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

Skint_Lynne

Guess what is in my kitchen...........................

The American fridge freezer:j :j :j . On the downside, some neds broke into my parents old house last weekend and the next door neighbour woke up with it in her garden. They had smashed the patio doors with a wheelbarrow. It is a bit battered and bruised, but I will T-cut it and most of the scratches should come out. I'll get my uncle who is a pipefitter to come and plumb it into the mains so that I can get the water and ice. I'll need to see if he can re-connect the wire for it as the neds cut it when stealing it. My dad would not have been able to sell it, so I re-measured and moved my kitchen table and it fits in (just). I have no idea how they managed to move it, it is really heavy. There was some manouvering and colourful language going on to get it in here.:rotfl: :rotfl:

Speak later. xx

Frugaldom

sophiesmum wrote: »

Nyk - hope the washing stays put - would be more likely to freeze here it is so icy today - think we will have snow soon.

It was too windy for it to freeze, all in now and airing to get the last of the dampness out it, but the winds have dropped and it's still bitterly cold. I'm wondering if I should go into town before Co-op closes to pick up some fruit & veg in case it does turn to snow as a single-track road could very quickly get blocked. Hmm... I wonder. :think:

BB, the storage in milk cartons is great because you can just replace them whenever you like. I also have plenty of hooks and my hanging-inside-cupboard-door storage 'rack' for tinfoil etc is made from rigid cardboard box threaded and attached with plastic coated garden wire. Talk about the 'Blue Peter' method of space utilization? :rotfl: I say go for it in a big way with your diningroom, imagine having a full sized room as a walk in/walk-through pantry come utility room come airing cupboard - how impressive is that! :T Maybe that could be your February project alongside my kitchen/pantry one. I'm still hoping for more wood and/or shelves via Fr€€cycle but have now posted ads on Gumtr€€ as well.

sophiesmum_2

bails wrote: »

Hi everyone, I'll ba back to catch up soon but just a quick question - I have 350g of soya mince and want to bulk it out with lentils, what ratio can I use? I don't need to 'hide' them as we both love them I'm making a cottage pie for this evening and can either freeze extra ones or trun the mince into something else as well, any ideas?

Thanks x

Bails, you can add as much as you like, we like the lentils too so I often do 50/50 but it does taste more like lentils than mince, which we don't mind at all:D

sophiesmum_2

Just got back from parent's house. Had a lovely unexpected surprise whilst I ws there. My lovely dad gave me a cheque to put in my personal savings account, he also left one for my brothers. He wants to make sure that if we need help in the future we won't be stuck, (for anyone new to the thread my dad has terminal cancer)and is happy that it is another thing that he can sort out now while he is still able. How lovely was that?:A

SL - enjoy your fridge, we had to take the kitchen and front doors off to get ours into flat:D

bails

Back again, the thread seems extra positive at the moment, which is fantastic! Everyone's doing such a great job with their budgets and it's exciting to have a new month to improve still further :T
Much like SM, I'm in a wonderful mood today, very happy and contented We had a lovely lie-in which I needed after another bad night then we went dog walking up at the Home, taking out a lovely little staffy with a sad history - she was so pleased to be out and about and I was running, yes RUNNING :j; feel very energised now! :T We also saw the pup of course and I had a chat with her keeper who was v pleased to see me Noone has been interested in her because of her colour (the others are red collies)and it seems she was ignored/mistreated at her original home for the same reason :mad: They have puppy cuddlers up there (take note Marru ) which I didn't know so I'm going to try and spend some time in the pen with them. Even if we can't take her that'll really help their socialisaton skills :T We also had yummy toasties up there for lunch which I don't mind at all as it's for a great cause and I got some choc to melt for hot choc from their table sale and some bargain wet food for the cats. I love spending my money knowing it's helping the charity too - double bonus :T I'm keeping track of money spent like this or in charity shops as I had to cancel all my DDs when I gave up work and this way I still feel I'm making a useful contribution (along with clothing etc donations). Charity shops are crying out for stock at the mo if you need an incentive to declutter

Hope Redglass and Mumzy feel better soon - please don't feel bad for not being able to do stuff, you're only human. BB and I, for example, have had plenty of practice at this and beating yourself up has no benefits whatsoever x

Anyone know why my TV licence is only £9.99 this month? Had planned to cancel DD and see what happened but they took it out early :rolleyes:

Need to go and make dinner soon so any tips gratefully received about the lentils. Got a cute kitten snuggled up on my lap so may have to sit a little longer yet
Ooh, got £10 from scratchcard too, last tenner on 8th Jan so pleased with that. Thanks for Qype mentions too - disappointed I couldn't get it for parents but will think of something else. Thought the party might be my pressie but they're now talking of going abroad to celebrate so wouldn't know when to organise it for? Maybe a little after they get back...

BB, looking forward to seeing dining room, sounds a great project :T We saw a great little extension on someone's house today which would transform our downstairs space so I asked OH for a quote :rotfl:Might be the next big house project I save up for

xnatalie81x

thank you nykmedia - i have been banging on about needing a pantry so i can put my store cupboard essentials somewhere and you mentioning the cupboard just made me realise - I HAVE A MASSIVE SUPBOARD UNDER TEH STAIRS - it is currently full of junk so have put computer table in the way so cannot get to desk so need to move computer, could put it where dd's rose petal house is but then where will i put her house....... hmm some serious thinking, sorting and shifting around to be done here. Also will need some shelving.............. hmmmm think i have an idea.

Off to put baby on my chest in his cot as fast asleep and get shitfing lol

bails

Lovely surprise about the cheque SM, really happy for you :T Is it for the Malta Fund? (you best make sure you have broadband out there).
Top news about the fridge too SL (not the breakin though).

Thanks for the advice SM, as soon as Madam stops being so unbearably cute I'll make it

candygirl

I thought I posted this morning:rolleyes: :rolleyes: Oh well, have come in under my £333 target this month, spending £299 altogether and £125 of that was on food, so am very chuffed wiv myself:T :T
It's snowing lightly here, and don't think it'll stick:D

sophiesmum_2

No not going in Malta fund which is joint savings with OH, his only stipulation was that it has to be in my name only so that if I ever need emergency money for myself I have funds available. Having been in that sort of situation in past I can understand his concern although he knows my OH is such a big softie and nothing at all like my ex.


Just started to snow here too

bails

Cool, I think that's wise - having been burnt myself I would never pool all our money, despite OH's loveliness. Some people on the 'how do you manage joint finances' thread think this is crazy but we like it this way. Do you get to spend a little of it?;)
No snow here, beautiful sun and blue sky, if very cold.