Well deserved rest

Good Afternoon Beans,

Well my little Beans, i hope you are well rested after the weekend! I was working! God a 6 day week can be a killer, but at least mums home-cooked meal to come home to cheers me up no end!! My friends forced me to watch Mexican/Spanish horror film KM-13 (which was really just a ghost story that was topped up with Japanese horror staples that fail to scare the shit out of you i.e half dead pale children who laugh like their being tickled by a rapey teddy bear). I did blankly refuse to watch Silent Hill, this is the only version I'd like...

Sorry Jonah

Apart from being bored to sleep by KM-13 I spent the rest of the weekend hanging with the boyfriend, we played Rayman, went on a walk and we were going to go into a lovely town near us called Farnham but we got rained off so ended up making cupcakes instead. I borrowed my mum piping nozzles from when i was a kid and made chrysanthemum flowers. I'll upload the picture later, I do warn they are practise cakes so they wont be perfect, but for my first attempt they were lush! I'm guna get a petal tip next week so then i can make a bouquet of flowers for a friends birthday!

Magic Bean of the day!!

We all know it makes sense to wait to buy those new DVDs until they come down in price. But why don't you make money out of the ones your just plain bored with! Stores like CEX will buy them off you! Check out their website get yourself a quote, if you sell enough you may even have enough store credit to buy that brand new game or box-set you had your eye on!

http://uk.webuy.com/

Happy Bargaining Beans

Don't forget to follow me!

Hannah xxx

Sneaky Beans

Hey Beans,

Feel like I've been living off of beans lately. When I'm really manic they seem the easiest thing to eat in a rush. Like most people in the U.K I seem to be permanently on a diet (the choccy wrappers in my bin are disagreeing) but dieting not only can be a pain in your phat arse but can be really pricey too! So I've been coming up with nifty recipes that are low fat and low carb and really yummy too - and it seems most of them contains beans!! This recipe can be used with quorn mine (even lower in fat than regular mince and nearly half the price) and really gives the quorn some needed flavour!

Ingredients
1. Frozen Quorn Mince packet (£1.89 from tesco)
2. Tin of Beans (possibly two depending on size of the dish, just use common sense)
3. 4 sweet potatoes
4. 30 ml of semi-skimmed milk
5. 100g Primula cheese light OPTIONAL (If your feeling a little naughty)

Recipe

1. Wash and peel the sweet potato and give it a few stabs with a fork. Pop into a microwavable dish and cover - leaving air holes. Cook on 750Watts for 10 minutes

2. Take the mince (don't defrost its a cook from frozen) and put into a large saucepan. Tip in your beans. Heat for ten minutes on the hob, but don't let it boil! Just a nice simmer

3. Using oven gloves! Take the sweet potato out of the microwave and mash drizzling in your milk - if you use a ricer you get a much smoother result. Once smooth add in you primula cheese

4. Tip the quorn mince into an oven bake dish and top with your sweet potato mash

5. You can top this with some greater Cheddar or red Leicester is you like. But if you've got the primula cheese you still get that cheesy taste. Not dieting? crush up some smokey bacon crisps (use mini cheddar smokey BBQ) and chuck on top with the cheese for a nice bit of crunch

6. Brown in the oven for 5-10 minutes

7. Enjoy!

I like to serve this with a bit of broccoli or spinach and peas. You can always hide your veggies in with the mince as well


Leftovers
This makes enough for 4 people so if you have any left overs pop it into some tupper-ware and once cooled pop into the fridge or freezer
If your left with extra sweet potato mix it with your favourite veg - i like broccoli and swede and you can use the next day for bubble and squeak.

Enjoy your munch
Hannah
xxx

Going for Gold

Hello Beans,

It begins! The official opening ceremony might not be until Friday but today we see the GB Women's football team kick of the Olympics against the New Zealand team. You know what, i kind of don't care. I know i know, these people are amazing athletes and have tried really hard blah blah blah, but this feels a little bit like rubbing our faces in it. Brings back memories of school sports days where we'd just watch the skinnier and more talented people do things we couldn't be arsed to attempt. But it seems this year London 2012 Olympics will be unavoidable for us Brits. Streets are covered in bunting and cars are decorated with flags, switch on the news and Boris Johnson is gabbing on about 'burning flames' and 'olympic spirit'. If you can't beat them, maybe join them... just don't let the buggers make you pay.

1. Wheels on the bikes go round and round
I don't know about you, but how they sold the tickets really bloody confused me. It was a lottery but it wasn't you didn't pick what you were going for - eeehh? If your hoping to go see one of the Olympic events but you either didn't get a ticket or didn't like the price, Then watch for free. Particular outdoor long distance events will be completely free to go see, such as cycling, the triathlon and the marathon. That way you can say you went to see the Olympic games - without paying a penny. I've popped a map in of the cycle race I'm going to see this Saturday!

2. D.I.Y
So you didn't get picked for the GB Team, darn me neither. Prove them wrong! Next week I'm going to be holding my own mini Olympics with table tennis, high-jumping and bobsleigh - no i have not quite figured out how I'm going to do that yet! I'm going to make some gold silver and bronze cup cakes for little prices too!!! Why don't you do the same, with your family and friends, although look away when you 90 great aunt tries to do rhythm gymnastics!

3. The bigger the better
The BBC have set up 22 different big screens all around the country for us to see the Olympics on, if its a nice sunny day like today it will be much better to be sat in a lush field watching than stuck on your sofa!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bigscreens/locations/?source_url=/bigscreens/locations

4. Doing your bit
One way to try and see the Olympics for free would be stewarding but its a little to late for that!! But remember the paralympics begins on the 28th August and you still have time to volunteer! Looks on websites like Vinspired and Jobmonkey and you may be in luck. But be speedy!!

5. The Olympic Drinking Game -MY FAVOURITE!
Drinking, a sport taken part in by many athletes, typically students; despite the danger, of vomiting, embarrassment and of course the whole liver cancer in later life thing. This drinking game we came up with at the last Olympics when i was 16 and still sipping bit of WKD to get WASTED!!!

1. Fill a hat or bag with slips of paper with all the different events on
2. Someone picks out a sport and has to name the countries that won medals
3.For everyone country they name incorrectly they take a shot (max 3 guesses)
4. If they can not only guess the countries but also say what medals they got they can give away that shot to someone else around the circle
5. Keep going round until your suitably hammered.


Hope you enjoyed my student Olympics special
Till tomorrow
Hannah
xxx

Bad Bean

Good morning Beans,

Let me begin this blog with my sincerest apologies. My mission to save us beans one dot at a time perhaps slipped my mind for a moment as the boyfriend and myself played host to some of our besties for a bbq! Om nomnomnomnom I hear you say!
Of course our bbq was done budget style! BYOM (Bring your own meat) on the invite and i made some fantastic barbecued choccy bananas for after! Just nipped down to our off licence for some beer and some fizzy drink, raided the freezer for meat to defrost and found some packets of crisps left over from x-mas (still in date) and we were off.  Really wishing id got a picture of the bananas... looks like im just guna have to make some more this week. Of course all for the sake of the blog!!

Some in Lew of my post yesterday I'm going to give you my five top ten tips for the perfect summer bbq that wont burn a hole in your wallet

1. The BBQ Bucket
No im not suggesting you nip down to KFC! The BBQ Bucket is a new nifty BBQ that's great for at home, while camping and out on the beach. The one i brought the boyfriend was about as deep as a can of beer and as wide as a Frisbee, no need to raise it on blocks or rocks the bucket does that for you and it comes in lots of nifty colours too. So don't keep buying disposable bbq at £4 a pop. Spend a tenner on this BBQ Bucket and it will last you a few years too!

2. BYOM
You heard of Bring Your Own Booze? While i make most my BBQ Bring Your Own Meat. Now a days everyone has different food requirements allergies, vegetarians and some of us who want to loose a few pounds (of weight that is)! Meat can get mighty expensive so i personally like to make some veggie kebabs with Everyday Value mini chicken breast £2 at tesco. Last night cost me £4 for me and the boyfriend and i even had some left over to pop with some couscous for work today.
You could always take a leaf out of Mama Beans book. My mum makes BBQ Potluck, everyone picks out the hat and brings something, then she bulk buys all the meat and rolls!

