The charcoal challenge bbq

I have posted before that I was going to take part in the money supermarket's charcoal challenge. We had our bbq yesterday.

For the food I have spent the last couple of weeks collecting up the items needed as and when I saw them on offer and stashed any with short life in the freezer.

we had bread rolls, finger and burger brought in the reduced section for 19p a packet instead of 50+p
We had sausages bought on offer.
The chicken breasts for the kebabs were bought on offer- 2kg for £3.50, as were the mixed drumsticks and thighs for around the same price. The marinades were bought from approved foods.
we also had salads, dips and crisps, chicken nuggets and sausage rolls again all *special priced*
I bought the soft drinks on special offer we had coke and lemonade. I usually don't buy cans however the big boxes were on offer at £4 in Asda so I bought a couple of those. I made the cakes myself, we had iced muffins and mini Victoria sandwichs.
The only thing I didn't managed to buy either reduced or on offer was the burgers. I ended up buying a box of premium priced burgers £4 for 12 as there seemed to be no supermarket ones when I went on Friday to one supermarket then Saturday to another as I had forgotten them in the lead up to the bbq shopping.

I am sure there was more but I can't remember what, oh the charcoals for the barbecue were also on offer at  2 bags for £8.

How many did this little haul feed? 9 adults and 7 children. We all had more than enough food, in fact there are some leftovers which I will eat up over the next few days.

So the best way to get the value for money for a bbq is to plan in advance and pick up offers when you see them. However please remember that this is England and if you plan a bbq this will happen about half hour before everyone is due to arrive;

Yep I had been sitting in beautiful sunshine all morning. So got out everything for the bbq and this came over bringing rain and thunder and lightning just as the first guests were arriving. I through everything back in the shed and declared it an oven-cue instead. However in ten minutes the sun had come back out. So out we headed and did indeed have our bbq.

As we were finishing eating and were sitting around chatting, the children were putting on shows for us. they got the facepaints out and we had a facepaint fight, as you do! LOL

 

Then the rain and thunder came back. So did we run in scared, don't be silly. we danced in it and puddle jumped!

 

What a fantastic time we all had.

 

THIS IS MY ENTRY INTO THE CHARCOAL CHALLENGE FOR MONEY SUPERMARKET.

 

 

The charcoal challenge

I have been given the opportunity to take part in the charcoal challenge over at money supermarket.

So I have to throw a frugal barbecue and blog about it. the easiest way I see so far to throw a frugal barbecue is planning. Now we can't plan for the weather, but hopefully it will play along for us!
We have chosen our barbecue to be on Saturday 27th July. This is because we already had plans for this weekend, Stephanie is off to her Dad's next weekend. So the next one we are all home and is not booked up is the 27th. It also gives me a chance to collect what I need. Things that I see from our 'bbq want list' in the reduced section of the supermarkets will be collected over the next couple of weeks and put in the freezer.

So what is on our want list?

Bread rolls; round and finger. I have 1 pack of round ones put away ready.
Burgers
sausages
chicken drumsticks/wings
chicken breast for making kebabs
salad
couscous- already in the cupboard thanks to approved foods
garlic bread- in the freezer already bought in reduced section yesterday
fizzy drinks
squash
alcohol will be supermarket version of the WKD, unless promotions make the real thing better value
charcoal bricks for the BBQs, bought on offer yesterday
paper plates, I already have some in the back of a cupboard somewhere may need more which will get a pack in Poundland, and cups
BBQ skewers
Ice cream- I already have wafers and sprinkles in the cupboard- thanks to approved food.


I think that is everything. The meats I will be getting from the butchers on payday. I need to restock the freezer so I will buy our meat for the next couple of months at the same time meaning I will get a good discount. I don't know the cost until I get to the butchers. I will let you know when I have been.

This barbecue is for a guest list of 18 in total. Lets see how far I can stretch those pennies! Expect another post once I have been shopping, then another once the event has been pulled off. I love to throw a get together this challenge has provided me with a perfect opportunity.

Bucket list

I have been thinking about my 'bucket list' of things I would really like to do for a while, I was emailed the other day by Emma over at moneysupermarket about a competition they are running to give one lucky winner £1000 towards their dream item, and runners up £50. So I see no long to delay any longer!
Here some my bucket list;

Top of expensive things I would love to do is to

take the children to Disneyland at Christmas, and sleep in a hotel there- before Stephanie is too old to still believe in Santa. This really is something I need to do ASAP bearing in mind she is at the age when Dylan stopped believing.  Money is the main object from me being able to do this. Especially as my car is seriously poorly, so the little I had saved towards this looks like it is going to be swallowed to get a new one. So this is highly likely to be something not achieved.

