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

patchwork_cat

CW at first I thought 5 meals from 1 chicken then ofcourse I did the maths and that would be 2 1/2 meals for us 4 which is fairly standard, and always was when I was growing up. It is probably more like just the 2 meals, but if I am careful could get some sandwiches, too.

cw18

patchwork_cat wrote: »

CW at first I thought 5 meals from 1 chicken then ofcourse I did the maths and that would be 2 1/2 meals for us 4 which is fairly standard, and always was when I was growing up. It is probably more like just the 2 meals, but if I am careful could get some sandwiches, too.

:rotfl: And I was very careful to make sure that I stressed I'm only feeding two of us

Gave in and filled the car today - another £40 gone. Pump announced the tank full at £39-and-pennies, but I squeezed it to £40..... an extra voucher for the schools, and two more point on my club card (BTW: The double points on petrol ends on 10th if anyone else is thinking of filling up anytime soon)

Did a grocery shop while there - had planned to come home with change from £20, but ended up spending £31.19 :eek: However I'm really happy with this - and so is DS. I was starting to ration how often we had salmon, but spotted Mr T have the one we like on offer (until 26th May, but I want to try staying out of the supermarkets this month) with 8 fillets for £5 instead of £10 - and they're extra good as they cook from frozen. So that was £5 extra. Corner yogs also 5 for £1 - so three lots of those (two for DS, one for me) and another £3. Then on the way to the tills I spotted Pot N00dles on a half-price offer - 4 pack for £1.61. DS used to live on these, so I phoned to ask if he was interested. Given this offer is also almost over (19th May) and they're bbe Jan 2010, I bought 4 lots - so another £6.44 -- making for a total of £14.44 on "impulse" buys :rolleyes:

Just pleased that my shopping list items DID come to comfortably under £20 -- even if my freezers are both now totally chock-a-block again :rolleyes2 I will get to defrost them both before Christmas.... I will, I will......

slowlyfading

I am still with you guys, and reading the thread. i'm just not in the greatest mind right now to contribute anything useful. xx

Frugaldom

Hope everything's OK, SF and everything on here is useful, even if it's just to rant and rave and grumble - it's like frugal therapy - I use it all the time even when I've nothing to say Just type a random thought then see what comes out - umm.... there's a cow walking past my front window!

savingfortravel

SF-Hope you're ok. Love reading all your news. Hope your remember to take a rest between working so hard. X

Lynda-So glad you booked the band. Also how wonderful you are, supporting your OH with his finances...
I did this in the past but all my efforts were in vain as my ex didn't change his ways and my savings were frittered away by him but people can change, I know that as I used to be a compulsive spender myself (in my teens, don't ask). The trouble is they become like ex smokers...:rotfl: Can't bear wasting money now.

Well for us there is good news and not such good news.
The not such good news is that we still haven't heard about a date for our survey and we're supposed to be moving in 2 weeks! Mr SFT is phoning them tomorrow..just as well its him...they wouldn't like my tone.
Please keep your fingers crossed for us, so we can get it sorted out.
The good news is that we paid off 1/3 of our mortgage today, using Mr SFT's redundancy/ISA savings/some inheritance! This should bring our monthly payments down by £220! Hurrah!

SFT

Brighton_belle

lilac_lady wrote: »

That's a really wise thing to say BB. I don't have any debts or mortgage payments now but by budgeting and following this thread I've been able to make my family happy by helping them out so I'll continue the battle.

Aw thanks lilaclady - I picked up this a while back from grandma - it's in her signature and it it really helped me realise what I was trying to achieve. When your goals are clear, it is easier to aim for them.
I think the shared wisdoms on this forum bring a sort of clarity to how what and why we make the choices we do, and make them clear choices with outcomes rather than a disorganised hit and miss stagger through life.
Took a home made cake to my Dad's 81st b'day on Monday - discovering HM cake making has really given me a way to contribute on a budget. The rest of my family are fairly well off and had been going to buy a cake(:eek:). So taking one I'd made instead was a nice way to contribute as I can't ever hope to match what they do (and to be fair I'm not expected to, but it's nice to feel part of things rather than an onlooker).

Yesterday and today have been write off's due to 48hr migraine but I am hoping to be back on my feet tomorrow: I need to have a severe round of decluttering soon.
Oh,finally received into my bank account quidco's £50 for opening an A&L account last autumn:j.

Skint_Lynne

I have had an 'eventful' evening. I'm just back from hospital with a badly burned arm.:o

I was making the dinner and I lit one of the gases, and a spark must have flown off and my shirt went on fire.:eek::eek:

I managed to get it off, but I couldn't get the arm off cause it was one of those fitted short sleeves, hence the singed arm.

It could have been worse, but it was scary at the time, I've got a big bandage on and I smell a bit singed. You should see the shirt, there's nothing left of it.

The funny thing is my bra, is all singed, I think that saved my booby doop from being burnt off.:rolleyes:

Never mind, worse things happen at sea, I'll survive. DH is being all concerned and I've been ordered to go to bed. Nite nite. xx

cha97michelle

skint lynne that doesn't sound good. Take it easy. Hope you actually managed to get some dinner after that.

Well today's my little man's birthday so it has been eventful. Busy as always on a work day, and then i went to visit my parents too, so the boys were shattered by the time we got home.

Dinner was more leftovers from the BBQ. I've had jacket spuds for lunch and dinner today. :rolleyes: But it didn't require much thought. The leftover cake went down well at nursery.

I haven't done much this evening as my friend had sent me an email, she had a baby the other day, a real tiddler at 4Ib13. The baby had a problem where it's windpipe and oesophagus haven't separated properly so she has had to have a 5 hour op to separate them. I have been a bit distraught by this as i can't be there for my friend, and i am worried as the baby is so small. It makes me appreciate my 2 being healthy all the more. Puts life into perspective a bit.

Back to real life tomorrow.

Michelle

sophiesmum_2

SL - hope you are okay and have painkillers in the house, the adrenaline in your body will be working but when that subsides that arm is going to start hurting a lot. Take care and let OH spoil you a little bit xxx

Michelle - hope friend's baby is okay xxx

Frugaldom

G'morning frugallers

SFT, my fingers are crossed for your survey to be acceptable and well done with the mortgage payment! That's excellent news!

BB, hope the migraine goes soon and lets you get back to normality. Well done on the cake baking, I'll bet everyone loved it and the greatest value would be in seeing your dad enjoy his birthday.

SL :eek: Sparks flying, burning arm, ruined blouse... I hope you are alright. I had no idea sparks could fly from gas cookers or lighters or things but please, please accept my apologies for having to confess to the following - I couldn't help but think of Mrs Doubtfire! :D I hope you're alright and not in too much pain.

Cha, hope your friend's baby recovers quickly from the op, they can be resilient little things, so we'll all think positive thoughts.

Washing is on, sun is shining when it can get a look through the clouds and I'm expecting broody hen's eggs to start hatching anytime. This is another of the frugal rehomed hens but I stuck a couple of extra eggs under her, in the hope of making Mr White a daddy.

Have sold some eggs, house plants and surplus veggie plants, someone is collecting them this afternoon. I'm hoping it will the beginning of a trend and let me start clawing back something towards the set-up costs of Frugaldom garden. Also need to bake a birthday cake and lemon meringe pie for DS's birthdat tea, so that should keep me busy for a while.

Edited in - eggs have started hatching