Sunday 5 February 2012

Shopping on a budget and crochet happy

Good Evening Lovely Readers,

A HUGE welcome to my new followers - thank you for giving my blog your precious time.

Here's the cost of yesterday's shopping.

1 tray eggs £4 (free range from local greengrocer)
Yogurt - natural 55p and fruit 89p (Lidl)
Apples - 2 bags red £1 (Lidl - 6 apples - large)
Bananas - just under a kilo - 59p (Lidl)
Granola - £2.50 for a kilo bag (Tesco)
4 pints milk £1 (Lidl)
Sausages - Lincolnshire £1.49 for 8 (Lidl - will last Number 4 for 2 meals)
Potatoes - 7.5kg £2.49 (Lidl)
Value tortillas 46p (Tesco)
Total spending £15.97

Extras: cat food £2.99
Blueberries 99p

We will need to replenish the milk, but otherwise, this should last the week. I bought a huge bag of potatoes because it was considerably cheaper this way. The eggs will last us 2 weeks; we probably eat more than most because we don't eat meat and I only buy free-range. Number 4 doesn't like porridge and I think Granola is healthy, so I don't mind the cost.

I told you a few days ago that the cushion cover had landed..... and here it is in full, techni-colour. I am in love with this cushion.









And here are the other things I have been busy with: my cafetiere warmer and a jug warmer. It started life as a mug warmer, but wouldn't fit any of our mugs - so it reinvented itself!









And for some up-cycling ...... from this  




to this.........




I adapted Lucy's (Attic24)   idea for the little tin cover and decided to make a tub for my needles. I used half treble crochet all the way up and I am in love with it. The colours are so bright and cheerful and with thick snow lying outside, they make me feel so cheerful. I can't believe I didn't discover crocheting earlier! What next! Mmmmm.........

Well, we are still cold and I am crocheting with fingerless gloves on.  We are set to have temperatures of -4 degrees tonight. The boiler man came on Saturday and said the circuit board had gone - £250 to replace + labour. He suggested going to the manufacturer - Glow Worm - and getting them to do the repair because he would have to order the piece which would take even longer. The Glow Worm man will be here tomorrow at a cost of £299 - so much for frugal living. OUCH! Anyway, at least we can pay quarterly by direct debit and it includes a year's cover. Ah well... life is all swings and roundabouts I guess. I am still crochet happy.

Hoping you are nice and warm in your little corner of our wonderful earth xxx


7 comments:

  1. Your crochet looks fab - well done xx

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  2. Your crotchet projects look lovely. I have repeated tried to crochet in recent weeks and have got in a complete muddle. I have become your latest follower. Best Wishes, Jan

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  3. Your crochet looks so lovely and cheerful, you should feel proud.

    I am so sorry about your boiler, but so relieved you have an open fire for some warmth.

    I do hope it gets sorted out ASAP and your frugal living helps with paying for it.

    You are doing SOOOOO well with your grocery spends, you should feel proud!

    Sft x

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  4. Thanks Ali. Jan, if I can do it anyone can. I am a kinaesthetic learner so I watched videos on you tube and did a stitch at a time - now I am hooked (no pun intended). Thank you Sft - I loved your post today and your encouragement is really appreciated - boiler man due tomorrow - fingers crossed xx

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  5. Hi, I really love the hare (or is it a rabbit?) next to your needles tin. What is he made of? He looks so inquisitive!

    K xx

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  6. Your crochet work is so nice, love the cozies!! Good luck with your boiler, at least you won't have to worry about that repair again for a long time!

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  7. Thanks Debbie - just waiting for the call - oh to be warm again. Hi Keshling, he is a moon-gazing hare. He is gorgeous isn't he! I really love him. He is made in bronze and was bought in Glastonbury. Hares were sacred to the goddess Oestre and were a symbol of the coming of Spring and fertility as well as with the moon. x

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Thank you for commenting - I do enjoy reading them xx