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

FrankieM

Morning everyone,
I've still to update my sig....but I'm looking for some advice from those of you that don't use tumble dryers....

I'm trying to cut back on electricity and gas usage, the gas especially has crept up recently as I've been putting the heating on rather than a jumper! Also my DH has got rid of one of three servers and he plans to get rid of one more, so that will make a difference to our electricity consumption...so doing my bit, I thought I would look at lights, appliances, heating etc...I came to the conclusion that I would put my washing on racks in the spare room to dry, but if I'm not planning on having my heating on unless necessary then how is my washing going to dry???

What do you guys do? Do you find that your washing drys anyway or do you put the heating on so it does? Or do you just chuck it in the tumble dryer when the weather is bad?
There are 6 of us, so a fair bit of washing, though I'm trying to get that down by encouraging people to make sure the washing really is dirty/smelly before putting it in the basket.

mumzyof2

Good Morning

I had a dream last night that someone told me not to post in coloured writing as they couldn't see it properly :rotfl: :rotfl:

I had checked my bank and only have £80 odd as i didn't realise my CB had gone in (covers some of my rent).

Just updated my sig too but need gas and electric today and also need to pay my weekly bills that i would usually pay on a thursday morning but tomorrow is my DS first assembly at 9.10 and i need to get to my food hygiene course for 9.30am! So wont have time to go shop in the morning. Thinking of putting £30 on gas and £15 on electic and seeing how long that lasts me. I am in my emergncy for both at moment :eek:

Not much planned for today. Quick tidy up and then find something to make with the leftover chinnese style chickens we had yesterday.

Have a good day all xx

Edited to say: sorry to hear about the allotment sophiesmum.. I remember whenyou first found out about that.

Edited again to say Capital one hs put there intrest up so instead of paying my biggest debt i am thinking of paying CO off. Ijust rang them my balance is £499 and i told them i can offer a f&f of £350 as thts all i have. Got to ring back tomorrow.

mumzyof2

FrankieM wrote: »

Morning everyone,
I've still to update my sig....but I'm looking for some advice from those of you that don't use tumble dryers....

I'm trying to cut back on electricity and gas usage, the gas especially has crept up recently as I've been putting the heating on rather than a jumper! Also my DH has got rid of one of three servers and he plans to get rid of one more, so that will make a difference to our electricity consumption...so doing my bit, I thought I would look at lights, appliances, heating etc...I came to the conclusion that I would put my washing on racks in the spare room to dry, but if I'm not planning on having my heating on unless necessary then how is my washing going to dry???

What do you guys do? Do you find that your washing drys anyway or do you put the heating on so it does? Or do you just chuck it in the tumble dryer when the weather is bad?
There are 6 of us, so a fair bit of washing, though I'm trying to get that down by encouraging people to make sure the washing really is dirty/smelly before putting it in the basket.

I have not used my tumble dryer for months now. I just leave it hanged up on a rack in kicthen but ihave my heating on all the time. I would think it would dry without any heat if you left it for a few days or as long as you could.
Or coul you switch off all the radators in your house except the one in the spare room .. that way your washing would b dry in no time (mine takes about half a day bu my house is like a saurna!) And also that way its only heating one room and will cost you bery little in gas.

Brighton_belle

Frankie - difficult one with the washing. there are 4 adults here and th 'dining room' is permanently full of drying washing it seems. At this time of year we tend to have the heating on in the evning whcih helps. It's actually harder in damp summer to dry stuff. We do have a tumble dryer but we only use it for 'emergencies' and if I had the same choice again probably wouldn't buy one now. Nyk has found using a dehumidifyer works well with drying washing and costs very little to run.

Nyk - meant to say thanks for the info about chickens crowding around people - I wouldn't have know that and it is an eye opener.

Kay, that's wonderful news. After such a long wait you deserve your own safe haven and space.
SM - thanks very much for answers to my questions.
Builders are in downstairs doing nice things to my kitchen:D .
On target to come in £4 under monthly average of £333:j .

candygirl

Morning all:hello:
Am stuck here cos the man's here getting rid of the rust on my car.Luckily the money isn't coming out of my 4k challenge
It's so damp n foggy here today, roll on summer:D Getting a Mr T delivery today with lots of BOGOFS and a £5 off voucher so the £4 delivery has worked out free:T :T This is going on next months GC target as it's for next weeks shopping anyway.
Me and DD are crossing our fingers that her credit check and reference goes through ok for the new house.She hates her current landlord though, and he's a nasty piece of work so hope he gives an ok ref, even though she's done nothing wrong and he hasn't kept his side of the bargain at all, regarding the repairs which he hasn't done :mad: :mad: Anyway of she gets the house she will be literally 100 yards down the same road as me:rolleyes: :rolleyes:
FRANKIE I hate to admit I do use a dryer , as I don't have central heating so no way of drying clothes otherswise, but only use it 2/3 times a week;)
SOPHIESMUM sorry about the allotment, and KAY hope you're happy in your new home hun :A

the_cat

Got paid today so I have officially finished my first month of the challenge! Unbelievably pleased with my figures as I have only spent £239.62 out of my monthly average of £483 :j :j :j On top of this I went whoopsie hunting last night and got really lucky. Several different fruit and veg, steak and kidney, tuna steaks, packets of prawns, venison, yogurts, beef medallions, brie, cheddar, bread and sausage rolls:o all at 10p or less . Should have enough in the store cupboard and freezer to last for all of Feb now and will just get fruit/veg and other fresh bits weekly. Oh and obviously whoopsies for March

Kay - good luck in your new home
Marru/Fizzel - good luck today
Sophiesmum - keep at it for that allotment!

Can't remember any of the other news - sorry but have a great day everyone.

cw18

I either hang my washing in the downstairs cloakroom (heating is on low most of every day, and that seems to be the warmest room - plus it's just about the only room neither dog ever goes in), or use my tumble dryer. But as there's only 2 of us here, it's only on for a couple of loads a week! (I won't dry towels any other way - not even in the summer :eek: )

whitewing

Oh I can't wait until we can hang clothes on the washing line. I love the smell of it.

Well, I have to do Qype reviews today having visited some new shops on Monday.

I also have to do my daily banking/reconciling for both personal and business accounts. Since last year I have changed how/when I do all this. It is gradually getting easier and I'm chasing stuff up a lot earlier (or writing it off earlier rather than worrying about stuff for weeks). There is still much room for improvement. Still need to be in a position where I know what I'm spending on what so my ratios are the best they can be. Have got some new ratios for my business but although I know what I have spent on what in the past (for tax returns), I don't plan spends properly. This will be my year.

Lots to do today so see you later.

Well done folks on all the good news that is coming through. It's very motivational.

Boomdocker

Hiya, I have just returned from an 18 day holiday (paid for in full last year) so am really looking forward to catching up with this thread. I have added my spends to my spending dairy and updated my total so far. January is a pricey month for me as I have my 6 monthly ground rent to pay and a quarterly Elite racing payment. That said it evens out over the coming months.

I think we have decided not to have an overseas holiday next January so I may be able to save/reallocate my holiday savings elsewhere.

Oh and my boiler is on the blink, well its last legs anyway. Woke up freezing this morning. If it can't be fixed I need a new one so that freed up cash may have a good home after all. :rolleyes: Good luck all.

redglass_2

Kay, good luck with your new home!

FrankieM, I don't have a tumble drier (haven't had one since 2001) and I find that washing will dry indoors even without heating. Mine goes on an old-fashioned ceiling dryer over the stove, but the stove isn't always on and the room can get very cold. Even so, it's still worth hanging the washing up there to give it a head start - the air dries it for free, and then I put the stove on to finish the job. I have to admit it's slow, though, and there isn't a big volume of washing in this house. If I had more laundry, I'd need a much bigger drying space to keep up with it.

I'm getting behind with all my jobs, including some quite important ones. Think I'd better lay off this thread for a while, addictive as it is, and lurk/skim read until I've got life back under control!