Simplify

Counting the cost of cutting costs

As I've got going with Simplify this past week I've kept in mind what it would be like to have very little to live on all the time. For a month I can live without new clothes, I don't need to go to the cinema or buy new music. But part of the point of Simplify is to think about what changes we can make for the longer term.

It's not just on a personal level that their are decisions to make. In a time of difficult economic conditions and massively increased Government borrowing over the past year all the political parties have now started talking the language of cuts. Niall Cooper, Coordinator of Church Action on Poverty writes for the Guardian reminding politicians of the price that is paid for cutting public services and benefit rates.  

Economy Gastronomy

The Guardian are running a series all this week called 'Economy Gastronomy'.

Today they take one whole chicken and show how it can be turned into 3 meals. Starting with boiling up the chicken, there are then recipes to make chicken pie, soup and coronation chicken. Great advice if you're thinking of doing Simplify in October. With a little planning and resourcefulness great food needn't cost too much!

The BBC show of the same name starts Wednesday 5 August at 8pm on BBC2