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

lilac_lady

As a couple of close friends are very ill this year, no resolutions or forecasts from me other than to wish you all a healthy 2009. As I've said before - your good health is your wealth. (I'll keep trying to meet the £4000 challenge though!)

sophiesmum_2

Called into woolies this morning got two pairs kids jeans, 3 kids t shirts, 6 dishwasher fresheners, 2 large rolls of birthday wrap, a glue gun, couple bars choc,and some tubs playdoh and it came to £5.46:eek: - sad day though knowing it will be gone forever, already the shop next door - Rosebys has closed so two empty stores on the high street - not good

Will be using the choc and glue gun for making my valentines/easter pressies and the other bits for gifts. Have postponed the visit to garden centre till tomorrow as mum wants to come along too.
£5.46 to deduct from 08 budget in a minute.

Shaz - I have also moved chocs to pressie stash;)

whitewing

I love reading all your posts. Who would have thought a year ago that I'd still be on the challenge and posting virtually every day. I'm proud of me.

It has been a bit of a strange Xmas in a way. The crunch (sounds friendlier than credit crunch) has been quite noticeable in the reduction of monetary value in the gifts we've been given - smaller boxes of chocs than last year from customers, or ones that are know were on BOGOF from the local supermarkets. I'm not complaining though as it still touches me that people care enough to think of us.

This was the first year in my life than aunty didn't give us cash to go with our presents. Bless her, she was so embarrassed when she told us a few days before that she was having to cut down. Again, this is merely an observation as the care and thought that went into the rest of the presents showed that she had listened to us through the year and made mental notes. I was asking her advice on tins for cooking yorkshire puddings in a little while ago (no one makes them like my aunty). A couple of weeks later she dropped into conversation that she had bumped into Father Xmas in the local supermarket and he had told her to tell me not to buy any muffin tins as he may be dropping them off for me. (He did too!)

For years I have told my mum not to buy us loads of biscuits and sweets and stuff like that, as we get plenty from customers. But she never listened. I felt bad but I used to give most of it to the Lord's Larder without her knowing; it stopped being a treat as we were always overflowing with stuff and couldn't even get through it before the next birthday. This year, she spent the same money on shampoos and conditioners and a purse and various other bits and pieces that we will use and that I was surprised and delighted with.

DH has been nagging me as I like to have half-a-dozen books on the go and it drives him made that my bedside cabiinet is untidy. My sister unwittingly solved that problem as she bought me a box set of 10 books. She buys me books every year. They were always chick lit stuff that were professional single mothers being perfectly happy without Mr Right until he happened to come along. So I was greatly amused this year that I still get the chick lit, but they're all recently married and adapting to married life. Oh bless her!

If anyone is shopping in the sales (which I am refusing to do, despite all your posts), then may I recommend getting one of those lavender-filled microwaveable cuddly toys. I was given one of those, and was snuggled on the sofa bed poorly this morning. DS popped my woolly sheep in the microwave and brought him back to me, cradling him tenderly. Then as DS and DH were about to go out to lunch, DS said, "Bye, bye Cosy - have a nice afternoon and look after my mummy for me." (Wouldn't get that with a hot water bottle).

My new year's resolutions are the same as most of yours. Like Marru, to enjoy 'now' and not worry about the past and the future. Like sophiesmum, to get even better at this challenge (in 2009 I will log every penny in and out. I didn't log this year's properly so don't really know how I did), as per lilaclady, I am aiming to be healthier. For me, this means carrying on in my attempts to lose weight, and stockpiling will also help as it will mean relying on good foods in my cupboard rather than tempting foods in the local shops. I am also going to have a year of 'chipping away' - I'm only doing this one challenge, and only then to the best of my ability at the time. I'm reclaiming my weekends, so that I can make small organisational changes, which will add up over time. I shall declutter continually and review and re-evaluate regularly. I will communicate better with DH, and take his wishes into account more (not that I intend to ignore him, I just tend to forget his dreams as they are less real to me than mine. So they're written in our folder now).

Our goals of financial security and a happy home life remain as they have been now for a couple of years and will remain for the future. Our resolutions are how we will achieve this over the coming year, and they are benefitting from our experiences this year.

Frugaldom

Just popping on with a silly update - mystery of the wayward night-visiting cat that we nick-named, 'Bagpuss'. His name is actually 'Compo' and he belongs to the farmer.

Marru

Nyk, please keep calling him Bagpuss as we have Compo named boa at college and this name confusion gives me images I rather not have...:eek:

sophiesmum_2

nykmedia wrote: »

Just popping on with a silly update - mystery of the wayward night-visiting cat that we nick-named, 'Bagpuss'. His name is actually 'Compo' and he belongs to the farmer.

I think he looks more like a bagpuss

Frugaldom

Got to agree, adoptee cat does look more like a 'Bagpuss', so I'll just stick with that name, much nicer than 'Compo'.

