The "I am feeling the pinch" thread...

[~Emmsybabes~]

Hellooooo

Just to make a quick point lol..
This thread isn't about me specificly..but ALL of us...(thought my title may be a little misleading) xx
After a blog last week some of us thought it may be a good idea to start a thread for those of us feeling the pinch at the moment,
With the cost of living increasing daily (ok maybe not daily, but it bloomin feels like it)

So For now this is the place to share your saving money tips with the rest of us....
This is NOT a professional thread in any way...so please NO posts on saving money in a business sense, this is purely living costs
Cooking, days out, etc.....family not business xxxx
Please no links to the sites I am sure we all now know we are not allowed to post about x...
NO advertising for your own gain...blah blah lol.

Lets help each other out here,

Ok I will start,
I am skint ! there said it lol....
My main problem is food....

I have never been a good cook....Mum never taught me..and in school I chose CDT (craft, technology and design) over cooking ...
Cooking bores the hell out of me...BUT..it HAS to be done,
Now I have come to an age where I really can't get away with plonking 2 waffles, a dollop of sauce in the middle of the plate, and a row of beans to make a smiley face...I need meal ideas...

I have found for some weird reason, I have started shopping in the local shop, because I think it will be cheaper to just go there and get Dinner in each day, than doing a weekly shop.....
IT SO DOESNT WORK THAT WAY...
I tend to come out after spending between £15 £20 a day ,
The final straw last night I spent probably £3-£4 more on our meal than I would of done getting it in asda.

Anyway....I'm sorry I waffled on as usual lol...
I am thinking of stocking up on basics, then turning them into meals...like a huge bag of spuds, huge bag of rice...pasta.,,etc....
So I always have something in

My question is
Q ... what meals can I make for a family out of ...
bag of potatoes...
bag of rice....
bag of pasta

Give me some cheap but yummy ideas !!!! (my daughter is a veggie btw)


Please add your questions too anything regarding saving pennies !!....

 

[1999judy]

I got rid of my husband....saved a fortune on food and laundry:lol:
Unfortunately Emms I tend to live on supernoodles and toast and make seperate meals for all 3 kids because NONE of them eat the same thing!!
Tried saving money on stores own brand washing powder and softener...me and Rach both got a rash:irked:
You can always make big pans of chilli etc and freeze them in seperate dishes.

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

I got rid of my husband....saved a fortune on food and laundry:lol:
Unfortunately Emms I tend to live on supernoodles and toast and make seperate meals for all 3 kids because NONE of them eat the same thing!!
Tried saving money on stores own brand washing powder and softener...me and Rach both got a rash:irked:
You can always make big pans of chilli etc and freeze them in seperate dishes.

See help already....I am doing a shopping list and forgot the kids love supernoodles so have now added them :green: thankyou..
My shopping cost me approx £15 a week when I didn't have a boyfriend can you belive that !!!

 

[Anna Lee]

My question is
Q ... what meals can I make for a family out of ...

bag of potatoes... not very good with potatoes.. I have a few ideas but they are probably rubbish so I let someone answer this one.

bag of rice.... Ah.. this one I AM good at - fried rice...!!

bag of pasta... vegetable pasta for your daughter..?

 

[Lynne Baker]

One of things I have done is turn the air con off in the car. It seems to have added 50 miles to a tank of fuel - not to be sniffed at!

A propos food I always make sure that I take advantage of the BOGOF offers, but ONLY if it's things I will actually use. Get a Delia book from the library - she's great if you're just learning!

 

[Coppertop]

I buy as much stuff as possible bulk to save cash.
I buy my eggs local at a greater reduced price than the supermarket and we have a veg man that comes round the streets too.

Lot's of pasta and rice meals as we all love them and just vary what is in them.
Home made soup, stew.
Buy full chickens as you get more meals from them.

Buy meat in bluk from the butcher and ask him for a really good price, if you are a regular he'll help you out. Freeze the meat and take out the night before you want to cook it. (Keep it away from the cats though!) :lol:

Get the kids growning some veg in the garden, really not that hard and it gives them something to do.

For treats bake a cake with the kids instead of buying sweets, they can be expensive! Rice krispies cakes are fab.

 

[NailedON]

Like Mandy just suggested buy a whole chicken and cut it up yourself, instead of buying a packet of breasts.

