darlingmole, Don't know if you could do this but worth noting especially if one has a freezer. At "Mercer Home Kills Ph 09 2326617, one can get part of a beast like at least a quarter share. For example, trecently got 1/4 of Highland Beef for $350. About 40 to 50 kilos of total meat share (worked out about a little over $7 a kilo includes top meats as well but went for sausages instead of salami.all meat is very lean. Actually, thinking of contacting them re other types of meats as well. But huge savings in long term if one can swing it, even putting your contact forward so if something came up then would suggest to go for it. Cheers.
kob,
Jul 2, 3:58am
thats a good price for beef we get 10 kilos for $110 and thats packaged labeled and ready to freeze its great, but although more in cost yours works out better
darlingmole,
Jul 2, 4:02am
wicked ~ again, so much support and ideas! I didn't have a lot of sucess with my last summer vege garden and right now nothing much is growing BUT! I will keep trying.I always save leftovers and make pies/soups/quiche/tortilla'- ;s with them.Any veges on the turn either go into stock or soup.Valentino that's a good idea about trying to live off $175 but with 5 teenagers who have hollow legs! it'd be pretty impossible! The mercer meat thing I'm going to discuss with hubby tonight as we have a freezer, so thanks for the heads up. Kob, have just made breadnbutter pudding and last night we had tinned fruit crumble.Would you post the self saucing choc pudding for me please! Love the idea about the toilet paper - we go so through so much I'd swear the kids eat that too! ha~! Tumbleweeds I will definately get my act together and freeze extra seasonal veges - brilliant idea for sure.And Guitarman - thanks for thinking I'm awesome *shyly smiles* . I think I'm just broke :-)
valentino,
Jul 2, 4:11am
darlingmole. for the first week go very hard on all the cheapest ways of doing things and I mean really HARD. those teenagers are nearing the time when they should be more aware of costs of living and would not hurt them to bite the bullet for aw eek or two within a few weeks knowing that benefits of such will be reaped later. Just adding further to assist your thoughts. Another thing, just made a huge batch of vege soup, about 18 litres, all in ice cream containers in the freezer. Costed me about $18 in all items and is highly concentrated. When one thaws each one, one will add a little bit more moisture and enough for 3 to 4 good helpings in each container. and it has Bacon bones flesh in it. In your case, this works out 9 very large meals and yummy with just fresh bread. Cheers.
kob,
Jul 2, 4:37am
darling mole I hear you on the hollow leg front the sscp recipe is 1 & 1/2 cups of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder,3/4 teaspoon of salt,1 & 1/2 tablespoons of cocoa, 3 tablespoons of melted butter ,3/4 cups of milk & a drop of vanilla ess, make this into a cake batter and pour into a large greased dish over the top sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cocoa, 1 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoopn of coffee, and carfeully pour over 1 & 3/4 cups of boiling water bake in a moderate oven for 60 mins.freezes well if you ever have any left, this microwaves perfectly the next day and tho appears to be dry(the next dry) once microwaved is moist as and delishes served with home made custard ,cream or just icecream.you may need to double this and make in a large roasting dish, but is a grand stanby
kob,
Jul 2, 4:41am
another good one is make a big potof thickcustard cook packet of pams flakey pastry rolled out to almost fit the oven slide, cook and then cool and cut in half, pour the pcustard over one half of the pastry and place lid on and then ice with a yummy white icing with a bit of passionfruit pulp in it or just a vanilla ess white icing set in fridge and i gaureentee you will have none left , it hards to discribe how to make it properly but im sure as a family cook you will get the jist of it, this is nice you can put a can of drained pineapple in the custard and this makes it even more special and cheap as chips only the pastry to buy at $1.99 plus home made ingredients for custarrd not to bad
bisloy,
Jul 2, 7:37am
Darlingmole, so sorry! Idiot-proof scones for you Melt 50g butter, let cool. Add 1 egg and beat. Make up to 1 3/4c with milk and mix well. Add 3c self raising and mix with a knife. Bake @ 230C for 10 mins. I use it to make pizza as well as many flavours of scones.
