Pina Colada Cheesecake - Great Bloggers Bake Off

I absolutely adore cheesecake. However I have only made a baked cheesecake a couple of times. I usually go for the easier no bake ones. So when I saw that cheesecakes were one of the challenges for the bakers I knew that I had to make one.

Cheesecake is definitely one of my most favourite desserts.

At the moment I have a real passion for coconut ingredients. I regularly use coconut oil, coconut milk and coconut flour. So when I was thinking of what my favourite summer flavours were what came to mind?

Yes, you guessed it, coconut!

But I did not want to make just a coconut cheesecake I wanted to add more flavours. This led me to one of my favour cocktails, Pina Colada. Pineapple and coconut are such a classic combination, I knew they would be perfect for this weeks challenge.

I have got the basic weights from BBC Good Food and have adapted the recipe.

Here is my Pina Colada Cheesecake...

Great British Budget Tips and A Rant About Loan Companies!

It is now the last few days of the Great British Budget and I have found it both fun and beneficial taking part.
We really have thought more about how far our money goes and how we can save some valuable pounds!

Here are a few money saving tips...



"We all like a little treat every now and then - whether it's a few glasses of wine or a greasy pizza. But if you're not careful the costs of these little luxuries can start to add up, as well as the impact on your health. Why not try cutting down on treats like takeaways and alcohol, and keeping track of how much you save? If you're a smoker, you should know that every cigarette now costs 40p - that's £3,000 a year if you smoke 20 a day!"
We very rarely get a takeaway. This is mainly because of the cost. We have found that it is easier and just as enjoyable to cook a takeaway style meal and to buy a bottle of wine. I do prefer to cook a takeaway style meal as I know what has gone into the dish and can adapt according to our tastes and can make healthier changes. I recently made a Chicken Makhani curry which, I will admit, I preferred to the takeaway and it was certainly cheaper!

"Could your savings be working harder for you? If you're a UK taxpayer, interest earned on your savings will be subject to income tax - unless you use your annual ISA allowance. An ISA works just like a traditional savings account, except that the interest you earn is protected from tax up to a set limit for each tax year. For the 2013/14 tax year you can save up to £5,760 tax free - make sure you use your allowance for this year before the 6th of April or you'll lose it!"
When we manage to put some money away we do use an ISA. Hopefully as the year goes on we'll be able to save a little bit more!

"If you're paying off credit card debt, you could save money by transferring it to a card with a lower interest rate - many balance transfer cards offer special introductory rates, which could substantially reduce your debt if you're currently paying a high rate of interest. If you're thinking of doing this, remember to make a note of when your introductory rate ends, as your interest is likely to increase after this date. It is also worth bearing in mind that cards offering low interest on balance transfers often charge higher interest on purchases, so check the terms carefully and avoid the temptation to spend!"

I did do this when I had debt problems. However I will advise you to cancel the card that you are transferring the debt from! I didn't and for me it was a clear credit card to start using again. If you do get into bad debt with credit cards I wold definitely recommend consolidating all of your debt into one place and cutting up any other cards!

Now it is time for me to have a bit of a rant and as it is the Great British Budget it certainly is a fitting rant after the last tip.

My rant is about loan companies!

I am amazed by how payday loans and unsecured loan companies are allowed to promote their services. In the last couple of weeks I have had numerous texts from various different companies offering me loans. When I say numerous, I don't just mean one or two texts, I mean at least eight that I have counted!
On one day I received three texts from three different companies! In one day!
Once upon a time, a text from one of those companies would have given me false hope of digging myself out of the hole of debt that I was in.
Thankfully, now that I am out of debt, I am able to see the mistakes that I made. But I am sure that these companies will be helping others get into even more debt.
I truly believe that the "payday" loans should have a lot more advertising and promoting restrictions.
Payday loans may help a few, but for the majority of people it will ony cause more problems with their ridiculous APR's. People will only find that after paying the loan off that they will have a further short fall the following month and before you know it you will be in a vicious circle of debt.
If you are in debt ad are considering taking out one of these loans, explore all of your opportunities before you do.

Throughout February Your Wealth are challenging people to create a budget and to stick to it!
They have a great tool that is available to help you manage all of your outgoings which is available as an app for your mobile phone so that you are always able to control your finances.

Check out Your Wealth on twitter @yourwealthuk as they are running a photo challenge where you will be entered into a prize draw to win one of four £50 Love2Shop vouchers.
But its also a fun way to join in!
Don't forget to add #GreatBritishBudget to your tweets!

Disclaimer: I have volunteered to take part in the Great British Budget as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However there is a prize draw for the panelists who are taking part.

Budget Weekly Meal Plan - Week Commencing 24th February 2014

It is the last week of the Great British Budget and I have to admit that we are having a few treats this week!

