And now for some more shoe porn...
£29 reduced from £129! at John Lewis, click here to buy. It seems that new stock is added almost daily on the John Lewis website.
What Our Food Budget Looks Like In 2026
8 months ago
Saturday, January 9, 2010
River Island cut their sale prices by another 50% and more bargain shoes!
There isn't much left online, although my daughter managed to get loads for £52 yesterday, but if you can get instore, River Island have cut their sale prices by another 50%. Loads of things for £5 and hopefully the snow will mean that not many people are going out to snap up the bargains. To get a look at a selection of things bought by a fellow blogger, Tor at Fab Frocks, click here.
And now for some more shoe porn...
£29 reduced from £129! at John Lewis, click here to buy. It seems that new stock is added almost daily on the John Lewis website.
And now for some more shoe porn...
£29 reduced from £129! at John Lewis, click here to buy. It seems that new stock is added almost daily on the John Lewis website.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
What a bargain at Kurt Geiger!
Was £120 now £29
I did say with so many Sales on at the moment that I wasn't going to Blog about individual ones, but I have changed my mind now I have seen the Kurt Geiger sale. My daughter has just bought both these amazing shoes with massive reductions, both down to only £29 per pair plus an extra 10% off for today only by entering promotion code COSYTOES at checkout, so be quick, there is sure to be a pair to float your boat, or what about grabbing a pair of classic winter boots with a great reduction? She got free delivery as well, so a total of £52.20 for both pairs - amazing!
was £110 now £29
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Wardrobe Staple - Sales Update
The Fashion slot on "This Morning" just covered sale shopping, for investment dressing on pieces that will see you through to Spring.
They did a jeans, white shirt and Trench Coat combo outfit, classic pieces mentioned in my previous post, but I was amazed by the Trench which was from Reiss and in the classic stone colourway and was reduced from £245 to £75. I have checked the Reiss website and unfortunately it is not on there, you would need to buy it instore, but be quick as at that price, it is not going to hang around for long!
Meanwhile I did see a lovely pair of evening shoes on their site. I usually always recommend going for black or a metallic colour as bronze, gold or silver go with everything and these fab shoes are reduced from £139 to £42! With their black trim you could team with a black or gold clutch and gold jewellery.
www.reiss.co.uk
They did a jeans, white shirt and Trench Coat combo outfit, classic pieces mentioned in my previous post, but I was amazed by the Trench which was from Reiss and in the classic stone colourway and was reduced from £245 to £75. I have checked the Reiss website and unfortunately it is not on there, you would need to buy it instore, but be quick as at that price, it is not going to hang around for long!
Meanwhile I did see a lovely pair of evening shoes on their site. I usually always recommend going for black or a metallic colour as bronze, gold or silver go with everything and these fab shoes are reduced from £139 to £42! With their black trim you could team with a black or gold clutch and gold jewellery.
www.reiss.co.uk
Its going to be a long old month
I was very interested to see Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert on GMTV this morning, especially as his slot was going to be about getting through January for those that are monthly paid and were paid early before Xmas, meaning that they may have to make Decembers salary last for a very long six weeks.
I was then very dissapointed when he said "don't spend money you don't have" "don't go out, do your supermarket shop and come home and watch t.v. each evening". So not much there that we didn't already know about then! I don't know what I was expecting really, everything he says is common sense that most of us already know but often need to hear it from others and as much as we may be doing what he suggests, there are always unexpected expenses.
January Birthdays
This is a complete Bummer if you are broke, but on the upside, you can usually manage to buy something in the sales and save up to 50% or more on whatever you decide to buy. Do speak to the Birthday Girl/Boy as often we sit and panic and wonder what on earth we can buy when people have just received Christmas Gifts, but you would be surprised. This year my husband got no slippers or aftershave and I only got one pair of pyjamas but need more, so do pick a few brains to see if any specific items would be gratefully received.
Fuel Expenses
This cold snap will be causing all kinds of difficulties for people who have key meters to pay for their Gas and Electric, whereas people who pay their bills quarterly or by direct debit won't see the effects as instantly, although could still struggle to pay their next bill or have their Direct Debits increased because of this. No matter what method of payment you use, it still makes sense to try and use as little as possible and the best way to do this is as follows:-
1. If you are out at work all day do set your timer for heating. Half hour before you get up and then off when you leave and half an hour before you are due home and off again at bedtime.
2. If you have rooms that are not used i.e. spare bedrooms or dining rooms etc, either turn the radiators off or down very low and keep the doors shut.
3. Take showers instead of baths.
4. Tin Foil behind radiators does effectively, reflect heat back into the room.
5. Treat draughts with Draught excluder or if on a tight budget, put curtains up over doors and use old towels at the bottom, anything to keep the warmth in.
6. Do advise old folk to go to bed in socks and even a hat. Don't forget the hot water bottle either! Lots of old people are afraid to heat their homes, even those that can afford it.