amourette,
Jul 2, 7:39am
HI all. If I added prunes to this instead of dates, do you think it would work.TIA. Off to do my supermarket shopping soon.wish me luck!
tumbleweeds2011,
Jul 2, 7:52am
Prunes would be nice I reckon especially if you had some orange rind with them. Let us know what they're like, I've got prunes in the fridge I must use.
babyluthi,
Jul 2, 8:11am
Apples for only 5$ box (18kg) I went to the greengrocer on Stanmore Road in Christchurch today and they are selling top quality apples at $5 per box (18kg).I bought a box and am currently bottling them right now.Hope this helps anyone living in Christchurch:)
helen59,
Jul 2, 9:00am
planning I have learned to meal plan and I am a special shopper from way back! I have learned that the trick is to plan a week ahead and shop 2 weeks ahead. What I mean is - I plan on Mon or Tues night for the week ahead (starting Sunday of the following week). But during that week I shop for meat for the following week. That means when I am planning I know what meat I have and what is in the cupboards. It sounds weird but now that I am in the swing of it - it works a treat. I have to admit I have a wee giggle sometimes as I sit and ponder what we are going to have in a fortnight!
evorotorua,
Jul 2, 6:19pm
I just have to say I love this board! I don't know any of you personally but I feel like we are all 'neighbours in the old fashioned sense' here. Everyone is getting in and supporting the other MBers. It is fantastic and I want you to know that there will be many other lurkers gaining a huge amount of knowledge and reassurance from your input in this thread. We are so lucky.
twinkletoads,
Jul 2, 6:39pm
Thats why I don't venture out onto the other boards. like General or Parenting.I think the recipe board attracts like minds.We either share the love of cooking. or the neccesity of cooking for a family in these times. I have met some of the lovely members on this board and they are just as lovely in real life!
kob,
Jul 2, 7:13pm
thanks we love to inspire people with our ideas for loads of reasons we too still budget I do and my chickadees have left home, but we have just paid out 000's to have the house painted and now want to renovate the kitchen so I need to replace those $ fast before that ideas gets channelled into something else, also we are planning to go to Aussie on a golfing holiday next year so all this takes money, so by cutting back on unneccessary packaged foods and creating home made goddess materiel meals we save a few pennies for our chossen goal and are much better off for it, we have had takeaways once in the last 3 weeks because we are getting into a prepare food statis and we always know what we are having that night without getting to Friday and thinking im stuffed lets have TA I have either something precooked or extremely easy and that in itself saves $25 per week and tastes heaps better I dont miss the TA apart from Non cooking of course, have a great day everyone
ange164,
Jul 2, 7:43pm
I am in a similar boat to darlingmole. Just re-assessed our budget and have $100 a week to feed me,hubby and toddler. That needs to cover nappies and formula etc as well. (I use cloth nappies days at home, disposables from nappies for less for nights and going out. casseroles and whole chooks and such are often in our diet.) I'm meeting with a free budget advisory service on tuesday to see if an outsider can help by seeing something in my budget that I cant. (sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees) I cried a little yesterday wondering how I was going to "put on" christmas for my family this year; then got a grip and reminded myself that we have everything we need and a whole lot of love.We'll get by.
raewyn64,
Jul 2, 9:18pm
Ange164 Two things for you. 1. My best friend years ago was on DPB. She budgetted a set amount for groceries each week and if she did not spend it all she would get the balance in vouchers which she saved for Christmas. Then she had some extra money for food at Christmas time. I know you might not be in that position but just a thought. 2. Can you use grapefruit! We have a big tree that is just starting to be ripe and DH can't have them as juice this year due to his diabetes. I am trying some recipes but we are going to have too many.