Last week our shopping list was quite small so we allowed ourselves the same budget and bought a few items of food that we would normally not buy on a regular basis purely because of the price. We have also kept within budget over the last month I believe that we deserve a treat.

Last weeks meal plan, again, did not go as I had hoped. This was down to illness, again, but this time on my part.

Now that we are all back to our normal healthy selves I am looking forward to serving, and eating, some delicious meals!

This is what we will be enjoying...

Week Commencing 24th February 2014

Chicken and Leek Pie

I have to admit, this is not a homemade pie. It is one that we treated ourselves to from the farm shop when we went out for the twins birthday. However it is one that is freshly made using organic ingredients! I will be serving the pie with baked French potatoes layered with onions, spinach and ricotta, french beans and carrots.

Chicken Stuffed with Stilton and Wrapped in Bacon

This will be served with roasted sweet potato and crunchy baby sweetcorn, sugar snap peas and french beans.

Slow Cooked Chilli Beef

I will slow cook the stewing steak in a tomato sauce with red chilli, green chilli, red and green peppers, onions and kidney beans. It will be served with creamy mash potatoes.

Leftovers

There will be, no doubt, plenty of leftovers from the slow cooked chilli beef. I will bulked it up with extra vegetables and add courgettes. I will serve with freshly made wraps and rice.

Mushroom and Smoked Bacon Risotto

This risotto is an easy, quick meal that is delicious with Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

Italian Inspired Cod Loin

The cod is baked with peppers, onions, oregano, basil and tomatoes. When the fish is cooked I sprinkle over a cheese topping and grill. This will be served on a bed of tagliatelle.

There will also be plenty of homemade bread, ginger tea loaf and I am planning a new rhubarb pudding too!

Have a lovely week x

 

Disclaimer: I volunteered to take part in this campaign as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However at the end there is a prize draw for the panellists.

I am sharing my weekly meal plan on At Home With Mrs M's Meal Planning Monday

 

Great British Budget Tips and Our Month So Far...

"Could you save money on your food shopping? Supermarkets are convenient, but if you live near a good market you might be able to save on fresh produce by shopping around. Making a shopping list and meal plan can also be helpful, to help you stop you buying things you don't need!"
This is something that we do! I have found that the price and quality of fresh meat from our local market is a lot better than the supermarket. Last month we had a trip to the market and stocked the freezer up with meat. It was a lot up front, everything cost about £50, but it filled up the freezer and I know, after looking, that it would have cost us more from the supermarket. I also get our fruit and vegetables from a local supplier. One week I did a comparable shop online and it worked out £5 cheaper than the supermarkets. Plus, again, the quality of the produce is better and I have found that it lasts longer and therefore reduces food waste!
I never go shopping without a shopping list! If I do I end up buying things that I do not need and forget the items that I do need so end up having to do extra trips to the shops. If, one week, we don't need as much I try to add on a few little treats or items which I will need soon which are often more expensive and are the first things to go back on the shelves if I have reached our budget!

 "What's your talent? If you've got a skill that other people want to learn, it could help you earn a bit of extra cash - could you teach the instrument you play, or tutor in your specialist subject? Alternatively, if you've got another skill like writing, you could try taking on some extra freelance work."
Freelance work is something that I would love to do, starting my blog has enabled me to earn a bit of money, but not much. However it is a starting block! Once the twins have started school this will be something that I hope to pursue.


"Has the miserable weather got you dreaming of a summer holiday already? You could save money by booking early and using flight comparison sites to get the best deal. If you can be flexible about your dates, try to avoid flying on the weekends as this is usually the most expensive time to fly!"
Yes the miserable weather has got us thinking about a summer holiday, but we have found that holidays abroad are just too expensive! In the past I have been on holidays abroad when I really could not afford to go and have ended up getting into more debt. Now, we enjoy holidays in England and Scotland. We have found that our holidays so much cheaper and just as enjoyable. The sun and sand is not everything!


"The NHS prescription charge is pretty good value at £7.85 per item, but if a medical issue means you need a lot of prescriptions, the cost can really add up. If you usually need more than 1 prescribed medicine a month, you can cut the cost with a Prescription Prepayment Certificate. A 12 month PPC costs £104, which is a saving of over £80 a year if you need two or more medicines per month. There's also a 3 month version which costs £29.10. You can find more information and purchase a PPC on the NHS website"
Thankfully this is not a problem that we have. But I was aware that this was available. Families that are on a low income could also be getting help with the NHS. Visit NHS Low Income Scheme if your income is £16,000 or less you may be eligible for extra help!