7. Cut the cost of de-icer on your windscreen by laying an old towel or pieces of cardboard/newspaper, over the screen at night.
Any other ideas you may have to help us get through January, please leave a comment!
I was then very dissapointed when he said "don't spend money you don't have" "don't go out, do your supermarket shop and come home and watch t.v. each evening". So not much there that we didn't already know about then! I don't know what I was expecting really, everything he says is common sense that most of us already know but often need to hear it from others and as much as we may be doing what he suggests, there are always unexpected expenses.
January Birthdays
This is a complete Bummer if you are broke, but on the upside, you can usually manage to buy something in the sales and save up to 50% or more on whatever you decide to buy. Do speak to the Birthday Girl/Boy as often we sit and panic and wonder what on earth we can buy when people have just received Christmas Gifts, but you would be surprised. This year my husband got no slippers or aftershave and I only got one pair of pyjamas but need more, so do pick a few brains to see if any specific items would be gratefully received.
Fuel Expenses
This cold snap will be causing all kinds of difficulties for people who have key meters to pay for their Gas and Electric, whereas people who pay their bills quarterly or by direct debit won't see the effects as instantly, although could still struggle to pay their next bill or have their Direct Debits increased because of this. No matter what method of payment you use, it still makes sense to try and use as little as possible and the best way to do this is as follows:-
1. If you are out at work all day do set your timer for heating. Half hour before you get up and then off when you leave and half an hour before you are due home and off again at bedtime.
2. If you have rooms that are not used i.e. spare bedrooms or dining rooms etc, either turn the radiators off or down very low and keep the doors shut.
3. Take showers instead of baths.
4. Tin Foil behind radiators does effectively, reflect heat back into the room.
5. Treat draughts with Draught excluder or if on a tight budget, put curtains up over doors and use old towels at the bottom, anything to keep the warmth in.
6. Do advise old folk to go to bed in socks and even a hat. Don't forget the hot water bottle either! Lots of old people are afraid to heat their homes, even those that can afford it.
7. Cut the cost of de-icer on your windscreen by laying an old towel or pieces of cardboard/newspaper, over the screen at night.
Any other ideas you may have to help us get through January, please leave a comment!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Creating a Capsule wardrobe on a Budget and utilising the Sales
With all the Sales on at the moment, I haven't bothered to post on them individually but having a fellow blogger ask for advice on the pieces needed to help build a capsule wardrobe, I have decided to list the things I consider to be basic wardrobe staples and there is no better time to buy these pieces whether they be high end investment purchases or from the High Street, this is what the sales should really be used for!
Trench coat or Mac
LBD - little black dress.
Jeans - various styles, skinny for tucking in boots, bootcut, etc dark denim looks smarter and pale denim flared styles and white look nice for summer.
Cashmere - check out supermarkets for v or crew neck style jumpers.
White shirt
T-shirts an assortment of white, black and grey in both short and long sleeve.
Flat black boots
Black ballet pumps
Black or metallic coloured heels
Black leather gloves (I got mine in Tesco for £4 in sale about 2 years ago)
Neural scarf
Don't forget these items are only intended to form the basis of a capsule wardrobe and you can add a "pop" of colour with accessories or pretty tops etc.
A working wardrobe might include smart black trousers.
Leggings and Jeggings are also a safe bet, great for wearing with boots and warmer under dresses than tights.
Don't forget that Denim and Leather jackets are also items that are great investment pieces as can be worn year after year.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Ham Hash Cakes - more things to do with leftovers
I am always on the look out for tasty and nutrious recipes using leftovers and I saw this one for Ham Hash cakes in a recent edition of my Mums Best magazine.
All it consists of is mash potato, sprouts (both of which can be leftovers) and ham (an ideal way to use cooked meats going out of date). You just dice the ham and mix all three ingredients together, shape into flat cakes and fry in olive oil until crisp, brown and piping hot.
Don't forget that although sprouts are in abundance at this time of year, you can replace them with any left over veg, carrots, cabbage etc will be just as tasty!
It is also a take on the Tuna Fish Cakes I make, from a Sainsburys recipe from their "feed your family for a fiver" selection of dishes which is just tuna, mash and spring onions.
One of my favourite dinners of the year is our Boxing Day meal of cold turkey, bread sauce, mash and pickles along with any sausages wrapped in bacon or sausagemeat and stuffing balls, that may be left over aswell. This year we turned all the leftover veg into a traditional bubble and squeak with a difference, by mashing roughly in a baking tray and topping with grated cheese before popping into a hot oven. It was really tasty and don't forget these kind of meals shouldn't be just for the festive season, as they save you money and cut down on waste at any time of year.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Seeing the New Year in with a Bang!
Firstly Happy New Year to you all, although I am seriously worried that the way mine started will set a trend for things to come throughout 2010!