Also, go back to traditional sunday dinners, buy a bigger piece of meat and cook more veg and potatoes than needed on that day, then on the following Tuesday dish it all up again, reheated in the microwave. You can reheat the roast potatoes in the oven. Or us up the left over roast meat from the Sunday in a curry.

Tinned tuna is good with pasta and can still be picked up cheaply in the supermarkets in value packs.

 

[Noodle]

Always look out for the BOGOF or 3 for 2 offers (but obviously make sure it's something you really need before you make your purchase!).

Try not buy too may pre-prepared fruit, vegetable and salad items. Great for covenience, but not for the purse.

Remember to take your Bags for Life to the supermarket, or you'll end up having to buy those as well as your groceries.

 

[Saucygirl]

Ohhh!

I LOVE cooking! Please let me share some ideas too, because I am the thriftiest person I know.

First of all, if you don't have one already, you NEED to invest in a crock pot/slow cooker. They are ingenious and a busy person's best friend.

Next, I plan my meals for the week and then figure out what ingredients I need to make each meal. Sounds easy, right? Trust me it is.

Okay, so on to the slow cooker. I throw my meals in it in the morning, turn it on low and leave it all day. There are usually settings for Low, High and Keep Warm. Low is perfect for cooking all day as long as there is at least one cup of liquid in it.

Okay.

Monday-Spaghetti

Brown hamburger and toss in slow cooker.
Add 1 cup chopped veggies (mushrooms, green pepper, celery, onions...whatever you want).
Add spices (oregano, basil, salt, pepper..again whatever you like).
Add one bottle of store bought sauce, or, if you choose, 1 can of tomato paste, 1 can of diced tomatoes and 1 can of tomato sauce.

Turn on low and leave all day.
There you go, all you have to do is cook the noodles when you get home and Voila! A hot and home cooked easy meal.


Tuesday-Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Peel and slice potatoes thin. I usually judge 1½ potatoes per person.
Slice a half a store bought 'already cooked' ham.
Mix some milk, flour and melted butter with some salt and pepper. 2 cups worth is plenty for a full crock pot.
Pull out the slow cooker again.
Pour a bit of liquid into the bottom and layer potatoes, ham, liquid, potatoes, ham, liquid, etc. Top with grated cheese.
Leave on low all day. Super easy and yummy.


Wednesday-Roast Beef

It really doesn't matter what meat you buy, even the toughest turn out deliciously tender in the slow cooker following these instructions.

Add a small bit of cooking oil to the crock pot.
Put in your choice of meat, again, inexpensive is fine.
Add 1 packet of dry onion soup mix and one can of Cream of Mushroom soup and 1 can of water.
Add spices. ( I usually just add pepper and steak spice)
Turn on low and cook all day.
When you come home throw a few washed potatoes in the microwave to bake and remove the meat from the slow cooker.
Turn the heat to high and thicken the juice with flour for a delicious gravy.
Add a quick salad or some veggies.

Thursday-Chicken Bake

Soooo easy, I swear.

Put boneless, skinless chicken in the, you guessed it, slow cooker.
Add 1 can of cream soup.
Add frozen veggies.
Add 1 box of Stovetop Stuffing and 1½ cups of rice.
Add 2 can of water.
Cook on low all day.

Friday-Pork Chops

I little oil on the bottom of the slow cooker and then add the meat.
Add ½ cup of apple juice and 1 cup of apple sauce.
A little salt and pepper and an envelope of Shake-n-Bake sprinkled over the top.
Cook on low all day.

When you get home, choose either rice or baked potatoes, both can be cooked in the microwave. Add some veggies- a can of mixed veggies works great.

Saturday-Macaroni and Cheese

Non slow cooker recipe.

Cook 1 cup of noodles per person.
Grate cheese, and melt with butter over low heat on the stove. Add salt and pepper and a spoonful of processed cheese.
Mix noodles into melted cheese mixture.
Put in a casserole dish and cover with more grated cheese and crumbled saltines.
Warm uncovered in the oven until the cheese on the top is melted and the crackers are slightly browned.
Easy.

Sunday-Meatballs and rice

You can opt to make your own meatballs out of ground beef or pork, or you can buy them already made in the frozen section of the grocery store.
To save time, lets buy them, okay?
Now, you can cook them from frozen in the slow cooker and add the sauce of your choice.
For ease, we can add a bottle of store bought honey garlic, or you can make your own.
Cook them all day on low, and make your rice in the microwave when you get home. White rice is fine, as you can pour the sauce from the meat right over the rice for flavor.

