So I don't think the menu planning challenge has worked so well ! I spent £17.72 at Lidl this week and an extra £3.62 at Tesco, so I'm over-budget for groceries this month by £5.05 ! This was mainly the fault of driving right past Lidl on another errand and thinking that it would be a saving to go in rather than make a special journey for next month's groceries. So in that sense it was a saving, but not until next month when I won't have to buy so much !
We have got quite a bit of food left and I am determined to start running down the fruit and vegetables in the freezers, ready for next season's bounty. I did make a start on doing that this week but the summer fruits crumble I made was so sour MasterShoestring's face nearly turned inside out it was so puckered up when he tasted it. I shall have to remember to add a lot more sugar next time I make one !
I did buy a joint of meat for Easter Sunday as well, so that will be a nice treat. I finally went to a jumble sale this past weekend but having paid my entrance fee found there was nothing to buy. I had made a special trip as I remembered that this was a good one in the past but this weekend there was very little on the stalls and nothing we needed or could have used for gifts. I think this is the third or fourth time I have been disappointed so I wondered if people are just getting rid of less stuff or selling it rather donating it ? I am mostly interested in buying books and music so I also wondered if there are fewer copies about because people are downloading stuff rather than buying hard copies. Whatever it is I am going to have to re-think my trips to jumble sales, don't know if car boot sales might be better ?
On a more positive note I got an excellent haircut at the barbers after lots of hairdressers refused to cut it as I can't have it washed due to allergy problems. I was really beginning to think I would have to cut it myself again ! No clothes bought this month and another packet of books sent off to Ziffit to boost the gift fund. I had depleted it a bit by buying tickets to the Chinese Terracotta Warriors exhibition in Liverpool. The tickets are for MrShoestring to give me for my birthday later in the year !! The tickets were already sold out for a lot of dates so I thought that I better get some now before they we're all gone !
Off to think about some challenges for April !
I think you did fabulously!
ReplyDeleteOh, that is so kind ! I guess our food prices are a lot cheaper than in some other parts of the world !
ReplyDeleteI dehydrated some cherry plums last year and finally used some of them in muffins, oooooh they were sour. My husband is taking one for the team and eating them (they are way too sour for me) with jam and maple syrup. I think I'll have to ditch the rest of them as unedible as I can't imagine more sugar would help enough.
ReplyDeleteLive and learn :)
Otoh the grapes from our vine were lovely as raisins, sorry neighbours, no more excess grapes for you from now on :p
Yes, it's my husband who is eating most of that very sour crumble ! MasterShoestring has had a tiny bit more with a large side helping of ice cream to help with the sourness ! Glad to hear that the raisins worked though !
ReplyDeleteSince the crumble was already cooked, maybe you could add a bit of syrup.
ReplyDeleteOur sales here have been less than stellar, as well. We’re just starting up with auctions. I spent two hours at one and didn’t even raise my number. The prices were too high for the quality. Maybe prices will return to normal when there are more choices.
Debbie
Thanks for the tip about the syrup, I hadn't thought of using that! Good luck with the auctions, we used to love going and getting a bargain !
ReplyDelete