General Chat

Anne Mince can be used hundresds of ways, cottage pie, Spag bog, Chilli con carne Mince and potato pie Lasagne Mousakka Make up a batch and then divide up to do different dishes can freeze it in portions

Dawn - I used to work at my local Tesco on the home shopping dept - the drivers then weren't much kop but they may have some fresh blood now lolol

Ang In Scotland Tesco charge for every slot! I too have got quite a few £10 e-vouchers off Tesco.

Dear Anne if you have a Netto near you go there, prices are much better than Tesco, put bread in freezer so not wasting half a loaf, tea times are a good time to prowl supermarkets for reduced goods, if you have a local market go there often much cheaper, only feed cats half a portion at a time if your in ,less chance of waste, dont be tempted by two for one, are you SURE you need it. One of my familys cheapo favourites is oven omlettes, I cook them in a quiche dish and the advantage is lots of bits can be used,odd boiled new potatoes, bits of ham, bacon, cheese veg.etc. How to shop when skint....I could write a book........

Barbara Unfortunately don't have a Netto - and the cheaper stores are a fair drive (have you seen the price of petrol lol) ......... I am restricted to 4 of the big 6 main supermarkets. Let me know when your book goes to print - I want an autographed copy lolol

Anne I promise you the first copy!!!!!!!!!!!

Veg which is in season and from local greengrocer or market will be cheaper and nicer. Use beans, pulses etc. to bulk out casseroles and/or soups. They are quite cheap to buy in their dried form, only need to soak overnight. If something's on special offer, buy a load and make stuff to freeze.

When buying the concentrated smaller bottle of fabric conditioner such as (Lenor) many people just pour the stuff into the drawer, thus putting in too much (smells nice but not practical for everything) Decant half into an empty bottle and fill both bottles up with water. That way you use it as its truly intended and save cash whilst doing so. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Lightly soiled washing does not need 2 wash tablets to make it clean, one will do. use 2 for heavier soiled clothes >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dish washing powder, rinse aid and salt lasts a lot longer than 3 in one tablets, and according to the dishwasher maintenance man, work better in a hard water area. Use ordinary vinegar a mug full (cheapest) thrown in your dishwasher bottom once a week, on a short programme with no detergent. This removes limescale and is cheaper than prepared stuff. Got limescale coverage in the first place, do the above once a day until it clears. also advice from dishwasher maintenance man >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Tin chili con carne (which is ideal for jacket spuds) can be made into double mixed with a tin of baked beans...tasty ! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Elaine x

Anne go shopping for some old housebound person by all the two for one offers and your shopping wont cost you a penny dont laugh I know a person that does this for his mother and gets his free I was digusted when he told me xxxHowie

Just remembered something my old mum said, she didn't know much about the Kama Sutra, but she knew a 100 ways with mince...........

Anne, come and have a week with me, I will feed you up. If you promise to do all my ironing in return. No honestly, although I dont have to Budget now, I had to years ago. Cheese and Potato Pie with Baked Beans is lovely. Put a layer of pastry on the bottom of a very large pie dish, preferably one that will divided into 6 portions. Just mash pots with loads of butter and cheese, sprinkle more cheese on top and put in oven until cheese is crispy. Wait until cool, divide then freeze. Corned Beef Pie, Mashed Potatoes, Sliced Onions and a tin of cheap Corned Beef, a dash a Worcester Sauce, a pinch of dried Sage, 'optional' Lined again a large dish fill with mixture and cover with a layer of pastry. Cook and again wait until cold and divide and freeze. Minced Beef Cobbler. In a large very deep dish, place a layer of browned off minced beef, then a layer of onion rings, largest tin of mixed veg you can find, layer of potaoes sliced lengthways that have been par boiled, make a suet pastry but cut into rings, place on top of the potatoes, add gravy and bake. Again freeze in portions. Spaghetti Bolognese. Chilli con Carne. Chicken Curry. Gammon and Pasta in a Cheese Sauce. Chicken Casserole. The list goes on and on. Just a few simple store cupboard foods and meat, and a meal of 4-6 portions can be made for around £4-£5. Sometimes not even cost a £1 per portion. Just let me know if you want the proper poportions and any other tips. PS. BC had one of my recipe's and even after a year, she bought me a pint at the Middlesborough Meet, because it was so successful when she was entertaining guests. Jenny xx

You can add red lentils to mince to increase quantity. Red lentils don't need pre-soaking and they go nicely mushy, they have hardly any flavour so will absorb any flavourings you add. Excellent in curries. Leftovers from many meals can be mixed with rice for a unique risotto-type meal. Charity shops are excellent for some clothes, and for books, household items etc. I got a fabulous gilt-framed Turner print for our front room for £5 and several lovely big mirrors for our hallway. nell

We just had a lovely dinner Anne. Penne pasta (buy packet dried, much cheaper than fresh), cook until al dente, drain, then mix with a couple of tablespoons of own brand half fat crem fraiche, add some seasoning, a little crushed garlic & chopped basil. We also had bacon lardons cooked & mixed in but you can leave them out if you wish. Warm gently & stir, et viola !! :0) Joan xxxxxxxxxxxx

shop around, look at Aldi, Lidl etc.... even pound shops do food cheap - often overseas versions of our brands but well in date. Shop late in the evening, bakery items get reduced but are just as good as at 8am. Watch out for reductions on the meat and dairy iasles, remember if its fresh you can freeze it! For basic clothes look at what the supermakets have to offer, Asda had a good range of essentials from under garments to tops. Also don't be affraid of charity shops, they may be cheap but they wash the clothes before they go on the rails and you can wash them again when you get home!

Thanks for loads of great recipes and tips :O)) Elaine - I pinched your chilli & baked beans idea weeks ago LOL - love it :O)))

The other night hubby fried some sliced mushrooms , added them to a tin of Campbell's condensed mushroom soup and spread it on hot buttered toast. Louise

Anne for when you are hungry but tired - here is a quick recipe. Always keep in your freezer a stock of frozen chopped onions, mushrooms, peppers etc (Iceland do a good range very cheaply) and when you get home throw a handful of each into a frypan and cook with a smidgeon of olive oil, meanwhile cook as much dried pasta (wholemeal is healthier and you could do half and half with the tricoloured sort) as you would eat then and as much again. Drain pasta and stir in mixed veg, make up instant cheese sauce granules, and mix together or pour over the top of pasta. Instead of cheese sauce heat up a tin of Campbell's meditteranean tomato soup or whatever flavour you like, mushroom, chicken etc. MIx pasta and veg into soup (don't dilute soup). There you have a quick healthy tasty meal, you can serve a salad with it if you like (even more healthy) and the rest of the pasta etc you can put into a container for lunch at work. I find Lidl's very good when they have their cheap veg offers on and other goods are reasonable too. They do a lovely thick fruit juice which is nice watered down with sparkling water. Another good recipe is loads of reduced veg, chopped up and put in a roasting tin with a sprinkling of olive oil and any meat you want, a chop, sausages, whatever - roast till slightly charred at edges of veg - cook meat seperately in same oven, have with some crusty bread, foccacia or ciabatta, sometimes reduced late at supermarkets. Good luck with the budgeting. P.S. Charity shops are brilliant - I find all sorts of things there that I never spot in usual shops. You could get things from there for pennies and sell on ebay - that's what my son does.