There done.

A one week, easy and inexpensive, menu.
Now, this doesn't take into consideration all the leftovers, which makes perfect lunches, or quick warm-ups for the next night's dinner.

I LOVE cooking!!!

 

[Amethyst_Angel]

I just about live on rice and pasta! (I'm a veggie too)

I do loads of one pot rice things that are very cheap (I'm Scottish!) and healthy (I'm on a diet!:cry.

One Pot Rice thing... (much cheapness!!:green

chop an onion and fry it off in a little oil. Add 2 cups of rice, a tin of chopped tomatoes, a stock cube, some mixed herbs and top up with boiling water so that the rice will cook. You can then add quorn pieces if you like. Also you can add frozen veg to this to make it different.

Pasta - I love cheesy pasta sauces so what I've started doing is cooking the pasta and then adding a dollop (technical term!) of Philadelphia soft cheese to the drained cooked pasta. Yummy!

Potatoes - jacket spuds are nice and cheap! Cottage cheese makes a lovely filling as does home made chilli. If I'm entertaining I peel then slice the spuds thinly, layer them in a greased oven & microwave-proof dish with some sliced onion, pour in some stock, cover with clingfilm (with a hole in it to let steam escape!) and zap until spuds are cooked. Then (depending on how much liquid is still left, it doesn't need much) add a bit of elmlea light single cream, a few dods of butter on the top and maybe a bit of cheese if you're feeling extravagant, then pop it in a preheated oven til it's bubbling through and browned on the top! Also yummy! You can serve that with just about anything from pork steaks, quorn escalopes - you name it!

Hope that helps!

:hug:

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

Saucygirl....you are my new best buddy :hug:
All the meals there I like the sound of..
Some websites I have searched on today have had things like "giblet stew" lmao....
Thats why I just had to stop searching and come to my trusty geeks...:green:

I don't have a slow cooker (I think I would be scared leaving it on all day and going out though tbh :o )
But I can still do those meals ...thankyou soo much


Another question,...does anyone have a bread maker...are they worth buying ?
£1.20 odd for a bloomin loaf ...discusting that is ...!

 

[Lellipop]

My question is
Q ... what meals can I make for a family out of ...
bag of potatoes...

Potato cakes-Mash potato, pinch of salt and some flour to bind mix together, Roll into small balls, flatten pop on a baking tray and cook until brown.....Eat with plenty of butter Mmmmmm
Shepards Pie........ Brown mince, add onion, 2 oxo's, carrot and pies, Pop into baking dish spread mash over top and brown under the grill.
Stew....... Lots of Veg, Some stock and cook on low for a few hours.




bag of rice....

Boiled rice, smoked fish, peas, sweetcorn and onion a quick meal
Egg fried rice add veg and serve.


bag of pasta


Pasta, Tomatoes, Garlic, Onion and Make some meatballs or quorn for your daughter.

 

[dee]

ha ! i just got a bread maker , purley to saves us some dosh hun it was only about 30 quid and its reallu good ....... but i just prefer my warburtons :lol: i love homemade bread but its the whole slicing it and not getting a door stop that does my head in
but we worked it out witht he ingredients and it costs about 40 p to make a loaf , and the kids love it (its just me , i have a bread fetish , haha)

also buy some potato bake and slice a load of em in a casserole dish , throw the sauce over and voila some nice potatoe tea , that you can have with what ever meat you fancy xx

 

[~Emmsybabes~]

ooo potatoe cakes, thankyou lel...
We don't eat fish though...I can't even do fish fingers !!! eeuurghh
My dad chased me when he was drunk once, with a big eel he had caught while sea fishing....I was only about 8..it put me off fish FOR LIFE !
He once threw a big bunch of worms at me too "for fun" I didn't find it funny, I sobbed for hours lol...So I am surprised I can even eat spaghetti.

I made my first sheppards pie last week,...It was lovely..
My cooking skills go as far as...chicken curry...sweet and sour...chips...pasta bake, and a roast..
I think thats about it..so as you can imagine..we are all getting a little bored lol..

Does anyone know of any good links for easy cakes and things to make for afters ? like apple crumbles and stuff..
I have read they are easy..but I wouldnt know where to start..peeling apples...thats it lol.
It would keep the kids entertained and feed us all a big pud.

I have noticed because of my lack of skills, and my kids boredom with food.
They seem to be hungry a lot...like an hour after tea..so I am probably spending more than I need to on buying "filler foods"

If I can give them a good varied diet, with a pud too...it may fill them up for longer aswell.

 

[*JOANNE*]

i love my slow cooker...can get cheap cuts of meat and the slow cooking really makes the meat melt in the mouth...
here are some cheap meals for the slow cooker.
chicken broths...chicken spuds barley leeks....stock
sausage casseroles...sausages tin of beans, tin of chopped cheap tomatoes,...mushrooms....spuds sliced.


shop online for your food tesco etc Money Saving Expert: Consumer Revenge - Credit Cards, Shopping, Bank Charges, Cheap Flights and more has a forum which has codes you can type in at the checkout to get money off your shopping. this is what i do...for discount vouchers.....club points etc.
if you shop online there is less temptation to over spend cause you cant see whats down the isles

 

[sj1973]

Well as some of you know, me and hubs hae given up smoking, so thats a money saver :lol:. Because i have stopped smoking,i am eating more, so i bike when i need to go out, saving petrol .

Cook from scratch, Saucygirl has given us some great food tips, you can also google in "cooking from scratch", it is not always alot of money.

GREAT THREAD EMMS XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

[Missy G]

Ive arrased an issue this week at home with the shopping,Im sick to deaf of spending £100 a week for the 3 of us ,and within days its gone!!My husband says... I buy too much ,we dont need everything I buy..yeh but who eats it all?I think he means all the cakes,n sweet stuff.

I get so cheesed of with shopping too,with my daughter only liking certain stuff,my hubbys fussy too,having to watch prices too,food shopping is a real chore.I have tried on line shopping,its better for bugdeting yourself I think but then I think ..oohh ive forgotton to order this n then that! and I always get substitutes,so that idea didnt last long!

I absolutely love pasta,I could eat it every day, covered in garlic ,olives and feta cheese,hubby doesnt like it,hes now just recently announced he doesnt like frozen chips..which are so much easier for me.My daughter doesnt like cheese,tomatoes, FISH FINGERS???,mash potato, and to name but a few more things.What do you do with these awkward buggers ah?

Id love a slow cooker, but so couldnt see the point,hubby comes home from work..hes not the type that demands his tea on the table when he gets in , so it just sits there getting cold,then he puts it in the microwave later, and kills it,my daughter is terrible for eatting all her dinners,so if I were to get a slow cooker I think it would be for my own benefit!..seems pointless!

Oh the joys of being a house wife ,one day Im gonna threaten to go on strike!..then see how the buggers get on without me eh.!!

 

[Lynne Baker]

Freecycle is a great place to pick up a slow cooker, by the way!

 

[bonjovirock4eva]

potatos ,peeled and sliced an par boiled with boiled leeks drain off, add to cassarole dish , pour over a cheese sauce and add grated cheese an brown off in oven for about 15 mins tastes great with pork an leek sausages at one point we were eating this about twice a week lol xxxx

 

[gemini7]

Turkey mince is one of the cheapest and most healthiest meats you can buy so as well as saving money you are eating healthy as well a pack only costs about £1.70 compared to paying over £3.00 with all other minced meats (especially if you want the healthiest)
This meal is very cheap and only takes about 15 mins to make here the list

1 Pack of Turkey Mince
1 Tin of chopped tomatoes
1 Tin of Red Kidney Beans (you can also get these in chilli sauce)
1 Tin of Baked Beans
1 Tin of Sweetcorn (I know some of you may think eh but it really takes divine and adds a lovely crunch to the chilli)
4 crushed garlic cloves
1 chicken stock cube
Packet of nacho crisps

Here goes

Pack of turkey mince brown this in pan if you want drain any fat off or if you want your turkey to be moist leave this

Then put chicken stock cube in - cover all the turkey mince with this for a few minutes

Add 4 crushed garlic cloves (optional - Im a garlic lover)

Add tin of chopped tomatoes and mix

Add tin of baked beans then Red Kidney beans (or one of the other 2 of them taste mmm)

Then add small tin of sweetcorn (this also adds moisture to the turkey mince as this is not as fatty as other meats its a little dryer)

When cooked serve with rice or pasta crush nachos up and sprinkle on top of chilli

Mmmm:hug: