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

thriftylass

Good morning,

I discovered that the low temperatures in our flat now ruin part of my indoor gardening ambitions. My chillies stopped growing (I guess it's quite late for them anyway) and all my herbs and rocket look funny. Even the ones in the living room that get some warmth now and then . Plus the soil seems to get mouldy around the edges (why?, in the normnal house plants it doesn't happen). Not sure how it will go at beginning nof next year when you're supposed to start the tomatoes (Feb/Mar). Doubt they'll germinate but I don't want to wait as late as this year. At least I got seeds for a more suitably sized plant this time. Gonna cut down this years plant now after taking of the last tomato. Only got 4 of a massive plant . Bought the wrong one and it grew to 9 ft (3 ft wide) :rotfl:although I cut it to 6 by 2 ft. It had taken over half the living room. Thank god BF found it rather funny and let me have it .

Welcome igiveup

Marru

Good morning all and welcome igiveup,

Had to put alarm on today as so much to get on with. I managed to do 11 items from my todo list but the list have now grown to 36 items :eek: so that is 25 still to do. I am trying to at least get all the animals cleaned before we are going to another birthday party. I will be taking a book of evolution with me incase the parents can just leave the kids to play.

I think I do like Christmas - I have sold another book thank goodness book sale is picking up, it is small amounts but it all adds up.

I think there was a conversation about web based businesses. It is not expensive to set up a website. It is possible to set up a free website with BT tradespace and some of the cash back sites will even give cash back for joining. And eBid shop for lifetime is only fifty quid (actually you get 5 shops). I use SBI!, that is £150 per year but the support and training is outstanding in my opinion, if anybody wants to know more about it you can PM me.

I better get on with breakfast and then start working through my list again.

I hope sun is shining where you are,

Marru

Cat_Addict

Morning everyone!

Janey - I loved your post. So glad for you - it's 'orrible to see an item of clothing and know that they won't have your size. I've been in shops in Manchester that only do 8-14, so they exclude a huge percentage of the population and I hate the implications of that. I could go on...

Love your Mum's Memory too xx

cw18

** waves to everyone **

not around as much at the moment, as I'm busy dejunking my kitchen this weekend...... 5 black bin bags gone out so far, and still less than a third of the way through everything :eek:

need to clear up before my new freezer comes on Thursday, as I can't power down the old one until the new one is all powered up and I can move the contents across. Still trying to decide whether to let the fridge/freezer go now as well, or whether to hang onto it in case I need the fridge space myself over Christmas due to elder DS being home for the best part of 3 weeks :undecided

I'm making the most of having all of downstairs to myself to move things around while sorting..... DH was admitted to hospital on Thursday evening (worrying factors being that he asked me to get the doctor out, and didn't whimper on being told he was going into the local A&E hospital -- a first for both), so I have the living room and the 'dining room' (currently his bedroom) to be moving things around. Don't know when he's likely to be discharged -- he's hoping for Monday, but I wouldn't be surprised to find it's later in the week, as he's having problems with his breathing and has been on oxygen since being admitted

The dalmatian is very bemused/confused by the whole process of the kitchen blitz, and I'm having to sweep at regular intervals as he keeps trying to eat anything and everything that gets uncovered..... took me nearly 10 mins to get him to give up a small piece of gravel yesterday evening :rolleyes2

Looks like we may finally be getting hooked up with some support agencies though, as DH told me yesterday the nursing staff have told him to tell me I'm likely to hear from "pallative, stroke and MacMillans", and at the initial Q&A session he was asked if he wanted Social Services to come and explain what's available to us. He immediately said no, but then backed down and said "but I don't know about the wife". So I said "yes please, if only to find out what's available should we decide we need help further down the line". I think the fact I didn't say I need help now pacified him, which is probably why he's not kicking up a stink about the others getting involved

And he's almost certainly coming home with/to an oxygen cylinder !!!



Welcome to the new peeps. Looks like loads of us joining in properly from January :T


Cat Addict -- It wasn't until you mentioned shopping in Manchester that I noticed you're a 'local lass' to me

Marru - the website issue would have been me.