Our Month So Far

Next week is the end of February and so far we are doing well.
Unfortunately the dreaded sickness bug has hit all of us during the last 6 days. Therefore our budget weekly meal plan has not been kept to and this last week we have had to do some unexpected trips to the shops. We have had to use the credit card to cover the costs of these extra shops, however this week our shopping list will be shorter due to us not eating a lot so the money that we do not spend will go straight onto the credit card to cover this.
Today I have entered our meter readings. Last month I was horrified to see how much our costs had gone up!
This month I was determined to keep it down and have been reducing our heating by a degree and putting on a jumper when it starts to feel cool instead of turning the heating up.
I was relieved to see that this has paid off!
Last month our total months use came to a whopping £193.63!
This month I am delighted to say that it has gone down to £123.74!
That's a huge £69.89 saving!
Thankfully we pay our fuel by direct debit over the year and manage to get credit built up over the summer months to cover the extra costs over the winter. So I would definitely recommend that families do this. If we were not paying direct debit and got a bill for nearly £200 we would have struggled. It is worth paying the same amount throughout the year.

Throughout February Your Wealth are challenging people to create a budget and to stick to it!
They have a great tool that is available to help you manage all of your outgoings which is available as an app for your mobile phone so that you are always able to control your finances.

Check out Your Wealth on twitter @yourwealthuk as they are running a photo challenge where you will be entered into a prize draw to win one of four £50 Love2Shop vouchers.
But its also a fun way to join in!
Don't forget to add #GreatBritishBudget to your tweets!

Disclaimer: I have volunteered to take part in the Great British Budget as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However there is a prize draw for the panelists who are taking part.


 
 

 

Budget Weekly Meal Plan - Week Commencing 17th February 2014

I've to to admit last weeks meal plan didn't exactly go as planned!
The dreaded sickness bug arrived at the end of last week so we didn't have the mushroom stroganoff or the Mexican beef and vegetable stew.
However on Saturday I did make a beef cannelloni which was absolutely delicious and I will definitely be sharing the recipe this week!
For the first part of this week I am going to be making quite plain meals which won't be too heavy for everyone.
On Thursday it is the twins second birthday and we are going out for a family lunch. Our evening meal will probably just be a snack.
Thankfully my oven is now back in full working order so I am no longer having to plan around the hob and can bake again which has been a huge relief!
This is what we will be enjoying this week...

Week Commencing 17th February 2014

Monday - Breaded Fish and Homemade Chips

This is what I have got planned for tonights meal. The twins, Joseph and the hubby are all still getting over their tummy bugs so this is a meal that will be quite light on their delicate tummies. When I make homemade chips I cook them in the hot air fryer which only needs a tablespoon of oil so they are no greasy like other chips. Home cooked fish and chips are not only healthier than going to the takeaway but also a lot cheaper!

Tuesday - Vegetable Macaroni Cheese

This is a meal that I have not made in such a long time but one that I love! It is a basic macaroni cheese with courgettes, tomatoes, onions and peppers added in. This is a lovely meal which costs very little to make so is perfect for families who are living on a tight budget!

Wednesday - Vegetable and Chestnut Pie

This pie is a cheese sauce based pie with chestnut mushrooms, onions, whole chestnuts and broccoli with a wholemeal pastry.

Birthday Thursday - Sandwiches and Salad

As we will be eating out a lunch time we will just be having sandwiches and salad as a light tea.

Friday - Slow Cooked Beef with Vegetable Yorkshire Puddings

I will be cooking a slow cooked beef joint as this is something that I can leave in the slow cooker all day. Hubby has taken Thursday and Friday off work so I can leave this cooking while we go out. A good beef joint can often cost more but it I think that it is worth the cost as you get enough meat for two days worth of meals!

Saturday - Leftover Beef Chilli

I love using leftovers. They always make such flavoursome meals. This week I'll be using the left over beef to make a chilli which will be served with brown rice and of course cheesy nachos and dips!

As well as this there will be fresh homemade bread and a birthday cake to look forward to.

 

 

Disclaimer: I volunteered to take part in this campaign as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However at the end there is a prize draw for the panellists.

I am sharing my weekly meal plan on At Home With Mrs M's Meal Planning Monday

Great British Budget Tips and End Of Week 2

"Are you missing out on any benefits you're entitled to? Websites like EntitledTo.co.uk can help you to work out exactly what you should be getting. Make the most of the help available to make your budget stretch further!"

This is a website that I haven't looked at as I know that we are getting what we are entitled to. But I would definitely recommend that any family on a low income should check.

"It's a common myth that children don't pay tax on their savings - in fact they are not automatically exempt. Your child can earn up to £100 a year on their savings without paying tax, but HMRC automatically taxes all savings interest at 20%, whether or not any tax is due. You will need to fill in a form called an R85 to make sure your child gets the full advertised interest rate."
This is a fact that I was unaware of! We are in the process of opening savings accounts for the twins as Joseph already has one. So I will be looking into getting the relevant forms filled out!

