October might just be one of my favourite months of the year. I can hide in big comfy cardigans, I can cook dozens of bowls of hearty soups, and we can start lighting the open fire once again, to keep us toasty and warm.
This month we’ve taken another little leap forward. We’re looking at a mortgage and I’ve been working hard on reducing my debts, as my finances have really been under the microscope. I had a bit of an epiphany a few weeks ago as to the state of my finances and how I’d got to where I am (ie, less than ideal, need improvement, could do better etc), and realise now that nothing I earn can be classed as ‘profit’. Until I am debt free, every penny I can spare goes back into reducing my debt, paying my bills and looking after my child. I come second to all that.
I am now committed to really living frugally – no little shopping splurges here and there – and taking everything in hand. Some days it feels like a never-ending battle, other days more like a challenge that I feel I can rise to.
Luckily for me, October is also a great month because so many of my favourite foods are in season. We are still harvesting:
– Fresh raspberries
– Autumn King carrots
– Lettuce
– Strawberries!
– Apples
In the veg patch, that means FREE food to enjoy, and at the market and supermarket, that also means affordable, fresher, seasonal food is available. Cheap soups, stews, pies and bakes can be eaten in abundance.
Here are a few of my fuss-free, go-to Autumn recipes:
Butternut Squash & Lentil Pie (Vegan)
Easy Apple Tart (Vegan)
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup (Vegan)
Pumpkin Bread Rolls
Spicy Parsnip Soup (Vegan)
Spicy Autumn Soup (Vegan)
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
Patatas a lo Pobre
Thrifty Veggie Slow Cooker Chickpea & Sweet Potato Curry
Easy Leek & Potato Soup (Vegan)
Crusty Bread Bloomer
Vegetarian/Vegan Lentil Bake
My daughter is now 13 and a half months old, and is eating three good meals a day, plus extras! So to keep up, and make sure we’re keeping on top of some sort of shopping budget, I’ve become a real fan of meal planning… more about that in my next post!
October Aims
I just wanted to summarise my October aims, in line with my focus on frugal living:
- Earn at least £200 extra on top of my normal salary
- Don’t put ANYTHING on credit cards this month
- At least 15 no-spend days
- Harvest the rest of the carrots in the veg patch
- Make my own sloe gin in time for Christmas!
- Batch cook more freezer meals
- Spend no more than £60 at the supermarket each week (a tough one)
Let’s see how this month goes…
It’s true that Autumn brings lots of free and low cost food. Where I live now, we have no choice but to buy seasonal food, as it’s too expensive to buy anything else! Have you seen Jack Monroe’s low price recipes on her blog, I think it’s called cooking on a bootstrap. She has lots of hints for saving money. Good luck with the budgeting 😀
Hi Kimberley, thanks for stopping by! Yes I’m v. familiar with Jack Monroe’s recipes, even more so since she went vegan (great news for me, more inspiration!). But thanks for the reminder – I’ll have to have another check on her site for some inspiration 🙂