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

Skint_Lynne

Hi everyone,

I have finally gotten round to looking at my prezzie stash, and it looks quite good up to now. I've written down what I still need to get in a notebook to go into my handbag when I am out and about. I'm going to look at the hampers thread for extra ideas as I have bought some nice felt storage baskets for some people, I've just got to fill them up now.

I've also got to get some personal cards and that's me sorted. At least I know what I want to get, that's a good help. It's funny though, a certain person seems to have more going for him in the prezzie dept than some others, I wonder who...........(small person):rolleyes:. It's funny how my mind automatically springs to my favourite guy, and that is not DH.:p

After my successes with tablet and choc slabs last year, I am going to do some of these again, it just adds a personal touch and an element of effort to things.

I'm off for a bath now and then I'll think about some lunch.

Will check in later. xx

Frugaldom

Skint Lynne, can't you move closer to us and offer that scrummy tablet via LETS?

Skint_Chick, we're on turkey meals this coming week to see how far I can stretch a turkey drumstick by way of soup & curry etc but you just reminded me that wraps are something else I can consider.

Saved £25 yesterday by borrowing brushes and sweeping chimney ourselves. When comparing it to last year's antics in a 3 storey house, bungalow level is so much easier and, this time, no dead crows or nests to worry about! :j All the winter preparations are going well; I think I've followed as many of the suggestions from that thread as I possibly can and, as a result, still haven't needed to switch on the storage heaters. This will go a long way to reducing the average weekly electricity costs, which will then need to be transferred to the food budget, as my original amount just isn't looking like a possibility. Well, not unless I can make about £80 last me until the end of the year for food! :rotfl::o Strange thing is, freezer and cupboards are still full but dairy, fresh fruit, meat & veg just tip the balance the wrong way after overspending on bulk buys and bargains. :rolleyes:

Skint_Lynne

nykmedia wrote: »

Skint Lynne, can't you move closer to us and offer that scrummy tablet via LETS?
:rolleyes:

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:I'll make sure I bring a big supply when I visit you next, or if you are coming up this way, let me know and I'll get you a batch made up.

It is becoming famous you know, my younger brother is getting married next year and my future SIL wants me to make it for her favours as she said it's the best she's tasted.

I might be able to get a cottage industry going out of it.:rotfl::rotfl:

Frugaldom

SL can you ask your pal if she would like any pea pod shells for winemaking? I've saved most of mine into bags in the freezer and could easily drop them off when I'm going to visit my parents. I still haven't got around to making any tablet but I did make the mint creams for mum's birthday and I really fancy some puff candy, so may just do that now, seeing as stoopit backache is preventing me from doing much else today. (Was supposed to be away to a LETS get together this afternoon and then a LETS 'do' tonight, so feel bad about not being able to go.) I'll refrain from covering the puff candy in chocolate in an effort to make it less fattening.

grandma247

Just caught up on all the posts.

Hugs to thriftylass.

Has anyone heard how 2trs mum is? If you are reading I hope all is ok.

I hope everyone is well, everyone sounds to have been busy. Ooo SM congratulations on the egg. I hope we can have chickkies next year,could not do it this year.
we had a lovely week in Mablethorpe. Just Wednesday was wet but we did the rounds of the charity shops and got a few bargains each. We also went to Louth and did the charity shops there too, I have never seen so many in such a small place! I bought a cord skirt for £2.99 and a large piece of heavy knit material for 50p which I will turn into a skirt and top. I got a book I have been after for twenty years ,Una stubbs In Stitches for a pound. There were three of them so I pick the one in mint condition. I am itching to sew something now.

We went to Gibralter point and had a look around the nature exhibits then went for a walk outside which was very pleasant. I even sat on the beach for an hour with ds3 after a walk along the front on Friday afternoon. I had my coat on but was not at all cold.

My canning efforts were a huge help. I took jars with chicken coconut curry,sweet and sour chicken,summer veg soup,pea and ham soup,country veg stew and meatballs,vegie lasagna sauce. and they were the base for most of the meals for the week so I had an easy time of it, We just did some fresh vegies and rice or potatoes or lasagna ,that was easy just poured the sauce over layers of lasagne and made a white sauce for the top. I took ready weighed stuff for anything I needed to finish things off so we had healthy (mostly) home cooked meals.
The caravan was very nice too. Much bigger than we expected.

And last but not least I became a grandma again while we were away.DD2 had her baby 2 weeks early 6lb7oz (induced) not terribly happy about the way that came about but baby seems ok. She has no name yet unless they have decided since I spoke to them yesterday. Will be going to see them at the weekend.

taka

grandma247 wrote: »

And last but not least I became a grandma again while we were away.DD3 had her baby 2 weeks early 6lb7oz (induced) not terribly happy about the way that came about but baby seems ok. She has no name yet unless they have decided since I spoke to them yesterday. Will be going to see them at the weekend.

Glad you had a nice time. Congrats on your new grand-daughter! :T

Blairweech

Grandma - Congratulations on the new addition to your family. Your holiday sounds lovely, that is such a good idea taking your canned foodstuffs with you.

Redglass - Hi :wave: Great to see you posting again, have been wondering how you are! £18 a month, that is a great saving!

Thankyou to all who posted little messages of support for me I think I feel as though I am in limbo now until I know what is happening with uni, as I will probably move back to my parents. So, cannot continue doing stuff to my house, and I get embarrased when I see how very frugal you are all being and I seem to be spending money like it's going out of fashion! Anyway, I shall not moan anymore.

I have bought seeded grapes by accident bleugh! On the plus side, I have had a No Spend Weekend

bails

Grandma, congratulations! It's lovely to have some happy news too. Your canning certainly helped your holiday loads...*makes mental note for future*

Glad the cat is okay Lynda, oops :eek: Not sure my four would have forgiven me so easily!

It's difficult (but not impossible) to be frugal when things are so up in the air Blair - just concentrate on making little changes for now til you're settled again.

Also thinking of 2ndTR and his mum x

OH has gone away white water rafting for 2 days - it will be very strange to be here without him. I'd better get used to it though as on Sunday he goes away for 11 days!

cheerfulness4

Grandma - congratulations on the new grandaughter!

Your holiday sounds very similar to ours last month. We scouted out all the charity shops wherever we visited and spent that way. Got some lovely useful things and our money went on forever. We had such fun.
I used to have Una Stubbs 'A stitch in time' and loved that book. Not sure where it went in the end.

Busy day with mum visiting for day and freebie night out this evening (free tickets for pre-screening at cinema) so will make SC chicken stew out of leftovers from SC whole chicken we had yesterday.

Must hurry and get washing out while dry and hoover before parents get here. Don't want them to see what a hovel we live in weekends before the 'monday morning muck-out.' :whistle:

thriftylass

Just popping in to thank you all so much for all your lovely messages.

I'll dissapear again prob til next week when I'll catch up properly.

See you next week.