"Did you know that you could be paying too much council tax? Most homes were put into a council tax band in 1993 and haven't been reassessed since - that's a long time! According to official figures, around 1 in 20 homes have been found to be in the wrong band since then. If you think you may be paying too much, contact the Valuation Office Agency for a reassessment. But remember that if your home has been renovated or extended, your valuation could go up and you might end up paying more!"
Thankfully this is something that isn't relevant to us. But it is something to bear in mind if we ever moved house!

Week 2 Round Up

This week we have done well. We have made it to pay day and all of our bills were paid on time! When hubby has been paid he always sits and works out what bills are going out and what money we have left. The majority of the time whatever is left goes straight into the credit card account. This month was no different. Unfortunately after Christmas we had to service one of the cars and buy new tyres for the other. So as you can imagine this bumped the credit card bill up. Thankfully we now have most of it paid off and by the end of February it will be cleared!
I have managed to do our food shopping for £69.22 this week so I came home with a few pennies left from my £70 budget!
Next week our power direct debit will be going out so I will be inputting our meter readings! Having kept the heating a little bit lower after an expensive month in January I am hoping to see some results on our bill!
Also it is the twins second birthday next week so we will be having a day of treats but we have accounted for this is our budgeting.
Here's to a third week of saving money!

Throughout February Your Wealth are challenging people to create a budget and to stick to it!
They have a great tool that is available to help you manage all of your outgoings which is available as an app for your mobile phone so that you are always able to control your finances.

Check out Your Wealth on twitter @yourwealthuk as they are running a photo challenge where you will be entered into a prize draw to win one of four £50 Love2Shop vouchers.
But its also a fun way to join in!
Don't forget to add #GreatBritishBudget to your tweets!

Disclaimer: I have volunteered to take part in the Great British Budget as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However there is a prize draw for the panelists who are taking part.

Great British Budget Tips and Financial Goals

Here are your next 5 Great British Budget tips on behalf of Your Wealth...

“Could your current account be working harder for you? Some accounts offer a higher rate of interest than others, as well as other benefits and freebies. Why not shop around? But remember that some accounts will charge a monthly fee or require a minimum deposit amount, so check the terms carefully!"
This is something hat we haven't done and I'm not sure if we would do it. This is purely because we have all of our accounts with the same bank. However if we found a really good offer I am sure that we would consider it carefully! I think that the thought of changing banks is a lot more daunting than it really is!

“To boost your budgeting, Why not make one day a week your No Spending Day? The money you save on that takeaway coffee or expensive lunch can really add up!”
Thankfully this tip doesn't really apply to us. We know that we can't afford for the hubby to eat out every day whilst at work so to save money he takes a packed lunch!

"If you've got stuff lying around that's unworn, unused or unwanted, why not sell it online? You can list up to 50 items per month for free on eBay, so there's nothing to lose. Remember that one person's trash is another person's treasure - it could be worth more than you think!"This is a tip that we can relate to. In the past year we have sold various items from clothes that we don't wear to DVDs, from Cd's to baby equipment that we no longer need! It feels great to have a good clear out and to get some money back in our pockets! It's also good to know that other people are going to benefit from the unwanted items that we had.

"Doing anything this weekend? If you're looking for something fun and free to do, why not visit one of your local free museums and attractions? Most major cities and towns have a range of free activities for children and adults alike. If you take a packed lunch a great day out doesn't have to cost you a penny!"
Unfortunately there aren't many free attractions near us that would be suitable for all of the children. However every year we buy a years pass to a local house and gardens which costs us just under £20. This gives us a lovely place to go, for free, all year round!

"Reading can be a great hobby, but if you're not careful you can end up spending hundreds of pounds a year on new books, which you'll probably only read once. Instead of buying books, try organising book swaps with your friends. That way you all get to read something new for free, and won't clutter your home with books. If your friends don't have the books you want, try a website like ReaditSwapit.co.uk which allows you to connect with other swappers online."This is something that we are guilty of. We have so many books, I'd hate to count them! This is after we sold a lot! When we moved house we realised just how many we had got. My hubby works for the library service so he is able to bring us books home. But I people should register with their local libraries. Then you can borrow books for free but also support a service which sadly is disappearing! Also you can often download free books!

We are now half way through the Great British Budget and are on track. Thankfully it is pay day for hubby at the end of the week as we are well and truly ready for it but we have food and the bills are all paid on time so we are happy!
You can see what my financial goals are by visiting Great British Budget My Goals

Throughout February Your Wealth are challenging people to create a budget and to stick to it!
They have a great tool that is available to help you manage all of your outgoings which is available as an app for your mobile phone so that you are always able to control your finances.

