What A Lemon!

Lemons are said to be nature’s own cleansers - they deodorize whatever they come in contact with, cut through grease and leave their beautiful, sharp fragrance behind to add a real whiff of freshness.

Use those sunny yellow fruits to clean worktops, chopping boards, the microwave, the inside of your fridge and just about any other place that needs cleaning and deodorizing.

Just cut a lemon in half and gently wipe it over the surface of whatever needs cleaning then wipe dry with a clean cloth. Throw the rind in the waste bin to help kill off any nasty smells there.

To clean a microwave, just pop a slice or two of lemon in a glass of water, zap in the micro for 30 seconds on the highest setting then clean off any loose residue with a barely damp cloth.

To dust and polish wooden furniture, just add a little olive oil to some lemon juice (just enough oil to give it a better polishing consistency) then use as you would any other wood furniture polish. It not only smells better than those spray polishes, it’s far better for the environment too.

Even ink stains can be removed with lemon juice so next time that pen in your top pocket leaks, just dip the effected area in lemon juice for about 15 minutes then wash as you normally would (using environmentally friendly washing detergent, of course).

And then, when you’ve finished your housework for the day, pop a slice of lemon in a glass of Cinzano and lemonade and just chill. Well it works for me.

Sharon J xx

~~+~~

Image Credit: alasam

~~+~~

Stone The Crows!!

A few weeks ago I bought myself a new bracelet. I wasn’t being indulgent or anything, it’s a simple bracelet of stones on elastic. It’s nicely made and looks nice and at £5.95 it won’t exactly break the bank.

But I didn’t buy it because it’s pretty or cheap, I bought it because my shoulder has been giving me gyp for about a year now. I have no lateral movement in my left arm and can’t lift it over my head as well as my right and sometimes - about 2-3 times a week on average - it’ll ache like nobodies business. Since Christmas the aching had increased in intensity and was starting to happen more frequently so I decided it was time to see if I could do anything about it.

I’d heard that hematite’s said to have electromagnetic properties so I grabbed a few books that I thought would give me the information I needed and low and behold, they were said to be useful for easing joint pain.

As I tend to prefer to try the natural remedy first, I took myself off to eBay and searched for a hematite bracelet. There were a few different choices available but the one shown above was by far the one that suited my taste best.

That was about a fortnight ago. I’ve worn it every day since it arrived and apart from the first day, not once… yes, that’s right, NOT ONCE, has my shoulder given me anywhere near the kind of pain it used to. I still don’t have any more dexterity in it but I’m no longer kept awake because I don’t know where to put my arm, and believe me, that really was driving me potty. Most of the time I don’t notice any pain at all, and when I do it’s really not too bothersome.

Now it could just be coincidence so I’m in no way saying that my lack of pain IS down to the hematite, but it seems probable to me. All stones and crystals are said to have their own energies that draw or repel other energies and, apparently, hematite works by attracting the iron in the blood (or rather, the energy of the iron) thus increasing the blood's flow.

I know some people would argue that it’s just a placebo effect but if that is the case, as long as it works for me that’s ultimately what matters.

Sharon J xx


PS: If you're interested in looking at some hematite bracelets, I bought mine from this seller.

~~+~~

Learning To Say No

Since starting my journey towards a simpler life, one of things I’ve had to learn is to say “No” more often.

Once upon a time, no matter what people asked of me, if I was able to do it, I did. Rarely was there any real gratitude shown and all too often, when I asked for a favour myself, that person was either too busy or just unwilling for whatever reason. Not everybody was that way, obviously, but too many were.

The fact is, people will keep on taking whatever you offer them and all the helping out I was doing was starting to wear me down. I spent so much time and energy doing things for other people that I found myself increasingly unable to do the things that actually meant a lot to me. My life, it seemed, belonged to others.

Nowadays I’m much more inclined to say no although to start with it did feel pretty weird. I’d find myself having to offer reasons for not being able to help but the truth of the matter is, nobody has any right to demand another’s time and an excuse really isn’t necessary. If you’ve said no then you clearly have a reason and have every right to decide yourself whether you want to share that reason or not.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we shouldn’t extend a helping hand but we don’t need to say yes to everything that’s asked of us. The following are a few basic guidelines that I use now when deciding whether or not to say yes.

Who is this person?
Sounds like a strange question because in all likelihood, if you didn’t already know them, they wouldn’t be asking a favour of you, but what I mean by this is what kind of person are they? Would they be happy to help you out when you need it, or are they blood suckers who just keep on taking without ever giving much back in return? I don’t mean that they have to do the same kind of favours for you, or even of the same magnitude - everything depends on a person’s abilities etc - but if they don’t show willing often enough (or ever, for that matter), start saying no more often.

Am I comfortable doing this?
I’ve put my life in danger to help others out and while I was ok doing that because the situation was serious, that wouldn’t always be the case because there are some things I really cannot do because they’d either be irresponsible of me (what would have happened if I had been hurt - who would have looked after my family?) or just plain difficult. If I’m not comfortable doing something, then unless there’s really no other way and somebody’s life depended on it, I’d say no.

Should this person be asking this of me?
People who know us well should know our limitations but still I’m often asked to do something that’s beyond what anybody should really expect. Once upon a time, I’d have done my best to do it anyway but nowadays I just think that they ought not have asked in the first place and put me in a position where I feel I have to help and simply say no.

Could this person do this for him/herself?
One example of this was people constantly asking me for loans even though they had at least as much and often more coming in than I have. If I can budget and make my money last from one pay day to the next and save a bit too, then surely they can. By helping out with loans the whole time, I wasn’t really do them any favours so instead I offered to help them set up a budget, an offer that has been declined by each of those people who‘d regularly ask, so now I just say no. As they say “give a man a fish and you’ll feed him for a day, teach him to fish and you’ll feed him for a lifetime”.

How important is the favour?
There’s a big difference between getting out of bed at two in the morning to take somebody to the hospital because a loved one’s just been admitted with a serious illness and could die and picking somebody up from a night club because they've spent their taxi fair home. If I don’t really think the person should be asking the favour of me, then I say no.

What are my own priorities?
Do I have the time or energy to do this? How important is it compared with the plans I’d already made for my time? Can I afford to do it and, if not, are they able to pay themselves (or even willing to)? If I feel that my own priorities are more important - and this is one where I often fell down before because I put other people’s need (real or perceived) before myself all too often - then I say no.


