Dear reader,
I have never been excited about going out on NYE after memories of plastic cups in pubs and the strike of midnight giving licence to the ugliest, slobbery men kissing you whether you liked it or not.
Tonight is the delightful night of town centres with drunken fights and pubs charging you to get in, no thanks. Spare a thought for the emergency services who have to work and pick up those who can't behave. Did you know that really drunk people have to be taken to hospital? The days of putting them in a cell to sober up are long gone. I know a few ambulance staff that say loads of people call an ambulance then get out at the hospital to save a taxi fare. Makes me mad! Do I sound like an old moaner? I just worry for those who genuinely need help.
Big man and I both have to work tonight and so last night we had a little treat. I cooked mussels and frittes. Well that sounds a bit posh. I bought a pack of mussels in Lidl that you just microwave, already in a garlic and white wine sauce, reduced to £1.99. I made some skinny chips that I microwaved first to get part cooked then oven cooked them with a bit of oil. We had them with a reduced garlic baguette 20p yellow sticker. It was lovely!
I usually stay at home and have a few drinks, that suits me fine.
Today I am continuing my frugal cooking and hope to have a few more meals in the freezer ready for when we go back to work.
Yesterday, using Frugal Queens recipe I made 23 faggotts in an onion gravy. I did the same as she and bagged them up into meals for two in the freezer. 4 meals for us.
I also made two lasagnes and these are also in the freezer in two person portions-6 meals.
This morning I boiled up some pulses for stews, you know the sort, pearl barley,yellow split peas, red lentils, green peas and will portion them up and freeze them ready for stews and the like in the slow cooker.
I have a few challenges ready for 2013. My supermarket shop is to be £40 a week. We are not going out for meals or buying any clothes this year. We will not be having a holiday and will scrimp and save to pay off our debts. I know it doesn't sound like much fun but nor is being in debt.
We have different accounts for the cars, insurances and household bills. I am refusing to have the central heating on, instead we use our log burner which heats the lounge and the downstairs of our house. I also dry our clothes in front of it. Big man has just read an article about a man who only used one bin bag all year. He recycled and composted everything else. I hate plastic bags and try not to use them. We will also try to be more green this year. It's the food packaging that fills our bin so I try to buy loose when I can.
I am hoping for more followers next year too so if you are reading this and would like to follow, it would make my day! Have a great day and I hope the New Year brings you much happiness.
All the best for 2013
Sarah. Xxx
Monday, 31 December 2012
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Super scrimping shopping and cooking
Dear reader, (if there are any?)
Is it just me who thinks all the sale stuff is just what they couldn't sell last year?
I don't bother with them. How I tittered when I saw pictures of people queuing for the Next sale and flying over from China to buy cheaper Designer gear. They said they had to spend a lot to recoup the £700 air fare.
Not for me. I have been reading Frugal Queens resolutions for the New Year and noticed that a lot of people use the envelope system for shopping.
Today was the first food shopping for the £40 we have set ourselves for the week, to include packed lunches for work.
Off we went to Lidl and managed to get a load of stuff for £37.
We have decided to make our own bread now instead of paying £1.50 a loaf so we bought bread flour for 50p. We also got a gammon joint which I will boil in the slow cooker, then sliced for sandwiches. This was £3.99 and much more meat than the packets of wet ham.
We bought pork loin steaks as these were the cheapest and then popped to Asda to get pigs liver.
Along with some breadcrumbs from the end of the loaf I saved and onion, I made 23 faggotts from Frugal Queens recipe. They were then roasted in an onion gravy and will do us for about 5 meals with some mash and veg. They are delicious and I know what's in them.
I also took note of FQ's lasagne recipe and made a large and a smaller lasagne from 400g of minced beef. The secret is to bulk out the meat with diced carrot, onion and celery which I put in the food processor to get small.
I am trying to cook in bulk and will do a beef casserole tomorrow and maybe a curry which I will then portion and freeze. I have a large order from approved food coming soon and have ordered a load of naan breads. They come in twos and we top them with a homemade tomato sauce and whatever else we have. Topped with cheese and grilled, they are the most lovely pizzas.
