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

Former_E.ON_Company_Representative:_Malc

kittiej wrote: »

Hi Malc

I will contact you re the booklet.

won't be going anywhere today unless it's by foot as we're pretty much snowed in. Cars abandoned left right and centre.

Sky was playing up until OH went outside and knocked the snow off the dish lol.

Very wise kittie. Not so much snow here (Nottingham) but horrendous black ice. :eek:

I will look out for your communication and sort out straightaway. :beer:

Malc

edaniels1983

hi ya all. had a few bad days, mother in law dies suddenly on friday and with my hubby being an only child it falls upon us to sort out and arrange everything

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didnt realise how expensive funerals are!! does anyone know about what financial help is available??

on a lighter note, had the council inspector in today because when i moved in i complained that the bath was too small for my larger frame!! well he turns up in the snow! and looks at the bath and says its a very slim one and that would i like an over bath shower fitted or a bigger bath?? guess which one i chose!!

in 6 weeks ill have a shower woohoo. thats 500.00 i have saved as thats the quote i had from a plumber as i would need a complete install and new fuse box/rcd to accomodate it!!

cherrio for now xx

kittiej

Aw edaniels, sorry to hear about MIL. It can be stressful when you have to arrange a funeral, let alone by yourself.

Good news about the shower though :T

purple-angel, I'm in S Wales too and was well and truly peed off last night when I had to walk home.

I nipped down to Morrisons this morning and when I got close to home even the snow plough had got himself stuck!

I was considering buying a mag to learn how to crochet and you get a hook and yarn. After trying hard I eventually found the price £7.99 :eek:, forget that I thought. I'll try to pick up a hook in a charity shop and have a lookie see on you tube.

Spent £14 so my new total is £50.09 of my £3k budget.

mumtoomany

Hi all, Hope it's not too cold for everyone.
Just dropped by too read the thread and catch up. Just getting back to normal here, school (for DD5 and me) closed two and a half days last week. College for DS closed three and shorter day Friday. College for DD2 closed two days last week. So only now getting back onto any kind of routine.

Not doing too bad on spends, total so far for year is £358.91 but this includes all direct debits for January, odg food till well into next month, and big approved foods order. Only need fresh fruit, milk, bread, and potatoes (and maybe carrots) till next month.

DD3 came down today to collect "posh frock". Her employer's friend is having a house warming party on Saturday. This is being catered for for them. 80 people attending at a cost of, SIT DOWN, (don't want to be responsible for any accidents!!!!) £30 per head! Total cost of £2400 for ONE meal!!!!! More than my budget for the year for five of us. Don't thing she reads this thread.

cha€€97michelle When you have your new prescription have you thought of trying for glasses on the web. I got a pair about a year ago for around £12, goggles for you i think, but there were a few sites. Very good, not broken yet.

Right of now to try to finish tax return! before I'm back to work at 3 (after school club).

Mumtoomany.

patentgirl

Good afternoon everyone
Signed up for thread ages ago been sorting out finances and ways of cutting back come up with £1000 per month for everything so my total will be £12,000 we want to save up to finish off our mortgage and my 50th this year so we had planned to take all our family on holiday which will be end aug/sept total 8 of us and 2 under 2s not sure where yet depending on how much we can save!
Managed to get food bill to £75 a week now hoping as months go on to get that down to £50 since 1 Jan had 8 NSD so making a good start

thanks everyone for all frugal thoughts and tips

kittiej

Thanks Malc :T

shaz_mum_of__2

Edaniels - sympathies on your loss there used to be a grant from the DSS to pay for a funeral not sure if you or the deceased need /ed to be on benefits

Shaz

Edited in :http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_money/benefits/help_for_people_on_a_low_income_-_the_social_fund.htm#funeral_payments

Also don't be bullied by funeral directors into buying more than you want/can afford my mum has made me promise to get a cardboard casket and not to be made to feel guilty about it

grandma247

edaniels so sorry to hear about your MIL. We had to do oh's dad, mum and gran in the early years of our marriage. It is not easy.


Shaz What was it that disappointed you about the bananas ? They do not come out like the health shop ones as they are fried. They are more like banana toffees. I love them

babyboysmommy

Hi everyone. I have been really inspired by this thread. I have decided to start really tracking everything we spend using spread sheets with the aim of spending as little as possible. I've never done this in detail before so it will be interesting to see how much we do spend on essentials & just how much has gone on things we really don't need.

I'm also going to go through the house & see what we can get rid of. I've already listed some books on Amazon & put a couple of things on eBay. I've a bag in the loft ready for a car boot sale when the weather improves. It's going to take a while to really sort things out but hopefully we will de-clutter & make some money along the way.

I did start walking more & using the car less last year & plan to make even more of an effort this year as soon as the weather permits. I've always gone for the best deals for things like insurance etc so the real money savings will come from less petrol, cutting Mr. T's profits and buying what we genuinely need only.

We are on the waiting list for an allotment but it's a very long list so all the containers in the garden will be used for vegetable growing this year.

Thank you for the inspiration & all the tips.

purple_angel_3

kittiej wrote: »

purple-angel, I'm in S Wales too and was well and truly peed off last night when I had to walk home.

kittiej Hope you didn't have to walk to far.