Since starting to say no more often and give more consideration to my own needs instead, some people have stopped contacting me as much. Fine. I know where I stand with them now. Those who really care about me understand that you can’t always do everything for everybody and have started expecting less of me. I still help out when and how I can, but I don’t jump around like a puppet on a string anymore and am actually spending time helping myself instead.

Sharon J xx

~~+~~

Image Source: Tyla75

~~+~~

9 Ideas to Help Keep Your House Clean & Tidy

Although I’m no domestic goddess and have never been what my mum describes as ‘house proud’, I do like the place to be reasonably clean and tidy. A few dust bunnies in the corner I can live with but dirty work surfaces that your fingers stick to... no way!

Because of my condition, I’ve had to look for ways to keep the house in a acceptable state without having to keep getting up or standing for too long at a time; unless I utilise the time spent on my legs as efficiently as possible things just won’t get done.

Here are some ideas that I use and that would help anybody who’d rather spend time doing something other than housework.

1. While I’m waiting for a pan to boil, the microwave to ping, or the sink to fill, I wipe down work surfaces and/or unit doors, put the dish-wash away (or even just part of it if that’s all I’ve time for), purge a few out of date items from the fridge, wipe the outside of the fridge, the light switches or another little job that only takes a minute or two but helps keep the place neat and clean.

2. If I have to go upstairs for any reason, I look for some item or another that can go up with me. I generally place things to go up on the lower steps and pick a few up every time I pass. The same goes for stuff that needs to be brought down (I really must get a couple of those stair baskets). If there’s nothing there, I’ll have a quick look round to make sure there’s nothing else, like a pile of folded laundry on the armchair (yes, if I dry inside using the clothes horse, that’s where they get stacked).

3. I plan my jobs in each room so that I use the minimum number of steps and time spent on my feet. This can be as simple as ‘take handful of votive candles out of drawer and replace used ones as I move around, open window as I pass it, collect living room litter bin and take to kitchen for emptying’. Three little jobs done in one sweep of the room.

4. I keep a micro fibre cloth in a drawer next to the sofa. That way I can start dusting as soon as I see that it needs doing and without having to go to the kitchen first. Again, I work my way around the room systematically. The used cloth goes out with me next time I head for the kitchen and a new one comes back in.

5. I keep a complete set of cleaning tools upstairs. That way I can clean anything that needs it without having to go downstairs to collect the appropriate bits and pieces first.

6. I try to make sure I do the tasks that make me feel the house looks cleaner and tidier before tackling anything else. For me that means a tidy coffee table and clean floors in the lounge and, in the kitchen, clean and tidy work surfaces and clean appliances (although everything doesn't always get done!).

7. I tackle the jobs that take more time and effort the longer I leave them before those that will be just the same later, regardless of whether ‘later’ is in an hour, tomorrow or next week. Washing up takes longer if it’s left to sit and grow as does the laundry (I’m sure dirty dishes and clothes reproduce) whereas dusting takes the same amount of time regardless.

8. I open my post by my ‘pending’ shelf so there‘s no need to move after sorting. One pile is for filing, the other is for shredding. I then file and shred on a weekly basis. Any junk mail is either added to the shredding pile or put straight in the bin.

9. If I’m going to be standing to prepare food anyway, I might as well make two portions (at least) and freeze the rest.

No doubt you have your own ways of cutting down the time you spend on household chores and if you do, please let me know. I'm all for saving time and energy :)

Sharon J

~~+~~

Freezing Marinated Meat

I don’t know whether most of you already know this or not but it was new to me so I thought I’d share it just in case.

If you find some steak on special offer (any kind that’s suitable for marinating - beef, lamb, pork etc), you can make up the whole batch in individual bags, seal ‘em and freeze ‘em.

I tried it with some pork recently. I just marinated an extra couple of loins along with the ones I was using that day, popped them in a freezer bag, tied it up with a good tight knot (which you would anyway if you’re freezing it) and put it in the freezer. Then all I had to do when I wanted it later was defrost it and chuck it in the pan - no waiting around for hours while it marinates cos it was already done!

Why didn’t I think of that before?

Sharon J

PS: If you're new to marinating meat, you might want to look at this post.

~~+~~

Image credit: Landotter

~~+~~

Twelve Ways to Stay Warm This Winter That Won't Cost A Fortune

Image: nortinirt

Brr... it's starting to get chilly.

If you're anything like me, you'll be looking for ways to stay warm this winter without increasing those ever rising fuel bills or wasting unnecessary resources. If that's the case, you might be interested in these tips for eco-friendly, cheap ways to ward off the cold.

1. Don’t let drawn curtains hang in front of radiators. If yours do, either shorten them or tuck them behind it.
   
   
2. If you have water fired radiators, consider fitting Radiator Boosters. They work by sucking air up and blasting it into the room eliminating the loss of heat through walls. I have a sofa in front of my main living room radiator but since fitting the booster, the warmth in the room has increased dramatically. Fitting aluminium foil behind radiators (shiny side towards the radiator) will also help reflect heat back into the room rather than straight through the wall.
   
   
3. Buy or make draught excluders to keep the cold from creeping in under your doors (and the heat from creeping out).
   
   
4. Don’t worry about becoming a size zero (or anything even close). Humans were designed to have a layer of fat on their bodies because it both bolsters us against bumps, protecting our bones, and insulates against the cold. Believe me, when I became positively skeletal (through no choice of my own, I hasten to add) I felt the cold far more than when I have a decent fat layer around me. Of course, being obese isn’t good for you either so try to strike a balance.
   
   
5. Have a bowl of soup. If you’re feeling peckish, heat up a bowl of soup instead of grabbing the biscuit barrel. It’ll warm the cockles of your heart.
   
   
6. Get physical. As long as your using energy you’ll feel warmer so get up off your bum and do some housework, dance or play chase with the kids instead. Of course, there is another way of getting physical which leads me to my next point...
   
   
7. Have a cuddle. That way you’ll be sharing your body heat with somebody else and you’ll feel so much warmer for it.
   
   
8. When you sit still, pull a blanket around you or slip on an extra woolie. You might even consider taking up knitting and making them yourself.
   
   
9. Wear a beanie. Yes, I know you might think that’s gonna feel pretty strange indoors but as 20-40% of body heat is lost through the head, it really will help you stay warm and it doesn’t have to be chunky. If possible, choose one made from lightweight wool rather than man-made fibres because not only will they keep you warmer, they’re more environmentally friendly too.
   
   
10. Dress in layers. Animals that live in cold environments generally have two layers to their fur so take a tip from nature - several thin layers of clothing insulate far better than one thick one. Again, natural fibres are better than man-made alternatives.
    
    
11. Wear socks or slippers. If your feet are cold, you’ll feel cold all over. If you can knit, try making some home-knitted socks out of wool sock yarn as they keep your feet lovely and toastie. If not, buy yourself some comfy slippers and wear cotton socks (acrylic doesn't keep you warm as it retains the moisture between your skin and the fabric whereas cotton breathes).
    
    
12. Don’t sweat. If you find yourself sweating, take off some clothes or take a rest because sweating will ultimately make you feel cold. Pace yourself and layer your clothing according to your activities instead.
    

Having lived in Norway – a country where winter's so cold that my duvet once froze to the wall – I do know a thing or two about keeping warm. My trouble is, since coming back to the UK, I haven’t been too good at taking my own advice. That’s going to change this winter, though. I’m on an energy and money saving drive so anything that’ll help use less while I stay warm gets a big tick in my book.

Sharon J

~~+~~

Marinades for Meat

Image: JustABigGeek

Although I’ve tried to incorporate more vegetarian meals into our diets, the truth is that my family are all hardened carnivores - we simply love meat. Pork, beef, ostrich, reindeer, venison… you name it and I’ll probably eat it. The same applies to poultry.

For years I knew nothing of marinades. My mother certainly never used them and they weren’t popular in Norway during the years I lived there. That has, however, changed.

Since discovering the secrets of a good marinade our meals have tasted much better. Even LM, who’s incredibly fussy about her food, will often tell me how delicious a piece of meat tasted even though it may have started it’s shelf life as a plain old pork chop. Marinades are, as far as I’m concerned, the cook’s best friend.

Ok, so they add a bit to the cost of a meal but what you get back in terms of flavour, tenderness and sheer eating pleasure is by far worth those extra pennies. A marinade can turn a good meal into a great one.

If you’ve never used a marinade before, I suggest you make your own rather than use one of the ready prepared bottled varieties. Not only is it cheaper, but the more you learn about marinading, the more you’ll be able to mess around with flavours yourself, bringing individuality to every meat or poultry dish you prepare.

A good marinade should contain some kind of acid as this breaks down the muscle tissue making the meat more tender, with the most commonly used acidic ingredients being citrus juices, vinegars and wine. Although the acid will flavour the meat, it should also contain some kind of added flavouring such as herbs, spices, garlic, onions and the likes. Lastly, but very importantly, it should contain some form of oil as this is what infuses the meat with the flavours. Olive oil is most often used. Some insist that it should be extra virgin although I’ve never found it necessary.

To help get you started, here are a few of my favourite marinades:


Simple All-Meat Marinade

For each portion of meat use:

½ small onion, finely chopped
½ tbsp Mixed Herbs
25 ml olive oil
1 ½ tbsp white wine vinegar (or distilled malt vinegar if that‘s all you have)


Sweet & Spicy Pork Marinade

For each portion use:

1 ½ tbsp honey
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
25 ml olive oil
1 ½ tsp paprika
1 ½ tsp cumin
1 ½ tsp cinnamon


Norwegian Beef Marinade

For each portion use:

25 ml olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp brown sugar
1 clove of garlic (or 1 inch garlic paste)
½ cm fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
½ a small red chilli, finely chopped


Quick Chicken Marinade

For each portion use:

1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsps olive oil

and finally, especially for Catz...

Garlic & Coriander Marinade for Pork

For each portion use:

2 ½ tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic paste
½ tbsp fresh, chopped coriander


Mix marinade ingredients in a lidded bowl, plastic container (Tupperware style) or zip-lock type bag and bung the meat in, making sure it’s all nicely covered. Use your fingers and rub it in well. Put it in the fridge and then leave it for 2 hours at least for pork and chicken, and 4 hours for beef. An extra couple of hours will improve the flavours and the larger the cut of meat, the longer it should be left. In fact, because marinades were first used as a way of preserving meat, you can actually leave it for up to a couple of days. I do think the meat tends to go a bit too mushy if left for too long though so 8-10 hours is usually my maximum.

If you’re able, turn the meat now and then to ensure even coverage. Of course, there’s no point dashing home from working during your lunch break just for this but if you're close to the fridge anyway, it's worth doing.

Fish and vegetables can also benefit from a good marinade but as this is about meat, I won’t elaborate here. A Google search should bring up a good few results though.

I’m so fond of marinades that I can’t actually remember the last time I prepared a piece of meat without one. It must have been a beef fillet steak - that’s the only meat I find perfect ‘as is’ but not one we have very often.

Sharon J

~~+~~

Freezing Casseroles

Image: El Floz

No, I don’t mean casseroles that are shivering in their pots, what I’m offering here is a group of tips related to keeping casseroles in the freezer. But you knew that really, didn’t you?

I generally make at least a double portion of any casseroles that I make, although there are exceptions, which I’ll come back to a second. It makes sense to use the cooker just the once - who wants to waste energy, whether it’s gas, electric or your own? Far easier to just whip some out of the freezer, heat it through and dig in.

Most casseroles can be frozen and kept for up to 2 months (remember to date it - it’s easy to forget when you put it in there) and generally don’t take up too much room in the freezer. Rather that than a stack of pre-packed frozen meals from Tesco, anyway. There are a few things to know about freezing casseroles though, so here goes:

Pasta doesn’t freeze well. If your casserole contains spaghetti, macaroni, noodles or the likes, it won’t be anywhere near as good when re-heated because pasta tends to go sloppy after freezing. Some people don’t mind this but it reminds me too much of hospital food. Of course, there’s nothing to stop you freezing the meat, fish or veg mixture before the pasta goes in.

Potatoes don’t freeze well. I make quite a few vegetable stews and casseroles plus a few meat based casseroles that contain potatoes. I soon learned that freezing them isn’t such a good idea, though. Potatoes change their consistency when frozen and the results aren’t always pleasing. Rather than waste any leftovers I just remove the potatoes (they either go in the dog or are chilled and used in a second meal) and freeze the rest. If I need them, I can always boil up a few spuds next time - that’s still easy and more energy efficient than making the whole thing over again.

The taste can change. Some seasonings change their taste when frozen, becoming either weaker or stronger so be aware that your casserole may not taste exactly the same. You can always add more seasoning if need be and if it’s too strong, a little milk added to it usually helps tame the flavours somewhat.

No freezer container to spare? No worries. I was always running out of tubs and things to freeze leftovers in but soon realised that I’d have to find some other way of doing it. Enter aluminium foil. I line a plastic Tupperware type tub/box with foil, stick the casserole in, freeze it, remove it and then take the foil and casserole out of the tub again. I wrap the foil around it then stick it in a freezer bag (which get reused a couple of times, being as no food comes into contact with them). Another good thing about using this method is that you don’t waste freezer space with half filled tubs.

Try freezing small amounts first. If you’re using a new recipe, rather than make a huge batch, just double up in case it doesn’t freeze as well as you’d thought. If all goes well, go mad next time.

NEVER refreeze food once it’s been thawed. I know some people do this but it really isn’t a good idea. Every time food it brought back to room temperature, the bacteria it contains continue to grow. Freezing doesn’t kill them, it just stunts their growth. If you do make a big batch, freeze in individual portions to avoid thawing more than you need.

I know quite a few of my regular readers will already know these things but I’m sure there are people out there who don’t and we all have to learn sometime, somewhere.

Sharon J

~~+~~

Awesome Autumn!

Image: Glockenblume

I was talking to my mum on the phone the other day, she was complaining about how autumn’s here now and that it’s just going to get really cold and miserable. She moaned about how she won’t be able to get the washing dry, that she’s having to put the heating on during the evening, and Lord knows what else.

Every season has it’s drawbacks but they all have their good sides too. You don’t get bugged by mosquitoes and wasps the whole time during autumn, after all, and sweating your kiskers off isn’t a problem.

I personally try to make the most of every season and there’s plenty to do in autumn that you either can’t do in summer, or just isn‘t quite the same.

Kick leaves in the park like you did as a kid. There’s no shame in being ’childish’ - we need to just have spontaneous fun now and then.

Take a walk in the woods or just around your neighbourhood and admire the colour changes. The bright flowers of summer may well be disappearing fast but they’re being replaced by some fantastic reds, oranges and yellows that can be beautiful as a single tree - like the fiery colour of the hornbeam - and absolutely breathtaking when viewed en masse.

Bake an apple pie. Autumn’s apple season and home-made apple pie with lots of cinnamon tastes soooooo much better than shop bought varieties. Hot with cream or cold with warm custard... how can you go wrong? If you don’t want to make pastry, try a crumble instead. They’re dead easy and there are loads of recipes on the web.

Have a picnic. Just because it isn’t summer any more doesn’t mean the picnic seasons over - as long as you dress appropriately, a picnic on a crisp, sunny autumn day can be really nice too. Think cheese & pickle sandwiches, pickled onions, pork pies, sausage rolls, coleslaw, hot drinks, slices of fresh apple pie, and all those wonderful berries.

Make jam. Gardens and hedgerows are full of juicy berries in autumn just waiting to be turned into delicious sweet jam. It isn’t as difficult as you may think and you don’t need lots of special equipment either. In fact, I used to make loads of ‘jam’ just by crushing berries with sugar and freezing them. Delicious when thawed on fresh bread.

Get crafting. The dark nights don’t exactly inspire people to go visiting the way the long light evenings of summer do, but they’re great for settling down inside with some knitting, sewing, card-making or whatever other craft you fancy. Let your imagination run riot. Make stuff.

Enjoy your comfy autumn clothes. I love wearing a good pair of soft, comfortable jeans, a well worn t-shirt and a wooly jumper that’s just a bit too big and luckily that’s the perfect get-up for going out for walks in autumn. Shorts and vest tops are all very well and good but there’s something very comforting about big, baggy sweaters.

Visit a maize maze and get lost or a while. Lots of farms do these to make some extra money so there’s a good chance there’s one near you. We spent a couple of hours looking for our way out last time we went so it’s a good idea to take a few sarnies and a drink with you.

Fill yourself up with stews and casseroles. As much as I love the light foods of summer, once autumn arrives I can’t wait to get the stew pot out and start cooking rich, hearty food. Make use of all those lovely root vegetables that are about now - they almost all combine really well in stews and casseroles and there’s nothing easier to cook than a one-pot meal.

Bring out blankets and cuddle up in them during chilly evenings. A blanket, a good book and a cup of hot chocolate…. Heaven!

Richard and I are off to Cholmondely Castle Gardens for a picnic today. There's no point sitting indoors when the sun's shining and double Gloucester cheese sandwiches made with bread baked fresh this morning are up for grabs.

Is there anything you particularly love about autumn?

Sharon J

~~+~~

Saving on Restaurant Visits

Image: ElectroSpray

Since turning my back on over-spending, I’ve cut the number of visits I’ve made to restaurants dramatically. In fact, since February, when I started this blog, I don’t think I’ve eaten out more than four times, and two of those were paid for by somebody else. My birthday meal was one I wouldn’t really like to give up and as I had to split it over two evenings this year, I ended up have two meals instead of the usual one, but that’s ok - it’s important to me to take my loved ones out for a meal once a year at least. Then there was lunch in the pub with Richard as a treat, a meal in Wales rather than just grabbing a take-away, lunch at another pub with a friend who just sprung it on me as her treat and finally dinner with Richard way back in early Spring. Considering I’d usually eat out at least once a month, that isn’t too bad. And I only paid for 3 ½ of those meals.

During those few meals I’ve realised that there are ways of cutting back still further without having to give up eating out entirely. Here’s how I’ve managed to keep the bill lower.

• I don’t have a drink with my meal. I ask for a glass or jug of tap water instead. Four out of those five times I’ve been given it with ice and lemon - only once was I served a glass of rather tepid water ‘au naturelle’.
  
  
• I skip dessert. I really don’t need anything after my meal. It’s enough to have eaten a good meal without having to prepare it or wash up after and to have enjoyed it with good company.
  
  
• I look for 2-for-1 offers. Pubs often have a certain number of menu items that can be ordered on a 2-for-1 basis and, in my experience, they’ve been no worse than the meals that aren’t on the offer. The offer will usually be displayed outside in order to bring the punters in so finding them isn’t difficult.

Other ideas that I’ve thought of and shall no doubt be putting into practise are:

• Go to ‘all-you-can-eat’ style grills and buffets. My daughter recently went to one and said she’d never eaten so much food for the money (and believe me, she can shovel it away!). Years ago, our local pizza restaurant used to have a buffet style lunch menu that was extremely good value so they’re definitely worth looking out for.
  
  
• Look for new ‘opening offers’. Newly established independent restaurants often have special offers in order to introduce themselves to the locals. Next time a restaurant opens in town, I shall be enquiring about their menu and prices.
  
  
• Look for special offers in the local rag. I recently saw an ad for “20% off any meal with this coupon” in our local newspaper. I didn’t need it at the time but I shall definitely look out for them before planning a restaurant visit.

I know some say that if you’re serious about saving money then you shouldn’t be eating out at all, but I do think we all deserve a little luxury now and then, no matter what our situation. It’s just a matter of balance. Go overboard and you’ll regret it - deny yourself everything and saving can easily become too much of a chore.

Saving for a better future is good but I don’t think we should ever forget that it’s today we’re alive.

Sharon J

~~+~~

Ebico - Cheap Pre-Payment Gas & Electricity

Image: FotoJunkie

Ok, maybe cheap will never be the right word for our energy supplies but Ebico offer it on pre-payment for the same price as billed gas and electric.

Apparently, pre-payment customers pay up to 3 times as much as others for the energy, even though most of those on pre-payment meters are on a low income and we all know that it’s really not fair. The government have asked energy suppliers to bring their pre-payment energy prices in line with the rest making energy more affordable to all. Most, however, have done little or nothing to improve the situation.

Ebico is a not-for-profit organisation set up initially to provide cheaper energy to those on a low income but they’re now open to all.

I haven’t switched yet myself but am told by somebody who has that he made a substantial saving by changing.

I’m on a pre-payment meter myself. I prefer it that way because there are no surprise bills, but now that most companies offer online meter reading (I haven‘t actually seen this in action but I‘ve been told about it), the surprises shouldn’t be as bad. Also, having to go outside in the wind and rain in order to put money into the meter isn’t much fun to start with but the fact that mine’s right down doesn’t help.

Because of my dodgy legs, getting down to it and getting up again is fraught with risk. If I fell and broke my hip I’d really be up the proverbial creek (I have osteoporosis). At the moment either Richard or my daughter put it on for me, but once my daughter moves out I’ll be even more dependant on Richard having to come over to put the emergency on. That also goes for the electricity because although I can reach that ok myself (it’s higher up the wall), if I happen to be hooked up to my feeding pump at the time, I’d risk losing my entire feed regime for anything up to a fortnight and at a cost of £120 a day to the taxpayer, that just isn’t witty. Not to mention the hassle of getting emergency feed to me while my new feed is being compounded.

So what do I do?

Just two days ago I decided that I’d take the £100 out of my kitchen fund and use it as a deposit instead. That way I’d be left with more to save in the kitchen fund each month (or to pay off credit card debt with) so it seemed the sensible thing to do. Then yesterday I heard about Ebico and all that changed. I’ve decided now to switch to Ebico but stay on pre-payment for the time being while I save up the necessary deposit to switch to quarterly billed metering.

My present energy supplier wants £100 deposit (bad credit history since getting into a two and eight over my credit card spending) as have several others I’ve contacted. I’m assuming Ebico are the same. That’s understandable I guess - so many people just do a runner when the bills get too uncomfortable - but not everybody can just dip into their pockets and pull out a hundred quid. These things need to be budgeted for. But the catch 22, of course, is that in the meantime those who don’t have any disposable savings are paying far more than need be for their energy leaving less each month to save.

I’m just glad I heard about Ebico before I made the switch.

Sharon J

~~+~~

Are You A Sniffler?

Because my bowel can’t accept natural nutrients, my immune system is seriously compromised, which means that if I catch a common cold, it can take weeks, if not months, for me to shake it off. Some patients with my condition have even had to be hospitalised because of what most just think of as a bout of the sneezes. Anything more serious and… well, I’m sure you can imagine.

Because of this, I have to try to do other things that help boost the immune system and when I talk to people about that, I often realise that they don’t know much about this subject; our immune system is something we kind of take for granted.

As well as eating nutritious food, which of course includes getting your five-a-day of fruit and vegetables, reducing alcohol consumption, eating less sugar etc, there are other, non-nutrition based ways of boosting your immune system even further, helping ensure a long and healthy life.

1. Maintain a healthy weight. By keeping your weight at a healthy level the body’s cell development is better balanced and therefore better equipped to fight off infection. Yo-yo dieting, on the other hand, has the opposite effect; the more our weight fluctuates outside of healthy norms, the less likely it is to cope.

2. Make sure you get enough sleep. Even mild sleep deprivation has an adverse effect on the body’s immune system. When we’re tired, the body’s less able to cope with the fight against infections. Unfortunately, fatigue is one of the negative side-effects of the rat-race society we’ve developed, where people are working long hours, coming home to more work, caring for children, and so forth so slowing down and living a simpler lifestyle is definitely better us physically as well as psychologically.

3. Exercise. One of the main benefits of exercise - and we’re talking mild exercise here, not weight lifting or training for a marathon - is that it helps the body produce more bacteria attacking cells as well as helping those that already exist move more quickly around the body. For this to have any long-term effect though, it’s important that mild exercise (walking at least a mile, heavy housework, gardening, swimming etc) is kept up on a daily basis.

4. Don't smoke. I’m pretty much preaching to myself here, being as I was stupid enough to start smoking again after five years of going without, but just as exercise increases the number of bacteria fighting cells, smoking reduces them. Luckily, this is one of the things that change rapidly when we finally ditch the weed.

5. Avoid stress. I was told on leaving hospital that stress would basically knacker my already compromised immune system and several times that information has been proven correct. In fact, the two times that I’ve become seriously ill since developing my condition, stress has been the forerunner to the problems. I don’t know why stress does this, but I know it definitely does.


Unfortunately, my weight is largely determined by hospital doctors and out of my hands but I’ve certainly noticed that after losing more weight than was healthy for my height and build, I became more susceptible to infections. Thankfully, the doctor I have now has accepted that I was forced to lose too much weight and has given me a 70 kilo goal to reach. 5.5 kilos up so far, 17.5 to go!

Sleep can also be a bit of a problem as I’m often up at night to empty out the waste from the 2.5 litres of TPN that’s pumped straight into my blood stream. I’ve learned to sleep when I’m tired though, even if that means going to bed at 8pm or having a couple of hours kip in the afternoons.

Exercise can also be a bit iffy because of my PVD - my legs hurt far too much for any real kind of walking (100 yards and I’m struggling), cycling’s out of the question, and although I could swim, I can’t get in and out of the pool because of the weakness in my legs and the kind of ladder steps they have at our local bathes. I do try to push myself just that little bit extra when I do walk though, and doing the housework is good for me. And dancing has always been something I’ve enjoyed so I often put on some music and dance for as long as my legs and stamina will let me.

As for smoking….well, you know the score.

Unfortunately, even though I tell them how bad stress can be for me, a lot of people really don’t understand it. I suppose that’s natural because they only have their own reactions to stress to judge by but as a consequence, in order to maintain my own health, I’ve had to seriously cut back on the amount of time I spend around people who stress me. I don’t like it, I can’t deal with it, and I won’t compromise my health because of it.

Anyway, if you’re one of those people who seem to easily pick up infections, maybe one of the above could be part of your problem.

Sharon J

~~+~~

Supermarket Comparison

Image: Dominic's Pics

I recently found a site called MySupermarket and although it’s designed for those who do their shopping online, it’s also really handy for those wanting to compare prices between Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose (or Ocado, as the latter’s online shopping site is called).

I recently put my grocery list in, using Asda as my guide (because I knew they had a few things that I couldn’t get elsewhere) and would you believe that I saved the following:

Compared to:

Tesco - £9.42
Sainsbury’s - £12.27
Waitrose - £18.10

Now I realise that some of the products are no doubt better quality at Waitrose but having tried and tested everything on my list earlier, I knew I wouldn’t be getting ‘rubbish’ either. And quite honestly, the difference in quality just isn’t worth £18.10 to me, especially as my bill only came to £40.70 so not a HUGE shop really. I mean, at Waitrose I would have paid almost half of my bill again for more or less the same products (lots of fruit & veg, much of which is organic, a few tinned bits and pieces, some meat and dry cupboard stuff).

As much as I hate supermarkets and what they've done to the local economy, sometimes I just can’t do the many stores jaunt and will therefore definitely be using the site before I either head for the cavernous hole of capitalism or book my online shopping because you know what they say about a penny saved. I wonder what they’d say about eighteen quid saved? Or even just under a tenner?

Sharon J

~~+~~

More Heat in Winter for Just 50p a Year?

With the dark evenings starting to draw in now and Autumn in the air, I've started thinking about getting my house ready for winter. One product I've recently stumbled across is a Radiator Booster. It seems to me like a really clever, eco-friendly product, and as such I just had to let you all know about it.

Apparently it’s a ‘Dragon’s Den’ product that’s designed to circulate warm air from water fired rads making them up to 50% more efficient whilst also reducing warm up times. It plugs into the mains but is said to cost an average of just 50p a year to run, which is dead cheap. Ok, so you have an initial outlay of £14.99 per booster but if it helps heat up your home more efficiently, it'll not only pay for itself relatively quickly but by eliminating cold spots, which it supposedly does, it'll help make life more comfortable too. If it works, I'm all for it.

It works by blasting warm air that would usually disappear into walls out of the sides of the rads instead. Sounds excellent, don’t ya fink?

It just sits on top of your rads, doing it’s thing and is such a simple idea that you can only wonder why nobody ever thought of it before. But you know how it is, the simple ideas are usually the best.

I haven’t bought one yet but I’ll definitely be ordering one this month before the cold really starts to set in again. If it works as well as it I'm hoping it will, I'll get more.

Sharon J

~~+~~

My Home Organiser - One Of The Most Useful Things I Have

Image: aperture_lag

I was going to tell you about my Home Organiser today and how helpful it’s been to me but I’ll point you in the direction of Simple Mom’s post on the same subject instead. Easier for me, and there’s never really any point in repeating something that somebody else has already said so well, is there?

Obviously my organiser’s tailored to my particular needs. Along with all the usual stuff that most would include it also contains information related to my health needs, my food diary, a list of things I need to make either for the home or as gifts, decorating & DIY tasks that need doing including my list of niggles, and an area where I keep temporary stuff, like travel itineraries, packing checklists and what have you.

If you don’t use a home organiser, I’d highly recommend you take a look at Simple Mom’s post and the links at the bottom because having everything in one place really does make life easier.

Sharon J

~~+~~

Making The Most of Carrots

Image: color line

Two of my children are not big veggie fans but luckily both of them are perfectly happy to eat carrots. Ok, so the little lass generally insists on covering her entire meal in thick Bisto gravy (I personally don't like the stuff but she buys it herself) but even with the tastes practically drowned out, the goodness is still there.

Carrots are one of the UK’s most popular vegetables and with good reason - they’re sweet, juicy and packed with nutrients. They can be eaten raw or cooked, used as an accompaniment to just about any dish, can be boiled, baked, roasted or steamed and used in soups, stews, casseroles and pies. Talk about versatile! And because they’re bright and cheerful looking, kids usually love ‘em. Even my darling daughter ate them without smothering them in gravy, but that was a while ago.

Carrots are also cheap enough to be regularly included in meals, are available all year round and just three tablespoons counts as one portion of your five a day. What more could anybody want from a humble vegetable?

It’s good that carrots are popular because as well as being cheap and tasty, they’re our best source of both vitamin A and pro-vitamin A and include a good few other useful nutrients too. BUT… did you know that how you eat them is important if you’re gonna make the most of those nutrients?

Until I met Richard, I thought it was just a matter of… well, eat ‘em! Not so. Apparently his ex wife had done some reasonably extensive research into food because she wanted to give her kids the best start in life - as you do - and had learned a thing or two about carrots. Being curious, I followed up with some research of my own and found that what I’d been told was indeed true.

Carrots are more nutritious when eaten cooked rather than raw.
Because of their tough cellular walls, our bodies are only able to covert around 25 percent the beta carotene in raw carrots. Beta carotene's the stuff that’s then turned into vitamin A. Obviously, some vitamin A is better than none at all so by all means carry on munching those raw carrot sticks and using them in salads but if you want to maximise their nutrient potential, cook ‘em. Whether you boil, roast or do something else with them, cooking helps dissolve the cellulose walls by breaking down their membranes. Just be careful not to overcook them because that has the reverse effect. Crisp yet tender is what we should be aiming for.

Carrots should be served with fat.
I don’t mean you should only eat them with fatty meats or fried stuff, but serving them with some fat helps the body absorb more of the carotene. Tossing them in some butter is a tasty way of serving them, especially if you mix a little dill in too, or if you're using them in a salad, drizzle it with an olive oil based dressing. Obviously, if you’re serving them with a fat-based sauce or have roasted them in fat or oil, the problem’s already solved for you.

Carrots shouldn't be stored with their tops on.
When carrots are laid out in the greengrocers, complete with their fresh, green tops, they always look somehow more tempting but unfortunately they're less likely to be nutricious than their topless counterparts. The green plant will continue its struggle to survive, drawing goodness from the root (the carrot) thus depleting it of important nutrients. If you do buy carrots with their tops on, cut them off before storing them. BUT, if they're so called 'dirty carrots', don't wash them before storing - the soil helps preserve them.

So there you go. How to make the most of carrots. And guess what? They really are good for the eyesight too. Apparently it’s that beta carotene's production of vitamin A that we can thank for that.

Quick Recipe: Glazed Carrots

Serves 2

300g carrots, cut into 5cm strips
150ml chicken stock
A good dollop of butter
1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
Salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon mixed chopped fresh mint & parsley

1. Put the carrots in a pan with the stock, butter and sugar. Season with salt & pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes until they're almost tender.

2. Remove the lid and boil rapidly until the liquid in the pan has evaporated and formed a glaze on the carrots. Stir in the herbs and serve hot.


Sharon J

~~+~~

Other posts that may be of interest:

• Fruit and Veg Doesn't Have To Be Fresh
• Garden Plants To Use In Salads
• The Frugal Freezer
• Grocery Shopping - 20 Money Saving Tips
• Menu Planning - How I Do It
• Sweet Stella Cherries - A Real Taste of Summer
  

~~+~~

Natural Ways To Get Rid of Ants

Image: Autan

I haven’t had a big problem with ants this year (touch wood) but a few weeks ago I noticed a couple of the blighters crawling around in my back porch and knew it would only be a matter of time before they’d invaded the house and would be driving me absolutely insane.

Now, I’ve nothing against ants in general - they’re very beneficial little chaps that help clear away dead insects and animals while aerating the ground and carrying organic matter into the soil so that our plants will grow bigger and stronger. What I dislike is the fact that at this time of year, they tend to think it’s their given right to just move into my house whenever they please and I’m sorry, but I just ain’t sharing!

The thing is, if they’re not controlled they can make nests in the insulation layer found below houses and from what I’ve heard, that's when you really have problems.

Of course, the best thing to do is make sure there’s nothing in the house that’s likely to attract them in the first place. Anything sweet and sugary that can easily be found will be like a magnet to them; once one has found it, the entire working population of the nest will be marching in to pick up their share. Unfortunately, even if we’re careful to keep sugar, honey, fizzy drinks, sweets, and the likes tightly packaged and away from kitchen work surfaces and other areas that are easily accessible, ants can still find something that attracts them. Just one tiny grain of sugar or biscuit crumb is all it takes.

Not wanting to use commercial ant-killer stuff to get rid of my visitors - the common Lasius niger, otherwise known as garden ants, that are the general cause of problems here in the UK - I decided to look into ways of deterring them through natural means. This is what I came up with:

Lemon juice - pour around the areas that ants frequent. This is meant to destroy their scent trails, confusing them into marching around witlessly rather than following their trodden path. A piece of string soaked in lemon juice and left where they come in is meant to do the same job.

Chalk - draw a line across their path and apparently they won’t cross it. A couple of people have told me they’ve successfully tried this but as I didn’t have any chalk, I didn’t get a chance.

Bicarb (baking soda) - does pretty much the same job as chalk. Sprinkle a line of it across their path.

Baby Powder - again, does the same as the above.

Vinegar - this one worked for me! Apparently ants absolutely loathe the stuff so spray it around doorways and anywhere else they may be coming through, as well as across their paths. I tried a mixture of 50/50 white malt vinegar and water and the ants were gone the next day!


If ants in the garden are a problem (and who wants them harvesting green fly on the veggies?), growing mint amongst the plants is said to be a deterrent. I can’t vouch for the validity of that, though. If that doesn’t work, you could always try laying your own sweet, sugary trail leading them elsewhere (like the compost heap, for example).

I have my vinegar at the ready should they decide to return to my humble abode. Until then, I’ll just relax and be happy that once again I managed to solve a problem without turning to synthetic and potentially harmful chemicals.

Sharon J

~~+~~

Other posts that may be of interest:

• How To Get Rid Of Slugs & Snails
• 20 Uses For Vinegar

~~+~~

An Earth Friendly, Multi-Purpose, Extremely Frugal Cleaning Fluid

Image: Marinegirl

As most of you probably know, I’ve long since stopped buying commercial household cleaners that are full of nasty toxins, much preferring simpler, safer ways of keeping the house clean.

One of the cleaners I love the most is one that you can easily mix yourself from really inexpensive ingredients that will go a looooong way.

Here’s what you need:

1 litre Spray bottle
White vinegar
Water
About twenty drops tea tree oil
2-3 drops eco-friendly washing up liquid (eCover or even one of the mainstream supermarket own brands)

Mix it all together and use it to clean worktops, mirrors, windows, floors, chrome, cooker tops, the inside of the fridge, wood and plastic chopping boards, stainless steel, and porcelain. And because of the antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal qualities in the tea tree oil, it can also be used to clean the toilet, bath and shower tiles. The only place you shouldn’t use it - because of the vinegar content - is on marble. It’s even good at loosening up stains on the laundry. Just spray it on, leave it for about 10 minutes then wash as you normally would. It cuts through grease well, too.

Once it’s mixed it can be stored for ages although it’s best to store it away from direct heat because it can go kind of ikky otherwise.

Life’s so much easier when you have a true multi-purpose cleaner at hand, and one that you know isn’t doing scary stuff to the environment. Gone are the myriad bottles and packets that used to live under my sink and come crashing out at me everytime I needed something and in their place are just a few cleaning essentials that do the job very nicely, thanks.

Sadly, most commercial cleaners are full of polluting chemicals that destroy our water based eco systems and can also have a negative impact on our own health but judging by what I see at the supermarket, they're still being bought by the barrel load. The fact that the law doesn’t insist that manufacturer’s list their ingredients because most are considered to be secret doesn't help, either. (would Cif be better than Flash otherwise? Assuming it is, of course. Though I doubt it).

