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

angela110660

What a beautiful photo

cha97michelle

I'm still about too sophiesmum. Just busy with the kids so not a lot of time to post. I hope your dad really enjoyed his birthday.

We have not been up to much here really. My sister had a miscarriage last week, so i've been trying to spend a bit of time with her, and also get out and about with the boys a bit now the weather chirped up. Plus carry on sorting out the veg patch.

Today we've moved DS2 into DS1's bedroom so i can have the office back when i go to work and not have school stuff all over the place. DH installed the water butt we got with free argos vouchers the other week, and built another layer on the wall around the raised veg patch. We are getting there slowly.

I took the boys to a good playgroup the other day. They hire a hall for 3 hours and split the cost between who turns up, so it was £2.60 for us. Everyone took some food (i made some cheap cakes) so the kids were fed and ran off some steam, and i had some quality adult interaction for a change. I can only get to one more before my boys are at nursery full time again though.

I also had a freak out at DS2. He cut a new tooth, nothing special in that you might think, but it is behind one of his top front teeth. I have got myself panicking that he might have more extra teeth, and i also read on the internet that some people who have this get a lisp.So i have registered us all with a local dentist and got an appointment for 5th of March. I don't pay for my treatment, but had to leave a £10 deposit for the appointment as a lot of people don't turn up. I have to remember to get this back when we go.

Anyway, enough from me. I have spent less than last month, but i think i could still get lower. I am learning though so i am going to keep reading.

Michelle, x

Skint_Lynne

She has survived the washing machine. I washed her on the wool cycle and then gave an extra rinse and spin, she is as good as new. She is a black raincoat type, I don't think there is any wool in there at all.

My wee sister was not pleased when she saw the buttons on her, she said I have taken her 'character' away, and she was horrified when I said she was getting a wash in case I killed her.

She's looking good now, even better, I do not need to buy a new coat for a good while. What an exciting life I lead, 10 years ago I would have been out on the lash, tonight I am refering to a coat/cape as a person. The men in white coats will be along shortly methinks............................:rotfl:

angelatgraceland

cha97michelle wrote: »

I'm still about too sophiesmum.

I also had a freak out at DS2. He cut a new tooth, nothing special in that you might think, but it is behind one of his top front teeth. I have got myself panicking that he might have more extra teeth, and i also read on the internet that some people who have this get a lisp.So i have registered us all with a local dentist and got an appointment for 5th of March. I don't pay for my treatment, but had to leave a £10 deposit for the appointment as a lot of people don't turn up. I have to remember to get this back when we go.

Anyway, enough from me. I have spent less than last month, but i think i could still get lower. I am learning though so i am going to keep reading.

Michelle, x

Ah we can read too much on the internet. As this tooth grows Im sure the other one will loosen and come out. However-you are wise to get a dentist and an appointment pronto. Dentists are few and far between and it really is good to get the kiddies used to going regularly every 6 months so they are not afraid if they need treatment.
Well we worried about extra teeth for a short while-only to find out that eldest dd has 4 less teeth than normal! The milk teeth were there but nothing afterwards so the dentist had to remove them when she was about 12 as she had no second teeth to push them out. So much for worrying. Your dentist will be very reassuring.

Skint_Lynne wrote: »

She has survived the washing machine. I washed her on the wool cycle and then gave an extra rinse and spin, she is as good as new. She is a black raincoat type, I don't think there is any wool in there at all.

My wee sister was not pleased when she saw the buttons on her, she said I have taken her 'character' away, and she was horrified when I said she was getting a wash in case I killed her.

She's looking good now, even better, I do not need to buy a new coat for a good while. What an exciting life I lead, 10 years ago I would have been out on the lash, tonight I am refering to a coat/cape as a person. The men in white coats will be along shortly methinks............................:rotfl:

Whats her name? E.S. Cape? Glad "she" looked rejuvenated and now looks 10 years younger(or whatever)
Well done on saving a pile of money!

angelatgraceland

sophiesmum;

Happy Birthday to your Dad and may he still be with you for the next one too!
Every day is precious and old age is a priviledge. Make the most of every moment. X

Skint_Lynne

[quote=angelatgraceland;19039949

Whats her name? E.S. Cape? Glad "she" looked rejuvenated and now looks 10 years younger(or whatever)
Well done on saving a pile of money![/quote]

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

smiler34

Hi all thanks for all the advice, I have sort of been browsing in grocery challenge and posts like live on a £1 a day etc.
I have just recently started buying sainsburys own nappies, think it is definitley going to be groceries that have been cut back on. Totally forgot my weekly allowance which is another £960 per year ahhhhhhh (I'm not allowed my card cause I only spend on it lol, so I get £20 a week for mum and toddler etc)

P.S. Happy bday to Sophiesmum's dad-heres to another year x

sophiesmum_2

angelatgraceland wrote: »

sophiesmum;

Happy Birthday to your Dad and may he still be with you for the next one too!
Every day is precious and old age is a priviledge. Make the most of every moment. X

Thanks,:A you're right every day is precious, and we do try and make the most of every day we still have with him.


Sarah - gorgeous photo

chamichelle - Sorry to hear about your sister's miscarriage, you are doing the right thing spending time with her xx

Skint_Lynne

sophiesmum wrote: »

Thanks,:A you're right every day is precious, and we do try and make the most of every day we still have with him.


Sarah - gorgeous photo

chamichelle - Sorry to hear about your sister's miscarriage, you are doing the right thing spending time with her xx

I'm glad you all had a nice day sophiesmum. I think that it is so sad that we have to lose the ones we love eventually, it's the horrible side of life. My grandparents were a big part of my life, my papa died 12 years ago and nana in 2000 but I think of them everyday. The good this is that no one can take good times or memories from us, so we always have them. xx

enjoyfinancialchallenges

Hi again everybody...I thought I would post tonight because recently my messages have been one long moan and tonight I feel so much better I thought I would share it all with you. You may remember I've been in bed most of the week/10 days with sciatica, well today I have only taken my analgesics once so as you can tell the pain is far less. I'm planning to see the osteopath next week depending on when I can get an appointment. I actually got dressed today and have been up all day long although I did have a nod on the settee this afternoon after I took the tablets ....they always knock me out for a while but since I am retired I can sleep when I want and not feel guilty. Anyway that shows just how much I've improved.

Regarding my budget all is going well and because I have a full larder and two freezers that are slowly showing signs of emptying, I dont go to the shops very often. I live on my own which means it takes longer to reduce the hoarded amount but I'm also a vegetarian weight watcher so watch what I eat anyway. My neighbours and my live-out-lover;) have all been very good and have been to the shops for me as and when neccessary but in some cases not very frugally but I'm so grateful that I really dont mind.

My own home based branch of Boots is also helping me as I have so many BOGOFS stored. By the end of the year I shall have tidy and empty cupboards and loadsamoney in the bank...or wherever I find a safe home for it...plus a much larger house! I dont have any debts but am trying to save enough for a holiday, I havent managed to go away since 2002 so really think I'm due one this year, am holding thumbs for this Oct/Nov time when its cold in England, all the gardening has slowed down and its just getting warmer in South Africa.

The weather was beautiful in Suffolk today and I'm dying to step foot outside and get some seeds sown. Maybe tomorrow if my progress continues.:T I have a greenhouse so will be away from the wind if there is any....and there usually is in East Anglia.

Thanks for all the hugs I've received on the forum I enjoyed every one and the good wishes, very gratefully received. I send some back in return for eveyone who feels as though they could do with one.