Looking back at the first quarter of the year- we spent NOTHING on heating (except for a bit of electric for the chainsaw to cut wood). We spent NOTHING on CDs, DVDs, Entertainment systems, satellite TV subscriptions, electronic games and similar gadgety toys. ( unless you count the new digital camera for my Birthday- I'm not counting that - It's a necessity for blogging after all !!!) We spent NOTHING on haircuts ( we do it ourselves), make up, smelly 'products' and similar things ( except for unscented soap +shampoo and deodorant from Poundland). We spent NOTHING on Take-away meals or eating out. We spent NOTHING on newspapers. We spent NOTHING on things for the garden unless they were connected with growing food. We spent NOTHING on Days out or Holidays.We spent NOTHING on jewellery or watches. We spent NOTHING on gadgets for the kitchen. We spent NOTHING on new books ( although I've found several secondhand and borrowed dozens from the library) We spent NOTHING on keeping up with the Jones' ( or keeping up with anyone else for that matter.)
BUT on the other hand we spent a lot on doing the recreation room, shower and toilet on the campsite, Too much on things for the smallholding, quite a lot on new chickens, chicken feed and 1500 egg boxes. And Far Too much on running the gas guzzling 4 wheel drive that we have to have for pulling a trailer to collect and deliver all the smallholding things that we do!
What are the things other frugalers out there spend nothing on, so that they can do the things they chose?
Now I'm down off my soapbox again, I will get back to normal and tell you about our Saturday here in Suffolk. I was busy in the kitchen doing these things in the picture. 6 boxes of pizza topping to go in the freezer. This is made with 3 tins of tomatoes - without their juice- 4 smallish onions (home grown) chopped fine, a good squirt of tomato puree, teaspoon sugar and pepper and oregano (home grown and dried). Total cost about £1.10p I reckon ( onions are free as we sold enough last autumn to cover the cost of the onion sets.)The onions are softened in a little oil then add the tomatoes and mash them up add the rest and cook until thick.
The juice from the tinned tomatoes was used along with a small onion, a grated carrot and some of the outside sticks from a head of celery plus squirt of tom.puree and a little flour to thicken, water and lots of seasoning to make a big saucepan of tomato soup. Which seemed like a good idea with the weather turning back to cold, grey and wet today.
Finally I mixed up a good lot of crumble topping to put in the freezer ready to make Him Outside all the desserts he likes to eat, with all the lovely fruit we grow. An hour or so well spent I think.
Meanwhile Him Outside was busy weeding while it was dry and sorting out the jeep and workshop when it rained.
We have one crop that was damaged by the high winds - the cougettes. Despite covering with fleece they look very sad with several broken leaves, not sure how many plants out of the 18 will survive. Will look again in a few days to see how they are doing. I still have 4 more plants in the greenhouse waiting in case we lost any and there are always plenty of plants for sale at carboot sales if we do need replacements. Courgettes are one of the things we grow to sell as they are so easy to pick and pack.
Car boot sale tomorrow - weather permitting!