It is absolutely freezing here tonight, the frost never lifted all day and the fire was late kindled because we went walking. It's quite spooky in the forest, even in daylight, but I did see a huge, furry hare and plenty of signs of other wildlife by way of an assortment of footprints. I certainly won't run short of kindling sticks during 2009, that's for sure, nor will I run short of things to photograph. I'm thinking that homemade calendars for 2010 are a good idea, especially if I take a set of photographs every month next year, then use the best for the calendars. I collected a whole bag of cones and sticks that are now drying. I'm planning on doing a lot more walking in 2009, as part of my, 'get frugally fitter, not fatter' campaign. Mother of the bride cannot be seen looking this unfit! :eek:

Skint_Lynne

Marru wrote: »

Good morning Frunchkins!!

Oops, good afternoon. We had lovely brunch of fried mushrooms and eggs and jam on toast and some baked beans for me (and most of DD's toast as she didn't like it). The mushrooms were whoopsied and I have some more left for tomorrow morning.

SL: Please please can you put a link to the recipe of the potato scones. Sounds yummy!!

I managed to finish my xmas cleaning yesterday 7 pm so now just need to hang up some washing and hopefully have the energy to tackle my book room later and get it sorted ready for my New Year resolution of starting doing some exercise again.

My aims for 2009 are:

Sort out my dilemma study vs earnings
Literally quiet my life: less TV, less computer
Be successfull in my 4k challenge by getting more organised
Live more in the NOW and not regret what has gone and not worry what is coming
And it would be a bonus if as a consequense I could lose 10 kg off my weight :rolleyes:

Have a sunny day where you are. Here it seems to be a lovely day so going to take The Dog for a walk later.

Marru

Here we are marru,

POTATO SCONES

1/2 POUND COOKED POTATOES
2 OUNCES OF FLOUR
1/2 OUNCE OF BUTTER
PINCH OF SALT
A LITTLE FULL CREAM MILK TO BIND

Grease a heavy frying pan. Mash the potatoes with butter and a little milk. Mix with a spoon. Add the salt and a little of the flour. Use fingers to knead the mixture, adding more flour until it is all taken up and the dough is fairly stiff. Turn out onto a floured surface. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick and cut into rounds using a breakfast cup as a cutter. Place into the hot greased frying pan. Cook for about 2 minutes until the underside is brown. Turn and repeat on the other side. Serve piping hot, spread with butter.

I've just copied that out of the book, they are nice with butter on them, but we eat them with our sunday breakfast, I usually have sausage, egg, bacon, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes and potato scones. Other people have beans on their breakfast, but I don't bother. I do like sausages and beans for breakfast sometimes though!!!

Getting back to the recipie, I found that I had to add more flour as the mixture was still a bit sticky. When the mixture looks a bit like bread dough, that's the time to roll it out.

Hope you like them, let me know how you get on.;)

Edit: I noticed that Nyk eats hers with jam, will need to try that, I have eaten them with butter before but not jam, I'll dream about that now!!!!

Skint_Lynne

Evening,

I've just read through all today's posts and caught up now. I'll need to start reading the new thread, as I've not had the time, but will be able to do that when I'm off. DH is at his mum's house, I came home today and no sign of him, I knew he would be away to the pub with his dad, but I don't mind. I just wish that he would tell me, as I would have spent longer out shopping:mad:

His mum will be all happy that he is staying tonight, but he will not be happy when he gets up and discovers that he is there, and he will need to eat her cooking (does not like his mum's cooking). That will be punishment enough for his misbehaviour:p .

So, I will use all of prepped veg for dinner for me and my sisters and parents tomorrow as DH will most definately be ill now, I cannot believe that he was able to go out today!!!

The good thing is that I can go to mum's for breakfast now, I am glad about that, and I can eat my own potato scones again:T :T .

I went to boots today and got some pressies for next year, I'm going to record how much it cost me as I am aiming for money neutral gifts and I need to make my money back.

Going to do that now, speak later xx

redglass_2

If these 'potato scones' are the same thing as the 'potato cakes' I used to eat as a girl (and that you can buy in Mr S's, under the fancy title of 'potato farls' should you want to pay over the odds for them) they are also brilliant eaten hot with hummus - YUM..!!!!

I'm very pleased with my shopping at Woollie's - have stockpiled a half-price kettle for when the current one breaks down and got myself a jigsaw since mine is nearly dead and long out of warranty. Also got a few other practical / DIY type things. I always used to go for stuff like reduced-price chocolates, which is also a saving, but since I read in the Tightwad Gazette how it makes more sense to spend your money on something that will help you save in the future, I look at sales in a different light.:idea: If I'd only learnt that one thing this year, it would've been worthwhile.

Of the Christmas presents I gave out this year, the best received ones were bought cheap on Ebay or in the M&S one-day sale. I find Ebay really good for jewellery (my fatal weakness, and I have other friends who also love it). I've bought some beautiful gifts and people have been thrilled with them.

Plus, I had the bathroom done (sorry to mention it again)... and bought a lovely duvet at a very low price in a Boxing-Day sale.

So..I'm ending 2008 on a high note because even though I didn't keep a record of all my saving after the first 6 months, I know I did better than ever before. Instead of frittering all my cash away, I saved and saved and then spent it to some purpose, and when I look round I'm delighted with the way things have gone. :j:j

My heartfelt thanks to all you guys on here...! :A

Next year I'm going to really buckle down even though I might have to change everything if my circs change. I've got the bug now.


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