Check out Your Wealth on twitter @yourwealthuk as they are running a photo challenge where you will be entered into a prize draw to win one of four £50 Love2Shop vouchers.
But its also a fun way to join in!
Don't forget to add #GreatBritishBudget to your tweets!

Disclaimer: I have volunteered to take part in the Great British Budget as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However there is a prize draw for the panelists who are taking part.
 

 

Budget Weekly Meal Plan - Week Commencing 10th February 2014

We are now on week 2 of the Great British Budget.
Last week went well and the meal plan was a success.
Last week my oven stopped heating up and I have an engineer coming out tomorrow to see what is wrong with it. Hopefully he can fix it there and then tomorrow.
However I have planned meals this week that I can make using just the hob, grill or slow cooker just in case the worst happens!

Week Commencing 10th February 2014

Thai Sea Bass

This may not sound like a budget meal, but thankfully it is! I managed to buy some sea bass fillets thanks to the reduced section at the supermarket! I managed to buy 4 sea bass fillets for £4 instead of the regular price of £8! They were at their fresh use by date but could be frozen. I am marinading the sea bass fillets in a lemon, chilli and ginger sauce before grilling them. The fish will be served with sugar snap peas, baby sweetcorn and sweet potato.

Creamy Garlic and Herb Turkey

This is a quick and easy meal of turkey breast in a cream cheese, garlic and herb sauce served with pasta.

Mushroom Stroganoff

This is a family favourite served with brown wholegrain rice.

Mexican Beef and Vegetable Stew

This is a new dish that I will be trying this week. It is going to be a twist on a traditional stew but using the chillies that I bought last week it will be like a chilli con carne. This will be served with mashed sweet potato.

Spinach and Ricotta

This dish all depends on whether my oven gets fixed! It will either be a spinach and ricotta lasagne with toasted pine nuts or spinach and ricotta with spaghetti.

This week I have only listed 5 meals. This is because on Thursday the hubby is taking me out for a meal to celebrate Valentines day!

 

 

Disclaimer: I volunteered to take part in this campaign as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However at the end there is a prize draw for the panellists.

I am sharing my weekly meal plan on At Home With Mrs M's Meal Planning Monday

Great British Budget - Week 1

We have now completed week one of the Great British Budget and I am pleased to say we are doing well!

 

Thankfully it is hubby's pay day next week. Once the final bill goes out we will only have a few pound until he gets paid. But it's ok as we know that all of our bills are paid on time and we have enough food in the house.

 

This week I decided to go out of my comfort zone to save money!

 

This week I had £75 for a weeks shopping. I buy my fresh fruit and vegetables from a local supplier. I have found that the produce is not only better quality but also cheaper. This week my box of vegetables cost £15 so I had £60 to spend at the supermarket.

 

Next weeks delicious vegetables
which cost just £15!

I always do my shopping at the local Tesco. However this week we had some shopping vouchers that came with the post for Morrisons. For week 1 we got a £5 voucher, for week 2 a £3 voucher, if we spend another £40 in week 3 we will get £10 off our week 4 shopping bill and 10p off every litre of fuel! This offer is going to save us a lot of money so we couldn't let it pass!
 

I like to stick with Tescos because I know where everything is in the shop so I can rush round and get everything that we need. So going to a different supermarket that I do not know really was a big thing for me.
 

But when I had the chance to save £5 on our shopping bill I took it!
 

I also decided to take cash this week.

 

No credit card!

 

 

So off we set with £60 cash, our £5 off voucher and a calculator. I will admit that I was nervous. Would there be parent parking? Would they have enough twin trolleys? Would they have what I wanted to get? Thankfully I was worrying over nothing! They had so many parent parking spaces and I was amazed that every single trolley had a twin seat in!

 

I had quite a big list and I knew that I needed to be careful what I picked and how much I spent. I managed to get just about everything on my shopping list and even got some extras like a nice bottle of wine and some delicious olives.
 

When we got to the end I had a total of £63.32! With the £5 off I paid £58.32 so I even got some change!

 

I am feeling quite proud with how we have done this week and I plan to do the same next week with the weekly shop.

 

After pay day I will also be submitting the new meter readings. I am hoping that we have not spent as much as we had last month. I have kept the heating lower during the day and if we feel cool the jumpers have come out. Hopefully it will have paid off!

 

Next week we having a treat! As it is Valentines day the hubby is taking me out for a meal. This has been taken into account but will be going on the credit card! But it is a one off! To save a bit of money hubby will be getting a homemade Valentines treat this year!

 

Here's to another successful week with the Great British Budget!
 

