FRUGAL LIVING CHALLENGE 2010, part 1. (Living on £4,000 a year)

patentgirl

Happy New Year everyone just gone through all this new thread which seemed to have appeared since yesterday when I was last on! Still not got any final totals yet just going to sit down and work everything out, everyone seems to getting sorted one question if anyone can help me I mentioned on an earlier post I am taking over allotment from DH who only got it in June 09 now a got a job which takes up alot more of his time so we are going to both try and manage it but with me putting more time in i guess should I be putting anything in at moment now carrots and spuds up? or wait till spring? sorry we are both a bit new to vegetable growing although had alot of sucess already with it so far I would hate to see all his hard work and time he put in last year not used.

Frugaldom

ceridwen wrote: »

... its down to the antibiotics "standard" cows have...

All antibiotics are prescription only drugs and the milk from cows being treated should not go into the tank for human consumption during any withdrawal period. You should be able to tell which cows in the herd are being treated at any time, as farmers tag them in some way, either a coloured band round their leg or their tail. From an animal welfare point, is milk strictly ethical when we stop to consider how it's produced?

NualaBuala wrote: »

I would love to grow some of my own food but I'll be moving out of this house at some stage soon (house being sold and no idea how long it will take) and that's put me off tackling the garden. And I've never done it before and don't think I have green fingers!

Tubs, buckets and containers, that's your answer. Start with something simple, like salad leaves, and you'll soon be hooked. I've just planted my garlic and have a few salad leaves growing outside the back door in a plastic tub with holes bashed in the bottom for drainage. I also like my lemon balm mint as it tastes so nice when drunk as frugal tea. Mint and salad leaves seem to grow anywhere, so have a go and take the tubs with you when you move house. That's what I did - see?


This was taken a couple of months back, new seedlings sprouting in the lettuce tub now and parsley all chopped and frozen now. You'll need a clear plastic bag lid or some bubble wrap over the top of the tubs to protect from frost at this time.

NualaBuala

Great link, thanks SophiesMum! The garden is covered in snow right now but I wonder if I could grow herbs indoors. I had some but they died, I suspect it's too cold for them, my house if very cold. Edit: aha, should I have put plastic bags on them? I love your pics Nyk, thanks a mill for the tips. I'll have a root in the garage for containers.

annie123

Right, have done a final spreadsheet:j

Have excluded fixed housing costs and bills that DH covers, which appears to be all associated housing costs, joint mobiles, tv licence and the gas bill, I cover the rest using my part time wages and a little housekeeping from him.

I really need to get back to full time work with a good wage soon, but for the time being have based it on my current tiny wage.

I will be living on £7600 :eek: and not a penny more.
That is my total wage which is enough to not get into any debt if I stick to it but does not allow for emergencies. Hubby has spare if needed and puts away each month, still has last years savings, which is good.

I really must quit smoking this year as have budgeted £1750 to cover fags alone, which is not good.
I went to Thailand for 3 weeks a few years ago for less than that, so thats a dam good holiday I'm smoking every year:mad:

Have made my first purchase of the year and entered on my spreadsheet (which I love )
2ltrs of milk £1.60

Belated (had to work today:mad:)Happy new year wishes everyone and lets hope we all have a wonderful frugal year:beer:

Frugaldom

This is my method

Pierce the potato
Wrap potato in tin foil
Place inside an open tin - I use my camping pots
Forget about them for an hour or so

You can use an empty tin can or foil dish, or else just double wrap the potatoes and place straight into the fire. It's much easier in a tin for retrieving the potatoes, though. There IS a good reason for why the term, 'like a hot potato' came into use. :rotfl:They taste declicious and I guess if you wanted, you could cook several during a fire lit day then freeze them ready baked as a way of storing extra potatoes.

I've cooked all sorts of stuff on my open fire but if you don't have a fire, I've also used the barbecue as a cooker during winter powercuts.

NualaBuala

nykmedia wrote: »

I guess if you wanted, you could cook several during a fire lit day then freeze them ready backed as a way of storing extra potatoes.

I've cooked all sorts of stuff on my open fire but if you don't have a fire, I've also used the barbecue as a cooker during winter powercuts.

Thanks a million!:T Batch cooking on an open fire - now that would be thrifty, wouldn't it! I should have saved the foil containers from my last takeaway - don' t think I'll be having any of those for a while! What else have you cooked? I'm getting quite excited about this idea!

savingfortravel

Hi Everyone!
Well plan for tomorrow. Will attempt to get up early-8am will be a shock to my system after these past few weeks-then complete the next part of our county walk (we have booked up some YHA/bunkhouse weekends to help us with this in May/June)-looking forward to the challenge and the exercise will help my knee). That should take us up to lunch time and provide some nice frugal entertainment. Lunch will be cheese on toast. In the afternoon I have 5 jobs to do in preparation for school. Also a box to sort out as I’m doing really well with my de-cluttering (6 boxes to go-then show mum in case she wants anything then onto freecycle then charity shop). Dinner tomorrow night will be a fishpie with some of the veggies mum gave us. In the evening I start my new book ‘Larkrise to Candleford’ and watch a bit of telly.
Thought if I post on here I’ll do what we’ve planned. Wish us luck!

(Hoping it will be my second NSD for Jan too)

sft

foil container with the fish pie tomorrow so will save that for cooking our jacket potatoes-love the idea of thrifty cooking Thanks!

tryingtodobetter

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY NEW THREAD TO EVERYONE

I am going for a budget of £7500, this is for me, DH and 2 DS's (who never stop eating and growing) I spent a lot more on clothes for DS1 than I wanted last year but he just kept growing out of his trousers :rotfl:

I will be having a totally separate budget for our woodland as I don't think the £7500 budget will stretch that far.

I have set myself some goals for 2010 (I thought I would share them as it may make me stick to them)

> Don't use the car for short journeys
> Line dry clothes if weather is dry (I must keep away from the tumbledryer)
> Plan journeys so I make less
> Meal Plan (and stick to it)
> Only be at work while I am being paid for it
> Make sure I reclaim expenses from work

As I work for a children's charity the last two I find particularly hard, but they have cost me too much over the last year for it to continue this year

Hope everyone has a lovely evening

TTDB.x.

nikki20022008

Had my first NSD of the year cleared my lil one bedroom out which took 2 hours and cleared the toiletries cupboard out and realised how much shower gel i have so won't need to buy any all year. Gutted my cupboards and threw out half a wheelie bin of junk out and sorted out a load of toys to give to my friend, i also have made a chocolate cake and cajan cheese bread loaf. God busy busy today lol :eek:

the_cat

Clutter clearing for me today too! Tree and decorations down and in the loft, sorted through a pile of toys ready for ebay and did the yearly paperwork blitz. Nearly killed the poor shredder but think it will recover!

All this has meant a NSD. First of many hopefully, although I have people for dinner tomorrow night so need a few bits tomorrow. Sadly I am excited about spending this so that I can put something in my shiny new spreadsheet. Sad or what!!