I can smell dinner now, faggotts in rich onion gravy, garlic roasted potatoes and veg......gotta go.
SJE.x
Is it just me who thinks all the sale stuff is just what they couldn't sell last year?
I don't bother with them. How I tittered when I saw pictures of people queuing for the Next sale and flying over from China to buy cheaper Designer gear. They said they had to spend a lot to recoup the £700 air fare.
Not for me. I have been reading Frugal Queens resolutions for the New Year and noticed that a lot of people use the envelope system for shopping.
Today was the first food shopping for the £40 we have set ourselves for the week, to include packed lunches for work.
Off we went to Lidl and managed to get a load of stuff for £37.
We have decided to make our own bread now instead of paying £1.50 a loaf so we bought bread flour for 50p. We also got a gammon joint which I will boil in the slow cooker, then sliced for sandwiches. This was £3.99 and much more meat than the packets of wet ham.
We bought pork loin steaks as these were the cheapest and then popped to Asda to get pigs liver.
Along with some breadcrumbs from the end of the loaf I saved and onion, I made 23 faggotts from Frugal Queens recipe. They were then roasted in an onion gravy and will do us for about 5 meals with some mash and veg. They are delicious and I know what's in them.
I also took note of FQ's lasagne recipe and made a large and a smaller lasagne from 400g of minced beef. The secret is to bulk out the meat with diced carrot, onion and celery which I put in the food processor to get small.
I am trying to cook in bulk and will do a beef casserole tomorrow and maybe a curry which I will then portion and freeze. I have a large order from approved food coming soon and have ordered a load of naan breads. They come in twos and we top them with a homemade tomato sauce and whatever else we have. Topped with cheese and grilled, they are the most lovely pizzas.
I can smell dinner now, faggotts in rich onion gravy, garlic roasted potatoes and veg......gotta go.
SJE.x
Thursday, 27 December 2012
What to do with the turkey?
Not very imaginative and smacks of Bridget Jones mother's Turkey Curry Buffet.
Decided to do something with the last of the Turkey crown we had. I am very much against food waste and cannot stand to throw away good food. I removed all of the meat from the turkey and put the carcass in the slow cooker for stock for a soup or something another day. My mum's Chihouhou will have the soft meat from the bones later. She refuses to eat dog food when there is meat in the house!
I gently fried two onions, three sliced carrots and a couple of small diced potatoes that were left in the bottom of the fridge. I added some curry paste and a chicken stock cube. I have what seems like hundreds from an Approved Food order some time ago. Sliced a garlic bulb and sauteed that with the onions and other veg in a tiny bit of olive oil. I added a good cup of red lentils and water and let simmer. I use lentils in a lot of my cooking. No need to soak and they bulk everything out while giving a nice thickness without the need for pre soaking. Chucked in a load of dried Indian herbs that were lurking in the cupboard.
I made some flatbreads, so so easy.
Flour-any type, white, SR, wholemeal whatever you have.
Warm water from the kettle, a glug of olive oil and a pich of salt. Adjust amounts to give a nice dough.
( I often make these when we have run out of bread and make them into wraps.)
Roll out and cook in a hot, dry frying pan.
Served with plain rice and mango chutney
What ideas do you have for leftover Turkey? Please leave a comment, I will be ecstatic!
Decided to do something with the last of the Turkey crown we had. I am very much against food waste and cannot stand to throw away good food. I removed all of the meat from the turkey and put the carcass in the slow cooker for stock for a soup or something another day. My mum's Chihouhou will have the soft meat from the bones later. She refuses to eat dog food when there is meat in the house!
I gently fried two onions, three sliced carrots and a couple of small diced potatoes that were left in the bottom of the fridge. I added some curry paste and a chicken stock cube. I have what seems like hundreds from an Approved Food order some time ago. Sliced a garlic bulb and sauteed that with the onions and other veg in a tiny bit of olive oil. I added a good cup of red lentils and water and let simmer. I use lentils in a lot of my cooking. No need to soak and they bulk everything out while giving a nice thickness without the need for pre soaking. Chucked in a load of dried Indian herbs that were lurking in the cupboard.
