Blimey, it's suddenly September! I asked for my teacher's pension to be paid into my account on the first of each month, starting with September. I wasn't surprised to find it hasn't been paid yet as I've not even had any notification from the SSPA to say how much it will be. I did get my final salary paid in on Wednesday (just for the first half of the month before the schools started back.) So my new financial regime begins today. I'm now officially living on a teeny tiny pension and my savings. And after last month's disastrous spending it will need to be a no/very low spend month unless I desperately need it.
I got a £1 saver delivery slot from Sainsbury's this morning between 6am and 10am. I'm up at 5am any way with the teeny menace!! They came at 7am so that wasn't too bad. The above photo is my bare minimum fresh foods and storecupboard stuff. I got 2 jars of coffee and 2 tubs of stock powder to tuck away in the cupboard. And vinegar and sugar in case I want to make chutney or sauce with surplus fruit and veg. But I only got a chicken, some cheese and a double pack of bacon and that will just need to last me the month.
This is all my household and cleaning stuff as I'm being extra vigilant cleaning up poop from both dogs!! I 'treated' myself to a 6 pack of San Pellegrino water and a bottle of Rocks blackcurrant juice. But it really was a bare bones monthly shop. Total spend £85.53. It doesn't look like much stuff for that amount so there will be a fair amount of eating from the freezer this month.
The tomatoes and chillies are ripening nicely on the sunny windowsill. As soon as each tomato is ripe enough I've been popping them into the freezer. I'll probably be able to make a couple of portions of sauce but I'm fast coming to believe they're not worth the effort or space in the polytunnel. I think I said that last year too!! 😂
I have loads of onions and potatoes from the plot and plenty of leeks in the front garden. My plot neighbour gave me some green beans. My Lovely Mum has plums and apples to give me. And I might pop down to the Community Food Waste shop too. So lots of frugal food sources are open to me and I do like the challenge of using it all up and not wasting anything! 😋
If you've been following me for a while, does it surprise you to know that 10 years ago this weekend I moved into this house???? And oh my goodness, there's been many a plot twist and turn to my life in that time!!!! 😱
Morning Ali, can I be cheeky by letting you know some of my frugal habits? - Buy cheap shower gel, decant into a nice pump bottle and use as hand wash/bubble bath. - Buy a general purpose cleaning fluid (around £1-£1.50 a bottle), dilute into a spray bottle and use around the kitchen/bathroom. - Use cut up t-shirts as kitchen/cleaning/dusting cloths and pop in the washer to keep re using. Just little things I know but they help😉. Also did you know the vinegar neutralises female doggie wee. I admire your home growing and batch cooking, you make some amazing food. Jan in Castle Gresley
ReplyDeleteGreat tips!!! Every single wee thing adds up doesn't it? Batch cooking definitely saves me money and I keep adapting it to suit me at the time. Right now I do all the bits separately but sometimes I'll make a big lasagne or casserole instead :-) xxx
Delete10 years!! I remember when you moved. Mind you, Ill have been here 3 years in January. Its disheartening when my monthly shop costs c £200 and all fits into two boxes and a bag, even with all the stuff I do myself. The basics of self-reliance eg sugar, vinegar, flour etc are all going up and up but I'll always prefer a smaller quantity of homemade over a lot of the shop crap. Rocks juices are the best, especially their orange :)
ReplyDeleteYep, definitely would rather have a small amount of something home made! I can't get the Rocks orange version here for some reason and only Sainsbury's stocks the blackcurrant. I can't believe you've been there 3 years already!! :-) xxx
DeleteYes I can believe you've been in this house for 10 years, I remember following you since before then, through lots of changes. It somehow seems fitting that your fresh frugal start should begin now 10 years later and at the start of the month. It sounds like you have lots of good food options both from your shopping and all the food sources you have available to you, it's gonna be a great cut-price journey from here on in.
ReplyDelete10 years is a good round number! When I look back at everything that's happened I try not to have regrets but I'm not where I thought I'd be all those years ago. But I do like this life I've created even if it's a bit challenging atm! :-) xxx
DeleteIt is always shocking when you look at what you can get for X amount of dollars here too. My treat to myself this week was two bars of chocolate and I am rationing myself so they will last the week!
ReplyDeleteFood prices just keep going up and up!! i don't know how families with growing kids are managing. I'm lucky I just have myself to look after :-) xxx
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