First up, I put a load of washing on, on NYE as I went to bed and when I got up on NYD, opened the machine to find the clothes still soaking wet. A couple of hours later when I had tried everything from draining, spinning to re-washing, it became apparent that the Drum is not moving. My daughter stepped in and took the washing to hers and bought it back later for me to dry. I went to iron it last night and on the first garment the Iron went bang and blew up!
I need to weigh up the pro's and con's of getting the washing machine repaired or to buy a new one but I can't do that until I have some sort of quote from the repair man. The shop is open but the repair man is not working today so can't do anything until Monday. The Bosch website tells me it is probably the Brushes that have gone and I have been told they can cost anything from £12 to £30 odd and then there is £30 labour charge and of course VAT will be back to 17.5% just to add insult to injury!
Meanwhile I have done my research into the cost of a new machine and would like to stay with Bosch as this one has lasted a family of six for the last five years, so can't be bad. Also our dishwasher from the same brand is 10 years old and we bought it from the previous house owners, so I feel it is better to stick with a brand you know. The only problem with this is that Bosch are not the cheapest range on the market and although I could get a machine by a brand called "hec" (as in, "who the heck are they?"), I would rather pay a little bit extra for a brand that I know is good quality.
My comparisons so far are:-
Comet, cheapest Bosch is £279.99 with a 5kg drum and 3% cashback on www.topcashback.co.uk
Boots, (yes who knew Boots sold white goods?) £323.00 with a 6kg drum and 3.5% cashback and 1292 Advantage card points which would buy me a new Juicy Tube when I next run out of Lipgloss!
John Lewis £299 but no cashback.
Stangely the cheapest machines on each site are all different model numbers!
Anyway I will have to wait and see what the cost of repair is on Monday before we make a decision but this is not the start to the New Year I had planned and shows how important it is to have an Emergency Fund, so maybe that will be my New Years resolution! On the other hand, I am beginning to wish I had never cut up the credit cards, as this is the sort of thing they do come in handy for, but being strong enough not to use them for other non-essential purchases is always the problem. I spoke to a friend who actually rents her machine from a local electrical appliance shop and it costs her £10 a month but with my husband only being on a work contract
until March as far as we know, I don't want to commit, long term to a direct debit for even as little as £10 per month!
First up, I put a load of washing on, on NYE as I went to bed and when I got up on NYD, opened the machine to find the clothes still soaking wet. A couple of hours later when I had tried everything from draining, spinning to re-washing, it became apparent that the Drum is not moving. My daughter stepped in and took the washing to hers and bought it back later for me to dry. I went to iron it last night and on the first garment the Iron went bang and blew up!
I need to weigh up the pro's and con's of getting the washing machine repaired or to buy a new one but I can't do that until I have some sort of quote from the repair man. The shop is open but the repair man is not working today so can't do anything until Monday. The Bosch website tells me it is probably the Brushes that have gone and I have been told they can cost anything from £12 to £30 odd and then there is £30 labour charge and of course VAT will be back to 17.5% just to add insult to injury!
Meanwhile I have done my research into the cost of a new machine and would like to stay with Bosch as this one has lasted a family of six for the last five years, so can't be bad. Also our dishwasher from the same brand is 10 years old and we bought it from the previous house owners, so I feel it is better to stick with a brand you know. The only problem with this is that Bosch are not the cheapest range on the market and although I could get a machine by a brand called "hec" (as in, "who the heck are they?"), I would rather pay a little bit extra for a brand that I know is good quality.
My comparisons so far are:-
Comet, cheapest Bosch is £279.99 with a 5kg drum and 3% cashback on www.topcashback.co.uk
Boots, (yes who knew Boots sold white goods?) £323.00 with a 6kg drum and 3.5% cashback and 1292 Advantage card points which would buy me a new Juicy Tube when I next run out of Lipgloss!
John Lewis £299 but no cashback.
Stangely the cheapest machines on each site are all different model numbers!
Anyway I will have to wait and see what the cost of repair is on Monday before we make a decision but this is not the start to the New Year I had planned and shows how important it is to have an Emergency Fund, so maybe that will be my New Years resolution! On the other hand, I am beginning to wish I had never cut up the credit cards, as this is the sort of thing they do come in handy for, but being strong enough not to use them for other non-essential purchases is always the problem. I spoke to a friend who actually rents her machine from a local electrical appliance shop and it costs her £10 a month but with my husband only being on a work contract
until March as far as we know, I don't want to commit, long term to a direct debit for even as little as £10 per month!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
What I did and thinking ahead
A rather manic lead up to Christmas left precious little time for blogging. I was nowhere near as organised as I had hoped to be and look forward to making next year stressfree and well organised. I didn't get round to posting Christmas Cards or handing them out and in most cases, not even writing them. Honestly, it is a total cop out, isn't it? and really lazy not to bother, I am convinced my neighbours must think I don't like them!