I made some flatbreads, so so easy.
Flour-any type, white, SR, wholemeal whatever you have.
Warm water from the kettle, a glug of olive oil and a pich of salt. Adjust amounts to give a nice dough.
( I often make these when we have run out of bread and make them into wraps.)
Roll out and cook in a hot, dry frying pan.
Served with plain rice and mango chutney
What ideas do you have for leftover Turkey? Please leave a comment, I will be ecstatic!
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Boxing Day thoughts.
Can't believe how quickly Christmas goes by. The dinner which takes hours to prepare is gone in minutes. The presents which were bought and wrapped are all over. I suppose we are lucky to be able to see friends and family over Christmas and I often think of those who don't or can't.
I am at my parents in Kent. They live in a small close, mainly elderly people in bungalows. I am so shocked how many of the relatives don't bother to visit, it's so sad. The couple next door were both in their 90's and we never saw any relatives visit. My mum used to go in and check on them. Sadly they both passed away within months of each other and we saw relatives we never knew existed turn up at their bungalow. Probably measuring up to get it on the market.
On a happier note we have just come back from the beach where we took my parents 4 dogs. They loved it and got the wind up their tails and paddled in the sea. All back now and tired out on their beds.
Big man has had to drive back to our house as he has work tomorrow. The weather is terrible, constant rain and wind. I am thankful we are not affected by floods though like some people who have had their whole houses ruined. He has got home safely.
I am looking forward to the New Year and have a very non frugal confession to make which I will be stopping in the New Year as well as having a no spend 2013 except for certain necessary items which I am making a list of.
I am determined to make the most of our money next year. So hard to make and so easy to fritter away. I have just finished reading the moneyless man book which was an excellent read and although not a possible way of living for us, there was a lot to make me think of the waste we create especially about water and the way we dispose of body waste!
I will give away the book via this blog if I ever get any followers! Ha ha.
I am at my parents in Kent. They live in a small close, mainly elderly people in bungalows. I am so shocked how many of the relatives don't bother to visit, it's so sad. The couple next door were both in their 90's and we never saw any relatives visit. My mum used to go in and check on them. Sadly they both passed away within months of each other and we saw relatives we never knew existed turn up at their bungalow. Probably measuring up to get it on the market.
On a happier note we have just come back from the beach where we took my parents 4 dogs. They loved it and got the wind up their tails and paddled in the sea. All back now and tired out on their beds.
Big man has had to drive back to our house as he has work tomorrow. The weather is terrible, constant rain and wind. I am thankful we are not affected by floods though like some people who have had their whole houses ruined. He has got home safely.
I am looking forward to the New Year and have a very non frugal confession to make which I will be stopping in the New Year as well as having a no spend 2013 except for certain necessary items which I am making a list of.
I am determined to make the most of our money next year. So hard to make and so easy to fritter away. I have just finished reading the moneyless man book which was an excellent read and although not a possible way of living for us, there was a lot to make me think of the waste we create especially about water and the way we dispose of body waste!
I will give away the book via this blog if I ever get any followers! Ha ha.
Tuesday, 25 December 2012
Christmas 2012
Merry Christmas to everyone or at the moment just me!
Big man had to go to work today and at the moment we just have one car between us. I dropped him off at 8am and did a few last minute shopping bits. I suppose I seem really disorganised as I then went home and wrapped everything. I did the washing and ironing and packed our bags ready to go to my mums in Kent. Did a small bit of food shopping for the big man as he has to work in between Christmas and New Year.
Got to mums and had a big curry that she had done. Tv and some pre made cocktails which were pretty potent. I had cheeky woo woo!
In bed at stroke of midnight so Happy Chritmas. X
Big man had to go to work today and at the moment we just have one car between us. I dropped him off at 8am and did a few last minute shopping bits. I suppose I seem really disorganised as I then went home and wrapped everything. I did the washing and ironing and packed our bags ready to go to my mums in Kent. Did a small bit of food shopping for the big man as he has to work in between Christmas and New Year.
