! All a bit weird! Mcardnas, I don't really see why the obvious resentment for someone who has only asked for a bit of cooking advice, on a messageboard you obviously came to for some inspiration also. I don't get it! If Darlingmole had not started the thread it would have been someone else in a similar situation. Would it have made you feel happier with your lot if someone had started a thread with 'I can't feed my children, what do I do!'
mcardnas,
Jul 15, 2:12am
you dont see the resentment because there is noNE!
mcardnas,
Jul 15, 2:14am
and ps im very happy with *my lot * thanks as little as itis .
toadfish,
Jul 15, 7:10pm
Replied to KOB in budgeting thread re customer service.
toadfish,
Jul 15, 7:15pm
Just my 2 cents worth Mcardanus. When you came into the thread with "oh poor you!"In my opinion your tone was off. This is a great thread full of support. we are all in different situations. for different reasons.So good luck with your obviously very tight budget. The way I look at it if everyone is happy & healthy, then stretching our meals so suit our $$$ is the least of our worries. Lets keep this great thread supportive.
tumbleweeds2011,
Jul 15, 10:38pm
I was thinking about you Mcardnus I think all the women on here could relate to where you are coming from. When times are hard its often the women who are hard pushed to try and make ends meet, we do get down about how things are for us. Its a horrible situation and many of us have been there, survived it - God knows how, but we are wiser for it (in some areas!). All we try and do is help others that are struggling, and darlingmole has done the same. Appreciate the board for what it is, use it and maybe take something from it. Toadfish is so right in saying this is a wonderful community full of great support, especially for someone who is struggling, regardless of who she is, or whose struggle is the greatest. It bothered me that your posting was outright rude to darlingmole, but I also feel for you in that you are finding things hard also, I hope in some small way this thread, and the others like it, help you. We are all friends here :)
chris283,
Jul 15, 10:44pm
wrong time of year to grow your own unless you have greenhouse, plant veges day after labour day for best results, get a couple of chooks for fresh eggs 2 are easy to look after and you can let them dig the garden over the winter (will encourage them to lay in the off season) buy at the local farmers market and butcher and by the budget brands in supermartket and you will feed for under 200 easy, plus bake your own biscuts cakes etc - so so much cheaper.
kob,
Jul 15, 11:06pm
i have started a quick pick bag for the freezer for my lunches at the moment it contains 4 pumpkin soup, 4 leef kumera & parsley soups, 1 chicken noodle soup , 4 lasagne squares ,muffins frozen in bags of 4's and this avo im going to make pizzas to go in there as well, there are a couple of unidentifies objects ( i think one might be chowmein & the other chicken or beef stew)in there in unlabeled containers but I have been stuck with gravy and toast for lunch before LOL so I will research those furthur before I take them with me all homemade of course,and cheap as chips to make and with a yoghurt or a muesli bar make for a cheap work lunch just grab a frozen what ever out and pop it in the microwave for lunch, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR WORK LUNCHES
toadfish,
Jul 16, 1:16am
I had a spare 20 mins this morning so I turned a bag of lemons from the Rotorua Swapmeet ($2) into 4 x zest & juice portions for "Brown rice salad"and 2 x portions for Hummus.I don't know anyone who has a groaning lemon tree locally. so if anyone reads this and has one in Howick please let me know.I used to "borrow" them from my neighbours but it was getting to the embarrasing stage and they wern't particualary prolific trees.When asked to take the brown rice salad its always the lack of lemons that put me off and I hate paying lots of $$$ for 1 at the shops.So I am all ready now!
raewyn64,
Jul 16, 1:20am
a great surprise I was just cleaning through my purse and came across my $15 voucher from Countdown/Woolworths for using the OneCard. I had put it in my purse to use and forgotten it - fortunately it doesn't expire until 23 July. So next week's groceries are going to cost me $15 less - wahoo!
toadfish,
Jul 16, 1:23am
My lunch standby. I brought a cheap toasted sandwich maker for work ($20 warehouse for a sharp one - work paid even!) Now my grab quickly lunches is 2 slices of bread and an egg and I make an egg toastie. I also have what I call an "Emergency" lunch in the freezer at work for days when I wasn't planning on being there past lunch.This is 2 slices of bread with brown pickle and grated cheese. it lasts a few months in the freezer and is delicious in the toasted sandwich maker with a cup of soup (which I also make sure I always have a packet at work)With the toasted sandwich maker you could take cans of beans, spaghetti, creamed corn. and a loaf of bread in the frezer. easy and cheap as, even if you have to make the original outlay yourself for the sandwich maker.I also freeze homemade soup in Peanut butter or Jam Jars. perfect size for a "soup for one" but at a fraction of the commercial priced one.
