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

rachelet

Aeb you put me to shame. I thought I had loads to do but you have beaten me hands down. In order to live our dream life in the country, we moved to a little village in France, but my husband still works in the UK in order for us to be able to afford to live here. We see him every two to three weeks for a long weekend and then some of the school holidays as well. I have three chrildren and am currently pregnant with my 4th. If I told my husband that you have 6 children and cope on your own, I am sure he would want more kids!! We had a small veg patch last year, but will have a much larger one this year and hopefully will got most of our fruit and veg from our own garden. Our dream is to convert the barn behind the house into holiday lets but don't have the money at the moment and the priority is to get our house sorted first. It needs a new roof and a new kitchen!

On the frugal side of things, I had a spend day yesterday as I had to get a mobile top up for my phone as I don't really want to get stuck in the snow without any way of contacting anyone. Also it was the kids school play last night so I had to contribute a small bit to get in, then buy the kids a drink each. I don't mind as all the money goes back to help the kids at the school. We also won four prizes in the raffle. A large box of chocolates and three small bags of littles chocolates which I am going to put away and use for Christmas presents next year.

Right must go and light the fire as it is getting a bit cold in here now. NSD's the next two days as I am not going anywhere until Monday morning now.

savingfortravel

Question: We have a £10 Arg*s voucher and wouldn't mind a slow cooker. Could I go through quidco and use my gift voucher as well?

sft

Frugaldom

Sorry to come across as a grump but I am really struggling to keep up with this thread and most of my time is being spent reading questions that have been answered many, many times. Might I suggest anyone wanting to take part reads post 1 and checks out the handy links list.

If anyone wants to take over this 'Frugal Living' challenge thread, please get in touch by PM, which stands for 'Private Message', as it just isn't what my original challenge is about.

Re the supermarket bargains, it is easy to just click the link in post one list of handy links. For those with no time to read it, the link is HERE The page carries a list of supermarkets, times of reductions and percentages. It also now has a link to the Approved Food discount info.

landregistrylass

rozeepozee wrote: »

Natalie's suggestion does sound like a solution, aeb

A question about "whoopsies". Am I right in thinking they're simply discounted items? It's just that, I'm never convinced I'm making a "saving" when I buy these things from the supermarket - surely it's just a case of not paying the over inflated price the supermarket claim they could be charging for it?

Hi I absolutely LOVE whoopsies. I have sorted out that my local branch marks down everything to 90% at around 7pm, and fruit an veg down to 10p - so I "just happen" to be lurking around at that time. I have a pretty good relationship with the staff now - it always helps to be friendly and not pushy, as those that are not seem somehow not to be tipped the wink if there is something "special" coming up - 1 chap got a whole salmon for 10p last week!!! (I was on holiday or would have been really miffed lol) So, are they bargains -yes! Even if I wouldnt normally buy something - toffee muffins for example - they were 4 for 20p and have gone into the freezer for when my grandsons come at half term as I couldnt make them for that. I have to be careful, OH hasnt worked for 2 years, and tho he is an absolute sweeetie and works like a trojan to keep the house, garden and now new allotment going, the income he used to bring in is gone and we are living very differently. That said, we are EXTREMELY happy, and it is a real pleasure getting something more cheaply than we had been paying - getting our revenge on capitalism lol.

Frugaldom

savingfortravel wrote: »

Question: We have a £10 Arg*s voucher and wouldn't mind a slow cooker. Could I go through quidco and use my gift voucher as well?

sft

Hi SFT, I'd think that unless the voucher says in store only, then there shouldn't be a problem going via Quidco or any other cashback site. (I prefer Topcashback as it's free to join :rotfl:). If, for any reason, the sale doesn't attract cashback you've still got your slow cooker. I use discount and promo codes via cashback anytime I can and have had a good success rate. Good Luck

Aril

Hello fellow frugallers:j
AEB- thank you for sharing your story. It's inspirational.
Mumof477- glad your Dad's op has been a success.

I'm here at work again but did manage to find a pressie and card for the small person's best friend for the princely sum of £1.85. If you have a Poundland near you it might be worth checking their range of books. Ours currently has one of the Lemony Snickett titles and I bought the Beano/Dandy Winter Games which is £8.99 full price:j

My frugal soup making scheme went awry last night- I made a batch of pumpkin soup. It tastes utterly vile and has gone onto the compost heap:o Ahh well nothing ventured nothing gained.

I have discovered that I appear to have a pesto stockpiling obsession. I counted 16 jars last night- I like pesto but not to that degree. If anyone sees me lurking in Lidl remind me that I do not need any more pesto. Consequenly it's pasta and pesto tonight, roast pork and pesto tomorrow, toad in the hole and pesto, pizza and pesto.....or maybe not:rotfl::rotfl:Shall have to find some inventive frugal uses for it I think:D


No major plans for the rest of the day other than domestic trivia and my parents are popping by for a cuppa later. Have become a bit of a social hermit with all this snow:eek:
Speak soon
Arilx

grandma247

Good morning all. I havent caught up yet. Been too busy outside then Aussie friend rang to see how we were faring with the weather. She would like to swap us for the cold as she was waliking round with a damp towel wrapped around her getting food ready for outdoor cinema.

I was making my coffee this morning and could hear dripping and after investigating discovered it was coming from the boiler:eek: . I realised after a minute or two it seemed to be the pipe from the condenser bit that goes outside so had a look outside and a 2ft icicle was hanging from it. Thanks to the people on here I remembered to get the hairdryer out and spent half an hour defrosting the pipe. Went inside to check and the dripping had stopped:j. I have now wrapped the pipe in tea towels and covered them with carrier bags for now as dh is working today. He has worked over everyday except tuesday when we had the snowstorm. The heaters are flying out with bigger orders than normal.
Right going to have another coffee and catch up now.

flippin36

nykmedia wrote: »

Sorry to come across as a grump but I am really struggling to keep up with this thread and most of my time is being spent reading questions that have been answered many, many times. Might I suggest anyone wanting to take part reads post 1 and checks out the handy links list.

If anyone wants to take over this 'Frugal Living' challenge thread, please get in touch by PM, which stands for 'Private Message', as it just isn't what my original challenge is about.

Re the supermarket bargains, it is easy to just click the link in post one list of handy links. For those with no time to read it, the link is HERE The page carries a list of supermarkets, times of reductions and percentages. It also now has a link to the Approved Food discount info.

I apologise nykmedia. I had read post one before I joined the thread but momentarily forgot to check the links there before asking a question. Will check in future. Thanks for your link .

viv0147

Its been a tough week this week I haven't been shopping my stocks are so high, but I have to grind my teeth resisting all the bargains out there I last went shopping Sunday so tomorrow I will be in Tesco 3.45 to get the 70% reductions not that I will be able to get much but I have to have my Sunday fix Lol

rictus123

Hey guys how is everyone today? Bit of bad news, didnt get to do anything at work yesterday, turned up and noone there! So came home, apparently might not have work next week, will see how it goes! Spending is going ok so far, not gone overboard with anything at all Keep it up guys. Flippin36, good luck in paying off £16k by xmas! Thats almost what i will earn!