Reuse
Recycle those gift bags. I have loads more of these but they are still full of presents. Once you have emptied out the contents, fold them flat. I shall be storing these upright in my wardrobe against the side, that way I won't forget I have them and they won't get dusty, all nice and ready to fill with my own childrens presents next year. Even in a discount store these are upwards of £1 each and I also use them to give my nieces and nephews their presents in, so much nicer than a large carrier bag!
I always buy next years Gift Wrap in the sales. I picked these up in Tesco on Monday. I was with my mother-in-law and when I asked if she wanted some, she replied with "I can't be bothered". I know so many people who moan they are hard up and yet also "can't be bothered". As I have always pointed out on this blog, saving money takes effort. These packs were £1.50 each. I usually get them from Boots and sometimes my local Co-op, so keep your eyes open and for Christmas cards aswell. If you can get packs containing plain metallic wrap, this can be used to wrap up birthday pressies throughout the year aswell. I still have some packs from Boots last year, that have plain turquoise and silver paper in, I use the blue for boys and the silver for girls gifts!
Sales Shopping
If you missed it, the Recessionista's guide to sales shopping back in the summer is here but the principles are the same.
A great way to keep in control of your Sales Shopping, is to write a list of what you want to buy, but on the back of an envelope. That way you can use the envelope to put your receipts in as you make your purchases, this will help you to keep a track on your spending aswell as to be able to locate your receipt, should you need to exchange or return something. Before you pay for your purchases, always ask for the returns policy as they can change with sales merchandise, sometimes shops will not refund, only exchange or credit note. Always make sure you try on what you are buying as in the Recession, you don't want to be left with credit notes that won't go very far on full priced merchandise when the Sales are over.
Maybe make a list of say, 5 items that you really need to build a staple wardrobe and then underneath write another 5 as back up, just incase you can't get all of your first choices. That way you won't end up buying things that you really don't need and wasting your allocated budget!
I always try to buy kids pyjamas on sale as they are so expensive. Above you can see 3 pairs which I ordered from John Lewis and have arrived this morning, they were all half price and came to £27 for the 3 pairs. They are all long sleeved and long legged and are in the size my son will be next winter, so will be stored away until required. I do like quality pj's for kids and often buy on sale from Boden, White Company, John Lewis and M&S as you can't fault the quality and you get a return on ebay for Boden and White Company.
I am awaiting an M&S order, 2 pairs of summer pyjamas for my son at $5 each and a pair for me at only £9 for long legged and long sleeved although mine aren't to put away but to wear now as I am desperate! I have also ordered my next years Christmas cards from their website aswell, another job done for next year.
I haven't ventured out to shop the Sales properly yet, but you can rest assured when I do, I shall be looking for wardrobe classics or pieces to inject a little bit of colour into my wardrobe. I am also on the look out for more leggings and jeggings as I can see these being around for a while yet as they are not only the most comfortable thing to wear but feel much better with long boots than the bulk you get even with skinny jeans.
I shall also be on the lookout for birthday gifts that I have coming up in the next few months, why pay full price when you can get items at a reduced price now?
What did you get in the sales or what are you planning to buy?
Food
I get a huge kick out of using up leftovers and especially at Xmas. Our Boxing Day meal of cold meat and mash also consisted of our "Bubble and Squeak" roughly mashed, put in a roasting dish with cheese grated on the top and it made a lovely change from making into patties and frying.
Reuse
Recycle those gift bags. I have loads more of these but they are still full of presents. Once you have emptied out the contents, fold them flat. I shall be storing these upright in my wardrobe against the side, that way I won't forget I have them and they won't get dusty, all nice and ready to fill with my own childrens presents next year. Even in a discount store these are upwards of £1 each and I also use them to give my nieces and nephews their presents in, so much nicer than a large carrier bag!
I always buy next years Gift Wrap in the sales. I picked these up in Tesco on Monday. I was with my mother-in-law and when I asked if she wanted some, she replied with "I can't be bothered". I know so many people who moan they are hard up and yet also "can't be bothered". As I have always pointed out on this blog, saving money takes effort. These packs were £1.50 each. I usually get them from Boots and sometimes my local Co-op, so keep your eyes open and for Christmas cards aswell. If you can get packs containing plain metallic wrap, this can be used to wrap up birthday pressies throughout the year aswell. I still have some packs from Boots last year, that have plain turquoise and silver paper in, I use the blue for boys and the silver for girls gifts!
Sales Shopping
If you missed it, the Recessionista's guide to sales shopping back in the summer is here but the principles are the same.
A great way to keep in control of your Sales Shopping, is to write a list of what you want to buy, but on the back of an envelope. That way you can use the envelope to put your receipts in as you make your purchases, this will help you to keep a track on your spending aswell as to be able to locate your receipt, should you need to exchange or return something. Before you pay for your purchases, always ask for the returns policy as they can change with sales merchandise, sometimes shops will not refund, only exchange or credit note. Always make sure you try on what you are buying as in the Recession, you don't want to be left with credit notes that won't go very far on full priced merchandise when the Sales are over.
Maybe make a list of say, 5 items that you really need to build a staple wardrobe and then underneath write another 5 as back up, just incase you can't get all of your first choices. That way you won't end up buying things that you really don't need and wasting your allocated budget!
I always try to buy kids pyjamas on sale as they are so expensive. Above you can see 3 pairs which I ordered from John Lewis and have arrived this morning, they were all half price and came to £27 for the 3 pairs. They are all long sleeved and long legged and are in the size my son will be next winter, so will be stored away until required. I do like quality pj's for kids and often buy on sale from Boden, White Company, John Lewis and M&S as you can't fault the quality and you get a return on ebay for Boden and White Company.
I am awaiting an M&S order, 2 pairs of summer pyjamas for my son at $5 each and a pair for me at only £9 for long legged and long sleeved although mine aren't to put away but to wear now as I am desperate! I have also ordered my next years Christmas cards from their website aswell, another job done for next year.
I haven't ventured out to shop the Sales properly yet, but you can rest assured when I do, I shall be looking for wardrobe classics or pieces to inject a little bit of colour into my wardrobe. I am also on the look out for more leggings and jeggings as I can see these being around for a while yet as they are not only the most comfortable thing to wear but feel much better with long boots than the bulk you get even with skinny jeans.
I shall also be on the lookout for birthday gifts that I have coming up in the next few months, why pay full price when you can get items at a reduced price now?
What did you get in the sales or what are you planning to buy?
Food
I get a huge kick out of using up leftovers and especially at Xmas. Our Boxing Day meal of cold meat and mash also consisted of our "Bubble and Squeak" roughly mashed, put in a roasting dish with cheese grated on the top and it made a lovely change from making into patties and frying.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Giving Credit where its due
Now we all love a good shopping experience, whether that be instore or online but one of the things that has been getting to me lately, is the amount of time it can take for some parcels to reach you if you opt for free standard delivery. So you can imagine my amazement when an order I placed on Saturday, just arrived and delivery was free! It was from JD Sports. I had £50 to spend on Hubby from my Mum and he had chosen some Running Trainers in the sale for £49.99 and I asked him if there was anything he wanted from me, for his birthday and although he is not a lover of relaxed sport wear, I reminded him that they do stock Fred Perry a brand he likes and he chose a jacket aswell.
On the checkout page, there was an option to enter your mobile phone number to recieve delivery text updates! What a great idea, why can't all retailers do this? I got a text to say order had been despatched and then one this morning to say parcel was being delivered between 12 and 3pm and it is here! Right on time! I must add that I entered the JD sports site via my favoured cashback site so have also earnt 6% money back on the order!
On the checkout page, there was an option to enter your mobile phone number to recieve delivery text updates! What a great idea, why can't all retailers do this? I got a text to say order had been despatched and then one this morning to say parcel was being delivered between 12 and 3pm and it is here! Right on time! I must add that I entered the JD sports site via my favoured cashback site so have also earnt 6% money back on the order!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Spend £50 at Space NK and get £10 off!
Use code SPECIAL1 at checkout, offer ends midnight tomorrow night, Monday 14th December. Also receive complimentary gift wrap! www.spacenk.co.uk
Thursday, December 10, 2009
An Unexpected Shopping Expedition
I was planning to spend today, doing housework, catching up with the ironing etc when my Mother In Law requested the pleasure of my company to go to a shopping centre. I really didn't want to go but thought I could at least do my Sainsburys Shop instore rather than online this week and use my nectar points off the bill as I had forgotten to redeem them in Argos last week - Pah!
So I took £30 worth of points off of my food shop and as I walked past WH Smiths, I saw they were doing buy one get one free on Annuals and as my little Man loves Wrestling and Football, I picked up two annuals on these sports for a total of £3.99 so was well chuffed as it is just a little something extra to wrap up but I do feel that this is where you have to keep yourself in check, as you have to stop somewhere!
For anyone still looking for a party dress or xmas day outfit French Connection sale started today www.frenchconnection.com I do so love FC clothes!
www.monsoon.co.uk has 40% off their Fusion range too.
www.select.co.uk also has up to 50% off partywear - its time to sparkle!
So I took £30 worth of points off of my food shop and as I walked past WH Smiths, I saw they were doing buy one get one free on Annuals and as my little Man loves Wrestling and Football, I picked up two annuals on these sports for a total of £3.99 so was well chuffed as it is just a little something extra to wrap up but I do feel that this is where you have to keep yourself in check, as you have to stop somewhere!
For anyone still looking for a party dress or xmas day outfit French Connection sale started today www.frenchconnection.com I do so love FC clothes!
www.monsoon.co.uk has 40% off their Fusion range too.
www.select.co.uk also has up to 50% off partywear - its time to sparkle!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
25% off Monsoon Lingerie
25% off Monsoon Lingerie instore and online, use code LIN25 now till 18th December.
