Live on £4000 for a year - part 4 (Oct - Dec 2008)

JAMIEDODGER · 20 December 2008 at 1:56PM

lol @ nyk:D

the_cat · 20 December 2008 at 1:57PM

Awwwww

Thats so romantic!!!!!!!!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

bails · 20 December 2008 at 3:12PM

Great bargains SM, well done! Meant to say, thanks for the offer to get the magnets, much appreciated - I went to Mr Ms but they didn't have any (due in next day)so had to resort to paying £6 in ELC! I'm going to work out how many packs I'd need for same amount of letters and take them back if Ms is cheaper (so if you or anyone happens to see how many in a pack I'd be really grateful).
Got to dash, lunch waiting and I need to wrap presents, although can't find energy for anything today - must be the start of the school hols! (haven't been part of that for a while so secretly happy about that side of things). I need some Christmas music to get me in the mood ...

Frugaldom · 20 December 2008 at 3:28PM

bails wrote: »

...I need some Christmas music to get me in the mood ...

:j I think that's what I need, too! I've just lit the fire, will switch on the tree lights and then watch the birds in the garden whilst wrapping the pressie item that arrived earlier.

I've been out making the wild birds (and creatures of the night) new feeders and have also hung fat & seed balls on the fence posts. Then, I used up the last of a block of out of date lard mixed with some cheap muesli and other assorted 'scrap ends' and this, surely, will last my night visitor long enough for me to see what he/she looks like! I plan on checking every few mins tonight, camera in hand, and am adamant that I'll get a piccie, even if it's a rubbishy one. :rotfl:

I'm guessing that DHL overnight express delivery doesn't actually deliver at weekends, as my food order hasn't arrived. Hmph! Guess that means waiting until Monday, afterall. :rolleyes:

mama67 · 20 December 2008 at 4:11PM

nykmedia wrote: »

Time in marching one and I'm still holding out from spending the last dregs of my 2008 udget, miniscule as it may be. :eek:

Sophiesmum, you are so, so lucky that you are able to pick up so many bargains, something like that is utterly impossible when you live in the country as there's so little choice for where to buy groceries. The sooner I can get mine all growing, the better.

Last night, I decided to attempt to discover the identity of our night time visitor to the garden, as I'm not convinced that Mr Hedgehog could eat the entire contents of the bowl I use. So, after having had a clear out of the fridge, using up what had to be eaten in a mish mash of meals, I ended up with a scraping of pat!, a few strands of left over spaghetti with remains of bolognese sauce and a full tin (nobody liked them!) of sardines in tomato sauce. I went out about 9pm with the dish and sat it tight in front of the livingroom window, so I could watch later. Came back in, went and made a cuppa, sat down, peeked out the curtains and BLOW ME! Whatever it is had already been and scoffed the lot, bowl licked completely clean! :eek: NO WAY was that Mr Hedgehog! It had to have been either a brave Mr Fox, or else the invisible, mystery cat! :rolleyes: I can't believe I missed it! My frugal funtime foiled again!

Planning a quick trip into town tomorrow to pick up some veggies and milk and then it's all wagons ho for the madness that we call Christmas. I have about £69 left of my annual budget, but will need about £50 of that for electricity to see me through to new year, so I haven't much to 'play' with, but will try my best not to over spend. :rotfl:

HS is outside playing with all his new toys - Amaz0n have a half price sale on powertools, so he spent £50 on 2 boxloads of stuff and is now out in the garage playing with the mysterious flat packs that have been arriving from varous sources. My 'PRIZE BUY' with the remnants of my cashback fund should be assembled soon and then I'll be all set to face the springtime. I'll be right back, just as soon as I have copied out the last line of my actual (as opposed to challenge) spreadsheet, and then I'll know just how much I am up this year against last year. :cool:

Nyk, Could it have been a Pine Martin, they are known to scavenge bird tables etc.

sophiesmum_2 · 20 December 2008 at 4:14PM

Turkey casserole made, four turkey and veg pies made / 2 given to oldie already, 15 portions of turkey curry for OH's takeouts made , 5 portions of spicy cream of parsnip soup made, 10 portions of root vegetable mash made, pan of broccoli and stilton soupmade. and 1 kg of wholegrain rice cooking at the moment which will make 15 portions to go with OH's curries.

Total cost for above
£1.40 for reduced veg:D
50p for potatoes today at market:D
free turkey:D
stilton was 10p last xmas - from freezer.:D
rice, flour and pulses etc from stores:D

Not bad for just over £2:j

sophiesmum_2 · 20 December 2008 at 5:11PM

Have now stocked up on my cleaning stuff

4 x stardrops 67p each
4 x starclens 67peach
3 x 2 litre bleach 40p each
2 x washing soda 54p each
5x dishwasher tablets 1.89 each

spent £17.09 on cleaning stuff but should see us to end of next challenge with what is already in stock. Total now deducted from sig along with £4 I have spent on veggies/salad stuff ready for xmas dinner.

Nyk - intrigued about your visitor - hope you get to see it soon:j

Frugaldom · 20 December 2008 at 5:43PM

mama67 wrote: »

Nyk, Could it have been a Pine Martin, they are known to scavenge bird tables etc.

This is what I was secretly hoping for, but haven't heard of any sightings about here. We do live fairly near the Galloway Forest, so it isn't impossible, but we also live quite near where there are some Scottish Wild Cats, which would be equally fantastic, if that's what was visiting. However, I'm sure it'll end up just being sly, Mr Fox.

mama67 · 20 December 2008 at 5:55PM

I have left out the usual mortgage, council tax etc, but have included some other things which might not be included by others.

2009 Challenge £9000 :eek:

1500.00 – Car running essential as live approx 15 miles from town, and boys activities etc.

685.00 – Oil for heating and water, this includes annual boiler service.

720.00 – Electricity- ongoing monitoring of usage

250.00 – Coal & Logs – try to use this instead of some of the oil for heating.

405.00 – Telephone and Internet, all line rental and calls.

180.00 – Mobile topups for 2 phones

140.00 – TV Licence

780.00 – School Lunches

1820.00 - Groceries – including cleaning, toiletries, laundry etc (4 persons)

260.00 – School Uniforms and shoes

260.00 – General clothes (myself & Dh)

520.00 - Boys clothing allowance (they buy own normal clothes etc)

900.00 – Boys Pocket Money and clubs etc

340.00 – Gifts

240.00 – Everything Else

This will be paid from:

1700.00 – child benefit
3300.00 – tax credits
4000.00 – allowance

£9000.00
=======
Any money/vouchers made from cash back and points clicks etc will be put into savings. As will any savings made on any of the above categories during the year.

Also have a whiskey bottle into which all 5p's get put and will also be saving any points earned at any of the supermarkets etc to hopefully pay for Christmas 2009 Food.

Frugaldom · 20 December 2008 at 8:06PM

Hello, I'm back already and the 'night visitor' has been and gone after scoffing everything that was out in the bowl! I had my camera at the ready, although it doesn't have night vision, and I managed to snap him/her. It's a rather rubbishy photo, sorry. I was a little bit disappointed finding out it was this fat beast that had been scoffing everything!

I guess we'll not be needing to find ourselves a cat, afterall. This one's found us! :rotfl:

Sophiesmum, you really are the type of genius who'd be good at 'feeding the 5,000' :rotfl:
I can't even find anywhere that I can buy all the tin foil dishes, let alone shops that have bargains like the ones you find. Very impressive photos, makes me think - I must try harder in 2009

Live on £4000 for a year - part 4 (Oct - Dec 2008)

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