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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

Miaou and MrMiaou went shopping again today ...

59 replies

Miaou · 10/01/2007 21:14

(we have been since the previous thread we did, but today is the first day I have been able to post anything about food without throwing up!! )

We had a bit more money to spend this month but still we have done a shop for under £130 (!) - which should last us the best part of a month!

And this time I kept the receipts so will post what we bought (unless I die of boredom part-way through) - so bear with me

OP posts:

Bozza · 11/01/2007 10:03

just wanted to add, fantastic idea about chopping and freezing the peppers. I go to Asda, and buy the smartprice ones because they are so much cheaper than buying the individual ones. They tend to be smaller and mixed colours but you can get 6 or 7 for just over a pound. But I don't always need to use them all in a given week.

JARM · 11/01/2007 10:08

miaou family....... fancy a trip down here to do my shopping for me?

just posted on your site, came here and read this and feel silly lol

Lact8 · 11/01/2007 10:16

Miaou, love the idea of having my hand held when bread baking!

Could try the meatloaf Bozza, but I'd have to lie and say there's no onion in it! And chick pea curry would be def no no.

And then he's really fussy about what meat he'll eat as well. He used to eat tuna, ham, chicken, beef but its down to just chicken and beef now. And he will only eat chicken breast.

Feel like I'm hijacking this with my DP's odd eating habits so I'll stop now.

Will just have to concentrate on getting the cost of the meals that I do for me and the kids down instead.

And I know they would love it if we baked our own biscuits and cakes, it's just I'm so reluctant to get them in the kichen with me Must try harder!

maisym · 11/01/2007 10:20

fab website Miaou. I'll be trying the sweets & bread recipes.

mellowma · 11/01/2007 10:31

Message withdrawn

Bozza · 11/01/2007 10:40

So just the most expensive meat then, lactate?

Lact8 · 11/01/2007 10:43

Yes Bozza, right PITA!

Original poster

Miaou · 11/01/2007 11:47

oh hello JARM - I wondered where you had got to!! Did you get my email with my Christmas pics?

Off to look at the website now. Glad it has inspired you all!!

Lact8 - any time for the bread

OP posts:

JARM · 11/01/2007 11:48

i did mate - still waiting for more to come through. (why did i agree to it?! LOL)

Lact8 · 11/01/2007 11:50

Miaou, you're lovely!

mellowma · 11/01/2007 11:50

Message withdrawn

saltire · 11/01/2007 12:03

Miaou, freezing peppers - do i just chop them up and put them in a freezer bag?
Also, have been meaning to ask for ages - did you enjoy your tin of Quality Street?

Lucycat · 11/01/2007 12:04

Thanks to Miaou and Mr Miaou I now make all my own bread >

easy peasy, although it's soooo tempting to eat it hot with butter straight out of the oven - not good for the waistline!

Original poster

Miaou · 11/01/2007 13:16

saltire - yes, I just chop them into batons (or you could chop them much smaller if you prefer - obviously!) - then freeze them as is. Then all you need to do is grab a handful and add them to whatever you are cooking. I put them in a couple of freezer bags and spread them round the freezer to make best use of space (they're good for squeezing into corners!)

And yes, thank you - I really enjoyed my Quality Street at Christmas - definitely got me in the mood for festivities!

Lucycat - [proud emoticon] - I will sit back and glow with pride on that one!!!

OP posts:

VeniVidiVickiQV · 11/01/2007 13:17

oooh goody! Will have a nose at this later....

Original poster

Miaou · 11/01/2007 13:21

Mellowma - just a quick reply as I'm going out in a mo - we are helped by the fact that the dds don't have huge appetites, and get a snack at morning break in school (FOC). We very rarely buy crisps and never buy "treats" as such - if we did I could guarantee that the dds would suddenly be very "hungry" when they come in from school!! . We buy huge bags of bananas for about £1 each from the supermarket (about 10 in a bag) and bags of braeburn apples for £1 too (about 8 or 9 in there). They have a choice of an apple or a banana when they come in if they are hungry. They get home about 3.25pm and tea is about 5pm so that sees them through.

Hmm, that wasn't quick was it??

OP posts:

AllieBongo · 11/01/2007 13:34

this is fab

mellowma · 11/01/2007 13:38

Message withdrawn

Bozza · 11/01/2007 13:41

Bananas are a good idea if you are not sure if a child is hungry or trying it on, because they are quite filling.

Munz · 11/01/2007 13:45

fab again miaow - do you find it easier to shop with the cash in your pocket or pay with a debit card at the end?

this month i'm going to try and draw a set amount out of the bank and stick to it so I don't go over.

JARM · 11/01/2007 13:46

bozza - that is the exact reason my 2 only get half a banana each - ok so they are still quite young, but it makes them last longer!

also only ever half a satsuma each too.

saltire · 11/01/2007 13:48

This is why i do online shopping. If i go into a supermarket, with Dh I always end up spending over £100, and most of that is stuff i don't need.
I find that by doing my online shopping i'm not as easily tempted, and tend to just stick to whats on my favourites. It's usually between £50 -£60 a week, i awlays get it delivered on a Wednesday because it's cheaper delivery.

Original poster

Miaou · 11/01/2007 16:07

Munz - we tend to go with a set amount of money. As far as possible we pay for things by cash - cos you can't spend it if you haven't got it!

Saltire - that sounds like a good way to go about it. Supermarket deliveries are unlikely to make it this far north so we have to keep trekking out! We have got very good though at being "tunnel-visioned" and avoiding impulse purchases (although as you will notice the christmas puds sneaked in ). We write a list and stick to it. If something else catches our eye then we ask questions such as "is this something we need but forgot to put on the list? If not, do we actually need it? Can we afford it? Is it really a bargain?". It's good to make yourself justify things and once you get into the habit of it then you can do it in a matter of seconds.

I had thought of some other really good advice but pregnancy brain has intervened and I have forgotten again .... grrr

JARM - Munz and I have posted some ideas for you on the LivingforLess site!!

OP posts:

saltire · 11/01/2007 16:13

I don't drive either miaou, which is another reason for doing it online - as i said before it saves us spending loads of money and saves us trailing two irritable DS round the shop.
I go round my cupboards the day i do my online shop and write down what i have. Then i write out my menus for the week, and work out what i need from the two lists

Original poster

Miaou · 11/01/2007 16:28

Ah lists - that's the other tip. We have a blackboard and chalk in the kitchen, and every time we run out of something we write it on the board. Transfer to paper before going through the cupboards and it stops you looking at a space and thinking "what used to be there?".

Lists and meal planning - the boring but essential tools for budget shopping!!

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