the daydream fund challenge thread

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Davesnave wrote: »

Gosh CTC, I have two sets of relatives just down the road from that smallholding, at Saron, on Nant y Ci, and on Dyffryn Road.

Looks a nice little place that one!

its about 15 - 20 miles away from where we live now,

if we ever get the oppertunity to move to somewhere with land, we do need to stay fairly local, with work, and so we can ferry the kids back and for to their friends

LMac

Hi everyone.

That smallholding looks amazing CoolTriker, maybe print out a few of the pics and put them where you can see them often, to spur you on a bit?

Ive been a bit forgetful about reading up on everyones posts (and with an assignment due in 3 days, I shouldnt even be here now!) but Ive had a bit of a kick up the bum by a book called "Not Buying It" (borrowed from library, of course!) and every time I read a little I feel the overwhelming urge to purge the house of "stuff", and to live a simpler life, even if it is 11pm and the house is freezing.

Made a little money from the stuff, and saved lots by not buying more stuff to replace it - must update my sig.

Will be back to read everything when I get the essay done and posted.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

oo will have a nose for that book LMac..

good luck with the assignment

LMac

Nearly finished the essay - its actually interesting. Its about the lead up to the recession and how people could have, and should now, act to limit the damage on their finances.

Theres a lot of stuff in the book that does not interest me (atm, its about her canvassing for the democrats..so skimming these bits).

Would love to hear about any other books on voluntary simplicity, if anyone knows of any. If I can keep reading them, I might get my clutter down to minimum by xmas. lol

Davesnave

LMac wrote: »

Nearly finished the essay - its actually interesting. Its about the lead up to the recession and how people could have, and should now, act to limit the damage on their finances.

Theres a lot of stuff in the book that does not interest me (atm, its about her canvassing for the democrats..so skimming these bits).

Would love to hear about any other books on voluntary simplicity, if anyone knows of any. If I can keep reading them, I might get my clutter down to minimum by xmas. lol

Never mind clutter or simplicity, what's the key to protecting our finances?:rotfl:

Seriously, I think it's all about not putting all the eggs in one basket, growing your own food, looking at how you can cut your energy bills in ther future and, as you suggest, buying what you need, not what you want.

Now, do I need a ride-on mower, or do I just want one?

Rummer

I keep trying to change my thoughts and speech to "I want xyz" instead of "I need xyz" and it has helped me save quite a bit of money. Growing fruit and veg the last couple of years has cost us quite a lot of money however it is a worthwhile investment and I think as time goes on it will cost less and less each year as the garden becomes established and we build up our own seed banks. Still working to a 5 year plan and we are only in year two so a while to go yet!

LMac

Davesnave wrote: »

Never mind clutter or simplicity, what's the key to protecting our finances?:rotfl::

Its very basic stuff for the essay/course - you would learn it all in 15 mins on MSE! Sadly, I learnt v little new stuff on the course. No magical solution either, Im afraid! Did scare me enough to freak out about my pension tho.

rhiwfield

Davesnave/LMAC, although its very difficult to opt out of the modern world, I think you can play by your own rules part of the time. MSE certainly helps by showing how that can be done and its great that the OS/Greenfingered forums firmly point you in the direction of thrift and (partial) self suffiency.

Its when you see people falling for the advertising or the latest fashion gizmo that you realise they are on a treadmill where they have to earn, earn, earn to keep up with a lifestyle that promotes waste and environmental damage (btw that used to be me ). I worked in the finance industry for too many years and saw many self centered amoral people masquerading as bank directors, eager to take a cut of your income or savings for promises that were often not kept. Often they were less interested in protecting your finances than lining their pockets.

My tongue in cheek advice, FWIW Davesnave, is to continue to follow your own common sense, spend only what you can afford and only then when you have to! But it also makes every sense to budget wisely and put money away safely both for a rainy day and worthwhile investments like a daydream fund

Rummer, sometimes 5 year plans begin to pay off! We actually had a harvest this year from the apple trees planted 4 years back and expect better now year on year. OK so they cost about £12 a tree at the time but the tree surgeon reckoned it would cost £100 each to buy the espalliered apples as they are now. More to the point I had 2 months supply of apples this year but before long should have six months supply. We are already sufficient in soft fruit and maybe 50% sufficient in veg, and that should rise when the new beds come onto stream next spring.

Last week we treated ourselves to one of the £9 tesco finest meals, partly influenced by OH's choice of the raspberry sponge pudding. We struggled to eat it and realised how accustomed we'd become to a home cooked family meal each evening using fresh ingredients. Aferwards we noticed how much packaging had to be dealt with and how the food part of the meal cost so much more than we would have spent if we'd made it ouselves. No more relapses (unless its fish and chips from the chippy! )

LMac

rhiwfield - I certainly do play by my own rules! lol Id love fruit trees, but the best I could do, in rented accomodation, is ballerina ones, and I think Id rather wait and get proper big ones.

Ive always been thrifty - make do and mend and all that. I have weaknesses though, mainly due to high aspirations. I buy craft stuff thinking "I could do/make that myself" but in reality, I dont have the time and end up with lots of craft materials that make my heart sink whenever I see them. I still try to dissolve my guilt by telling myself that after I finish [insert random project] Ill get round to making it. But theres always something that takes priority. On plus side, it turned out I didnt "need" the item, but I still spent money on the craft stuff.

On the plus side, I found a letter last night regarding an old ISA I had forgotten about. It wasnt full, but adds over £1200 to my fund. Im gonna use an extra £52.44 from my standard account to add so the fund will be a nice round number!

This morning Ive been looking at my electric bill. In the last 6 months, Ive managed to average under 300 units per month, but this month (runs 18th-18th) Ive used 357. Not a great deal more, and its down to extra heating (only on in morning when I have mindees here - playroom is baltic first thing in morning) and lighting in the evenings, but I want to try to keep it down to under 350 over the winter. Plan is to go to bed earlier and read, rather than sit in living room that has 5 (energy saving) bulbs in the light fitting, and the temptation of the pc and tv.

meanmarie

Managed to put another €200 into the fund this month, don't expect much more between now and end of year, as there are several annual bills to be met....Christmas I budget for all year so that will be ok.

CTC....love that small holding...keep going, you will get there, love the cockerel too.

We have had a very poor apple harvest this year, disappointing as we usually have more than we can use. Still using onions, carrots, spinach, lettuce and tomatoes, but need better organisation for next year...

Marie