Friday, 28 June 2013

Making sure I have enough money for what I need

It's looking like it might be next week when I go and do a proper shop, I will last over the weekend. I hate shopping on a Saturday or Sunday when the working population and their sproggs invade the supermarket, piling their trolleys high with cases of lager and gigantic bags of crisps. I'd rather not get into the scrum at the checkouts. 
So, what have I been eating. This is the mushroom omlette which I had yesterday lunchtime. No frills, no titivation needed, just a big omlette almost as big as the plate, stuffed with lots of mushrooms. Very filling.     
Last night I made this pasta thingy. The middle bit is onions and sweetcorn, with some spices thrown in, turmeric, garlic, a bit of this and that, very tasty. I made two portions and had the rest for my lunch today. By the way, the wholemeal pasta was three bags for £1, from the cash and carry, cheap because it's out of date. 
Debbie asked where I get tinned tomatoes from at 25p, and are the chick peas dried or tinned. The toms I get from Home Bargains or B & M, look for offers, four tins for £1. I use tinned chick peas, can't be bothered with the faff of soaking, and I don't like planning ahead. I like to open the cupboard and base a meal on what I see, and I want to be eating it within 15 minutes. The chick peas are also from Home Bargains or B & M. Failing that, you can get these items in Asian stores. If I see a good price I will buy a tray of 12 tins.

I did cheat a little yesterday, bought a few fresh items to top up what I have. I get withdrawal symptoms if I can't have my veg. I found a few reduced items in Asda. Two bags of spinach at 40p each. Half a cucumber at 15p. Punnet of cherries at 37p. Broccoli 60p normal price. Seeded bread at 53p reduced. From Aldi I got 1kg bananas for 68p and a large tub of natural yogurt for 55p. From B & M I got six eggs for 95p. That will keep me going for a while.

Tonight I had steamed potatoes, onions, broccoli, and spinach, topped with a tin of mushy peas. There's a lot of rumbling going on down below, I think it's going to get a bit windy later, ha ha.

It's looking like I might be spending more money next week, I'm having an eye test on Monday and new specs are on the cards. The week after I want to go away for a few days, oh gawd, it's never ending, always something to pay for. I'll be living on porridge for a while to catch up.
Toodle pip
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11 comments:

  1. Tawanka Iyopta28 June 2013 at 22:05

    Yum! The pictures of your meals are so appetizing!

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  2. Vixen 30728 June 2013 at 23:32

    You just prove what we say, you can eat well with a little forward planning and buying the bargains as you see them. Im clearing out the freezer to start afresh and so far this week we have had some lovely salmon with ys new potatoes, chilli then sausages with beans and new spuds. I picked up some fancy new spuds for 52p instead of £3.49, they certainly were not worth £3.49. I found some fruit in the freezer to so am making pancakes to go with them, nice and filling, quick and cheap.

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  3. ChrisJ29 June 2013 at 07:10

    Omelette looks scrumptious!

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  4. Anonymous29 June 2013 at 08:14

    Your omelette looks delicious:-) this is the wrong post but many thanks for your permission to copy your photographs of Horncastle. We live in Manchester now, have done for 40 years, but I still miss Lincolnshire, and my family down there.
    Kind regards

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  5. Kearnygirl29 June 2013 at 13:35

    Hi Ilona, your food looks really delicious. I love omelettes because you can put anything in them and they always taste good.
    I wish I had a place to get some of the food you buy at discounted prices. Nothing around here offers bargains like those ever.
    It's only the two of us now and yet I seem to spend so much on food. Can't seem to find anything worth buying on sale. It seems like the only things they offer on sale are stuff I don't eat like junk food and cans of soda, etc.

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  6. Anonymous29 June 2013 at 15:05

    Hi Ilona,Yummy omelette. I am a regular visitor to your blog,Your daily practices to spend less are very inspiring to me.I started to follow most of the money saving tips given by you. Regards.

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  7. Kiwijo29 June 2013 at 17:20

    Hi.
    Weve got a new B&M opened just down the end of our road (beside out local Lidl), so Im finding lots of great foodstuffs in there as well, eggs (as you said), milk, cheese, cooked gammon pieces (£1.99 for 500g), pasta, biscuits and even Carte Noir coffee, its brilliant for store cupboard staples. Btw I also love the lok of your omelette, mine always fall apart when I try to turn them and end up looking more like scrambled eggs with stuff in. :o)

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    Replies
    1. Meanqueen29 June 2013 at 19:03

      Hi, The trick is not to turn your omelette, when the bottom is cooked, put it under the grill to cook the top. It slides out of the pan in one piece. The cooked gammon slices are £1.79 in our store. I used to get big packets of cream crackers in a green wrapper, for 39p, but they have put them up to 45p now. Still cheaper than a supermarket. I also get Coffee Mate at £1.99p

      Delete
  8. Lilyredcloud1 July 2013 at 18:12

    What is gammon?

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    Replies
    1. Meanqueen1 July 2013 at 19:52

      Hi Lily. It's ham cut in thicker slices. Not sure which part of the pig it's from though. Probably leg. You can buy it cooked or uncooked. It can be grilled or fried.

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  9. Anonymous5 July 2013 at 10:56

    Thank you MQ! I'm just catching up with your blog as I've been a bit busy. Will definitely have to open my eyes when I go to HB as I haven't seen chickpeas there - will look harder. Also I think I agree with you about dried vs tinned, life's too short and at 25p they are cheap enough. Debbie.

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