3. Your bit on the side
I love a bit of potato salad or egg kedgeree on the side of my burger. But don't go and buy those ready made ones from the supermarkets. Save some beans and make them at home. Try some boiled new potato's with some chopped hard boiled egg and some salad veggies of your choosing, all mixed with a little mayonnaise and your sorted! If you want a healthier side make coleslaw from shredded cabbage and carrot with a bit of Greek yogurt

4. Poor me Poor me Pour me a drink
When i think of A BBQ two things come to mind. My boyfriend accidentally burning down the house. It will happen one day! And i also think of Pimms! Out in the sun, with all your mates, glass of cool pimms in your hand, sorted. But its a little less relaxing once you see the price tag. Why don't you try going for the smaller brands; sainsburys has pitchers, asda has players. These tend to be half the price of regular pimms and i know i cant tast the difference.
You can make non-alcoholic pimms to at a fraction of a price to! Before you recoil in horror at the ingredients let me finish the whole recipe first the lids worth of good luxury balsamic vinegar, diet lemonade and a sprig of mint. Chuck in a punch fruit and your ready to go. Even the guests with the most delicate of palettes wouldn't guess the difference

5. Play the game
With the Olympics right around the corner, living in the host country everyone is getting major excited! Why don't you make your BBQ different by doing an Olympic theme! You could try Olympic rings; Pick up some cheap donuts from a supermarket and ice them different colours to look like the rings, or use pepper rings for something a little healthier! Last Olympics me and my dad created an obstacle course with all my old toys from the shed and got a pack of ten cheap medals for £1 in tesco, and we made a winners burger topped of with extra cheese, sauce and salad. Just adds a little extra to the party and gives the boys an excuse to be watching beach volleyball in the background

Another week of work ahead and I'm already yawning. Really starting to miss term time, sleeping all day, becoming addicted to BBC Iplayer and becoming so lazy i once left the washing up for 3 days waiting for the boyfriend to come visit!

See you later my BBQ Beans

Wipe the slate clean

Good Morning Beans,

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend!

Tonight i'll be doing a photo tutorial on dotty Manicures, saving you all that cash at the salon!$-)

Thought I'd drop this magic bean on you now!!!

Stocking up can be  great way of saving money. Whenever i see a great deal in the shops i fill my cupboard. 

These baby wipe had 60% of! Down to 95p each. They make great face wipes and they're always good for sensitive skin. Johnson's are my favorite although boot own are good when there are no offers about. Huggies have a bit of a weird smell and i feel like im walking around smelling like baby butt all day!

So I've saved myself £15 this week, what bargains did you get?

Email me any great bargains you spot

-    livingonbeans@gmail.com

Have a good bargain hunt!

Mrs Clean Bean

xxxx

Working 9 to 5

Good Morning Beans,

So yesterday we banished away our summer boredom on a non-existent budget! But what if you need a bit of extra dough. Maybe for your rent over the summer, a new wardrobe, or you just want a booze fund by the time you get back, you need a summer job. Easier said than done.The job market is not fab at the moment, we all know that, but there are opportunities out there for us students looking for some extra beans.

Here's my top 5 tips for bringing home the bacon

1. Pain is temporary, and so are jobs
Temping, office Temps to be precise. Whether you know what you want to go into to or not after uni. Basic admin skills will always put you in good stead. Temps jobs are a fantastic bit of experience in a wide range of careers. I've been a receptionist, a data cleanser, a scanner, a tea maker and I've even been a Financial Crime Associate. Some positions are just a week, others 3 months, but they normally pay pretty well it averages at about £7 an hour. To get these fab jobs I'd advise going through an agency. Have a bit of a mooch on the web and in your local newspaper but agencies are great for handling the headaches of paperwork and tax stuff and they do the searching for you. I work for a fantastic agency called Tulip recruitment, based in Basingstoke, but national groups like Reed and Pertemps are good to. Give an agency a call email your C.V and then become the ultimate black and white Forest animal. The badger, remind them how fab you are!!! If you don't hear from them in a fortnight then you've probably fallen into the circular filing cabinet, the bin. Don't Panic though i still have 4 more tips to get you the perfect summer job

