doubling up recipes.

I shall also be cooking some slow cooker recipes in January and doubling up, that way can cook for the first 2 weeks of January and freeze for the next two weeks

Purchasing birthday present for January on Black Friday next week, that way getting a good deal.

Its a reset on finances which will be especially needed in the household to curb some unnecessary spending and leave me with money in the bank on 31 January. I did this about 4 years ago and had an extra £110 in my account.

doing free things, , freecycle after Christmas, walks, cycling, library trips, free talks etc

Some take it into February

I am trialling making them wait until shopping day to see if that makes them take more responsibility. I always found giving D.C. responsibilities made them responsible

I’m in. Giving up drinking for a month in jan which should help!

Re the COVID survey, it started ages ago . You can't start now. I had a letter sent to me about it, think I was randomly invited to do it. Think it's ending next year. It's been interesting

I'm in (until the 29th when we go away for DHs's birthday!!!!), need to get a rein on spending as we've moved to a smaller house which is less expensive and I want to make sure we don't fritter the extra money as we'll need it for renovations next year.

@ivykaty44 I'd love your casserole recipe please, have loads of cookbooks and used to love meal planning and cooked but seriously losing my mojo at the minute.

vm.tiktok.com/ZMF4bPetF/

link to casserole

I don’t bother with the white wine, or the corn flour. I use dried herbs and any grain mustard.

this week I sliced potatoes and carrots and pooped in the bottom 😂 saves and cooking the veg separately

it’s a heart warming casserole and comes in at under £4 to make. I reckon I get 4 portions comfortably

Ivy, not sure I fancy a casserole with poop in it! Lol

To add more details to my earlier post about my meals, I often add oats to shepherds pie, Bolognese etc to bulk it out. Also use dried lentils and beans for the same reason. Tescos own frozen chicken breasts are half the price of their fresh ones, recently discovered this. I did post on a Facebook page about this, unfortunately some people had a go at me for buying cheap chicken because of the welfare of the chickens. I'd rather not get into that debate again.
Always buy loose fruit and veg if you can, the exception being Tescos mini apples in a bag.
I buy some cleaning stuff and toiletries in Poundland, though don't assume it's cheaper there. It's not always .
I did recently get a lovely bottle of perfume from there, for myself. It looks posh but was £4!
I did try buying full fat milk and topping it up a little bit with water instead of buying semi skimmed. That was ok but I'd forgotten about that one!
I also water down my mouthwash, keep an old bottle and pour half in there and top up with water. It's better than trying to swish round your mouth with a tiny bit of neat mouthwash. My teeth haven't fallen out yet!
Also I buy cheap clothes washing liquid and don't use too much.
I'm starting to sound very tight!
I sit in the evening with a fleece blanket over my lap, and go to bed with a hot water bottle.
Also in the loo.........if it's yellow let it mellow if it's brown flush it down.
I live alone so it doesn't affect anyone else 😂

frustratedashell

nah it adds to the flavour - sorry popped!

It's better than trying to swish round your mouth with a tiny bit of neat mouthwash. My teeth haven't fallen out yet!

did you know you should use mouth wash prior to brushing your teeth not afterwards

Ivy, yeah I did know that. What's the betting that the 'experts' will change their minds about that?

You swill with mouthwash first as the toothpaste has stuff in it to protect your teeth, so you brush with toothpaste afterward - otherwise if you brush first then swim, the protection from the toothpaste is swilled away.

Unless mouth wash starts putting the protective ingredient into their recipe then it'll stay that way

I’d definitely like to join!
I’ve been careful this month but am so worried about cost of living/energy next year.

@ivykaty44 I made a version of your casserole over the weekend, 1 pack of Asda Essentials chicken thighs, 4 slices of Aldi smoked bacon, 2 leeks, some sorry-looking carrots from the bottom of the fridge and a chicken stock pot. IT did 2 portions on Sunday with roast veg, 2 portions yesterday with roast potatoes and enough left to make soup. Boiled up the thigh bones for stock, blitzed one portion of casserole into it and added some dried noodles to make DH's lunches for the week.
We've just been hit with an £1,800 roofing bill so am even more up for savings and need more recipes like that one 😋

I’d like to join!

@TheOnlyMrsW Did you enjoy the flavour? I think it’s a great casserole for the winter weather we are having now!

roofing bill is a bugger, but hopefully no leaks.

