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

Janey51

enjoyfinancialchallenges if you click on "userCP" at the top of the page your control panel will come up. There is a link on the left hand side which says "Edit Signature". YOu can add your signature and then save it so it wil appear under your posts.
Hope that makes sense.

Janey51

Does anyone know the cheapest place to buy large tins of Evap milk at eh moment? It is 58p in Mr A and Mr T at the moment. I don't want to waste fuel driving around supermarkets to find out.
My nearest ones are Co-op (which is expensive) Aldi and Lidl. Anybody know what they are charging?

Frugaldom

Good afternoon frugaltonians

Week 3 has gone! Congratulations to everyone who is still with us and still succeeding in the challenge, you have just made it to the first milestone! :beer: :T Next stop, 31st March and a brand new thread to look forward to, as I'm hoping to manage to keep this one on track for the whole of part 1 rather than need to change to monthly. I guess the final decision will be down to the forum moderators allowing us to keep posting here.

Spending has been quite high this month in our household, as per usual in January for me, but it should start to level out by the end of the first quarter. Restocking cupboards/fridge/freezer/store cupboards has taken priority this month so I can then take tighter control of the grocery budget from next month. I would REALLY like to beat last year's figures despite all the price increases and reckon that it is possible if I'm prepared to allocate more time to the kitchen and less time at the computer. :rotfl:

Bargain buys in the latest grocery 'binge' include 'decent' cheese for £1.79 per 400g, brand name beans 4 for £1, flour at 48p per 1.5kg and fresh turkey steaks at £2.25 for 6 (enough for 3 meals for 3 if diced and used in curry/sweet & sour/stir fry). Saved on travel costs by going to the local store 5 miles away rather than making a 50 mile round trip to the nearest large supermarket. Not sure who mentioned the boards coming down on their new Ald! store but it's same here, store due to open on 18th Feb but still no word about date of S0merf!eld closing.

Janey, I have to agree with you about the Premium Bonds. I get laughed at by some for having some savings in them but I had 2 x £50 wins last year and that £100 amounted to more than I would have made in interest if the cash had been in the bank and, if things keep getting worse, we may end up being charged to keep our money in the banks! Bad enough that it costs to have a business account but when they start charging for personal accounts, I'll be out of there like a shot.

That's about it from me for now, I need to go finish work, make dinner and then I really MUST start trying to get a business head on as I have now been promising myself an extra income generating project for over a year! So much for my home-based enterprise & interest beater challenge! I've succeeded in beating the interest rates but haven't even started my home based enterprise. :rotfl: :rotfl:

glendam

Ah yes you mentioned the magic three weeks in an earlier post. Was just showing OH my sealed pot and current bank statement. He was impressed that I had saved as well as took out less each week.IYKWIM
So at the moment I am very keen its nice to "cheat" the supermarket by looking around for bargains. Ok shopping takes a bit longer but that's ok.
Thanks for all your help and encouragement last week when it all seemed too much.
Glenda

poorbutrich

Janey51 wrote: »

Does anyone know the cheapest place to buy large tins of Evap milk at eh moment? It is 58p in Mr A and Mr T at the moment. I don't want to waste fuel driving around supermarkets to find out.
My nearest ones are Co-op (which is expensive) Aldi and Lidl. Anybody know what they are charging?

Sorry to butt in. Might be worth trying www.mysupermarket.co.uk although I don't think it compares Aldi and Lidl - having said that I don't ever remember seeing evaporated milk in Aldi, so that's not very helpful of me!

mumzyof2

Sainsurys is selling there own evaporated milk for 50p.

sophiesmum_2

Mumzy your pm box full - Will drop by 10am Saturday:D

sophiesmum_2

Good evening frunchkins:D

Not having a good day here today - full of a snotty cold and feeling grumpy, managed to get through the day at work but plan on doing nothing for rest of night. OH has just raided the freezer for our tea - thank goodness for batch cooking as he can only cook beans on toast. We ended up with whoopsied vegetable tortellini ,and HM spicy pasta sauce which I made in summer from our HG toms, OH says it was lovely, I couldn't taste a thing.:rolleyes:

General frugal aims for today;

• storecupboard meals
• reduce, reuse,recycle one item- rehomed printer destined for charity shop
• do something nice for me -snuggle on couch with my fleece
• do something nice for someone else-a just because gift for a little monkey;)
• do one thing just for fun - wearing silly socks
• fitter not fatter - nowt

Todays frugal meals;

• oj, muesli with dried apricots and HM yoghurt
• scrambled egg and mushrooms on HM seeded bread
• vegetable tortellini, HM spicy pasta sauce

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

Expenditure or additional income
No spend day





Remaining target cash for first 6 months food spends - £260.34 left from budget of £400 for first six months.

xnatalie81x

Hi

You guys are always so helpful so please can you take a look at my post re: debt managers f&f settlement!!!!! I need advie please

mama67

sophiesmum wrote: »

I love liver bacon and onions done in sc , it just falls part really tender and half of it disappears into the gravy... yum... We usually have one meal of the large pieces of liver etc with some veggies. Next day with the yummy gravy & onion that is left I chop a few potatoes and carrots cook in steamer then add to sc gravy while it heats up voila lovely thick livery flvoured stew - mybe add a couple of dumplings too if you are feeling naughty;)

I do liver and sausage this way, the boys "don't like" liver but will happily eat the gravy and sausage.