Live on £4000 for a year - Part 3

MrsHayes

Hi everyone hope you all had lovely weekends (and birthdays)

My computer is playing ball again! So happy I can read and post without it taking 10 years ;-)

I had pretty productive NSD on Saturday, took the dogs out in the morning and again in the afternoon with my friend and her little boy so we all get plenty of exercise and made the most of the warm weather. I also made the dogs a new bed out of our old duvet and made my big dog a backpack to put weights in (as seen on the dog whisperer) in order to try and tire him out a little more during our walks. I had seen them to buy online for around £15 however I got creative with 2 pencil cases and his old harness and some tins of beans for weights!

Sunday Dh and I did spend abit of money but almost all of it was necessary/useful (i think!) We got a present for his aunties 70th birthday (cardigan reduced to £7 and a puzzle book 99p) which came out of the present fund. We also spent £8.20 in the pound shop but got some deoderant for DH, some face cream for me, chews for the dogs, paint brushes, cotton buds and some pastry cutters (as I want to start making biscuits as presents) oh and some cola bottles for a treat!

In the afternoon we went to see some of DH's family so Dh could look at a job they want him to do and then we were going to go to pizza hut to use the 50% off voucher but being frugal won out and we went home an Dh made the best shepherds pie ever instead. I've bought some skirting board, architrave and decorators caulk from work this morning although this is fo the babys room and comes out of the DIY budget so not too bad. Food shopping tonight at Lidl and Mr A fingers crossed I can come in under my £50 budget. I will let you know tomorrow! xx

Ps. Janey really glad the CCCS lady was lovely hope you are feeling better about things now

Marru

Helloooo everybody!!!

I am back! And our weekend was FANTASTIC!!! Huge thank you to Bails who were looking afer my furry friends and made this trip possible. We were staying with this lovely lady and while I and her were on the course her OH was looking after DD and DD was truly enjoying herself and had great time as well. I am now catching up with emails and MSE posts but haven't had the courage to go to my hotmail as yet. Also catching up with washing as it looks like I would be able to get it dried outside.

I hope all the birthday girls had a great weekend!!!! Sophiesmum - good news about your brother being able to come home - I did give you a wave when I was whizzing through Lancashire last night (I think that is where you live). Jumble Bee - hope you are ok and our op will go well.

My college will start tomorrow so today is the last day to get my work up to date so better go now to get that sorted. Janey - try to stay out of trouble will you? :rotfl:

During the weekend I have made a resolution that I need to feed myself better. Even if it means throwing all my principles out of the window and have a piece of red meat every now and again. All these colds have been result of letting myself to get too run down.

Oops - it is the confession time for August spends... umm back later...a lot later...

JAMIEDODGER

August went quite well only managed to go just over budget, school uniform is expensive! September should be a much better month hopefully. Managed to pay my mum back quite a bit too. I am hoping to pay her off finally, this month.

After the hectic days of the summer holidays, i am really looking forward to the kids going back to school this week and having a normal routine again:)

Have been busy cleaning the kitchen this morning and have got dinner out of the freezer to defrost. I am gradually emptying the kitchen out as I have the housing association putting me in a new kitchen 3rd week in september:) I am rather excited!!!

Frugaldom

The sun is shining enough to have the washing hanging outside! Yeah! How sad am I? I'm celebrating washing hanging out! :rotfl: :eek:

Minirolo - you are very, very, very welcome here - now take a seat and tell me all about your planes! :rotfl: I love watching them! Is that the Eurofighter Typhoon in your avatar? Yes, folks, it's another sad fact that I also became addicted to military jets of varying makes and models having worked on base alongside F15s, I now live in a military lowfly zone (usually the Tornadoes when they're out playing) and there's more but I won't divulge that part for fear you all think I am utterly and completely insane . We did have the 3 Eurofighters playing overhead just a few weeks ago, but I told you all about that at the time, as DGD was here and kept running into the garden with me to see them.:rotfl: Has anyone seen the Stealth bombers up close? Wow! They are sooo.... amazing! Anyone going to Leuchars on the 13th for the annual air show? I'm missing it this year.

Oh, no... I got distracted again. Sorry Back to the business of the day!

