Live on £4000 for a Year, 2009 Challenge, part 1

Brighton_belle

General frugal/simplifying aims for today;(copyright SM:D )

• Batch cook huge cottage pie in remoska to freeze portions DONE
• Clear/declutter project table DONE
• start on next mosaic project - been finding it difficult to get on with this as a priority Mmmmm not done
• Fill bag for charity shop Not done

Right, 2 good jobs done. This means the table is now clear to do some mosaics tomorrw, but so far it is still getting left til last, not done first.
New free oven has now been properly tested and works a treat:j .
Worktop delivered by B&Q and locvely lodger is talking of putting new sink in theis weekend:D

SM - I got the idea for seed sprouting last summer from the 4k challenge:D ,
SF - it's hard living with your parents at times when you're a grown up. Do you think there is any validity on what your mum thinks, or do you both just do things differently?
Sympathy lynda - this happened to me once. Take great comfort in the fact you will be exchanging so then it is all definitely going to be yours.

kittiej

I received my purse I bought off ebay. It only cost me £2.90 inc p&p so I'm really chuffed with it. This is for my grocery money each week.

I had to put £15 of diesel in my car as well, but since I haven't had to do the nursery run my diesel costs have halved so that's good.

I think this thread is great and the reason it's running away a bit is probably due to the economic climate and the way it's making everyone re-think about where their money goes.

Skint_Lynne

Evening all,

I nearly had a NSD, but bought milk, a newspaper, (for jobhunting), and 4 rolls, it came to £1.88:eek: :eek: . I am going to see if I can make my own rolls instead of buying shop ones, they are 22p each, which is a scandal. 1.88 may not be a lot of money, but if you spent this in the shop every day of the year, it would be £686.20. That's what I do now, add everything up annually.

I had booked a day off today, but DH had to meet a boss/colleague today, so I went christmas present delivering:o . I had to leave the prezzies in strange places. The first house, I left them with a neighbour, who I could not get away from. Then, my next friend used to have a shed which has gone, I left her wee ones prezzies in the recycling bin, and put a note through the door. I did not realise that her mum was in looking after the wee one, I love her mum, she is a real laugh, it would have been nice to catch up. She said, I just saw the a**e of the car tearing up the hill, :rotfl: , my friend (her daughter), told me on the phone tonight. The last ones were left behind the plant pot as usual, but today it was an extra large pot, her old christmas tree was in the porch. All kiddies were pleased that santa had came around again today.:A

Drunken DH (again), in bed, he will suffer tomorrow big time. He will not drink for ages again now as he has been heavy at it for a couple of days and he cannot handle it. The army people drink too much and pay for it later, I see it all the time.

MIL phoned tonight and tried to give me a hard time for DH not visiting. I just told her to direct complaints to him, she has a habit of trying to give me a hard time and not saying anything to the culprit. I do not take snash though, I love my MIL but she needs to be put in her place at times.:p She thinks that DH does no wrong and I am the one to be told off. I don't think so methinks!!! MIL smothers DH when he is back and he does not like it. He should visit and I have told him so, but I am not prepared to take the flack for his mistakes. I will watch with interest to see if she says anything to him, if she doesn't, I will ask why;) .

A wee bit off topic here and there, but you know me, I like a wee gab:rotfl:

Speak later, xx

cw18

bails wrote: »

CW, does that post relate to all food or just bacon/chicken?

Sorry - I've no idea. I quoted what the lady said, and as mince, chicken and sausages seem to be what we eat 80% of the time these are the things I shall (primarily) be stocking up on.



Nipped down the shops after tea -- and I'm pleased I did. I have 'several' tubs of pasta sauce in the freezer (C00p whoopsies), but am running very short of the stuffed pasta to go with it. C00p tonight had 3 bags of spinach and ricotta tortellini (our favourite) in Whoopsie -- 2 marked as reduced from 99p to 10p, and the third as from £2.49 to £1.20. I went and checked where they would have come from, and there's a note to say they're on offer at 99p. So I took all 3 to the till and asked about the one at £1.20 -- and the lady put all 3 through at 10p each as they were identical items with the same dates on them. These 3 bags have now been split into 10 portions and put into the freezer, so that's pasta for 5 meals for me and younger DS for 30p :T

lyndasharp

bails wrote: »

Sorry to hear about your mum SF, maybe Lynda is right? Can you have a chat with her about things? Hope you sort it out soon x
Frustrating about the house delay Lynda but it'll be yours soon :T What are the trainers for? (being nosey )


One more lesson tomorrow then got Marru's monkey here all weekend. The closest OH and I have come to a 4 year-old is when we were one :eek::rotfl:
Bath and early night for me, I'm shattered. Night all x

My old trainers are coming apart at the seams, and i've walked away the grip on the soles! They're just for general pottering about, I have walking boots for proper long walks, but wear trainers pretty much every day for getting to work, and shorter trips out, good for driving too.