Got to mums and had a big curry that she had done. Tv and some pre made cocktails which were pretty potent. I had cheeky woo woo!
In bed at stroke of midnight so Happy Chritmas. X
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Lost in the woods.
We have just come home from a rather long walk. We took a neighbours little dog out for a walk as she can't get out. We walked to the common and posted some last minute cards. As the little chap was enjoying himself so much we kept going. He actually had a smile on his face. We found a doggie friendly stile with a little lift up gate to the side so we decided we should make use of it and keep going and going and going. I actually got excited when I saw a house. Sadly it was just one large, mansion type house with electric gates a Porsche and a Range Rover. I didn't think they would be up for giving two muddy walkers and a Jack Russell who looked like he was wearing black trousers a lift!
On we went and eventually came to a road, which we recognised and momentarily were thrilled until we realised it was the road that the boot sale we go to is on, about 6 miles from our house.
The little Russell didn't look like he could do that much, (well that's what I told the big man anyway) and I was worried about getting him home to his owner who was going out. We had no money and no phone, how organised! We headed to a pub and the lovely landlady at the Swan in West Wycombe let me use her phone to ring a cab. She even got me an old sheet and we wrapped the dog in it to hide him from the taxi driver. He looked like a badly swaddled hairy baby Jesus in a children's nativity play.
£15 later we got home. So much for a frugal day out. It was so nice not to be rushing round shops at this time of year though.
Big man is just getting in more logs for the burner so I can dry some washing. The house is full of the smell of warm bread as I put the breadmaker on before we left. Roast chicken and present wrapping tonight.
Also have seen that my blog is up and viewable. I have one follower, the lovely SFT. Thank you. X
On we went and eventually came to a road, which we recognised and momentarily were thrilled until we realised it was the road that the boot sale we go to is on, about 6 miles from our house.
The little Russell didn't look like he could do that much, (well that's what I told the big man anyway) and I was worried about getting him home to his owner who was going out. We had no money and no phone, how organised! We headed to a pub and the lovely landlady at the Swan in West Wycombe let me use her phone to ring a cab. She even got me an old sheet and we wrapped the dog in it to hide him from the taxi driver. He looked like a badly swaddled hairy baby Jesus in a children's nativity play.
£15 later we got home. So much for a frugal day out. It was so nice not to be rushing round shops at this time of year though.
Big man is just getting in more logs for the burner so I can dry some washing. The house is full of the smell of warm bread as I put the breadmaker on before we left. Roast chicken and present wrapping tonight.
Also have seen that my blog is up and viewable. I have one follower, the lovely SFT. Thank you. X
Saturday, 22 December 2012
Gave up at the shops!
Have been so busy at work have had only one day off in the last nine so haven't written for a while.
Today, stupidly we tried to go to the shops for last minute shopping. How could I forget so quickly from last year how horrendous it is!
Every year I say most confidently that I am getting presents early when I see bargains and every year I don't. I am a big fan of SFT and Frugal Queens blogs and SFT gets organised and next year so can I.
FQ doesn't do presents and I admire that. Christmas has turned into a most exploitative shopping frenzy that I can do without!
After turning the car around we came home, lit the log burner and had a glass of wine.
I decided to deliver the final cards to our neighbours. We live in a small close and everyone has sent us a card. I was detected by a Jack Russell and my neighbour came to the door. She can't get out much so I have volunteered to walk him tomorrow. He's a lovely little chap and like me could do with the excercise. Did think of ilona and her darling Rocky today. Very sad.
Have made some resolutions for next year. Am going to try to spend a lot lot less.
We don't use the heating much the log burner does us and we just keep the lounge warm. I have the central heating coming on first thing in the morning and in the evening if it drops under 16.5. It just gets to that temperature and goes off again. We have a combi boiler so don't need to heat the water.
We don't have a dishwasher or a tumble dryer. I follow frugal queen and get the washing in front of the log burner.
I will be keeping the weekly shopping to £40 per week for the two of us and that will cover a packed lunch for work as well.