Throughout February Your Wealth are challenging people to create a budget and to stick to it!
They have a great tool that is available to help you manage all of your outgoings which is available as an app for your mobile phone so that you are always able to control your finances.

Check out Your Wealth on twitter @yourwealthuk as they are running a photo challenge where you will be entered into a prize draw to win one of four £50 Love2Shop vouchers.
But its also a fun way to join in!
Don't forget to add #GreatBritishBudget to your tweets!

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I volunteered to take part in this campaign as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However at the end there is a prize draw for the panellists.



Great British Budget Day 4 & 5 Tips

Barnaby the Budget Pig and Your Wealth UK's top budgeting tips for day 4 and 5 are:



 
"When was the last time you went to the gym? If you can't remember the answer to that question, it's probably time to cancel your gym membership! Look around for somewhere you can pay per session, or take up some free exercise like running or cycling instead. If you've got some experience in yoga or pilates, there are plenty of free exercises and classes to be found online (just search "yoga class" on youtube) fitness doesn't need to cost the earth!"




"There are some costs, such as insurance, that we all have to pay - but you don't have to stay with the same provider! Put a note in your calendar for the month before your cover runs out, as a reminder to start shopping around for a better deal. Giving yourself that extra bit of time can help you to make sure you aren't paying more than you have to."




Don't forget to visit @yourwealthuk on Twitter and join in the conversation and their Photo Challenge by adding the hash tag #GreatBritishBudget to be entered into their prize draw!

Did you know that you can use the Money Hub to help you set up your own budget in just 4 easy steps? Visit Your Wealth's Great British Budget for more information.

 

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I volunteered to take part in this campaign as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However at the end there is a prize draw for the panellists.

Pulled Pork - Great Taste Great Value!

This last month we bought a lot of meat from the local market.

We always used to buy our fruit, vegetables and meat from the market before the twins were born. But after their arrival it was not as easy.

However now that they are bigger it will be more economical for us to start buying meat there again. I now have 5 mouths to feed and Joseph alone is like a bottomless pit!

So last week my mum and I went to the market and we got some great buys!

I have always found ht the quality of meat is better at the market than the pre packed supermarket ones.

I have found that the pre packed meat often has a lot more fat come off during cooking and can often be lacking in flavour.

During our last trip we stocked up and now have enough meat in the freezer to last us until the end of the month.

Our top buy had to be the shoulder of pork!

I have often wanted to cook pulled pork but thought that the joint of meat would cost a lot more than it actually did.

I didn't realise that a shoulder of pork is one of the cheapest cuts of pork. But if it is cooked slowly is falls apart and you would never know that it as a cheap cut!

We got a joint that weighed 3kg and paid only £10!

The joint was cut in half and we had a piece each.

This is how I cooked this great budget meat...

 

Chinese Five Spiced Pulled Pork

 

Ingredients

 

1.5kg pork shoulder

Chinese five spice

 

Method

 

1 - Generously rub the shoulder of pork with the Chinese five spice

 

2 - Place the joint in a slow cooker on a low heat and cook for 7 hours

 

3 - When the meat is cooked remove from the slow cooker and cut off the top layer of fat

 

4 - Empty the fat out of the slow cooker

 

5 - Shred the joint using two forks then return to the slow cooker to keep warm

 

There are so many ways that you could serve the pulled pork.

On the first night we had half of the puled pork with fresh homemade warm rolls, salad and homemade coleslaw (sliced cabbage, white onion, grated carrot, mayonnaise and wholegrain mustard).

This is a healthy meal for under £5!

 

 

On the second day there was enough meat for hubby to take some in a sandwich for work while I also had some with coleslaw.

For our evening meal we had a pulled pork stir fry with rice noodles in a coconut, chili and lemongrass sauce.

This delicious meal cost £5.50 to make but only served the hubby, Joseph and I. But still at £1.83 per serving I think that it is great value for money.



 

 

We are taking part in The Great British Budget. This s a campaign that I volunteered to take part in as it is a subject close to my heart.

 

 

Great British Budget Day 2 & 3 Tips

Everyday during February I will be sharing the Great British Budget's tip of the day.

Barnaby says:
 

"Setting some time aside (why not today?) to create a money monitoring system that is as hassle free as possible could make it simpler and less time-consuming to keep on top of your budgets, goals and bank balances. This could be an effective way of preventing yourself from overspending on things you didn't intend to buy, or to save where you can!

Your Wealth UK have built a budgeting tool (Money Hub) that does this for you, but even if you use a spreadsheet - the most important thing could be that you prioritise the time to do it."

 

 

 

"Did you know that, according to Love Food Hate Waste, the average UK household wastes £470 worth of food each year, or £700 for a family with children? That is around £60 a month chucked in the bin! Planning your meals carefully and saving leftovers can help you to reduce waste and save money."

