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

angelatgraceland

xnatalie81x wrote: »

I really need to update my totals but i don't have a calculator and there isn't one on the computer (i have looked) so i have to do it on paper and it is doing my brain in!!! Anyone wants to donate me a calculator i will send you a stamped envelope lol (free stamps from royal mail thingy)
th (rbs and lloyds current account)

There are lots of free online calculators which you can either download or simply visit the site and use.
Here are two Ive found-one is a microsoft one to download:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=32b0d059-b53a-4dc9-8265-da47f157c091&displaylang=en#QuickInfoContainer
the other is one to use free online:
http://www.calculateforfree.com/
that one doesnt require any downloads.
If you do a google search you will come up with loads!
You could get a mate to get you a calculator and give her twice its value in stamps? Thats if you want a "real" one.

EDIT: Ive also found a real one free! http://www.alterigopartners.com/promotion/pop_up.html

BAILS-ask for daff bulbs on Freecycle? Not unknown on my group!

bails

hello everyone I'm back and caught up on the thread! No chance of me remembering everything I'm afraid but I love hearing how you're all doing :T

I've had a really lovely weekend, spending time with my brother and wife and had my first 'sighting' of my niece/nephew in the form of a slight bump :rotfl:Also saw the 9 week scan. Saturday I went to SW Brum to catch up with 2 uni friends and had a lovely time with them, also talking babies as one is 12 weeks, watching rugby, out for a meal and laughing at how not grown up we still are. We also spoke to one of our other housemates from uni days who now lives in Paris and we're going to organise a meet up for all of us :j It was loads of fun and wonderful to catch up with everyone! Spends weren't too bad, just petrol, a bday pressie for baby (and the 5 for £1 Tesc0 cards, thanks for the tip), meal and a few bits of shopping my brother forgot to pay me back for. Well worth it!
OH will be back from London in an hour having spent considerably more than me but having enjoyed his money too :T
Very happy in this little corner of Frugaldom
One question - am I too late to plant up some daff bulbs for Easter pressie for my mum and any thoughts on frugal place to get them please? Wrote your idea down as a great one at the beginning of the year SM and forgot to do anything about it, thanks for the reminder!

skint_chick

HH62 - if you check your valve you might be able to use an adjustable spanner rather than having to buy a special key - it works on my B&Q one. If I'm stuck with diy stuff I usually check ehow.com before I ask OH for help - he's a bit useless at diy:rolleyes:

Blairweech - drills are scary at first but I practised drilling a spare bit of wood and then I manged 2 curtain rails and 3 airing cupboard shelves with only minor cursing and spirit level panic. It is virtually impossible to drill your fingers/hand because of the way you have to hold the drill

Another NSD although I need to get low GI food and some electric tomorrow. 4 mystery shops planned, and once I get food colouring I'll be able to finish my mosaic. Going to look in some charity shops tomorrow for interesting fabric, and I need to do huge amounts of housework - vaccuuming, dusting, laundry :mad: . Weds is the dentist -unfortunately for a root canal -very nervous mostly about the cost:eek:

dND

HH62 If you need to build up a tool kit, I've found that the Lidl ones are good value. Not professional quality but much better than the discount ones.

Frugaldom

Back for a quick update - Amaz0n was selling a whole heap of tools off halfprice, HS took full advantage of the offer before Christmas and it was still on last week when he checked.

House is now warmer, up to 16.5C in livingroom and kitchen since the fire got going and the oven's been on for hm quiche and 2 trays of biscuits. Frugal heating when it produces food like that!

Welcome back Bails & Taka :hello:

mama67

skint_chick wrote: »

bails - chamichelle's ideas are good - i got coins and stamp sets when i was born and still have them - if you want to do the 2008 coins I've got a 1p 2p 5p and 10p you can have to start you off! If you can knit then you could knit a little cardigan a size too big or a cot blanket- my mum does this for every baby she hears about

Shelley - Men! I'm sure you were glad at that point he was an ex :rolleyes:

Bad news - too much snow for mystery shopping so rescheduled (but don't have to eat fast food for lunch and dinner)

Good news - I finally have a reason why I struggle to lose weight and can't get pregnant - I have polycystic ovaries. At long last I know what is wrong and have reserved library books about it so I can find out how to minimise the effects - special low GI low carb diet and lots of exercise.

NSD as I'm at home and have my mosaic project glued down so all I need to do is mix some blue grout once it's dried I'm really pleased - it's not perfect but it is my first attempt in 14years!!

SC, I have PCOS as well, it was diagnosed when we were trying for DS2, ended up taking Clomid and fell immediately then took it agian when trying for no 3 but sadl had miscarriage at 16 weeks.

If you want to ask any ?? feel free to PM me.

I don't have all the answers but have had it long enough now to live with the problems it entails.

bails

The post above is exactly why I love this thread, thanks Mama67!:T

Has anyone got cashback for W@terstones please? Qu1dco offer 8%, wondered if anyone could better that? I want to buy an (expensive) book about my illness, no joy at libraries, Ebay etc etc. I can get 10% off though with my NUS card

Blairweech

Just made a fish pie and it is *so good* :drool: Used a couple of those fish in butter sauce, poached some (reduced) salmon in some milk, added prawns and put the fishy milk into the mash. Bit of cheese on top and nom nom nom.

I have hardly any milk left but cannot be bothered to go out now (plus I want a NSD) so am rationing it.

Oh, and can't remember who said they were going to the opening day of Ikea, but I hope you have adequate life insurance :eek:

sophiesmum_2

sophiesmum wrote: »

PV - it is a sheltered complex of 54 flats for oldies. They all have their own totally self contained flat but share communal recreational spaces, gardens, lundry etc and me:D Luckily I only have 5 smokers to worry about out of the 54.

Nyk - I think they get naughtier with age:D

Whitewing - great progress on your weightloss journey:T

Skintchick - I had PCOS and follow the low GI, low carb diet 90% of time - it does help a lot. Mine ended up with a 10lb tumour in my womb which I had removed last year and a total hysterectomy. Now just have to shift the excess weight that I ended up with because of it. It has left me insulin resistant though so tend to still follow the diet in general.If you look at my daily menus you will see potatoes very few and far between and mostly wholegrains low GI foods. Good luck with getting to grips with it all.

Skint chick - I hope I didn't panic you with this post, I really didn't mean to, and the tumour was a result of 12 years of pcos and very bad endometriosis. PCOS can be managed quite well with the low GI/GL diet and if necessary there are some drugs like metformin that can help.
You are doing the right thing with the diet - I wish I had been given that information many years ago it may have helped a lot. Hope you get sorted with the fertility and as mama67 says if you have any questions feel free to pm me too.

andromache_2

bails - I don't know about Waterstone's but there is 20% off at Borders at the moment, both instore and online, and I believe that they do free delivery: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1459621&highlight=books. They did a 40% off promotion just before Christmas and I was gutted that I didn't wait until then to get some of my uni books! Never mind. I know it's only 2% extra, maybe someone else will come up with a better offer

OH came down for his birthday this weekend - we had a really lovely time. Think he appreciated his presents and me taking him out for lunch. Oh, and we booked our flights to India I've got a return to Mumbai since OH wants to go somewhere else with his brother first and that is where his connecting flight lets him stop. We haven't decided whether to go north or south, so I figured it was best to book our flights now before the prices jump and we can do our research and decide later. We've got 7 weeks so we can see a fair bit. Am v excited

I hope you're all well - hugs to those who need them