toadfish,
Jul 16, 1:28am
snap raewyn64 I brought a $20 gift voucher to take my shopping from $180 to $200 last week to qualify me for 10c off my petrol instead of 6c.So this week I am going to spend my voucher. yippee as I have just spent $95 on a sack of Iams and $95 at the vet for the 2 pussies annual jabs, checks etc.Re the Iams catfood. by buying the 9kg sack it takes the daily feed price from 84c to 64c. So I am saving 40c a day for my 2. Not sure how that compares with budget supremarket canned foods. but thats one thing we have haven't changed when budgeting. And its so easy. they just graze.
darlingmole,
Jul 16, 1:46am
went to the local vege shop and bought a big box of overly ripe old tomatoes and managed to make 9 decent sized jars of homemade italian sauce from it!That's a whopping saving from paying for even the cheapo stuff at the grocery store.Then there was this large bag of spinach for $1.00 which I washed and froze and now put in my pasta sauce (kids ask what it is and I simpley reply "it's what the recipe calls for to make it authentic" . can't dazzle them brillance! baffle them with bull!)Still great ideas on here.I've got a friend who gave me big bag of lemons - didn't occur to me to freeze them Toady so that's a good idea for me!Although I made lemon honey which everyone loves
kob,
Jul 16, 4:00am
got a phone call from kfc this avo to profussely apologize for the poor service on Friday night, and to offer me a voucher for a free meal if I am willing to give them another chance.i explained it wasnt really a critcism as a kick in the pants and to wake upas with Maccas opening they will loss customers with there unfriendly service and slack food, so i get the chance to have af ree meal on kfc and see if that is any different
darlingmole,
Jul 16, 6:54am
kob, truely, and this going back a few years KFC is always had the absolutly WORST reputation for service (personally I don't eat the stuff - the way they blast the food with fat terrifies my arteries!) but my friends like it but continually complain about the time it takes, the lake of courtesty, cold food, unfresh food etc . I'm amazed the place continues to operate!
kob,
Jul 16, 6:29pm
well that is waht i told the manager who rang me not to take it as a complaint but as a friendly wake the f**k up because in TAihape we are food central every second shop is a food place so if your not offereing that service people walk and we have a brand new macca being built and opening on 21 Aug so if the are ot carfull they will have no customers, when i commented on the state of their uniforms and no smile etc etc she said its a very hard thing to get staff to be proud of where they work and about their jobs so she said she would have a staff metting on Fri and try and perk everyone up, so my voucher use will determine whether i wait there again I dont eat it we had chinese order for me & 2 kids but that was cold by the time we picked it up cause of the long wait.so $40 wasted
darlingmole,
Jul 16, 8:00pm
I'd probs wait until after the staff meeting and then see if there's an improvement.We don't get takeaways except for may be Christmas holidays and grab some hot-chips at the beach (the sheer numbers makes it too expensive) so MY idea of takeaways is homemade burgers'n'wedges that someone else makes! but normally it's me.And on the very rare occassion that all the teenagers are away and the littles are in bed my husband will sometimes get us a kebab (and boy that seems a long time ago!)
hott-mama,
Jul 17, 9:33am
what a fantastic thread . full of great ideas . thanks to all those who have contributed to it . it has been of great benefit to me and Im sure countless others . loved your post #163 tumbleweeds . I agree with your sentiments . lets keep it positive . we're all in the same boat afterall . unfortunately I dont have much to contribute by way of ideas but wanted to say thanks to those who have shared theirs and inspired others . =)
lynneandella,
Jul 18, 6:43am
darling mole. I can provide you with free bakery bread once a fortnight if you collect it from me in Browns Bay. I get given it free and I keep some and currently have 2 friends I give it away to aswell.I have more than the 3 of us and our little tribes need. it would probably be about a banana box full of loaves and rolls etc. do you have freezer space for some and would you be interested!
darlingmole,
Jul 18, 7:26am
wow lynneandella ~ sounds cool bananas :-) leave ur addy ur prof and I'll contact u
lynneandella,
Jul 18, 7:29am
I will make you a 50 cent auction. right now and hit the buy now. will label it darlingmole.
Also what ur prof! lol
darlingmole,
Jul 18, 7:31am
oh sorry - tied up with kids (again) prof is profile
lynneandella,
Jul 18, 7:32am
lol I have listed an auction for 50 cents already so hit the buy now and we can sort it out =)
lynneandella,
Jul 18, 7:52am
My email has gone all funny got 2 of your emails and now my computer is trying to open a diff program or something! WIll keep trying lol
perthlot,
Jul 18, 2:26pm
A Great cheap meal I have a huge lasagna pan - same size as a tinfoil from supermarket.
400 gms mince (budget) 2 grated carrots 300 gms any pasta 1 jar any on special tomato (Like Dolmios) mix - use tinned tomatoes and add some spices! 1c peas 1 onion 2 cheese sauce mixes (or make your own) Put all into pan. Cover with cheese sauce. Cover with grated cheese - minimal - spread it out or use with breadcrumbs also to save on cheese. Bake 180 for 1 1/2 hrs. Feeds 8
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.