Freeranger's efforts

Thrifty tips, ideas, news & experiences on anything around the home to shopping to re-cycling etc.
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Freeranger
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Freeranger's efforts

Post by Freeranger »

I regularly get stressed about money because I do contract work and money is a bit feast and famine.Haven't found another contract yet, and have tax bill to pay soon. Frugal Feb is a good way to focus.
Last year did some money management, putting dosh into high interest current accounts etc, and also changed suppliers and tariffs on a couple of bills.
This year, have made a good start with dry January - which saved a startling amount of money - and used supermarket points to 'buy' a steamer and a slow cooker for nothing. The slow cooker has enabled some really economical cooking, and has the plus side of being also delicious.
Friends have given us some bits and bobs from their house that they are getting rid of and can be upcycled for use in our renovation project. Lucky finds, because they're for use in quite specific places that I thought we'd have to buy. Has saved a couple of hundred pounds of our budget and for a more upmarket spec that we hadn't been going to pay for. I also found some short felt nails for a bit of roof repair, so can now take back some accidentally-bought too long ones and recover about £5. Later, we'll be house-sitting again, so can save a bit more on living expenses.
The bad news is the toaster went bang yesterday.
bikesandbirdsbob
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Re: Freeranger's efforts

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Toaster . Blimey I would starve with out . Toast -Jam ,Toast Marmalade . Toast and cheese. Toast and beans . Toaster . Bacon and toast . Sausage and toast . More toast . White bread Brown bread . soup and toast . Have a spare incase.
Bob
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Mo
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Re: Freeranger's efforts

Post by Mo »

I always use the grill for toast. Maybe inefficient but I rarely have toast in summer so waste heat warms the kitchen a bit. (Not enough)
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lancashire lass
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Re: Freeranger's efforts

Post by lancashire lass »

Mo wrote:so waste heat warms the kitchen a bit. (Not enough)


LOL - I have to confess that I use my combi oven to heat the kitchen up much the same way (which determines what meal I'll be having)

You could also "toast" using a dry frying pan over heat (that is, no fat or oil) - never tried it, mainly because I think it might be smokey

alternatively, if you have an open fire, the old slice of bread on a toasting fork springs to mind
Freeranger
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Re: Freeranger's efforts

Post by Freeranger »

Bob, would I be right in thinking you quite like toast, then? :-D
Mo, our grill is part of the combi oven and takes forever to warm up hot enough to brown the skin on a rice pudding, so it isn't really an ideal option. LL, we do toast over the fire sometimes but only have a fire in the evenings - so you'd have to plan your toast consumption quite carefully.
However, OH dealt with it when he was ordering the grocery delivery, and a shiny new one is now in pride of place. Had celebratory toast. Toast was nice, but new toaster (£26) not ideal when we're being frugal. His argument was that it was £10 cheaper than the one we had before. Hmmmm. Some logic in there somewhere, I think.
Thought I was being frugal today by making a big veggie lasagne with store-cupboard things. The mice had been at the lasagne and taken a bit out of each sheet and peed on the rest. The sell-by date was 2010, so I suppose they did us a favour. Anyway, had made the sauces, so had to use layers of pasta shapes instead. I cheapened the recipe by using half yogurt instead of 100% creme fraiche (which is cheaper because we can make yogurt), and using more water and tomato paste instead of the second tin of tomatoes the recipe said. (Am doing Slimming World, but price isn't always the first focus.)
My nephew has just moved away from home and doesn't get paid very much so he's asked me for frugal recipes. It's focusing the mind a bit, but his age-group won't live as badly as I did at the same age. What's wrong with curried sausages anyway?!
Freeranger
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Post by Freeranger »

Instead of a meal out on VDay, we went for a bag of chips and a walk by the river. I haven't been out of the house other than that.
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Re: Freeranger's efforts

Post by bikesandbirdsbob »

Hi youngsters today .Cold cream rice . Beans and toast -Cheese toast . In a tin .
Tonight I am having at work . As DA Starters Minestrone soup , beef onion minced and bag rice sundried tomatoes basmati Gluten free ??? Desert tin cold rice .
Maybe custard tin as well.
Should not think it cost more than3pounds total. Toast and marmalade ( no marge saving )
Few biscuits lots of coffee couple of banana `s
Later tonight oranges 3 .
More toast in morning before I go home .
Bob
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One of my better efforts in memory of Thurs payday `s.
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Post by Richard »

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Freeranger
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Re: Freeranger's efforts

Post by Freeranger »

Well I'd like to have posted a major saving and put a number on it, but I haven't done anything except not go out and not spend anything. Am ending the month house-sitting and so using no fuel during what is hopefully some of the last of the colder weather. On this basis, I'll have a frugal year.
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