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

[Deleted User]

Morning all

Thanks for your comments about hungry hippo!! Got midwife coming out later to weigh her so that'll be interesting!

Pips Mum - 240 ml per feed!! :eek: Well I expressed 90 ml and she drank it in less than 10 mins. How depressing!! I'm going to speak to the midwife today she might suggest topping her up with formula, otherwise I dont think I can cope. I just seem to be eating, feeding her and then sleeping!

Am going to go the breast feeding support group when we get out and about.... cant imagine when that will be tho!

I did have a good cry yesterday and the day before cos it seemed like she hated me!! But feel alot better now. I think when you're really tired everything seems worse. But I'm luckily cos my family is really supportive.... I know the first few weeks are the worst...

Pips Mum... tell me it gets easier?!!

Gotta go shes woken up xx

shaz_mum_of__2

I am not pips mum but it does get easier honest

stopping breastfeeding is a personal decision don't let anyone change your mind if you really want to stop you have given baby the best start you could and a stressed mum means a stressed baby so do whats right for you both

Our breastfeeding support does housecalls might be worth asking

Take care

Shaz

Frugaldom

Good morning, I hope everyone has remembered to put their clocks forward to welcome the official British summertime. (Cough!) Went out at 7 this morning to let the hens out and it was white out there, even the water in the inside dishes had frozen solid, so they all had to be thawed before cleaning/changing. It's thawing fast, though, as the sun is shining. Washing's out, but I now NEED to go into town to pick up basic essentials, there's no getting away from it, but it will be the quickest trip ever, so I can get back to the garden ASAP.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for good weather next week when the forums are shut. We'll be on to 2009 part 2 by then! The first quarter is almost over already! Cheers for sticking with the challenge, fru-guys & fru-gals

thriftylass

Good morning!

Although there's still two days to go I thought I better get it over with and do the totals for March (including the next two days), not pretty :eek: .

My total spend is £ 567 (so about 200 pound better than last month at least)

The money went in the following categories:

grocery and hh : £144 :T
bills : £123 (leccy £50 and the usual plus unexpected £30 towards communal garden maintenance)
night outs, dinner out :£200 :eek:
fritter, fags : £100 :eek:

But still I don't give up yet to make my new total year's budget of £5000. I can only get better at it :A .

P.S. No smoking day 2!

andromache_2

:wave: everyone! I've not posted in a while I have been reading but by the time I catch up on the reading I look at the time and tell myself I should get some work done

It's lovely to be reading everyone's news, anyway. In particular, I hope your wedding went well, SFT;I love the idea of a small, understated ceremony which is just about the two of you. How lovely for your now-DH to have booked a hotel as well. I hope you have many happy years together

I got back from Krakow a couple of days ago, which was a lovely little break away with OH. Even though we opted for going to see Auschwitz with a company rather than doing it ourselves more cheaply and even though we ate out for every meal and went to a few bars, my total spends for 2 nights there inc accommodation was £56.54, meaning that it cost £88.05 altogether including flights and travel to the airport - how cool is that My 'entertainment' budget has taken a bit of a battering, but I don't anticipate any other major spends this year so I should be OK...

I allocated £25 to my 'hairdressing' budget for the year in order to pay for one haircut (I tend to get it hacked back then let it grow long again) but I've printed off a free haircut voucher which I'll be getting tomorrow morning - hopefully it'll be OK! I guess I'll leave a £5 tip or something if it's good. I'm pretty sure the voucher is still available here, in case anyone has a participating salon near them. I love this site

OK, back to revision now! Have a lovely Sunday everyone :cool:

Pips_Mum

LoopyLou honestly it does get easier:A

As Shaz says just make sure it is not stressing you out too much, thats why I stopped as I was just getting too wound up about it all. Pip is now 11 weeks old and weighs 16lb, he has always been a big hungry baby and I just couldnt have given him everything he needed. Midwife said he will only take what he needs so if he wants it he needs it, the same with Daisy Im sure.
Hope midwife advises you well, love to you and Daisy x x x

purplevamp

Hi everyone, I've just [strike]got rid of[/strike] said goodbye to my MIL. She said she won't leave it so long between visits next time. :eek: :eek: 2-3 times a year is more than enough for me to cope with.

My tv blew up last night, so we're using our little portable at the moment. We're thinking about trying to get it repaired rather than buying a new one. We had it for about 6 years and my step brother had it a few years before that. They only gave it to us because his wife burnt two dents in the top when she had candles on it. They're the sort of person who has to have the latest thing the moment it comes out :rolleyes: .

2 NSD's which is good, and with 2 days left of the month I think I've done ok, but we'll see .

Blairweech

Hiiiiii :wave:

Well, as expected, going back to work has prevented me from keeping updated with the thread

My news: Veg seeds are sprouting (brocolli is doing really well, the other two....are getting there slowly) Had a letter from EDF saying they are putting my prices down (from the 31st) :j

I did type a big long message this morning but forgot I wasn't logged in when I went to post it.

Have made apricot flapjacks and parsnip, bacon and parmesan soup.

Off to update my totals...

sophiesmum_2

Good evening frunchkins:D

Not much to report here. Have been busy sorting out the greenhouse, garden and seedlings the past few days - hurray for a decent weekend to finally get in garden properly.
Managed 5 no spend days this week, managed to eat 5 a day all week, recycled lots of stuff and have been using lots of batch cooking up from freezer so all small things but positive things.


No spend days this week -5

Weight loss this week - 4lbs:D

General frugal aims for today;

• storecupboard lunch and tea
• reduce, reuse,recycle one item-lots of stuff to recycle banks
• do something nice for me - half an hour uninterrupted on here with a cuppa
• do something nice for someone else - took mum to garden centre
• fitter not fatter - swimming
• garden - garden - garden !!!

Todays frugal meals;

• scrambled egg, tomatoes
• lentil and carrot soup from freezer, frozen berry smoothie
• chicken and veg casserole,

Fruit and veg portions;
1 fruit, 1 pulses,5 veggies,

Expenditure or additional income
£2.00 spent on veggies yesterday





Remaining target cash for first 6 months food spends - £211.08 left from budget of £400 for first six months.


Extra income generated £250.43 /spent £118.19 / left £132.24
(tortilla press/flour £33, boots pressies £18.35, hanging baskets and brackets x 6 £17.88, planters £20, blueberry bushes/compost £12.99,gardening book £10, grow bags £5.97,



Hope you have all had a good weekend. xx

purplevamp

:j Well done sophiesmum! I put on 1lb :rolleyes: . It's DH birthday on Saturday and I've just ordered a box set from Amazon using some vouchers from a survey site, in total it only cost me £7.22 :T

I need to sort my meal plan as my chest pains are coming back and I'm sure it's to do with what I eat (consultant said it's because of big b;) bs!!) When I'm slim I don't get the pain.

It's back to work tomorrow after having to use up my a/l before April, then I'm off for at least 2 weeks for jury service :eek: . Not looking forward to that, I've done it before and don't want to do it again, but it's the law...