I have found that planning our weekly meals helps me not only save money and reduce waste but it has also helped me to be more organised. I look in the cupboards and freezer at what I have got and plan what meals we will have. If we need any other ingredients they go on my shopping list and I only buy what we need! I was surprised by the amount of food that is thrown away, leftovers make delicious meals and what I don't use the next day goes in a bag and is frozen until I want to use it.
It is easy to plan your meals, I post a weekly meal planner if you get stuck for ideas.
But I find I never have a day now when I am stuck for what to cook for dinner.
Give it a try and join us this February in the Great British Budget and save some money!

Do you have any tips to use up leftovers and reduce food waste?
Visit Your Wealth's Great British Budget blog to share your tips and ideas in the comments.

Don't forget to visit @yourwealthuk on Twitter and join in the conversation and their Photo Challenge by adding the hashtag #GreatBritishBudget to be entered into their prize draw!

Did you know that you can use the Money Hub to help you set up your own budget in just 4 easy steps? Visit Your Wealth's Great British Budget for more information.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I volunteered to take part in this campaign as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However at the end there is a prize draw for the panellists.

Budget Weekly Meal Plan - Week Commencing 3rd February 2014

This month we are taking part in the Great British Budget.
This month our meals are going to be dishes that a great for a family on a budget. They are going to be meals that are low cost that do not compromise on quality or flavour!
During February I will be sharing how I save money on our weekly food shopping and some of my budget recipes!
I am looking forward to the challenge of keeping our budget and sticking to it!

Week Commencing 3rd February 2014

* Chinese Spiced Pulled Pork

I am slow cooking a shoulder of pork that has been rubbed with Chinese 5 Spice. A shoulder of pork is a cheap cut which needs cooking slowly but once it is cooked if falls apart! My mum and I have shared a 3kg joint which cost us £10 from the market. So today's meat will cost £5 but there will be plenty of meat left over for tomorrows meal!
I am going to bake some fresh bread rolls and we will have hot pulled pork sandwiches with salad and homemade coleslaw.

* Pulled Pork Stir Fry

With the leftover pulled pork I will be making a quick and easy meal of a stir fry.

* Mushroom Risotto

I will be using a mixture of closed cup mushroom and chestnut mushrooms to make a wholegrain risotto which I will serve with some garlic bread.

* Roasted Root Vegetables, Beetroot and Smoked Bacon

We love roasted root vegetables so I am going to make it into a meal this week!

* Cumberland Pie

This is a delicious, low cost family meal. I usually make cottage pie but this week I will be making a Cumberland pie for a change.

* Chicken Curry

At the moment I am not sure what curry we will be having but my hubby has dropped some huge hints that he would like a curry so I will be making one and showing you that for a good curry you do not need to spend a lot of money on getting a take away!

 

Disclaimer: I volunteered to take part in this campaign as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However at the end there is a prize draw for the panellists.

 

I am sharing my weekly meal plan on At Home With Mrs M's Meal Planning Monday

 



Great British Budget Day 1

Today is the first day of the Great British Budget!

This month I am going to be telling you what Barnaby the Budget pig's top money saving tips are along with my own tips on how to save money on your shopping. I will also be sharing some of my budget meals which are low on cost but do not compromise on quality or taste.

Today's top tip is:

Barnaby says: "Could you save on your energy bills? Turning your thermostat down by a few degrees could save you up to £65 a year, so remember to get into the habit of putting on a jumper BEFORE you turn up the heating! You should also take regular meter readings to make sure you're not paying too much"

This is something which we already do. Every month, the day after the direct debit has been paid, I take meter readings and put them onto our online energy account. This allows us to see how much energy we have used and whether we are in credit or not. So far, over the past year, we have built up a lot of credit to help during the cold winter months. However when I provided the meter readings last month our bill was significantly higher. So this last month we have turned the thermostat down in the hope that this month our bill will not be as high.

Fingers crossed it will be lower!

Don't forget to visit @yourwealthuk on Twitter and send them your best game face picture and add the hashtag #GreatBritishBudget to be entered into their prize draw!

Did you know that you can use the Money Hub to help you set up your own budget in just 4 easy steps? Visit Your Wealth's Great British Budget for more information.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I volunteered to take part in this campaign as it is a subject that is close to my heart. However at the end there is a prize draw for the panellists.

Great British Budget - My Debt Story

When I saw the opportunity to join the bloggers panel for the Great British Budget campaign I jumped at the chance!
This was for a number of reasons.
I have lived to an extremely tight budget when I was on benefits.
I completely lost all of my budgeting rules when I returned to work and got into thousands of pounds of debt.
I, thankfully, managed to clear all of the debt with the help of my husband and now we budget week to week.
I feel that more people need to learn about budgeting to avoid bad debt.
I would like to think that someone may learn from reading my debt story about how easy it is to get into debt and take a different path to what I took!