ange164,
Jul 2, 9:35pm
Hi raewyn64. The supermarket voucher idea is a good one. I'll do that as and when I can. My mum and dad are up oropi and mum has a large vege patch which produces too much for just her and dad. The digging is a bit hard for her these days;(nearly 65yrs) so I intend doing swapsies with her come spring. I'll work in the garden an hour a week when I go to visit, and we'll share the produce. She has numerous peach apple and fejoa trees etc too, so we have been sharing that bounty as the seasons come around. But I don't like to just "take take take" from her. She works so hard for what she has. I have spinach growing in pots but that's about it. "Johns produce" locally is a good place to go.As for grapfruit; thankyou; I'll gratefully accept some. If I save my milk bottles and get a 1.5 kilo of sugar, I can process some into syrup that will keep. It won't necessarily be cheaper than raro, but I'm sure it will be more nutritious.
ange164,
Jul 2, 9:52pm
thanks. I'm voting to remove your last message now so the thread doesn't get removed.
raewyn64,
Jul 2, 9:55pm
So true good thinking Ange. Can others please vote off my last message with my email details so we don't loe the whole thread. Sorry, I didn't think about that when I posted.
indy95,
Jul 2, 10:24pm
If you manage to spend a little less on groceries than you did last time you shopped or you have saved a few dollars on some really good specials try putting the amount saved away somewhere and seeing if you can add to it say, over a month. I realise this is just about impossible for some people but even 50 cents or $1 at a time can mean there is a little put asidefor a small treat which will help make life look a bit better.
darlingmole,
Jul 2, 10:39pm
Strewth Ange - $100 and it's gota include formula which is, at cheapest, $14.Just a thought but what about contact the local Salvation Army.They are such awesome people.They helped me when I was in a really dark place (emotionally and financially) and were both practical and supportive; sorted me out a budget amongst other things.And is there a "Nappies 4 Less" shop down where you are! because they are so much cheaper than the supermarket.I feel for you because my 16 month old still has 2 bottles a day (which I'm trying to wean her from slowly) but she's switched to cows milk which I'm trying to use just as a "drink" rather than a meal if you know how I mean .
ange164,
Jul 2, 10:49pm
I may do that too thanks darlingmole. yes, we use the $14 formula; I'm considering switching her to cows milk with complan instead. At least that's only $8 a box. She's 17 months, but such a little eater I prefer her to have the added nutrients. Yes, I use nappies for less. I'm the youngest of 5, my good old fashioned ma did teach me to budget. If it were entirely my choice I'd scrap the broad band, and the cask of wine each week, but those two pleasures are Hubby's only solace from a job he dislikes strongly. I can't take them away from him. I might have to if the budget person can't help; but I'll do my loving best to keep them for him.
gildon,
Jul 3, 2:51am
darlingmole I have been racking my old brain to try and remember some of the things my mother used to do during the war to make a little bit of meat etc. go further (it was all severely rationed)One thing I do remember is a large pot of stewing steak (gravy beef would be OK too) with veges etc. thrown in and about 15 mins before serving adding dumplings, or doughboys as some people call them.Any scone mix should be OK to use - add lots of parsley if you have any and like it.We all loved them and would argue over who was having the last dumpling rather than who was getting the meat!If I have any further flashbacks I will post them here.Good luck.
darlingmole,
Jul 3, 3:21am
thanks for the gildon - I made a pot of vegetable soup and then posted a thread on here asking for "dough boy/dumpling" recipe because I've never made them!It's a great idea - will use a scone recipe (the idiot proof one kindly posted to me on here) and add parsely as that's about the only thing growing in my garden at the moment :-)
gildon,
Jul 3, 3:25am
Yes, the idiot-proof scone recipe would be ideal Add plenty of salt and pepper too.In fact I think you could just use flour, baking powder, s & P and the parsley.Don't skimp on the baking pdr aw they need to be nice and light.The idiot-proof scones have an egg in them, so keep that for someone's breakfast, lol.
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