Live on £4,000 for a year - 2009, Part 4

bails

Hi everyone, I'm still a few pages back but hope you all had a lovely Christmas! We had a surprisingly good one, all things considered. Thank you for all the messages, they were lovely (and don't worry at all CW).

We've booked our flights home, to the scary total of £1405.15 :eek::eek: :eek: However, being a true frugalite, I plan to use the remainder of our baggage allowance to stock up on Nepali goods to sell at home to try and recoup some of the expense Actually the money I raise will in the long run be put towards the charity we're setting up, but having the challenge of the air fares is a good goal. So tomorrow I'm researching the best buys and will then start my shopping.

Right, it's bedtime for us as we're shattered after our time with OH's parents (they left this morning). It'll be busy here til we come home but I'll try to pop in when I can.

Enjoy the rest of the festive period everyone xx

savingfortravel

Hi Bails

Glad you all managed to have a good Christmas. When are the flights for?
Looking forward to hearing about the charity...:T:T

SFT

Frugaldom

Hi Bails, I'm pleased to read that you managed to have a good Christmas in the midst of everything else that's happened, sorry your trip has been cut short but I'm sure everything will work out for the best. Good luck with your charity set-up, I hope that all goes to plan.

Haven't done much today again, except sit about scoffing chocolates, flicking through books and doing a little online research. Things should be back to normal on Tuesday, when the post office opens, and then it will be the final run-in to the year & challenge end. I still haven't managed to spend anything, so will just wait and see if I can get what I'm needing in town next week.

Brighton_belle

bails trip cut short:rotfl: This is bails we are talking about: they fly back after 10 days here:D (landing on 6th sft)
I had a really lovely xmas with family. OH & I didn't buy each other anything and do you know what - that was really nice and stres free. Friends of ours who are very well off bought us a humongous food parcel they put together themselves with staples and treats - about 30 items to unwrap and will help us through January! Very kind and thoughtful of them.
Today we have been chilling out at home having a much needed rest whih we've enjoyed.
Family gave us the left overs of both turkeys so plenty of stock making to be done.

Blair - so relieved you managed to get saftely to family for he 25th

savingfortravel

Hi Everyone!
I am also looking forward to the New Challenge.


Had a very successful Christmas.
Fed and watered for 2 days. Also Mum gave us some pieces of quiche/ham to take home.
My sister gave us a hamper full of jams, sloe gin, HM wine, and cake. My brother gave us a range of cheeses. My parents gave us YHA vouchers. Got boots voucher too. Got lots of useful toiletries-swapping body lotion for body wash with mumzy. Got socks (including a pair of beautiful cream cashmere bedsocks from a child in my class) too.
Now I have worked out what toiletries I should need for the rest of the year..Got a couple of money off coupons which will help with this. Luckily got enough body lotion/shampoo/shower gel and soap to last the year.

Need to get some new school shoes (unfortunately I need to get Cl*rkes wide fitting which are expensive but they do last) and probably 2 new shirts/2 new skirts for school-will try to get these from ebay.

So things are looking good.

sft

sophiesmum_2

BB - We did a no pressie pact between OH and myself this year too,mainly as neither of us wanted anything really. I agree it was really stress free. Overall our xmas has been very uneventful at home, OH was working nights and sleeping days, DD at her best friend's new house with new puppy:rolleyes:, mum away in Spain with her friend who has a terminal illness - making their last memories, but it hasn't been a sad time at all. We have found it very relaxing and quite liberating for all of us,no stress about the xmas dinner, cooking, entertaining etc, i lived in pj's for two days and really appreciated the relaxation time after a heavy workload pre christmas.I see my family all the time so it was nice in a way for us all to give ourselves permission to do other things without anyone feeling bad about letting the others down.

savingfortravel

SM-Only blemish of my Christmas day was the look that my sister gave to her partner when I told her about the small amount of practical gifts Mr SFT and I gave each other. She has received a new phone, gold necklace and dvds herself. Unfortunately she thinks we're tight..ironic since it's her son we're taking to S.Africa and we never scrimp on anyone else's presents.
It cut deep but would only start a family row if I'd said anything in defence of the way we chose to live (like you guys). Need to develop a thicker skin I think

And I do love her

sft

Meant to say we went for a lovely 6ish (I've no idea exactly) mile walk from our door today. Saw a beautiful heron close up and drank soup huddled up on a bench in a little village. First part of our walk along our country trail complete! The weather was too good to waste.

Blairweech

Hi all,

Glad to hear everyone enjoyed their Christmases

Bails - Sorry your trip has to be cut short

OH came over today...he bought me a DVD, a memory card for my camera AND A WII!!!!!!!! :j _party_ :snow_laug Whilst I am ecstatic about the gifts, and they are all loved/much desired, I feel somewhat uncomfortable that he has spent so much money on me....

Anyway, am going back to work tomorrow. Could do with some decent budgeting software for the new year, have tried Microsoft Money and can't seem to get the hang of it. Maybe I will just make myself an Excel spreadsheet.

slowlyfading

I hope everyone had a good christmas I had a lovely day with the family, and then the BF came over yesterday and he's staying until tomorrow so that's been nice I got him some football tickets for his fave team for yesterday's match, so now I've finally been to a football match! Actually quite enjoyed it as well

I've decided to try and up my nsds to 17 a month, as I'll need to try and save as much money as possible over the next 6 months. This obviously might take a big hit if my second placement is over an hour away, but since I don't find out where it is until February, there's nothing much I can do about it in the mean time.

I am going to make some New Year's resolutions, one or two anyway, and try to stick to them. One is not to eat so much junk food! As I'm only 5"1, my healthy weight range is from about 7 stone to 9 stone 4 i think? I'm on the higher side of the healthy weight range, and want to get down to about 8 - 8 1/2 stone, so making healthier food choices will help with this one I'll think about the others and let you know!

sf x x

Frugaldom

Hi guys! I am Reading MSE on my new iPod Touch!
HS stunned me by getting me one for Christmas and I
now have it connected via our wireless broadband!
It is awesome! I can have MSE any place in house now! :-)

ps I got non frugally spoiled! I guess the savings made elsewhere were great!