Live on £4000 for a Year, 2009 Challenge, part 2

savingfortravel

Hi Everyone!!
Our circular walk was bliss! Even though it started to drizzle..because we were walking down a beautiful 'green' lane at the time where primroses, cowslips, greater stitchwort, red campion and ground ivy were all around us. DH had a great time listening to the Skylarks. We were planning to have a half a pint of real ale at the pub on route but it was packed so didn't end up spending any money either (except on petrol).
DH went to our local Mr T to spend some MOCs. Trying to eat more healthily. Thinking about throwing away all the chocolate I was given yesterday...otherwise my sense of achievement at eating healthy meals and exercising will be lost if I binge later (over chocolate I have no self control). Trying to think about Central Americal and that I want to be fit enough to take part in everything.
Skint Chick-You certainly are a financial expert..you've really helped me in the past. Thank you.
Michelle-Your garden sounds fantastic!
Nyk-Hope you had another productive day!
Sophiesmum-Fantastic furniture. I love it!

Very interesting to read people's comments about Wedding Dresses. We are all so different. My wedding was cost effective but I wouldn't condemn someone who had saved bl**dy hard for their special day. My dress wasn't traditional but an evening dress from Monsoon, as this was my second marriage (I do agree about commiting for life as long as your partner isn't abusive and my first hubby was so I walked)..
I certainly won't be letting Mr SFT go..he is my best friend and soul mate. I am truly blessed to have met him.
Take care
SFT

angela110660

Had a lovely day too - sun makes everything so much better and Saints won today so rest of family now joyous!!
Went to a car boot and got some great books for 30p each and a super wine rack for £1 - to store our HM wine.
Having leftover lasagne for tea and the world is good. Hope everyone else had a great day too.

Blairweech

Hi folks :wave:

Well.....I went on a big adventure to Plymouth on Saturday and spent quite a lot of money, Bought fuel, more food, some bits and pieces for the garden and home...

Had a NSD today fortunately. Made a lovely leek and potato soup yesterday, which will see me through the week. I am staying at the boy's tonight, and I am even organised enough to remember to take a lunch for tomorrow too! Hopefully it will be another NSD (apart from a DD).

I am really making an effort to use up my food, and not waste any. I am actually making a table of what I ate, when I couldn't be bothered to cook etc in the hopes of establishing a pattern.

SM - Your little corner looks fab, I am jealous

thriftylass

Hello,

first of all hugs to everyone who need them and I'm glad that loads of you have a better time again. Those garden and wedding pics look gorgeous, says jealous me.

I just checked my numbers and I seem to have completely lost the plot this month. Not only do I miss £ 56 this month checking my bank balance against my spreadsheet, no idea where they went. Also adding up my figures I already nearly spent £ 460 :eek::eek::eek:. I bought a wii fit but got it really cheap with the use of vouchers. Groceries are ok too. I have to start writing down my spending in my little black book again, I let that completely slip and that's what happens then. I guess the main damage was done when my friends where here on holiday.
On the positive side, I already sold 4 out of my ten items on Am@z0n and made £ 90 so far :T. I also found some old Euro bills that I'll cash in now that the rate is so good (Euro to £) as I'm not planning to go to Europe soon.

Och well, it can only get better (how often have I said this now )

angelicmary85

Never posted on here before but I just wanted to say that you're all doing so well! I'm going to lurk in the background to pick up tips and ideas on how to save a few quid!

Skint_Lynne

Evening,

Well that's the holiday weekend drawing to a close - not long until the may one.:D

I'm off to Rotherham tomorrow, so I've a long drive ahead of me, around 4 and a half hours.:rolleyes: That is a one off trip, so not that bad I suppose.

The car boot was okay yesterday, I tried a new one as I thought it would rain, (it is undercover), but it didn't. I should've went to the usual one, but there you go, it was still good. DH did not make it BB. I'm using the cash to help with our weekend away SFT, which is next weekend, a mixture of work and holiday time.:D

Not much spending going on, which is a good thing, I've been doing my £20 experiment, but I've let my spending diary fall by the wayside, I'll start again tomorrow.

Speak later, xx

slowlyfading

It feels like I've not been on here in ages! I've been so busy at the bakery, and this Easter weekend has been manic. The bf was here this weekend, and we round to some friend's for sunday lunch which was lovely. Its another couple we know, and it feel really grown up! It was the first time the girl had attempted sunday dinner and she cooked pork and it was really yummy. We took a pudding and some wine and had a lovely evening

Its interesting to read about everyone's wedding experiences - people truly are all different. I've been thinking briefly about what I'd like, nothing too fancy I don't think, but I do want to get married some day. Not just yet though, lol I love wedding dresses though, and think that you can get some gorgeous ones that aren't going to break the bank

On the budget news, I've managed to pull back on the spends, and balance out a bit more. I'm going to treat me and the boy to a meal out next weekend though, so that'll be a bit, but well worth it. I'm just trying to get the balance between having a good time, but being careful - its not as easy as it looks! I like going out to eat, and enjoy going to different kinds of restaurants, but obviously can't do it all the time

I have read the thread but can't remember what everyone has said so i hope everyone is okay, and (((HUGS))) to those who aren't.

sf xx

enjoyfinancialchallenges

purplevamp...thanks have ordered two seemed like a good idea being as the p&p was 6.99 or something. Afterwards I did some frugal thinking and wonder if I should only have ordered one but its too late now and they do look good so I must get baking now and earn the cost of them back from car boot sales.

I had a super day in the garden and my veggy patch is coming along very well, I have a lovely friend who always plants more seeds than she needs and gives me what is left over. I missed sowing them early because I was ill so am now able to catch up with my friends help and all is looking well. :j I still have more seeds to sow and will try and catch up tomorrow. I ran out of compost and had to go and buy some so it turned out to be quite expensive day because I have a problem resisting gardening "stuff" and bought a few plants whilst I was at the garden centres. Bad girl efc.
Goodnight all.

BigMummaF

savingfortravel wrote: »

Hi Everyone!!
........Thinking about throwing away all the chocolate I was given yesterday...otherwise my sense of achievement at eating healthy meals and exercising will be lost if I binge later (over chocolate I have no self control).....
Take care
SFT

Sorry to chop but this has caught my eye. I was given some of the really strong chocolate last year, both in a bar & an egg, but it is too bitter for me. I was loathe to throw it out so saved it until I worked out what to do.
A relative loves the stuff, so I melted it down, let it set in a marg pot then iced a greeting for their b'day! How's that for thrift All it cost me was a little gas & icing sugar :j

*slithers back to lurkdom before the sunlight burns my i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ieyes aaaaarrrgh*

lyndasharp

It's been really good to see the garden pictures... I'm so achy today after yesterday's work, think I need some inspiration to go back and get on with it this evening!

We have made one bed by taking up the lawn, so the potatoes and the seeds for pots are now planted. Just 5 more lawn sections to remove... We went to see my former landlady to collect some well rotted horse manure from the stables where she keeps her horse. We got 5 huge bags full, all for free, and there's plenty more if we need some.

We also met the cat she'd like us to adopt, who looked terrified and ran away. Not the best start... actually I'm not entirely sure whether it would be fair to take her on. Although she is apparently really friendly, she's been on the farm for over a year and I'm not sure how well she'd adapt to living in a house, particularly when she'd have to be shut in for the initial few weeks while she got used to her new home.

Had a very expensive Asda shop yesterday, came to £44!!!! Normal spend is more like £25... Also another £30 in B&Q, though H2B paid for that one so at least it wasn't out of my budget. I think the food shop was high because we needed to restock on loo roll and washing powder, and buy some wine for a party next weekend. Still on track for the month's food spends though, as long as I don't buy too much next week.