We are going to try not to spend any money other than bills, food and fuel next year. So no clothes, meals out, holidays, or other non essentials. Sounds so much fun! I really want to be able to start paying off our mortgage.
I still haven't been able to publish this yet but today I got a message from SFT so was very excited and curious as to how she found me??? If you read this SFT, please, please let me know.
Today, stupidly we tried to go to the shops for last minute shopping. How could I forget so quickly from last year how horrendous it is!
Every year I say most confidently that I am getting presents early when I see bargains and every year I don't. I am a big fan of SFT and Frugal Queens blogs and SFT gets organised and next year so can I.
FQ doesn't do presents and I admire that. Christmas has turned into a most exploitative shopping frenzy that I can do without!
After turning the car around we came home, lit the log burner and had a glass of wine.
I decided to deliver the final cards to our neighbours. We live in a small close and everyone has sent us a card. I was detected by a Jack Russell and my neighbour came to the door. She can't get out much so I have volunteered to walk him tomorrow. He's a lovely little chap and like me could do with the excercise. Did think of ilona and her darling Rocky today. Very sad.
Have made some resolutions for next year. Am going to try to spend a lot lot less.
We don't use the heating much the log burner does us and we just keep the lounge warm. I have the central heating coming on first thing in the morning and in the evening if it drops under 16.5. It just gets to that temperature and goes off again. We have a combi boiler so don't need to heat the water.
We don't have a dishwasher or a tumble dryer. I follow frugal queen and get the washing in front of the log burner.
I will be keeping the weekly shopping to £40 per week for the two of us and that will cover a packed lunch for work as well.
We are going to try not to spend any money other than bills, food and fuel next year. So no clothes, meals out, holidays, or other non essentials. Sounds so much fun! I really want to be able to start paying off our mortgage.
I still haven't been able to publish this yet but today I got a message from SFT so was very excited and curious as to how she found me??? If you read this SFT, please, please let me know.
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Rod, faggots and bulking up.
Early into work today, up at 0515 and out by 0615. Still very dark along the lanes and seemed to rain all day. Still no flooding here unlike lots of the UK.
Did a big shop at Asda on the way home, £78 but should last us a while and that included a top for me. Big man is training at the moment to get bigger (although he is fabulous already) he likes to do weights, so bought lots of chicken, jacket potatoes, pasta and tuna. I have tried to tell him that you can bulk up much more easily with a giant fruit and nut bar, glass of wine and just sit in front of the fire, works for me!
Had made Frugal Queens faggots which I had frozen in a thick onion gravy, put these in the oven when I came home and had these with greens, carrots, mash and a couple of roasties for big man.
Was very organised and smug as I had also prepared tomorrows dinner to go in the slow cooker, sausage casserole and did the packed lunches before dinner.
Have just finished Rod Stewarts autobiography which I really enjoyed. He certainly lived the rock n roll life!
Did a big shop at Asda on the way home, £78 but should last us a while and that included a top for me. Big man is training at the moment to get bigger (although he is fabulous already) he likes to do weights, so bought lots of chicken, jacket potatoes, pasta and tuna. I have tried to tell him that you can bulk up much more easily with a giant fruit and nut bar, glass of wine and just sit in front of the fire, works for me!
Had made Frugal Queens faggots which I had frozen in a thick onion gravy, put these in the oven when I came home and had these with greens, carrots, mash and a couple of roasties for big man.
Was very organised and smug as I had also prepared tomorrows dinner to go in the slow cooker, sausage casserole and did the packed lunches before dinner.
Have just finished Rod Stewarts autobiography which I really enjoyed. He certainly lived the rock n roll life!
Sunday, 25 November 2012
Days two of blogging and days out
Yesterday I joined the National Trust. Joint membership for the two of us for £66.80.
We went to Hughendon Manor yesterday which would have cost £17 for us both to get in. We had a great day. It's a lovely old house which was the home of Benjamin Disraeli and he entertained Queen Victoria there. During the war it was used for mapping and had hundreds of people living there. We especially loved the cellars and the old ice house.