Loving the Body Shop - get your money off vouchers here!
Now can you tell me one lady who doesn't like to recieve a little bit of Body Shop in her Christmas Stocking? We all love the fact the products smell delicious and benefit local communities which includes sourcing natural ingredients from marginalised communities in over 20 countries around the world.
So if you still have some pressies to buy, then you can click on the link to enable you to access some money off vouchers as Body Shop are giving away all kinds of exciting offers - up to an amazing 30% off all purchases, with their exclusive Christmas vouchers which can be found here
Note: I had a sniff of their new perfume called "Love Etc" instore last week and it was really divine and the packaging so cute, a great stocking filler.
Half Price Perfume at Asos - today only!
Posting this one for those not on Twitter. You had better be quick to take advantage of this great offer! click here.
A Super Salmon Xmas Supper
As you know I am always on the look out for cheap, tasty and nutritious meals which are easy to prepare, as I hate cooking, so I was really impressed with this recipe on yesterdays "This Morning" with Phil Vickery. It is a great way to use up stale bread as he said stale is better and I have some Sainsburys Basics Salmon fillets in the freezer which I am trying to empty to make way for Christmas Fayre! As you know I mostly shop at Sainsburys so would use their Basic range cream cheese at 45p for 200g, the Basics Salmon fillets cost me £2.24 and a pot of fresh coriander is £1.19 again at Sainsburys.
Phil’s crunchy salmon bake
Published: Mon, 07 Dec, 2009,
Phil Vickery: Quick and tasty crunchy salmon bake with green beans and coriander.
Servings: 4-6 people
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
500g salmon fillet, cut into 2cm pieces
200g cream cheese
2 tbsp milk
1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped roughly
100g fine beans, cut into 2cm lengths and blanched
salt
pepper
4 slices bread, crusts removed, cubed, very small
50-75mls olive oil
100g roughly grated parmesan cheese
Method
1. Heat the oven to 200°C gas 6.
2. Place the cubed fish into a large bowl.
3. Add the cream cheese, chopped coriander, and season really well with salt & pepper.
4. Spoon into a 20cm x 6cm deep baking dish.
5. Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil and a little pepper and the roughly grated cheese.
6. Bake in the pre heated oven for 35-40 minutes.
7. Serve with green salad
Copyright Phil Vickery
November 2009
You can also see a video of how to make it, here http://www.itv.com/lifestyle/thismorning/food/crunchysalmonbake/
What a great supper for Christmas Eve or Boxing Day!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
More Xmas Present Shopping
After a couple of eventful shopping trips this week, I was feeling relived that most of the presents are now bought and the few bits that are left can be bought locally or online, where I can earn some cash back!
I needed a few bits for the older folk in the family and was lucky enough to be given a 40% money off voucher for Peacocks from a friend who works in there and as I needed a few bits of shopping aswell as I have avoided a normal weekly shop this week (see last post) I popped into town earlier.
I went into Iceland as I needed more milk and potatoes and had noticed that a large bag of spuds was only £2. I also picked up some frozen sausagemeat at £1 per pack which I use to mix with stuffing and make into balls to accompany the Christmas Dinner and the other thing I needed was butter. Holy Moly, I couldn't believe that 2 packs of Willow Butter costs only £1! so perhaps I do now know why Mums go to Iceland!
My peacocks haul consisted of a Fleece jacket and some underwear for my Mum, a jumper for my father in law and although I had already bought a present for my mother in law, my husband said I should get her something personal aswell as her gift is for the home. I had noticed that she is still using a PVC handbag that belonged to her friend who died 2 years ago, so a new bag was an obvious choice. Imagine my surprise when after discount all these items only came to £19.80! So a big thanks to my friend P for the voucher!
I needed a few bits for the older folk in the family and was lucky enough to be given a 40% money off voucher for Peacocks from a friend who works in there and as I needed a few bits of shopping aswell as I have avoided a normal weekly shop this week (see last post) I popped into town earlier.
I went into Iceland as I needed more milk and potatoes and had noticed that a large bag of spuds was only £2. I also picked up some frozen sausagemeat at £1 per pack which I use to mix with stuffing and make into balls to accompany the Christmas Dinner and the other thing I needed was butter. Holy Moly, I couldn't believe that 2 packs of Willow Butter costs only £1! so perhaps I do now know why Mums go to Iceland!
My peacocks haul consisted of a Fleece jacket and some underwear for my Mum, a jumper for my father in law and although I had already bought a present for my mother in law, my husband said I should get her something personal aswell as her gift is for the home. I had noticed that she is still using a PVC handbag that belonged to her friend who died 2 years ago, so a new bag was an obvious choice. Imagine my surprise when after discount all these items only came to £19.80! So a big thanks to my friend P for the voucher!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Things are getting a bit tight...
and I am not talking about my clothes, although they are too, but more about finances at the moment. I am sure I am not the only one feeling a little bit panicked by the fact today is December 1st and Christmas Day is only 3 weeks away this Friday! I feel as though I still have so much to do and so little money to do it with even though I save with a Christmas Club and have shopping vouchers from Park!