Still not sure what to do about benefits/self employment -- but think I'll wait until I've had time to chat to DH's oncologist to try and find out what the prognosis is. I don't want to start knocking myself out setting something up if he's likely to be taking up most of my time soon..... especially as I'm planning on trying to get registered as a child-minder in the longer term. May just start making enquiries about that -- especially if we get hooked up with external support quicker than I expect, meaning I can start attending briefings/training courses now if someone else is available to sit with him. He may even accept the support if he can see me doing something "constructive" with my "time off" :rolleyes:

Skint_Lynne

Hi Cheryl,

Hope DH is home and feeling a bit better soon. I am going to undertake decluttering today as well, so you have some virtual company!! My stockpiling is coming along nicely, so much so, I need to clear new spaces for my stuff, so am looking for a pot stand today to put into a cupboard which has no shelves. Then I'll use the cupboard where the pots live to keep some meore tins etc. I'll start buying stuff to freeze nearer the end of the month, butchermeat etc, but I might make the dishes first, I'll see how I am fixed for time then.

Speak later,

SL x

Penny2myName

Well spent last night working out NEXT years Christmas list for all the adults in the family. Seriously considering doing a £20 splurge on my Avon rep brochure to get them all sorted. Going to use my coffee beans for slippers, towel and bathrobe , plus Tangerine & Aloe Body lotion 50p and Tangerine & Aloe Shower Gel 80p to make a full pamper set for my mum. So £.4.50 postage for the bean goodies, and £1.30 avon. £5.80 in total. Was thinking a jewely set, moisturing socks, and Berry Mint foot creams for my sister. Jewwely set, Papaya & Kiwi Hair Mask plus Papaya & Kiwi 2-in-1 Shampoo & conditioner for kids step mum. Some strange concotion Facemask plus hand & foot cream for brother's girlfriend, would still need to find something else to finish it off though. Wintersoft body care collection for mum from the kids.
What I cant decide is wether to deduct it from this years budget ir deduct from next years???

redglass_2

Hi, P2MN. If I were you, I'd make it this year's budget. A lot of this stuff has a cumulative impact anyway, in that what you do this year goes on saving you money next year, and last December people stockpiled and stuffed their freezers before starting the challenge, if I remember rightly! OR you could buy it now at this year's prices but only take it out of the challenge money when you actually use it - is that right, Nyk?

Was it Sophiesmum who mentioned shredding paper for the compost? What sorts of paper can you put in? Does newspaper leak chemicals into compost?

I'm doing decluttering too, must be something in the air....

sophiesmum_2

Hi redglass
i always shred the bills, envelopes etc but don't add shiny magazine type paper. Ripped up corrugated cardboard and egg boxes also compost well. Just remember when you add the paper to add a small mount of green matter too. I will be adding leaves with todays shreddings.

Another one deluttering here today, am attacking my wardrobe which is the messiest place in the house:o , OH laughs at me as my wardrobe holds all manner of things that I think may come in useful and the clothes are shoved in as an afterthought. Now and again it decides to fight back and attacks you every time you open the door:eek: , hence the need to declutter:p
I really could do with more storage for my frugal lifestyle, this flat is just too small:rolleyes: Hmmm, need to persuade DD to go to uni or get married then I can appropriate her bedroom which is huge......:p She has just hobbled off to the stables as she is missing her horse and thinks she could manage a hack with one gammy leg

Catch up with you all later, off now for a lovely HM sausage butty on HM bread even better as OH has made it:kisses3: , oh almost forgot - welcome on board igiveup, looks like we will be busy next year:D

thriftylass

sophiesmum wrote: »

oh almost forgot - welcome on board igiveup, looks like we will be busy next year:D

That made me check the first post to see how many were in this challenge this year. There are about 160 plus 10 trainees. Since I've been here (a month) I only met about 20. How are the other 150 getting on?

cw18, big hug, I hope your DH feels better soon and can come home.

Penny2myName

Trying to get my !!!! into to gear to de-clutter my wardrobe (well the top that keeps chucking shoes at me every time I open it swear blind there is a gremlin at the back) especially as my mum gave me a pair of boots yesterday. This house is alot smaller than my last one, with barely no storage spaces (3 built in cupboards, two outside cupboards and a large 6x6 back pouch at old house) Also had a 12 x 18 ft kitchen, whilst here its more 12 x 7. So I am having to scale down on practially everything. Also have my bulk shopping due this afternoon.