Have fun at the weeked! Hope you get a good nights sleep, so you are ready for the early mornings at the weekend....

Edit: aargh, just remembered I was going to pack tonight as off to see bf tomorrow for the weekend. I was just thinking that bed sounded like a reasonable idea myself, after getting the washing out etc, but now I have more stuff to do. I've just been sat surfing the net and drinking toffee vodka, must do something more useful now.

Skint_Lynne

cw18 wrote: »

Sorry - I've no idea. I quoted what the lady said, and as mince, chicken and sausages seem to be what we eat 80% of the time these are the things I shall (primarily) be stocking up on.



Nipped down the shops after tea -- and I'm pleased I did. I have 'several' tubs of pasta sauce in the freezer (C00p whoopsies), but am running very short of the stuffed pasta to go with it. C00p tonight had 3 bags of spinach and ricotta tortellini (our favourite) in Whoopsie -- 2 marked as reduced from 99p to 10p, and the third as from £2.49 to £1.20. I went and checked where they would have come from, and there's a note to say they're on offer at 99p. So I took all 3 to the till and asked about the one at £1.20 -- and the lady put all 3 through at 10p each as they were identical items with the same dates on them. These 3 bags have now been split into 10 portions and put into the freezer, so that's pasta for 5 meals for me and younger DS for 30p :T

That's brilliant Cheryl,

You seem to have good luck with the whoopsies, do you have a strategy or is it just a case of being in the right place at the right time?

I forgot to mention in my long post that my dad asked me tonight if I would become responsible for most of the family shopping/cooking as my mum has not been very well recently. He will give me the shopping money and I will buy and cook the food. He thinks that I am a better manager anyway and is quite impressed with everything I have told him about the thread. I'll do it as I like to cook and it's good to come in at night and dinner is ready because I have batch cooked. Sometimes my mum just sits and watches tv all day if it is a 'bad' day and dad has to get a dodgy takeaway if I am not around.

savingfortravel

Hi Everyone!! I suppose it does take a long time to read all the posts and we can be more frugal but…. I wanted to say HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS THREAD…and its members. I have made it my daily thread (though I post on Grocery Thread and Mortgage Free weekly too).

Fizzel81-What a wonderful brother!
Marru-I LOVE THOSE LEMURS-and I know I will see them in Madagascar one day..can’t believe you can actually stroke them SKINT-CHICK. I’ve asked OH to look into mystery shopping as he’s redundant at the mo.
Nickynoo-Walking.. great exercise..must do some this weekend.
2nd Time Rounder-Another great quote.
Fallen Angel Shelly-I use less washing liquid.
SF-Sorry to hear about disagreement with Mum. Hope you sort it out.

Aims for today
Fitter not Fatter: Exercise bike, arm lifts, sit ups.-All done
F not F: More fruit and Veg-Another salad for lunch, although I do sin with a large blob of mayonnaise. Grapes and Apple as well.
F not F: Non Choc Day No. 5-Actually hadn’t thought about chocolate until I read this.
Start Decluttering in study.-No chance-Exercised, Ate dinner, School work until 8pm then came on here for my daily fix.

See you all tomorrow!

SFT

whitewing

SL,

I got 3 emails today saying that my Qype goodies have been despatched.

gillst_2

cw18 wrote: »

I've used the jar method before -- and shall be trying that for my first batch I think, hopefully setting them off later today

I'd really like to try growing some sprouts, but before investing in a sprouter I would like to see how I get on and if we actually like the sprouts. Can someone tell me how to do it using jars. Sorry if someone has already posted this but I am still a day behind in catching up with this thread.

I've not known whether to laugh or cry with the posts this last couple of days - such mixed emotions. Hugs to everyone who needs them, and to all that have made me laugh - a big thank you.

Nyk - do you have a recipie for the Apple sponge - I have loads of apples in the freezer from our tree this year and am sick of apple crumbles!

fizzel81

SFT yes my brother can be wonderfull he is over tomorrow so by the end ofthe day tomorrow there should be more dmap proof stuff on the walls to then be painted over (as my house is still suffering with mouldy walls) and i should have a spare room set up

i did everything today bar ironing (no surprises there) ironing has to be the worst job of them all so it will be my first job of the day tomorrow

Cw i wish i couldget woopsies like that, my brothers g/f fin and picks up any good meat ones for me i dont have much luck finding hugely reduced items

Bit the bullet and put my puter on freecycle, 6 requests so far - the unpolite ones leaves me 2 people to choose from, wont do anything till tomorrow though as i like everyone to get a chance iykwim

think im going to head for bed now night night x