Planning our condiments and preserves.
During the year we make condiments and other useful items for the larder, depending on what we can grow, forage, or purchase for a good price. I don't make everything each year as I would [...]
Keeping a full pantry for little money
My pantry and freezer are always full, despite my food budget being below £700 a year. I think that it is so important to have a stock of food as we never know what is [...]
Thankful for WWll cookery knowledge
Today is the 80th anniversary of VE day. Spending a lot of time with my grand parents as a child, I automatically picked up some of the war time habits and knowledge in my food [...]
Making meals from a half price pork joint
In the UK at Easter and Christmas time. half price joints can often be found in the supermarkets. Sometimes I buy beef ones and sometimes I buy pork ones. My friend said to me that [...]
Growing from supermarket food
I apologise that I have not posted for a while but I have been sent a few curve balls recently, including my lap top packing in. I am attempting to write this on my phone [...]
Grow lettuce and save money
I don't buy lettuce. Instead I grow my own, inside in winter, and outside in summer. I have always grown lettuce, even when I had a flat without a garden. Lettuce seeds are so cheap [...]
Garlic Bread
We were having an Italian style meal this evening. I wanted some garlic bread but we did not have any garlic. I therefore made it with wild garlic. I had been lucky in that we [...]
5 quick tasks that saved me money and food waste
We have been away on a small break and I had brought back left over food. We were sell catering and cooked all of our own meals to save money. So many people tell me [...]
Don’t give ‘stuff’ for Mother’s Day
It is Mother's Day here on Sunday in the UK. I am hard to buy a gift for as being older, I no longer need more 'stuff'. In fact I am trying to declutter my [...]
Ways to reduce food waste
This week is food waste action week here in the UK. I pride myself in having no food waste in my house. We use everything that we buy, get from the community fridge, or we [...]
Keeping food simple
Stream lining anything makes it easier to manage. This is why I like to keep my food simple. If I was to make lots of difficult and sophisticated meals every week, it would cost a [...]
A plan to deal with increased prices.
All of my bills are rising. As I get my annual statements I see that things like Council Tax have risen by 15%, and my water bill is up by £120. My insurances have risen, [...]
Beetroot powder from vacuum packs
Mr S loves beetroot and it is full of nutrients. We do grow 2 crops of beetroot but I don't have enough room to grow as much as I would like. I do not like [...]
Wild garlic and nettle (or spinach) fritters
The wild garlic is already abundant here in an ancient, sheltered wood near where I live. At this time of year I pick it a couple of times of week, incorporate it into my food, [...]
My main staples
Some one asked me the other day what my main staples are. They have changed over the last few years as prices have risen. Eggs would definitely been on there a few years ago, but [...]
How supermarkets trick us into spending more
Any one that is in my group, or who reads my blogs regularly, knows that I am on a mission to use the supermarkets as few times as I can this year. We are making [...]
11 ways to earn money if you do not have a job
Prices are constantly increasing, and I know a lot of people that do not want to go to work in a proper job, especially retired people, but need a little bit more income. Here are [...]
Drinking home made teas made from what we have
Coffee and tea have really increased in price. I don't actually drink either, but Mr S drinks both. This year I am trying to embrace winter, and so have decided to try to make 'teas' [...]
Managing my freezers to save money
Why I have two freezers Having two freezers has made my life so much easier, and managing them has saved me money. One is the bottom half of a fridge freezer that has 3 drawers. [...]
Quick Tarts
Whenever the oven is on, I try to fill it. We are always baking ahead, not only to save money, but to save time. I will often cook some pastry pie lids or some tart [...]
Living below my means
It is important to live within your means so that you do not get into debt. However I like to live below my means as that is what has made me more secure and reach [...]
Frugal laundry and personal hygiene in winter
At this time of year, winter, it is harder to be frugal with laundry in the UK. Things can rarely be dried on a line outside for almost 6 months of the year. Even in [...]
Pantry Challenge to save money
The fridge and freezers are always full at this time of year and so we normally do a pantry challenge to make sure that everything is used up and nothing is wasted. This year we [...]
Reason for and against a ‘no spend’ January
If you are new to saving money, have a large debt that you want to reduce, want to save for a holiday, or want to improve your spending habits, then having no spend months is [...]
