So far, so mixed. Picked up eight oyster chicken thighs in the local centra for €2.99 and settled down to make a curry. Had all the ingredients here - apart from yogurt - so it was shaping up to be a very, very cheap meal, something I could eat this evening before bagging the leftovers up and freezing. That was before I got to Tesco to stock up on groceries ahead of tomorrow. The 1kg bag of brown basmati rice ended up costing me an unbelievable €6.62. I've actually had to check that once more. Almost seven euro for a kilo bag of rice. Is this the future? Paying exorbitant sums for cupboard staples?

Yet another day of enforced thrift. Went a little crazy with the laser card on saturday so I'm taking a raincheck on updating my wardrobe and concentrating on planning my holidays and organising flat for visit by the folks tomorrow. Best part of all this is planning how I'm going to use my slow cooker. Thanks to boards.ie and this website I'm all excited about learning to cook cheap cuts of meat verrry slooowly and efficiently. Honestly, I won't know myself...

Very thrifty day in the end... As good as my word, for dinner I made koshari - an Egyptian carb-tastic dish I found on the Frugal Cook's student site. My only outlay was a packet of brown rice, a bag of onions and a tin of tomatoes (still came to over €5 in Centra. grr) and by simply making a yummy garlicky tomato sauce, cooking a few lentils, rice and pasta, I had a feast. My own particular twist was to stir in the gorgeous seeds from a pomegranate. Yum. So that should be lunch sorted for tomorrow. And taking care of the lentils should make for a delish dinner tomorrow night too. *deeply contented sigh*

I spose this counts as being thrifty... Not venturing out... breakfasting on fruit (pakistan orange and - a first for me - half a pomegranate) and bread but it's not mentally healthy, is it?
Just as soon as I figure out how to use up the rest of that blessed pomegranate, I'm off to the shops to buy the makings of a light dinner. You know, after my nap...

Well, I've been rather bold. And not just in failing to update this page. Had to apply to the Bank of Mum last week in order to get the cogs of the de Winter economy rolling again until my invoices were paid on Friday. When I got a fresh shock. One-third of my income being swallowed up by taxes. As a result, my 'income' is less than the carefully calculated 'outgoings'. I hate being poor...

hick... well, hickory actually

Guh. Not a good day. Fretful night's sleep. Really not liking Netherland at the moment. Then, late afternoon, I headed for Blanch shopping centre to buy a present for my niece and ended up spending e55 at Borders, e40 at TK Maxx, e10 at Smyths and e11.20 at Bombay Pantry on way home. In a fit of domestic fiscal efficiency, I'd already whipped out the credit card to pay for my long-overdue TV licence (e160) and my mobile phone bill (e61). Worst of all, I started the day by going over to the Centra at around 8am, buying a packet of hickory rashers, and eating them all. That's not a good sign, is it?

A pretty good day for cash-conscious old people like myself. Fairly modest outlay over the day: about e5 went to the Centra across the way for paper, bread, milk; another e2 to the chemist for plasters and tissues; and about e1.50 for yogurt (to go with homemade curry) and an apple (because I've been skimping on fresh fruit). AND the pensioners got their medical card back! Yay! You see? Who needs a pension? *sticks fingers in ears* La la la la