Marru, I am so pleased that you had a great weekend and enjoyed your training course. Hope all goes well with your college start and that you enjoy it as much as you expect.

JamieDodger, so pleased to see you are still with us and congratulations on the new kitchen and the debt reductions. Keep on smiling, we're all in this together and will all emerge triumphant even if we've to stick to these challenges for the next 10 years! :rotfl:

Shaz, your buffet sounds yummy, can we all come along and wave bye bye to DS?

Jumble-Bee, you seem to have had a very productive day, so it's al relevant - I think :rotfl:

MrsHayes, I'm glad your computer is playing nicely, sorry about laughing at the thought of your dog walking about wearing tins of beans in pencil cases.... I couldn't help wondering if it' a 'sausage' dog, though :rotfl:

Sophiesmum, I hope all goes well with your brother and that he's well enough to enjoy his time at home. I'm at a bit of a loss for words, which is unusual for me, but you are all so brave and kind and sound like such a close and loving family that I am sure you'll all deal with this admirably. Thinking of you all.

That's us officially into the third third of this challenge, next stop fourth quarter and then home run! :eek:
1st of the month again! It's all direct debits, rent payments, council tax and bills, bills, bills... bleugh! Work calls... must dash, but I'll be around most of the day.

sophiesmum_2

shaz_mum_of__2 wrote: »

Can i make apple puree with sugar and put in jars without having to process in some way ?? running out of freezer space but got loads of jars

Shaz

Hi shaz,
i have done this in past, more or less followed quantities for a fruit jam only using apples instead, put into warm sterilised jars and put lids on when still hot to seal. Doesn't set but lasts like jam:D

How about doing some dried apple rings? peel, core thinly slice and dry out in a low oven for few hours, store in jars, make great snacks.

sophiesmum_2

Marru - Glad you had a great weekend, and yes i am in Lancashire:D

Nyk - Thanks for the support, we are all just going to stay as positive as possible. There is nothing we can do to change the end result but we can make the journey happier;)

Jamie - Once they get back to school you will be thinking it is too quiet in the house without them. Lovely to get some time back to yourself again though.:D
DD starts college this week since going on exam leave in May, I am so looking forward to her being out the house again daily instead of under my feet all time, and for the first time in 16 years I don't have to buy any school uniforms this year:j :j :j .

Just waiting to hear from mum now what time bro is arriving home:D

System

ooohhh i'm bored

not much to do at work, cos i'm leaving in a couple of weeks plus i will be a semi-useless one-armed bandit for those weeks so there isn't much point in starting anything

did i tell you about the art project i have started running through? its a WW2 food rationing project, to sneakily teach them some history and healthy eating. Except I got ridiculed last week when I drew a poster along with them, innocently using the slogan 'hoe for happiness' as a variation on dig for victory :rolleyes:

can't remember if i told you lot that already through...

think i will add up some spends now

sophiesmum_2

Jumble-Bee wrote: »

did i tell you about the art project i have started running through? its a WW2 food rationing project, to sneakily teach them some history and healthy eating. Except I got ridiculed last week when I drew a poster along with them, innocently using the slogan 'hoe for happiness'

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

taka

Marru - you sound a lot happier! Are you feeling better? I'm glad you had a good weekend.

Sophiesmum - I hope all goes well with bringing your brother home.

I've signed up for the grocery challenge again - Hopefully I'll be able to manage it but food prices are scary now compared to when I last tried it on this budget :eek:

Is the 4k challenge going to increase with inflation for next year?? (presuming it is running next year... )

taka

Jumble-Bee wrote: »

ooohhh i'm bored

not much to do at work, cos i'm leaving in a couple of weeks plus i will be a semi-useless one-armed bandit for those weeks so there isn't much point in starting anything

did i tell you about the art project i have started running through? its a WW2 food rationing project, to sneakily teach them some history and healthy eating. Except I got ridiculed last week when I drew a poster along with them, innocently using the slogan 'hoe for happiness' as a variation on dig for victory :rolleyes:

can't remember if i told you lot that already through...

think i will add up some spends now

:rotfl: :rotfl::eek: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rolleyes: