Stop paying someone else to do what you can do yourself.

The importance of living well on a budget may seem like an oxymoron.However it is very easy to do. The first thing you need to know is that it requires a bit of effort in the kitchen, and a bit of forethought and imagination when you are shopping.


The first rule of budgeting (for me) is to stop paying someone else to do, what I can do myself.

This quite simply will almost halve your monthly grocery bill as you wont be paying the extra costs in preparation.

You also have to be prepared to experiment and try new things in the kitchen. If you have ever watched the early shows of Vicar of Dibley; you may remember there was an old woman Leticia who was cooking these weird concoctions. I'm not advocating you cook what she cooked (as most things were inedible!!!) what I'm trying to encourage is the idea that something that you are not familiar with has the potential to be a great meal.

When I was shopping last I picked up a piece of lambs liver/fry. Now I know my husband isn't to keen on the idea, but tonight he will be having a go at this. I generally cook this for myself and the boys when hubby is working away. When I was small, my Mum used to fry up sliced pieces of "soft steak", make a mound of fluffy white mashed potato and serve with a rich black gravy made from the cooking pan scrapings.This was absolutely delicious.I'm sure it will be tonight.
To top off the budgeting feel, the piece of lamb's fry I bought only cost me $2 and the bacon is just a small packet also only worth less than $2 Between 4 adults...not to bad.

Here's my recipe if you want to try this

Fry up the bacon in a med pan, then put aside.

Slice the liver into thin slices.(We alternate between palm size slices or strips, depending on who's eating it)
Dust with plain flour (I have been known to add some dried herbs at this stage)
Put pan on med to hot and fry quickly to brown( too long makes it tough)then take off heat and put aside
To make the gravy add some water or stock to pan and scrape of the crunchy bits Add a little salt and pepper, extra herbs and some garlic if you like. If your gravy is a bit thin, mix some cornflour and water together then pour into gravy and quickly stir in.
Pop the liver and bacon back into the gravy and leave the flavours to mix all together. Keep warm. Pop in the oven or on the stove on the lowest setting. Make your mashed potato and green veg of choice and serve.

This is a surprisingly cheap and tasty meal.