I have found it so difficult to cope with my husband getting paid weekly since he started his contract in July, we just feel as though we are constantly playing catch-up and never getting in front of ourselves. We have one week (1st of the month) when all our direct debits come out, so by the time we have done the food shop that weeks wages have gone. Then we have one week where my husband has to buy his monthly fair, so again another week where we have kissed away £220 before we have eaten! It honestly makes me wonder if it is worth working, I know that sounds awful but when you still feel that you have to watch every penny, it makes you wonder, as I honestly don't feel we are any better off than in the 16 months he was out of work!
I have two daughters learning to drive and saw a lovely little Ford KA yesterday when visiting a friend and it was only £800 and I thought, that is when you know there is a problem when you can't afford to buy it for them, after all £800 is nothing really these days is it? I am sure it will all work out in the end but I have made a consious decision not to do a Sainsburys online shop this week in an effort to save some money and instead will try and live out of the freezer which is quite full but mainly with cheap bread brought up the co-op! I will obviously need some shopping but mainly fresh stuff and sarni fillings along with cereal and some sweet bits for the kids. In an effort to do this I popped into Aldi today for the cereal and fruit and veg. Harvest Mom Coco Pops at only 99p a pack, a very large pack of Brussel Sprouts for 53p, Brocolli for 49p, Grapes for £1.49 a punnet, Bananas at 73p and Pears for 59p a bag and there were 7 fruits in it! Bakewell Tarts at 68p for 6 and a large Rich Tea Biscuit pack for 39p. As I have been buying food for Xmas each week I picked up a really large pack of Shortbread for only £1.79, so was very pleased with my purchases.
Tomorrow it is my intention to pop in to Icelands and pick up Milk and Bread as I don't know anywhere that is cheaper on these two items, a 4 pint carton is only £1 and Kingsmill Bread is always 2 loaves for £1.50. I shall also be popping in to Savers for loo roll as you always get 6 rolls of Kleenex for the same price as 4 in the Supermarkets.
Are you feeling the pinch right now?
I have found it so difficult to cope with my husband getting paid weekly since he started his contract in July, we just feel as though we are constantly playing catch-up and never getting in front of ourselves. We have one week (1st of the month) when all our direct debits come out, so by the time we have done the food shop that weeks wages have gone. Then we have one week where my husband has to buy his monthly fair, so again another week where we have kissed away £220 before we have eaten! It honestly makes me wonder if it is worth working, I know that sounds awful but when you still feel that you have to watch every penny, it makes you wonder, as I honestly don't feel we are any better off than in the 16 months he was out of work!
I have two daughters learning to drive and saw a lovely little Ford KA yesterday when visiting a friend and it was only £800 and I thought, that is when you know there is a problem when you can't afford to buy it for them, after all £800 is nothing really these days is it? I am sure it will all work out in the end but I have made a consious decision not to do a Sainsburys online shop this week in an effort to save some money and instead will try and live out of the freezer which is quite full but mainly with cheap bread brought up the co-op! I will obviously need some shopping but mainly fresh stuff and sarni fillings along with cereal and some sweet bits for the kids. In an effort to do this I popped into Aldi today for the cereal and fruit and veg. Harvest Mom Coco Pops at only 99p a pack, a very large pack of Brussel Sprouts for 53p, Brocolli for 49p, Grapes for £1.49 a punnet, Bananas at 73p and Pears for 59p a bag and there were 7 fruits in it! Bakewell Tarts at 68p for 6 and a large Rich Tea Biscuit pack for 39p. As I have been buying food for Xmas each week I picked up a really large pack of Shortbread for only £1.79, so was very pleased with my purchases.
Tomorrow it is my intention to pop in to Icelands and pick up Milk and Bread as I don't know anywhere that is cheaper on these two items, a 4 pint carton is only £1 and Kingsmill Bread is always 2 loaves for £1.50. I shall also be popping in to Savers for loo roll as you always get 6 rolls of Kleenex for the same price as 4 in the Supermarkets.
Are you feeling the pinch right now?
Monday, November 30, 2009
Spend your nectar points at Argos?
For anybody that has a nectar card and doesn't know how or where they want to spend their points, how about using them up, buying some Christmas Presents at Argos? Yes you heard me correctly, you can spend your points in 500 point lots, just tell the cashier how many you would like to use, each 500 points is equal to £2.50 off your purchase. I must admit I am thrilled with this as have a Laptop to buy when I go shopping on Thursday!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Some great savings for Xmas - a round up of the discounts available
So many special offers going on at the moment, I thought it best to do a round-up of the best deals available.
