www.iva.co.uk

Does any one have good ideas for cheap meals?-Just started a I.V.A and would appreciate any good ideas- also does any one have any good money saving ideas in any other areas?[:D]

You can bulk cook things like stews, chilli, curry etc and freeze them.

Bulk cooking is good, been doing that for the last year or so, it's good as I work shifts aswell so nice hot meal on late shift.

Dunkynuts, i was thinking the same myself this morning!!
My favourite at the moment is pasta, cooked with some fried chorizo, sweetcorn and then mozarella on top...dead cheap and well nice! Add in a garlic ciabatta and i'm happy!!
I also find the puff pastry DIY pizza's are a winner for us..again with chorizo and mozarella on mine (i'm a little obsessed! lol)
[:)]

Oh and I've signed myself up to Park so come the beginning of November I will received £300 worth of high street vouchers which will see me through the xmas pressies! This is the first time i've done it but i'm so glad i have, at least I know my little boy will get some decent presents this year! [:D]

I too am with Park it will be well worth it come Christmas.

Clare
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Just a mention for our newer members - do online surveys as well. It costs nothing other than time and you can get Csa and vouchers. It funds most of my Christmas for me. If you check out my blog there is an entry for surveys on there and you will find some links.

I'm with Code 3 research also, I did a face to face interview type thing about housing and bagged myself £55 for an hours work!

I have found that buying fresh and in the quantities for just for me and her-in-doors means that we save quite a bit over ready made meals. Supplement meals with lots of fresh veg and some fruit for afters, still fills you up but is less expensive than. We also try to keep back £15 a month, this allows us to go out for a £10 for 2 pub meal at least once. I subscribed to Groupon, they have some great offers on restaurant meals, we are having a 3 course meal each in a very plush place next week for the measly sum of £9.99.

I tend to.go for the ones with the vouchers more as they are given out as Christmas presents so cost me nothing.

Agreed - groupon can be great, weve had a few lovely days and meals out for £10-20 from 2 lots of fish and chips by the sea front, to a 5 course sit down meal in a very nice place!!

just back on the original post, we make soup by the bathtub load [:D] i have soup most days for lunch (mainly because im ona diet!!) we source our veg etc from a farm so its fresh and much cheaper and then tub it all up and freeze it (the purchase of a cheap 2nd hand freezer off ebay can be a life saver!!!)

Invest in a bread machine and make your own.

I keep looking at bread machines, are they any cheaper than an actual loaf to make?

Must admit that we don't use ours anymore as we prefer the bread from the bakery but I think it does work out cheaper, plus you can make other things in there as well.

We've had ours for years and I believe the more up to.date ones are better.