Today we ventured further afield to Waddesdon Manor near Aylesbury. This reminded me of a French Chateux and was built for the Rothschild family. Normal entry was £17 each for the house and gardens but again was included in our membership. This means we have had £51 worth of our £66 in only 2 days. Fabulous house and grounds which had been beautifully decorated for Christmas with a Narnia room that you have to enter through old fur coats. There were quite a lot of small children there but no hassles although it was busy and I did get tempted by the milled wine and hot chocolate £6.80 and a gorgeous tree decoration in the shop, £9.95. We hardly ever treat ourselves and this was a little something for the first Christmas we will have in our new home.
Back home we lit the log burner, we are using coal at the moment as the stash of logs we had delivered are too damp despite the man telling us they were good to use straight away.
I cooked a quick roast dinner of pork chops, roast potatoes and veg. A load of washing is drying nicely in front of the fire as we retire to bed.
We went to Hughendon Manor yesterday which would have cost £17 for us both to get in. We had a great day. It's a lovely old house which was the home of Benjamin Disraeli and he entertained Queen Victoria there. During the war it was used for mapping and had hundreds of people living there. We especially loved the cellars and the old ice house.
Today we ventured further afield to Waddesdon Manor near Aylesbury. This reminded me of a French Chateux and was built for the Rothschild family. Normal entry was £17 each for the house and gardens but again was included in our membership. This means we have had £51 worth of our £66 in only 2 days. Fabulous house and grounds which had been beautifully decorated for Christmas with a Narnia room that you have to enter through old fur coats. There were quite a lot of small children there but no hassles although it was busy and I did get tempted by the milled wine and hot chocolate £6.80 and a gorgeous tree decoration in the shop, £9.95. We hardly ever treat ourselves and this was a little something for the first Christmas we will have in our new home.
Back home we lit the log burner, we are using coal at the moment as the stash of logs we had delivered are too damp despite the man telling us they were good to use straight away.
I cooked a quick roast dinner of pork chops, roast potatoes and veg. A load of washing is drying nicely in front of the fire as we retire to bed.
Saturday, 24 November 2012
First post and about us
Hi,
After having read loads of blogs, some about frugal living and living simply I decided to start my own. This is mainly to create a record of our lives here in Buckinghamshire, trying to pay off our debt and live a frugal but enjoyable life and to also link up with some of the excellent bloggers I feel I already know. There are just the two of us, me and the big man, (he is very tall)
We live in a small village in Buckinghamshire about 25 miles outside of London. We moved here in March 2012 after a year of mega, mega saving to scrape together the 10% minimum deposit to buy our own place.
We eventually found a lovely house that felt friendly as soon as we walked in. However it was set in the 1960's with pink bathroom and layer upon layer of patterned and painted wallpaper.
After a lot of steaming and scraping (mostly him, I supervised!) we have turned it into a nice looking home.
Sadly for us this meant a large monthly payment for our mortgage and then I found her.......SFT.
Saving for travel and her mortgage plan which spurred me on to try to be frugal. Helped along by life after money and Frugal Queens blogs. Thanks ladies!
I haven't worked out yet how to add pictures or make my blog look as good as the others but I will.
After having read loads of blogs, some about frugal living and living simply I decided to start my own. This is mainly to create a record of our lives here in Buckinghamshire, trying to pay off our debt and live a frugal but enjoyable life and to also link up with some of the excellent bloggers I feel I already know. There are just the two of us, me and the big man, (he is very tall)
We live in a small village in Buckinghamshire about 25 miles outside of London. We moved here in March 2012 after a year of mega, mega saving to scrape together the 10% minimum deposit to buy our own place.
We eventually found a lovely house that felt friendly as soon as we walked in. However it was set in the 1960's with pink bathroom and layer upon layer of patterned and painted wallpaper.
After a lot of steaming and scraping (mostly him, I supervised!) we have turned it into a nice looking home.
Sadly for us this meant a large monthly payment for our mortgage and then I found her.......SFT.
Saving for travel and her mortgage plan which spurred me on to try to be frugal. Helped along by life after money and Frugal Queens blogs. Thanks ladies!
I haven't worked out yet how to add pictures or make my blog look as good as the others but I will.
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