A budget thing we would like to do;
Go camping in Cornwall for a couple of weeks during this years summer holidays. We would spend time making the most of beaches, local walks and our English heritage/national trust memberships. Even this is looking unlikely to happen this summer as we had originally planned. Again due to the car situation. We may not have a car for the summer holidays to be able to get the tent etc to Cornwall.



Other things I would like to do;
Go to Spain/Italy/ somewhere hot for a holiday, just because we have never been anywhere like this.
Go to Lapland.
go to Ireland
Run a marathon
climb Snowdon again, hopefully in some better weather than when I did before!
buy a new car
buy a house
go to Scotland
Learn to dance
Take both children to Chessington for the day
Go to the art gallery I went to on a staff development day recently as I would like time to look around properly
Have a BIG party for family/friends


Oh I am sure there are many more things. I will probably add to this list as I think of more things.


I have been asked to add the links to 3 other bloggers I think may be interested, I hope this is ok with each of you.

1.frugalista
2.Astra
3. Compostwoman

Kids Grow Wild

This is an entry for Britmums' #KidsGrowWild challenge.

Yesterday we went to the post office retrieval place, I had missed a  parcel on Thursday but as they shut before I finish work I had to leave it there until the weekend. Not easy as I didn't know what it was, and I am hopeless at waiting for surprises! I also knew I had not ordered anything as I am really trying hard to curb my spending.

As soon as I saw the box I remembered, I had entered to join in with the Moneysupermarket and Britmums' kids grow wild challenge. This was my box of goodies to help with this. So I called Stephanie down to open the parcel, not telling her what I expected to be inside.

 Mum there is a letter in here! Along with the letter there was a gardening bag, which contained a watering can, a hand trowel, a hand fork, a pair of gardening gloves and three packets of flower seeds. A perfect gardening kit for any child.

 

 Being the avid reader that she is, she set to reading the gardening tips page included in the package. this has useful ideas for how you can use the contents of the package with your child, for example making a scrapbook to follow the process of growing your seeds. About encouraging your child to read the instructions and lead the way in following the process of planting by asking prompting questions. The one I am really taken with trying is growing a bean seed so that you can see the roots etc form. I am going to do this one with her today.

So after Stephanie had read the sheet I asked what she would like to do. She immediately put on some shoes, the gloves from the gardening bag, which she also picked up and went outside. No words but that simple response showed me she wanted to get planting!

 

I gave her some empty planters to use and went and dug some compost out of the bin. Here Stephanie is reading the seed packet for what she needs to do.

Sprinkling the seeds into her pot.

Getting a little help from big brother to fill the watering can from the water butt.

Once Stephanie had finished planting her seeds I gave her the choice of several places in the garden to form her garden. She chose along the fence where I don't have any pots already. We moved them in to place together ready for watering. I also gave Stephanie a couple of my strawberry plants I had growing, as she loves strawberries and so that she has something immediately to be taking care of, so that she doesn't become bored waiting for the other seeds to grow.

Here she is admiring her hard work.

 

I have a feeling that this is going to become something that really interests her over the summer.

 

 

30 ways to save £1

I have seen this pop up on several of the blogs I follow today and decided it is too good an opportunity to pass up.

The money supermarket are paying bloggers to post their money saving tips to celebrate the 30th birthday of the British pound coin. You can read more about it here.

So without further ado here are my 30 tips:

1. Menu plan, before you go shopping take a look in the fridge, freezer and cupboards build a menu around these then only shop for the extras you may need. Don't buy anything else.
2. Look in the reduced sections of the supermarket, lots of bargains can be had by arriving at the right time. The right time depends on your supermarket and what you need, I find in ours meats go on reduced in the morning, bread etc the evening. So shop at the best time for what you need.
3. Grow your own, you can grow your own in small containers especially if like me you have a small garden.
4. Take on an allotment, I pay £50 per year on my allotment. On it I grow my fruit and vegetables. I also have 2 apple trees, a pear tree and a damson tree. All of which were added by a previous tenant so cost me nothing but I get so much fruit from them I preserve as much as I can and also give a lot away to friends and family.
5. Borrow. Some things are unnecessary to buy they are not used that often. I borrow books from the library, a carpet cleaner from my sister, large tools from my uncle, DVD's from friends. Don't forget to lend what you have too I lend out various things depending on what I have that people need.
6. buy second hand. I buy many things from charity shops, eBay, amazon traders, friends. I always try and get anything we need second hand before shelling out for new.
7. Swap trades. I get my hair cut for free sometimes by a friend, I try and help her out by looking after her children when she needs help.
8. make do and mend. I always try to repair things before replacing them. Clothes, teddies and bedding are things I have repaired recently in my house and in friends/ families homes. I'm often passed things that need a quick stitch by two of my nephews. If you don't know how to fix it ask help from relatives/friends. Stephanie's bed was broken the other day, I was unsure how best to fix it so my uncle came and did it for me. Saved me £xxx on a new bed.
9. upcycle. I have made clothes for Stephanie out of my old worn/ stained clothes. I recently made some birthday presents out of past mending/ no longer fitting clothes, for Stephanie's school friends.
10. Walk. Don't drive short journeys, it saves on fuel and helps keep you healthy.
11. Look for alternative parking. I recently discovered I could save several pounds on parking at the top of a cliff and following the footpath down. It took me 5 minutes to walk and gave some stunning views I would otherwise have missed.
12. Go to the park rather than indoor play places. Indoor places are very pricey these days nearly £10 per child in some places. Get some fresh air instead and visit a park.
13. Join places you love. We have English heritage and national trust membership as we love to visit these places. I can save the cost of the membership by visiting twice a year. See here for costs saved during a recent trip.
14. book last minute. Save your money for a few months before you want to go away and then book last minute. We recently saved £190 by booking our holiday a few days before we went. I paid less than a third of the price advertised.
15. use online codes to get money off of purchase. A quick Internet search can bring up all sorts of vouchers to save.
16. use discount food shops such as approved foods to bulk buy foods you use.
17. When shopping for clothes or household goods try and wait until the sales. Then have a good look at the clothes to make sure they are going to stand up to being worn a lot. Quality is important.
18. swap parties. When you have clothes that no longer fit/ you don't like get a group of friends together and swap. A new wardrobe and no cost.
19. take a pack up. Don't buy food when you are out, plan ahead and either time trips so that they are not at meal times or make a pack up to take with you.
20. Have a reusable bottle and fill with drink whenever you leave the house. I use an old water bottle and refill that, or you could buy a specific drinks container.
21. If you see something on a whim while out shopping, don't buy it on impulse. Do you other shopping and then come back to it, or even better go home and if you still think you need it a few days later then go and buy it.
22. bootfairs; use these to buy goods but also to sell things you no longer use. We have a clear out each year of clothes/ toys outgrown which we bootfair and then use this money for a camping trip in the summer holidays.
23. Get a tent. Camping is MUCH cheaper than hotels. I also find we enjoy camping holidays much more. We camp in quiet sites, usually they are cheaper. And we benefit from the detox of screens. We camp without electricity  (this also saves money as pitches with electric hook up are usually more money.)so there is no point in buying a portable DVD player etc etc.
24. trade down your car. I used to have a larger car it cost more on insurance, tax and fuel. I now have a small car and it is more economical in all of these areas.
25. Keep you car well maintained. By keeping oil levels etc at the correct level your car will be in better condition. Also keeping tyres correctly inflated means that you use less fuel.
26. Use a slow cooker, they are incredibly cheap to run saving on energy costs. Also as food is cooked slowly cheaper cuts of meat cook so that they are more tender in the slow cooker than a conventional oven.
27. Shop around. Don't accept the renewal costs of car insurance without looking around. I always check out several of the comparison websites find which companies are coming out cheaper. And then go direct to them. I have always found I can lower the quote even more by doing this.
28. Get to know your butcher! I have recently done this and found that by buying larger quantities of meat from him I get  a massive discount. I spent £90 a couple months back and still am less than half way through the meat I bought.
29. Batch cook. I cook larger portions than we need and freezer in portion sized containers. These make great ready meals on days when I have meetings at work, and days when I just can't be bothered. This saves money on supermarket read meals/ take aways.
30. Fill your oven. When using the oven try and cook several items at once to make the most use of all that heat. you can cook several days meals at once, cook cakes for packed lunches etc to make the most of the heat. I also fill up the steamer when cooking veg, I then get 2 or 3 days worth of veg cooked at once saving on energy costs, as they just need a minute or 2 to heat in the microwave the next day.

So there you have my top 30 money saving tips. Which of these do you use? Do you have any others I could use and improve my frugality?