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

cw18

nykmedia wrote: »

Lightbulb chatter - the Government are introducing a ban on ordinary lightbulbs, hence the reason practically everyone is giving them away - they are probably being subsidised to do so. Before spending money on them, make sure you have claimed all the free ones you can. Just google free energy saving lightbulbs and check on www.freelightbulbs.co.uk to see if you qualify for some of theirs.

I have a stack of the free ones, but will be giving at least half away.....

They normally send the equivalent of 1x60w and 1x100w. I never use the 100w type (too bright for me, I get headaches), and there's only a couple of rooms in the house where I use the 60w types I'm stocking up on the 40w equivalents (9w) while they're so cheap, as I can't see them staying as low as the current Mr T offer

shaz_mum_of__2

OOh Cheryl is it the bakers tasty you get for your dog??

the new version was in mr t's 3 kg for £3.12 a half price offer i dont know if its just re branded or if it's different but thought of you when i saw it , also saw the old type in homebargains yesterday but forgot to mention it

Shaz

sophiesmum_2

Good evening frunchkins,
Another busy day at work, still training new manager on work procedures and trying to fit in stuff with oldies as well.
Hope everyone is well, just about to have tea, catch up with you all in a while.
General frugal aims for today;

• storecupboard/freezer meals
• reduce, reuse,recycle one item - have collected four bin bags of unwanted wool from oldies which is going to be made into stuff for our easter fayre , and some to a local group that knit for third world.
• do something nice for me - use my nice perfume just because;)
• do something nice for someone else-helped someone at work with a problem
• do one thing just for fun - played parachute games with oldies at exercise class - hilarious:D
• fitter not fatter - chair based exercise class with oldies

Todays frugal menu:

• 2 satsumas
• HM mushroom soup,OJ
• jacket potato stuffed with tuna- sweetcorn-red pepper, mayo mix, rhubarb crumble with HM yoghurt

Fruit and veg portions;
4 fruit, 0 pulses, 3 veggies,:D

Expenditure or additional income
No spend day:j

Remaining target cash for first 6 months food spends - £262.04 left from budget of £400.
No spend day

cw18

Butchers Tasty Bites. Pretty certain Bakers have E numbers

save-a-holic

grandma247 wrote: »

Re:sc recipes I have some on my ext.hardrive, if anyone wants them I will upload them and send the link.

Oooohhhh yes please!!!! :j

looby-loo_2

scrooge2008 wrote: »

You should have seen me today, I was marching up and down, every time there was a quiet spot, like a demented rabbit, and managed 2500 steps. Just need to keep it up ..... :eek: Who said that if you did this challenge, the eccentricity gene would manifest itself. :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:Hope everyone has a frugal and happy day today, as NYK said three weeks and habits start to become ingrained, just a few more days to go.

Join me, people say I have the eccentricity gene, but I think I'm quite normal. People used to laugh about my [STRIKE]money saving[/STRIKE]:j [STRIKE]economising[/STRIKE]:D [STRIKE]saving the planet[/STRIKE]:A 'green' ways but they don't seem to so much now.

Frugaldom

From 'handy links' in post 1 of this challenge thread

HANDY LINKS

Complete (MSE) cooking collection - Loads and loads and loads of recipes
Recipes part 1 - thanks to Rosieben on the Grocery Challenge
Recipes part 2 - thanks, again, to Rosieben
Nutrition and diet info, an excellent thread - thanks to Weezl74.
Remoska discussion - everything you need to know about Remoska ovens
Electricity & Gas savings - monitor your electricity & gas with the MoneySaving Carbon Club
i-Measure - log your meter readings and try to reduce your carbon footprint
Start a cottage industry - the official MSE discussion
Free crafts ideas - how to make papier mache banks etc
Selling on eBid - decluttering and recycling for cash with no listing fees
Spending Diary - excellent free resource for recording your spends
Approved Food - amazing bargains if you don't mind short dates
Freecycle (UK) - don't bin it, rehome it.
Grocery bargains - Supermarket price reduction times
Soapnuts - The frugal, eco-friendly alternative to soap powder or detergents
Greenfingered money saving - Gardening & growing your own food
Hunger Site - Charity site where every click counts
Old Style indexed collection - Indexed collection of links, hints and tips for anything old style, moneysaving and frugal.

mk_wotsit

Thought I'd scour the ground for dropped money today while I was on my post round. Didn't find a bean ... saw plenty of red rubber bands that I must have dropped previously though!

DD has quit uni and is coming home at the weekend. She's a devil for putting the gas fire on 4 bars and leaving her TV on all night. Now I do imeasure I shall be able to see what she's costing me :rolleyes:

Doing well on the spending. It really helps you resist impulse buying when you know you have to come home and log it in the spending diary.

Got a clonking driveshaft on my Micra. Gawd knows what that's gonna cost??

shaz_mum_of__2

CW
http://www.bakerscomplete.co.uk/complete/products/adult.asp
http://www.bakerscomplete.co.uk/complete/products/adult_gravybites_popup1.asp
http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/shelves/Dog_Food_in_Tesco.html

not sure if that helps any

Shaz

mumzyof2

Pipsmum Congratulations on your baby, well done you x

Xnatalie Ignore my pm i have sent you.. I posted it before i read your other posts.

Grandma247 Yes, it use to be called the mill, I dont like Botany bay, but kids love th playarea which is called Puddletown Pirates.

Kittins Im going to be doing something similar to what you do for your LO parties. Im not going to be buying fancy plates and napkins etc. Just cheapy ones

Linda Good luck with the house move, it will fly by.

Nyk Yes i undestand what you are saying, but i have worked it all out that i can live off £90 a week which would include everything like food,gas,elec. Everything else will come out of my money which im not counting in this challenge

I never find any bargains in shops like some people on here, i wish i could but i can never get to any shops at night because i have the children.

I also have loads of free energy saving bulbs that i got from electric supplier, then my friends have given me some

Today

Today I have dropped DS off at school club and got DD to nursery then been to college, where i nearly fell asleep again! Its just so boring and really basic ie: What would you put at end of a sentence etc.
I then come home and met my friend and we had a coffee and watched alvin and the chipmunks (this is my 4th time watching it in 24hrs). I made tea..which im very prud of myself as me and DS had left over casserole from yesterday.. DD had pasta with sausages - that were left over from yesterday as she doesnt like casserole - very fussy child! I put my mushrooms in casserole and pasta as they were going bad. Then we had icecream roll for dessert.
We then pulled my washing machine out and found 10p in the filter so thats all set for going tomorrow and new one arriving. Oh and when i bough it (last week) it was £169 and now its gone up to £199.99 so happy with that. they are coming between 8am-6pm, hopefully they wont come when im on school run! cause i will be running there and back tomorrow. Just need to get my mate to come and put it in for me now
Tomorrow seen as though i will be in all day im going to make another homemade syrup sponge that i made last week for first time. if anyone wants recipe its on GC
Ive cleaned downstairs today and all need to do tomorrow is polish and mop floor after washer has been.

Total spends today are:

40p on toast
30p on polo's
50p n crisps

Total £1.20!!!

Paid £2.25 for bus but i get that paid back to me..at somepoint in future!

Im well impressed with my total spends today...NSD tomorrow!!!