Monday 29 September 2014

Making the Most of What You Have

 
After the last post I had so many comments and emails saying that you were doing exactly the same as me,  spending money to save money.  I'm pleased that I'm not the only one, but occasionally I feel we fall into the trap of spending vouchers because we have them!!  The questions we should ask ourselves are:  "Would I have spent the money I did, if I had not been lured into the supermarkets by the vouchers that they sent me?", or "Am I going shopping today just because I have a voucher?".
 
 I don't know about you, but in my case some of the time I think I am playing right into their hands, spending my hard earned cash on what they want me to buy!!
 
But I'm not going to lose any sleep over it, what I am going to do is to make the most of the food I have bought so it last me the longest time possible and makes us as many tasty meals as possible, so I can keep away from the shops for as long as possible.  I need to keep myself accountable which is something I do most of the time of course, but it's easy to stray if you don't keep yourself in check.  So I am going to use the Blog for the whole of 'Stoptober' to keep myself accountable, plan my meals from what I have and give myself a strict budget for any food I have to buy.
 
 I intend to give myself a budget of just £10 a week for any fresh food shopping we need to keep us eating healthily.  I will put £10 into my purse on Wednesday 1st and then another one on each Wednesday throughout October.  At the end of the month whatever cash is left over will be added to the Sealed Pot, which this year is being used for our Christmas Fund.
 
So what did I do with the foods destined for the freezer from the last shop (with vouchers) I did?
 
 
I worked out how much they had cost me each just in case I want to price out meals, and then wrapped them individually and placed them in a big freezerproof box.

 
I did similar with the Garlic Breads, so that we can get one slice out as a time if we want to.  It's always good to open these packs before you freeze them as the breads tend to be stuck together with all the handling they have had from warehouse to supermarket to home etc.

 
The Southern Fried Chicken portions were also individually wrapped, priced and put into a tub.  I'm glad I bought two packs of these as one pack had one thigh and six drumsticks .... and the other had one drumstick and six thighs!!

 
All neatly poortioned and wrapped and ready for the freezer.

 
And because I have most of my foods like this in big boxes the freezer is looking pretty full.  Now if I can't make this lot last for at least month there is something very wrong with me!!
 
We only have guests twice this month so I should be able to cater for us (and them) very successfully.  I will put a couple of cartons of milk in there after I have been into Llandudno later today ... but that is all the shopping I am getting.
 
Stopober cannot come soon enough for me  :-)
 
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I apologise for any mistakes on my Blog, or on comments I may leave on any of your blogs over the next few days, but I am having to do all my computer work on my little laptop as our main computer has been taken very poorly and is at the computer doctors (hopefully) being made better!!
 
To add to my technology woes, this morning for the first time since we lived here I have no phone signal, so I can't phone anyone either.  Ohh woe is me ;-)
 
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Sue xx

7 comments:

  1. It is a fine line with vouchers, and special offers, but once you are aware and avoid their 'buy me now' offers for things you do not want or need, and work to your own planed shopping. I now most always buy the same things and wait for the special offers, buy in bulk, to use until the next offer.

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  2. Good luck with your computer...hope it gets well soon. Your freezer looks very full, so I will be anxious to see if you make it through October! ;-)

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  3. we don't get many coupons/vouchers for anything. I love how you portion things and learnt along time ago on your blog about freezing flat individually and then storing. I never learnt about that before.

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  4. Vouchers are fine as long as you are buying products that you always use. No point buying deodorant or shampoo if its not the brand you like. It will never get used therefore it is a waste. Vouchers for food ... you can't go wrong!

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  5. Your freezer is very organised, I must sort mine out.

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  6. I have definitely spent money to save money this month. Try as we might to cut back, we do still need to eat, and growing children need to eat as well as possible. I've popped into the the local Coop several times on the way back home recently and picked up lots of yellow sticker items so the freezer is now absolutely full and we should only have to top up with milk, fruit and veg for the next month. We're watching every penny until the big house repair bills have been paid. I have used some vouchers but they have been for food that I would have bought anyway.

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  7. Not spending is good, but buying (when it's stuff you'd use anyway) in the way you have is not bad. We do the same as you - portion large packs before they go in the freezer and only defrost what we need at the time.

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