At first I wondered whether I should write a financial tip this week, in light of the situation in Haiti, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was through my changing my spending habits and reducing my spending I became able to give more. I rang a close friend who I’ve made a budgeting system for and she shared she was, due to the jar system, able to for the first time see a disaster on tv and make a financial contribution. My hope is that as we reduce our spending we think more about not only saving but giving! Without further adieu, here is the tip:
Once a week make a big batch of soup and once a week use your slow-cooker/crockpot! Sounds easy enough, yes?
I have blogged before about my slashing my grocery and food spending by 75% while still ensuring I get 3 fruits, 3 veg and protein every single day! One of the ways I do this is to have a mix of very frugal meals with more costly meals! By making one large batch of soup a week, usually costing around £1.50 – £2.00 to make, I can get 8 meals at an average of around 25 pence per meal for a hearty bowl of soup with a small salad and a roll or crackers/cheese! You will find some of my soup recipes here! Similarly by using the slow cooker to make a casserole, dahl or curry each week, once again I’m finding healthy, frugal meals for around 40 pence per serving. Making use of leftovers for lunches as well as freezing meals for the future, I not only make sure I have three or four very frugal meals per week, I also have meals ready in a pinch when I have unexpected visitors or have 5 minutes to eat something before racing out the door! This very simple tool keeps my food budget in check!
Edited To Add: Picture of soup above once blended! This post actually inpsired me to make another soup I love this afternoon, carrot & lentil. It was deeeelicious 
Hi, may I just ask what’s in the soup in the photo? It looks absolutely delicious! I had difficulty focusing on the article because my eyes just kept going back to the yummy looking soup.
Our favourite soup to make is a pumpkin soup in the slow cooker
Hey Compact UK. It is very good soup, I found the recipe in some free magazine and it has become a fast favourite. It is basically split peas, carrot, zucchini/courgettes and red onion. Eventually it is liquidized! I usually serve with a heaped tablespoon of greek yogurt on top!
wooo that does sound lovely, I will have to have a go. Is it the yoghurt that’s making the soup a lovely cream colour?
We are having soup every single day until it gets warm. I’ve made three soups (French Creamy Lentil, Puree of Artichoke, Creamy Fire-Roasted Tomato) in one week! I love having them available each day.
Ooh Susie, I want to come to your house
Hey Compact, no I put the yogurt or yoghurt on at the very end after I’ve blended all the veg in the blender. I’ll edit the post and include a picture of the finished product! Although in this pic there is no yogurt on top!
I made a spicy chickpea soup earlier this week from leftovers and store cupboard ingredients and felt very pleased with myself!
Thanks for the hugs for Tilly. A very difficult day.
Take care
Lisa x
Thinking of you loads Lisa!
That is a great tip. One of the best ways I am keeping our food budget in check is by making a huge batch of spaghetti sauce a huge batch of brown rice, and some other type of beans. This way during the week, I can save time (and money) by using these for meals. Lots of multitasking, the spag. sauce can be used for pizzas, spaghetti, pasta bakes etc. The rice for stir fries, burrito bowls etc.
That’s a great tip Jennifer!
Thanks for putting the photo of the done soup, it looks gorgeous. You have inspired us to have soup tonight
Your soup looks lovely!
That soup looks yummy! I’d love to try it.Thanks for listing the ingredients in the comments.
Hmm, I’m glad I have some soup planned for lunch as I really want it after looking at your pics.
We’ve been trying something new (for us) for the last couple of weeks- on Sunday and Wednesday evenings I make a big batch of casserole, stew, lasagne or something else we normally eat at dinner and then we take portions each day for a larger lunch.
In the evenings we have a much smaller meal- soup or boiled eggs or salad. Because I am only making a big meal twice a week I have more time in the evenings, and because we are still reasonably full from a big lunch it is easy to grab a light dinner even if we are tired!
It’s been working quite well so far, hoping it continues.
Yummm! This looks so good.
I’m hoping to pick up sausage or ham for a delicious soup this weekend. Thanks for the inspiration! 
I like the idea of freezing soup, I’ve not really tried this. I do freeze leftovers and make ‘Leftover Soup’, though!
Do you freeze soup with potatoes in? Does it make a difference if you do? I’ve read in several places that potatoes go mushy and are not too appetizing if frozen. I’m just wondering as I love thick potato soups and would be very happy if I had a stash in the freezer
Hey Lisa, sorry I missed this question. I do freeze soup with potato in it, yet, I don’t usually put many potatoes in my soups in fact the only one is my leek & potato. Hope that helps!!