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

angelatgraceland

Thinking of Stardrops-when I came home with the microwave today DH made a point of telling me that he had cleaned out the built in micro recess with stardrops and how it bumped off all of the hidden grease(when the micro is inplace I cant get it out easy and its high up). He thought it was great! I dont buy cleaning stuff anymore except for bleach generally as I used to be a product slave and try out every new thing going! So I still have loads! Only other things I buy are Mr Muscle for the oven and washing powder/liquid but we have cut down on that due to having the eco balls.
When I do the oven I put the racks in a thick poly bag(copies from oven pride)and spray mr muscle into the bag. I leave it for an hour then give it a rub-saves a lot of mess and works better/less fumes than leaving the racks in the open air. It also saves a lot of the product.

cw18

sophiesmum wrote: »

I'm a really sad frunchkin and have a spreadsheet with costs of everything when I buy them for stockpile

My spreadsheet just records every item I buy with what I paid -- whether for use in the next day or two or for stockpile.

I also record the 'full' price if the item was a Whoopsie. The one I don't yet record (and have decided that it would be a bit much) is what I'd be prepared to pay as a maximum --- for instance I often get Kievs in Whoopsie at slightly less than I'd pay for value/sm@art price (which we're happy enough with). So I now record the whoopsie cost and what they should have cost where I bought them at full price -- but I'd never actually pay that price, so don't actually save what my spreadsheet shows

I also don't record what I save because of multi-save or special offers.......



Perhaps next year my spreadsheet will be further refined / tweaked if I'm doing well enough at keeping up with it by December (am a week out of date now, so really MUST get all my receipts out and update it tomorrow night -- but at least I make sure I always get a receipt!)

grandma247

sophiesmum I love that cupboard.
I have my storage in both understairs spaces, a large cupboard that was once part of an airing cupboard for cleaning/bathroom stuff and will soon have to put things under the beds. I would love a real pantry room but I don't think that will ever happen in this house.
Well done to all those who got bargains this week.
We bought a few things at whoopsie prices including a whole lambs leg for 7.17 should have been 17.50. Hopefully it will do us three meals and some soup.
I have been working on my figures again and am nearly there, I have had to estimate some things as there will be a few changes come April.Will probably post my budget next week,we are out all day tomorrow.
Janey I hope you are feeling ok now.

sophiesmum_2

cw18 wrote: »

My spreadsheet just records every item I buy with what I paid -- whether for use in the next day or two or for stockpile.

I also record the 'full' price if the item was a Whoopsie. The one I don't yet record (and have decided that it would be a bit much) is what I'd be prepared to pay as a maximum --- for instance I often get Kievs in Whoopsie at slightly less than I'd pay for value/sm@art price (which we're happy enough with). So I now record the whoopsie cost and what they should have cost where I bought them at full price -- but I'd never actually pay that price, so don't actually save what my spreadsheet shows

I also don't record what I save because of multi-save or special offers.......



Perhaps next year my spreadsheet will be further refined / tweaked if I'm doing well enough at keeping up with it by December (am a week out of date now, so really MUST get all my receipts out and update it tomorrow night -- but at least I make sure I always get a receipt!)

I have another for the other bits of stuff, eggs, fruit and veg etc just so I can keep a running total of spends.Very little goes into kitchen that doesn't go through stockpile first except veggies etc.

the stockpile one reconciles with the storecupboard inventory so I can check what is used/left and cost/value of it all.My stockpile includes bulk buys for freezer too.

lilac_lady

sophiesmum - I'm in awe of your store cupboard. I'd love one like that then I wouldn't have to visit a supermarket in 2009. My downfall is that I can't go into one and come out with what I need. I always buy too much and have to squash items into my small freezer and kitchen cupboards.

I bet if women designed houses, a pantry would be a priority. My granny's one was filled with home made jams, pickled vegetables and chutneys. She also kept a bucket of coal and some firelighters there and I still can remember the smell. I loved it.

Skint_Lynne

Hi Everyone,

DH is away back to work, but it was a palava for him to get there. It was belting rain and high winds here this afternoon, so the plane to heathrow was delayed. This meant there was a chance that he would miss the plane back to Kenya. I was on the phone to the airline for the best part of an hour to explain that he may miss the check in time. Now no disrespect to anyone here, but why do indian call centres put some people on the phones who do not understand the english language, especially difficult I suppose if you get me, Lynne fae Glesga, with the broad Glasgow/Scottish accent.:p

The first guy was a nightmare, he did not have a clue what I was saying and asked me to call back tomorrow!!! No use to me. The second guy was fantastic and knew everything I was saying and asked all the correct things, and sorted out my problem. They should use him as a training model. Some people in the indian call centres are that bad, my sister in law, who is Indian, she is from Mumbai, does not know what they are saying either. :rotfl:

Anyway, he is gone so at least it was resolved and he got to check in by the skin of his teeth.

I got the free tomatoes and greek yoghurt today, I had bought the paper, so thought I'd make use of it and neutralise the cost a bit. I got a kitchen power spray yesterday worth 3.60, the voucher was in a local paper that I had bought for job hunting purposes.

With regard to stockpiling, freezer stuff, I have decided to totally empty my freezer and once everything has been eaten, then I'll start again. Having said that, I bought some rolls on whoopsie tonight, 15p for 6 tiger rolls and 20p for 6 kingsmill wholemeal ones, so not bad at all. They are all in the freezer now.

I'm off to bed now, nite nite. xx

HH62

Sarah147 wrote: »

Ooh yeah I love book, very funny. The Shopaholic series (4 of them) are all fantastic and a great read for frunchkins. Although this forum has definately had an effect on me as years ago I would just read them and chuckle, but now I read them, see how much money she spends and think "how wasteful" :rotfl:

That series is definately my favourite Sophie Kinsella books but I can also really recommend 'The Undomestic Goddess" http://www.amazon.co.uk/Undomestic-Goddess-Sophie-Kinsella/dp/0552772747/ref=pd_sim_b_6

and 'Remember Me' http://www.amazon.co.uk/Remember-Me-Sophie-Kinsella/dp/0552772763/ref=pd_cp_b_1?pf_rd_p=212521391&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0552772747&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0M4H8CSMFKRKJQXW9VAP

Thanks! I'll try to order the Shopaholic series from the library. Need cheering up

HH62

Skint_Lynne wrote: »

Hi Everyone,

Now no disrespect to anyone here, but why do indian call centres put some people on the phones who do not understand the english language, especially difficult I suppose if you get me, Lynne fae Glesga, with the broad Glasgow/Scottish accent.:p


I'm off to bed now, nite nite. xx

Lynne, this really made me LOL. I used to work for an airline and they sent us up to the office in Glasgow to work for a week, doing nearly all phone work. This is about 20 years ago. Anyway, even I, Manchester born and bred, could not understand that Glasgae accent! Especially how you say 'J' when you spell it, like 'jai' or something???
Anyway, this bloke on the phone one day got really mad at me because I couldnt understand him...all I got was 'are ye takin the puss out of mee?' or something like that. I wasnt - but he may as well have been talking Swahili.
It really is a hard accent to understand...and you all talk fast too :rotfl:

sophiesmum_2

lilac_lady wrote: »

sophiesmum - I'm in awe of your store cupboard. I'd love one like that then I wouldn't have to visit a supermarket in 2009. My downfall is that I can't go into one and come out with what I need. I always buy too much and have to squash items into my small freezer and kitchen cupboards.

I bet if women designed houses, a pantry would be a priority. My granny's one was filled with home made jams, pickled vegetables and chutneys. She also kept a bucket of coal and some firelighters there and I still can remember the smell. I loved it.

My nana had a pantry in her house, you have just reminded me of the smell of it, it was a magical place for us kids, always smelt of a sort of musty smell and oranges. She always had a few tins with cakes and biscuits and the usual jams and stuff, fruit in a bowl, and piles of newspapers ready to roll up to light fire pre gas fire days, and the doorstop was an old earthenware hot water bottle.Her paperwork was in there too, all filed in old oxo tins and biscuit tins.;) and her pinnys were always hanging on back of door.I can't remember her ever not wearing her pinny. She died 20 years ago now.Nice to remember something simple like that.:D

cw18

Maybe I'm lucky, 'cos there aren't many accents I struggle with -- not even Glasgae, and rarely Indian (apart from some phone calls).

We had a new contractor at work a good many years back, and about a week after he arrived someone pulled me to one side and asked how on earth I could understand what he was asking Hadn't even dawned on me until then that his Geordie accent was pretty 'full on' :rolleyes2

However, I don't have to spend long talking to someone -- face to face or on the phone -- to start picking up their accent myself. Even if (as a family unit) we stay pretty self contained on holiday, people can still generally tell me where I've been just by hearing me talk after we get home -- and that's just listening from to the locals when we go shopping :eek:

Anyhow, I'd best be getting to bed. I need to get up early enough to do a final 'reshuffle' of the freezer contents before I head over to Sophiesmum's (and Costco) in the morning !!!