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

slowlyfading

lyndasharp wrote: »

Woohoo, I have a free bar of chocolate. I'm going to try and be good, and save it for later...

Naah, have it with a cup of tea!

lyndasharp

You're a bad influence :-)

I just had a banana and a plum with my cup of tea. I haven't gone back to tackling the scary budget spreadsheet for work yet, so I'll wait until I start on that again, when I'll be really desperate for chocolate. Handling my own finances is much easier than keeping track of budgets for about 30 conservation projects - and it's financial year end on Friday, so it all has to be right!

slowlyfading

Sorry! if I ever have a chocolate bar, I cannot leave it until later, I have to eat it there and then. I always admire people who can just leave them til another time! and good luck with the spreadsheet, it sounds complicated!
sf xx

lyndasharp

I signed back up with the Hotel Chocolat tasting club the other day, as they were doing their introductory selection for £6.95 and got £4 cashback. I got quite good with chocolate when I was getting their boxes regularly, as they are so expensive, I just had to keep reminding myself that two of their chocolates were a third of my food budget for the day... Not quite so bad when it's just £3 for the box though!

findingmyfeet

hi all, not been around much in last week or so , looks like ive lots to catch up on.had quick scan will catch up properly later.
Had a successful weekend thanks to martins email and managed to get the cheap B n * loft insulation for £20!!!! not in loft yet but insulating my staircase walls beautifullY!! (hubby says it may be a week or two before he has time to put it in). But at least i have it and full price would have been 200plus.
Also my little veggies in the greenhouse are starting to appear...im really excited. i dont have heating in there but my dad said stick them in anyway (he has an allotment and never uses heat)...well they are working. Lettuce, leeks, caulis, brussels, and onions coming up, but courgettes must be a little shy ? we will wait and see. dad giving me tomatoes plants and cucumber plants too around april time. Just need to get my peppers and chillies in this week or maybe on the kitchen window and get planting the potatoes. Sorry to do veggie ramble but most ive ever done and excitement kicking in.
Been to supermarket this morning but hardly any offers on and lots of stuff has gone up again. so feeling a bit fed up on that front. Stockpiling was going well but nothing to add this week. From next week going to start a 'holiday' box. We usually go on hols in a caravan so will be starting to get non perishables week by week to keep costs down, hopefully get abroad but depends on how well i do with savings from here. Euro is so rubbish i need to save all i can.

Well hope you all doing well, hugs to all off to catch up see you later
xx

smiler34

taka wrote: »

Hi all and welcome Chika!

Quick question... I've got some seeds (herbs and salad leaves mostly and few veg things to try in small amounts). What is the best thing to plant them in? They will be grown in pots/tubs/indoor windowboxes in my kitchen so will multipurpose compost be ok to use?

My parents have said I can raid their shed to see if there are any pots etc to use (and I already have a few small pots and seed trays) but I need to buy something to grow them in! If multipurpose compost will be ok - how heavy are 20l/50l/70l bags as I'll need to carry them home walking then bus then walk! Hmmmm maybe a trip to homebase with my suitcase is in order (well its on wheels!)? :rotfl: Sometimes I miss not being able to drive... :rotfl: Maybe I can bribe my parents for a lift with promises to provide herbs?

Basil is the one thing I seem to be able to grow! I remember when I first tried to grow basil at Uni I planted too many seeds and ended up with pots/trays on every windowsill/table/worksurface/desk in my flat - including the bedrooms! I kept taking some into work to get rid of it but I had LOADS of the stuff! :rotfl: Its the only time I grew to hate home made pesto - I was soooooo sick of it! Think I'll start small this time lol!

Thanks for this post hun, I have a really low wondowsill in living room and kitchen is in cellar so didn't think I had anywhere to grow herbs etc, never thought I could put them on bedroom window sill xx :money:

shaz_mum_of__2

findingmyfeet wrote: »

From next week going to start a 'holiday' box. We usually go on hols in a caravan so will be starting to get non perishables week by week to keep costs down
xx

i am doing this too have you seen Mr a pouches of steak and ale,curry etc they were on offer not sure if they still are though. Bigger and lighter than cans


edited yes still 2 for £4 not cheap but convenient for caravannners
http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/Shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?Store=2&Product=107400



Shaz

slowlyfading

Mm justs had 3 pancakes! 2 with treacle and 1 with orange juice and a sprinkle of sugar

sophiesmum_2

Good evening frunchkins:D

Just got back from a day out with my oldies, had coach ride in country then on to place for meal and entertainment. The building is a gorgeous old barn now used for social events. Oldies spent afternoon enjoying themselves , I spent afternoon investigating the building and pondering over the gorgeous old oak A frame beams and internal structure of the barn.




I was mentally converting the place into frugal habitation;) , wouldn't like the heating bills though , although it was surrounded by lots of woodland for logs:rolleyes:
Reminded me of a farm I once visited in Austria, the barn was split into housing on top floor and cattle sheds on ground floor - the animals giving off heat to help keep the family upstairs warm

slowlyfading

what a beautiful building sophiesmum!