My Debt Story

When my first son was born we lived abroad and returned to England when he was 6 months.
I was a single mum and was on benefits until I returned to work when he was nearly 3 years old.
During the time that I was on benefits our budget was extremely tight.
I remember each week, when I got my money, I would sit at the kitchen table and literally separate my money to cover the bills, electric tokens and gas credit for the pre payment meters. Each week I had £40 to spend on our weekly food. I used to walk around the supermarket with a calculator so I knew that I was not going to go over what I had to spend. They were hard times. I went without so that Joseph would not. But we got by and I was never in debt.
When I decided to go back to work I was lucky enough to find a job quite quickly.
I had to travel 20 minutes to get to my new place of work and the car that I had was quite old but it did what I needed it to do at the time. So I went to look for a new car but as I had no credit history my credit score was not good. The bank recommended that I get a credit card.
This was my down fall!
I always said that I would not have a credit card because of the temptation to spend what I didn't have.
But I got one.
I got a good credit score and I bought my car on finance.
My debt had started!
As I was working and had an income that I had worked for I found it easy to tell myself that the credit card would be cleared when I got paid.
However, I had other outgoings that I needed to cover. So I just paid the minimum payment.
Christmas came and I wanted to give Joseph presents that I knew I couldn't afford so the credit card came out!
Soon enough the credit card had reached its limit.
Instead of starting to pay off what I owed I took out another credit card that was offering 0% on balance transfers.
This cleared one credit card, but it also gave me more money that I simply did not have to spend!
I continued like this for 2 years. We had holidays abroad, designer clothes, I had nights out and did live way above what I could afford to.
Before I knew what had happened I was about £12,000 in debt, including my car debt.
When I actually dug my head out of the sand and tried to solve the problem my credit limit was so bad the banks would not help me. All I wanted was to consolidate all of my debt into one place with the one payment.
I found a company that would give me a loan but only for £3,000.
The interest rate was 30% APR which is quite a lot higher than what the banks were offering.
But in my panic to pay off a credit card I took out the loan.
This only resulted in me being in even more debt.
I honestly feel that some of the loan companies do not lend responsibly. I am just thankful that there were no pay day loans around at that time.
Each month I paid the minimum payment off the credit cards but the amount of interest that I was getting charged meant that only a small amount of the debt was chipped away.
I felt physically sick every time a letter came from the companies and I dreaded the amount that I owed. My payments were set up on direct debit and each month I went into my over draft.
The only way I can explain the way I felt at the time was as a drowning feeling.
I could see no light or help to get out of where I was.
Then I met my husband.
I kept my debt a secret for quite a while but when he moved in we had to sort out our finances.
It is then that I told him the trouble that I was in.
I broke down and told him.
I had been bottling it up for so long and had worried in silence.
I didn't want to admit that I had been so stupid with money, I worked in finance, I should have known better!
With my hubby's help we paid off some of the debt and took out a loan to pay off the rest of the debt.
The relief that I felt was immense!
I had finally told someone about my troubles and had escaped the trap of the credit cards.
It felt so good to cut the cards up and put them in the bin!
I learnt my lesson, but I learnt it the hard way.
Last year we cleared all of the loan and the only debt we now have is our mortgage and car payments.
We do still have a credit card each but mine will only come out in emergencies.
I hate using it now and I have a real fear of debt.
My hubby is great at budgeting.
He keeps a log of all of our monthly outgoings and money that we have coming in.
We now have two current accounts.
One is for all of our bills and direct debts.
The other is for the food shopping, diesel and weekly costs.
The shopping account is the account which I am responsible for.
It is with this money I have to budget for our weekly food.
I am always looking for ways to save money and make our money go further.

I have joined the Great British Budget because I want to highlight how important it is to budget.
I learnt the hard way and it is a hard way to learn!
I hope that I can help prevent someone else going through what I did.
Throughout February Your Wealth are challenging people to create a budget and to stick to it!
They have a great tool that is available to help you manage all of your outgoings which is available as an app for your mobile phone so that you are always able to control your finances.
Check out Your Wealth on twitter @yourwealthuk as they are running a photo challenge where you will be entered into a prize draw to win one of four £50 Love2Shop vouchers.
But its also a fun way to join in!
Don't forget to add #GreatBritishBudget to your tweets!

My focus during February will be to show you how to save money on your weekly shopping and I will be sharing some delicious meals which are not only taste great but are ideal for families that are on a budget.

So what are you waiting for?
Follow me and join Great British Budget this February!