1. You will know from the past I am a great lover of Orgins Skincare and they often have fantastic freebies with purchases. At the moment the deal is 3 freebies with 2 purchases plus free standard delivery and gift wrap. www.orgins.co.uk
2. www.nectar.com have loads of offers for card holders, double or triple points from retailers such as Argos, Amazon and Play.com to name but a few, don't forget you must enter the retailer via the nectar site. Argos are also offering a free £5 voucher if you spend over £50 and free delivery.
3. Looking for a fab outfit for Xmas day or that office party? Whistles has 25% off for Chiconomise readers enter code WCFF09 at checkout. www.whistles.co.uk
Asos has an offer for free Standard delivery at the moment www.asos.com
There are some great deals in their clearance section, I just bought these fab gold shoes for a skint student who loves to party for £10! There are also some great jewellery pieces for stocking fillers. My friend S is looking for a belt for a friend and I saw this great Fiorelli Disco Hip Belt was £25.00 NOW £9.50! click here to buy it!
You can also get £10 off a £75 spend using this code STEALLATER (courtesey of Chiconomise).
4. Looking for something special? Then Goldsmiths the Jeweller now has an outlet section GoldsmithsOutlet.co.uk where you can get top brands with 50% off such as Tag, Gucci, Armani, DKNY etc and they are also offering free delivery this week, thats a saving of £5.25! I am totally loving the Tag Watches, The Diamonds (of course) and these great Gucci cufflinks Was £ 205.00 Now £ 102.00! A great site to treat that special person in your life!
5. Looking for Sportswear or Trainers? JD sports is offering free delivery on orders over £50. Enter JD Sports via the www.topcashback.co.uk site to recieve 6% cash back on purchases! Thats £3 on a £50 pair of trainers for doing nothing!
6. I have a request for a bottle of Alien perfume by Thierry Mugler. If I buy online via topcashback, I can get 3% cashback with Boots plus 144 points on my advantage card but if I buy from Salonskincare I get 8% cash back for an item costing the same amount of money. It makes sense to buy the gift set at £36 so that you have a body lotion and shower gel aswell, it makes the gift look better and is a great way to "layer" your fragrance. Also if you spend over £50 on Thierry Mugler products with Salonskincare you get a free Angel Fragrance Gift set!
Watch that cash back mount up ready for next Christmas, Topcashback is also adding a Christmas Bonus of an extra percentage, so sign up to a cash back site now!
1. You will know from the past I am a great lover of Orgins Skincare and they often have fantastic freebies with purchases. At the moment the deal is 3 freebies with 2 purchases plus free standard delivery and gift wrap. www.orgins.co.uk
2. www.nectar.com have loads of offers for card holders, double or triple points from retailers such as Argos, Amazon and Play.com to name but a few, don't forget you must enter the retailer via the nectar site. Argos are also offering a free £5 voucher if you spend over £50 and free delivery.
3. Looking for a fab outfit for Xmas day or that office party? Whistles has 25% off for Chiconomise readers enter code WCFF09 at checkout. www.whistles.co.uk
Asos has an offer for free Standard delivery at the moment www.asos.com
There are some great deals in their clearance section, I just bought these fab gold shoes for a skint student who loves to party for £10! There are also some great jewellery pieces for stocking fillers. My friend S is looking for a belt for a friend and I saw this great Fiorelli Disco Hip Belt was £25.00 NOW £9.50! click here to buy it!
You can also get £10 off a £75 spend using this code STEALLATER (courtesey of Chiconomise).
4. Looking for something special? Then Goldsmiths the Jeweller now has an outlet section GoldsmithsOutlet.co.uk where you can get top brands with 50% off such as Tag, Gucci, Armani, DKNY etc and they are also offering free delivery this week, thats a saving of £5.25! I am totally loving the Tag Watches, The Diamonds (of course) and these great Gucci cufflinks Was £ 205.00 Now £ 102.00! A great site to treat that special person in your life!
5. Looking for Sportswear or Trainers? JD sports is offering free delivery on orders over £50. Enter JD Sports via the www.topcashback.co.uk site to recieve 6% cash back on purchases! Thats £3 on a £50 pair of trainers for doing nothing!
6. I have a request for a bottle of Alien perfume by Thierry Mugler. If I buy online via topcashback, I can get 3% cashback with Boots plus 144 points on my advantage card but if I buy from Salonskincare I get 8% cash back for an item costing the same amount of money. It makes sense to buy the gift set at £36 so that you have a body lotion and shower gel aswell, it makes the gift look better and is a great way to "layer" your fragrance. Also if you spend over £50 on Thierry Mugler products with Salonskincare you get a free Angel Fragrance Gift set!
Watch that cash back mount up ready for next Christmas, Topcashback is also adding a Christmas Bonus of an extra percentage, so sign up to a cash back site now!
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