ReggaeRocks & Teaplease29 welcome along for the journey, hopefully working towards a healthier bank balance on 1 February

That casserole sounds lovely. Yikes at the bill for the roof. Our heating has packed up. We’re on a fancy new air heat source pump, it’s still in guarantee and DH is classed as vulnerable , over 60, so they’re coming out today to fix it.

Casserole was lovely - proper old-fashioned comfort food, intend to spend my free (!) time over Christmas going through recipe books and properly meal-planning for January.
We've moved from a 4-bed detached into a 3-bed terrace so have been spoiled for storage and freezer space and I'm struggling a bit with the change and being more organised for meal-times - we used to have a big fridge freezer plus a spare fridge and chest freezer in the garage so had loads of things to choose from that could just be defrosted.
Just a standard sized fridge freezer now so space is at a premium and I need to work out what's most important to have in........
AdoraBell that's awful timing on the coldest day of the year, hope they turn up

Ive been looking at my food list for January to keep shopping at a reasonable level

Chicken and leek casserole - slow cooker (recipe on a previous post) will do 3 meals through the week and use the left overs for potato and leek soup

I use Aldi chicken thighs for the recipe above
I always have chicken thighs left over so will make the recipe below
Chicken and rice
www.tiktok.com/@scaseyfitness/video/7123251922512956678 will use this for 2 meals

www.tiktok.com/@donalskehan/video/7134713167992622382
tomato and roasted vegetable pasta, for this I don't bother with the fresh beans but use frozen and use parmesan from a tube as its cheaper will get 2 meals from this

Then I remembered this old favourite www.mob.co.uk/recipes/garlicky-spaghetti-with-anchovies-and-breadcrumbs its yummy and so quick, I use dried parsley - so shoot me..

www.mob.co.uk/recipes/garlicky-spaghetti-with-anchovies-and-breadcrumbs this I make with frozen peas and spring onions and normal dried noddles rather than udon, keeps the price down and is my dirty dinner instead of take away - takes 10 minutes to make

I think these recipes will set me up for the first 10 days of January and add in some frozen fruit, porridge and soy milk for breakfast

I make a tasty, frugal and very easy pasta sauce that all the children love: a jar of Value pasta sauce, a tin of carrots and a tin of Value baked beans, a sprinkle of Italian herbs…blitz it all together and voila.
We live very rurally (40 mile round trip to nearest shop, a Tesco Metro) so have to have plenty of tins to use!
I’m looking for oats recipes if anyone has any? Kids have porridge daily but I’d like to use them to bulk out as many things as possible.

I have eaten oats raw since I was a child, so love the soaked oats recipes & find them on TikTok and your tube for inspiratin

mt go to is a big bag of frozen berries and chia seeds

but I love apple and cinnamon
peanut butter and banana with nuts
mango & coconut

all topped with a spoon of yogurt

I've frozen a load of homemade pasta sauce. Cirio chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, Italian seasoning, onion, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Blitz once cooked until smooth. I've been known to roast red peppers and courgettes and add them before the blitzing. The dc don't like pasta sauce but if I insist they will eat a small amount and they eat it on homemade pizza. I need to get my kitchen aid fixed but it's £135 so that might be my one spend in January. I use it to make batches of dough for pizza and homemade bread. I used to make a loaf most days and have a big sack of flour to use. My mum might lend me the money to fix it if I ask. I can use the air fryer to bake the bread and prove the dough.

I’d like to join

Yes. Will have to spend some money like I go to the pub for book club but am definitely up for no extra spending. I am 41 and desperate to buy a house.

Had a clear out of cupboards today and found quite a lot of store cupboard food, I have enough for 3 curry, 5 pasta meals, so this will certainly help keep costs lower in January - bit of a bonus

Christmas presents all but one brought and just one last food shop, most food brought this week and last to spread the cost.

I don't get paid until 31 December so its not a long January but need to spread the cost in December

Yes I'm game! I'd like to save as much as possible. Jan is cold anyway so probs won't want to be out and about awfully much. Will be good to support each other 💪

I've got a mammoth January in terms of going out and spending, It's my sisters 30 birthday in Jan:

A group weekend away in UK - I've already paid for accommodation and money towards food but will need £75 towards the cost of other things, to be paid in Jan.
A day out in London to see a show - I've already paid for my ticket but in Jan will need to pay for my train/food/drinks & my share of afternoon tea. I will be picking the cheapest thing on the menu food wise.
Need to buy a birthday gift

I also have a night out with friends planned which will be food and drinks locally. Last time this cost me £45 and we only went to the local pub (same place we are going this time)