2. How do you look in a red coat?
Holiday parks can't afford to hire staff all your round, what would be the point. But over their very busy summer period these places are desperate for staff from cleaning chalets, to entertaining kids seasonal workers are hired to make their customers trip as magic as possible. Don't panic if you live really far away either. Some of these places will often chalet accommodation for you at a very small price. If your paying for accommodation the money isn't great your probably talking about £4 an hour 'after expences', but your getting a free holiday too. Its not just in the UK too, you have programmes like PGL, were you work abroad!You cant beat the atmosphere in these places and i guarantee you'll have a summer you will never forget!!
Check their individual websites for more detail or have a look at PGL, I've chucked a link here for you
http://www.pgl.co.uk/pglweb/recruitment/
P.S stick away from camp you have to pay for!!! Camp America you pay them £500 to work for them!!

3. There's no place like home
Remember when you were a kid and you used to tidy your room for pocket money? Well think bigger. If your parents work all day perhaps suggest you'll get some of the DIY or big cleaning jobs done for them. You could ask your neighbours and relatives to! My brother last year spent 3 days repainting our hallway to pay for a festival ticket, while I tended to the veggie patch for a little spare cash. Your parents will be grateful, you've not had to pay any transport to get to work. And you can flop straight down on the sofa when your done and watch telly!

4. Set Sale
Summer sales, no i have not lost my way and started spending all my well earned beans!! I'm searching for jobs!!! Sales can be manic for retail stores are quite regularly they'll bring on some temporary staff just for 2-3 weeks, this could be you! Take a wodge of C.V with blank cover letters, take them into to town with you and find all the shops with Hiring signs! If you've got the time give these places a call before, then you can be super prepared (try and get the manager name, so you can address a cover letter to them) I've worked in retail for 4 years in various different stores and I love it. Its fun your kept busy and even if your colleagues are unfriendly you have tonnes of customer to have a natter with. Just cause your not sticking around though doesn't mean you can slack. Work extra hard and perhaps when it get Christmas time they'll have you back again to work for them!!

5. Do you want fries with that?
I know I know I know! Maccy D's is not the dream place to work. But don't put your nose up to fast food chains. They're constantly recruiting, and they're not too fussy. If you haven't had a job before they're a very good jumping of point. The will fully train you, its not to shabby pay and hey a job is a job! No excuses here are one of the bad boys in nearly every town best thing is when your strapped for cash at uni (because you've not been following my tips!) just apply to your local branch and I'm sure they would gladly have you. No it is not the most glamorous job, and you will go home smelling of chip fat oil and despair, but its work. Someone has to do it

From the Mac Daddy of student spending
Hannah

Dear Students

Dear Students,

When you're a student living within your means is really important. But no where near as important as Booze, Jeremy Kyle, and lie-ins! Do be Serious! By the end of the year half  my housemates found themselves living on beans. Beans on toast, beans on potato, even beans straight out the tin. My names Hannah, I'm studying Drama at The University of Winchester, just about to go into my second year and I'm determined not to repeat some of my rookie mistakes of my freshers year.
Your first year at university is many things, exciting, scary, hazy (depending on the amount of alcohol you've consumed'). There's one thing it ain't.... cheap. Whether you have a loan, a job or just rely on the bank of mum and Dad, us students are constantly finding our wallets empty and our purse strings tied very tight. Alongside studying, making friends and missing our parents (we all do just a bit) this is the first time most of us Young Adults have been in charge of our own finances. Tuition fees have risen and some students beginning their course this year will finish university with debts of over £25,000! That's just on tuition , you still have to pay for the roof over your head and the food in your belly, nevermind books, supplies, even booze.
I'd like to change that. Everyone these days seems to budgeting, yummy mummies, old grannies, even our politicians, and know its time us students do the same. Living within your means doesn't have to mean living on beans though. I'm guna share with you lot my attempt to be a student on a budget.
New students, old students, and whoever else has the Internet; Living on Beans.

Hannah