This week’s thrifty achievements
Still suffering from a fibromyalgia flare up, so I have done little except go to work and drag myself home again (it feels like). Last night I had the longest, deepest bath and the pain in my shoulder seems to have eased a bit. I am hoping to be back to my usual self very soon! I did manage some thrifty achievements, though!
Joining the food co-op
As I said in my post Do you use a zero waste shop, I was bemoaning the lack of a zero waste shop here.
However, a friend reminded me that there is a small food coop locally, so I have joined that. The products are ordered in bulk according to the desires of the members and apparently much cheaper than the shops. I can also take my own containers. Can’t wait to use it!
Soup, soup, marvellous soup
To make sure I used up all of the bits and pieces in the fridge before I went shopping again, I made soup! A big batch of my favourite thick veggie soup. Full of vitamins and fibre.
I love soup, although this is almost a stew, so thick you can stand your spoon up in it. In went celery, carrots, potatoes and peas, thickened with red lentils in Marigold vegetable stock.
This is so quick and easy – incredibly cheap too! I made enough for six really big portions and put some straight in the freezer.
Back in my favourite shop
Now that I have discovered our £1 charity shop, I can’t keep out of it! It is chock full of the most incredible bargains.
I spent £11 and got a pair of winter boots, a Monsoon skirt and another pretty silk one, a couple of dresses, some vest tops and a witches hat. Well, it is nearly Halloween!
I also got the potato cookery book that I mentioned in last week’s meal plan. It has some lovely budget recipes in it.
I will sell most of these items and hope to make some extra cash for Christmas.
Bargain book
I love Amazon for second hand books too. I am interested in making some of my own chemical free and low waste toiletries. I managed to find this one, Natural Beauty: 35 step-by-step projects for homemade beauty
I will try it out and let you know how I get on,
Yogurt making
I dig out my old yogurt maker a few months ago to try my own lactose free yogurt. It came out ok but was a bit runny. I am going to try again with whole milk and some added milk powder to make it thicker.
In the meantime I found this organic stuff on offer in Sainsbury’s for £1.20. It is delicious and I will use some of it as my starter when I make my next batch.
So, these are this week’s frugal achievements. What are yours?
I am linking up with Cass , Emma and Becky in their Five Frugal Things linky.
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sam says
Now that we are nearing the mid point of October, I am full on motivated to fill my freezer with soups and stews and other hearty things that can be zapped on nights when I’m feeling too strung out to cook. I need winter boots and will start the hunt before snow starts, though we have had some specks already blowing. Great frugal wins this week on your end.
Julia says
My frugal week went the wrong way!
Earlier in the week I found a couple of things for Christmas presents for £4.99 and today I found the exact same items in B&M for £2.99!! 🙁
Unfortunately, the first shop has a “no refunds – exchange only” policy, and there is nothing else I’m likely to want from there to exchange with!
Not off to a great start!
shoestringjane@outlook.com says
Annoying!
Margie from Toronto says
.Stayed home on Monday so it was a “No Spend” day.
.Tuesday I invited a friend for lunch before our evening volunteer session rather than eating out. Prepared items for the volunteer sessions Potluck supper from food that I had on hand – no spending.
.Wednesday combined errands so that I stayed within the 2 hour limit so only had to use 1 transit fare.
.Thursday I did eat lunch out with some friends but it was a full meal at a very reasonable cost and meant that I just had some fruit & yogurt for supper. Again, combined a number of errands so only used two transit fares while out and about all day.
.The only items on my grocery list for today was some milk, buttermilk (on sale) and some salad greens. Really don’t need anything else from the shops for the next 3 or 4 days!
Gill says
I make yogurt too but I find that milk powder makes it taste a bit ‘wooly’ – I can’t describe it better than that. So to thicken it I strain it through a muslin sheet held in a sieve over a bowl. I actually drain it by 50% so it turns out like thick Greek yogurt. I use semi skimmed UHT.
shoestringjane@outlook.com says
Oooh nice! I have muslin
Joleisa says
My big takes from this: your £1 charity shop and also the soup! We make a vegetable soup like that all the time but we find it easier to eat by everyone if we just blitz it with a stick blender while it is still hot. It’s one of my favourite winter things for dinner. Thanks and have a fab week ahead. Hope you feel better soon.
Becky says
Blimey, a £1 charity shop a!! Our local ones are daft prices like buying new! #5frugalthings
Agy says
Where in Colchester is this charity shop? Thank you
shoestringjane@outlook.com says
Hi Agy. It’s on Magdalene street on the right as you drive from town, next to the Tesco Express