Sharon J

~~+~~

Other posts that may be of interest:

• Washing Day
• 20 Uses for Vinegar
• Proctor & Gamble’s Latest Gimmick
• Why My Fingers & Toes are ‘au naturelle’
• Blowing In The Breeze - How To Hang Out Your Washing

~~+~~

Seventeen Tries & Tomatoes

Image: Muffet

According to Antony Worrell Thompson, you have to eat something 17 times before your tastebuds adjust to a new taste. Or at least take 17 bites. I don’t suppose you actually have to swallow the food if you don’t want to, although choosing not to might prove somewhat embarrassing at a posh dinner party. Or even a not-so-posh one for that matter.

I think that's quite an interesting titbit and one I shall remember next time I taste something and decide I don’t particularly like it. Notice that I didn’t say really found it foul though, because if that’s the case then I’m not going to put myself through taste hell seventeen times just to see whether I eventually become accustomed to it. No way. There's a big difference between unpleasant and disgusting.

Seriously though, it’s really worth remembering when you’re teaching children to accept new foods as it’s obvious that persistence is key if they’re actually going to accept a taste that they don’t find particularly appealing to start with. I have to admit that I gave up long before I’d made seventeen attempts, going back to things now and then and trying again, but as only one of my three children is willing to give most things a try, I do feel a bit “if only I’d known that then”-ish.

I used to be very picky myself - probably because my mum was never really interested in cooking so tended to serve the same things over and over - but I’ve improved as I’ve got older. I want to improve even further though. I want to broaden my food horizons and discover the joys of everything nature has to offer our palettes.

The one thing I’ve always refused point blank to even consider tasting though is a tomato. I’ve always hated them. Really despised them. Not the taste or the texture - I wouldn’t know what they’re like - but just the thought of them would make me feel ill (all in the mind, of course). I’ve decided it’s time to overcome that now, or at least try. I shall buy a tomato next time I shop, and will try a tiny piece. It won’t be easy, I know that, but I’m gonna try. And I’m gonna try seventeen times! After all, there must be something I’m missing because everybody else seems to love ‘em!

Sharon J

~~+~~

Other posts that may be of interest:

• Garden Plants To Use In Salads
• Menu Planning - How I Do It
• Sweet Stella Cherries - A Real Taste of Summer

~~+~~

Simple and Frugal Outings That Will Keep The Kids Amused

Image Source

With the school summer holidays looming, knowing how to keep the kids occupied without having to spend a fortune isn't always easy.

Like many hundreds of thousands of others, I’ve been to Alton Towers with the kids, bought a games console, and spent far too much on cinema visits. I’ve done lots of other things that have cost an arm and a leg too, but all that was a long time ago and during a period where I, for reasons that I no longer understand, thought that they had to have and do the things that other kids had or were doing. It's that old 'keeping up with the Jones's' syndrome.

I was wrong. Those things haven’t played any part in shaping them into the adults they are today. Sure, they were fun at the time, but they haven’t given them any lasting memories or taught them much worth knowing. Those things have come through the simple things we’ve enjoyed together - the things that hardly cost much at all.

If you’re looking for ways of entertaining the kids on a budget, here are a few ideas.

1. Take a walk in the countryside. My kids used to love picking wild flowers that they'd later press, and collect twigs, cones, leaves and such to make into things or stick on cards. They'd try to spot wildlife, whether birds, mammals, reptiles or insects, and look for berries and wild fruit. This opens up for another opportunity - you can go to the library together and find out more about what you’ve picked or seen.

2. Use your local park. Most towns have one but if they aren’t used often enough by enough people, they’ll eventually disappear. They’re often inhabited by squirrels and even though grey squirrels are classed as vermin, kids love feeding them and park squirrels are often bold enough to approach us two-legged giants.

3. Play board games or cards. As well as bringing the family together, these teach children how to be gracious winners and accepting losers, something they often miss out on otherwise.

4. Go camping. It’s cheap, it’s fun and everybody learns to pull together for it to be successful. My kids had more fun camping than on any other type of holiday and just a night in a tent can be lots of fun.

5. Visit a beach that isn’t attached to a tourist hot-spot. That way you won’t be seduced into buying all sorts of useless rubbish and there will be a better chance of spotting wildlife, finding shells and bits of driftwood, not to mention burying Mum or Dad in the sand.

6. Go fishing. You don’t need fancy, expensive equipment - just a simple rod, reel, line, hooks and suitable bait will generally do the trick. You’ll need a license but unless you’re after salmon or trout, a full season’s license costs £24.50 for an adult and £5 for juniors (12-16). Under 12s won’t need one. More information can be found here. My girls learned to gut and prepare fish as well as how to kill them humanely, things that are far more useful than knowing how to press the right button on a computer console so that they can blow up a human enemy.

7. Visit museums. Your kids may think this sounds pretty boring but there are a lot of fun museums around. Science museums usually have special areas for children where they can try things hands on (this was one of my children’s favourites), and some history based museums are a lot of fun too as some give kids a real feel for what it was like to go to school, work and play in ‘the old days’. Follow this link for a list of UK museums.

8. Use the library. Local libraries often arrange a variety of events that appeal to all ages so next time you’re passing by, pop in and pick up their events leaflet. Most are either free or cost no more than a few pounds.

9. Visit your local swimming pool. If you’re lucky to have one nearby, swimming is good fun and exercise for all the family.

10. Arrange local get-togethers. Just think of how the old street parties used to bring communities together. Talk to neighbours and/or other parents at the school gates and ask whether they’d like to get together for a picnic in the park, a barbeque evening, or whatever else you can think up. The children get to spend more time with other kids and you get to know other parents better.

11. Make something. Crafts help children develop their creativity and imaginations whilst teaching them that you make things yourself instead of buying everything. Teaching them how to cook is always fun and useful too.

12. And once the kids are tucked up for the night, have sex. Why give your hard earned money to babysitters and pub landlords when you can enjoy a glass of wine with your partner in bed, instead?

While the occasional visit to the cinema, a theme park or, better still, the zoo, are all fine in small doses and as long as your purse can take the strain, it’s perfectly possible to keep a family entertained without having to throw large amounts of money around and the results will probably be far more valuable.

We're off on a picnic in Delamere Forest today. My kids may be adults now but they're my guests at the moment and I still have to keep them happy without breaking the bank.

Sharon J

~~+~~

Other posts that may be of interest:

• All Feet To The Pole
• Fishing

~~+~~