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

Twinkles08

liloandstitch wrote: »

Twinkles08, I have the CK purse(£6) and have used it for over a year. I fit in about 6 cards, plus all my cash and use it all the time. My tesco and nectar I have on my keyring, so that saves a bit of space. I find I dont carry what I dont need with me, and my purse isnt the pigsty it used to be. The only downside is that I cant give it to my DH to pay for something, as its pink with stars on it, and he wont be seen dead with it! I love it, but will need a new one soon as I have stretched the card bit too much. The other thing is that I find that I always put my cards back away after using them, whereas before I would just bung them in my bag, rather than trying to find my purse again.

Lilo

Thanks for the comments,lilo.I'm pretty sure I cld downsize to 6 cards.I had a thought too,my hubby has most of the loyalty cards I have linked to the same accounts.I'm trying not to pop to the shops anyway!lol.OOooh pink with stars!sds funky!I've seen red with stars but not pink.The one I want is blue and dotty.The bigger expensive one is green and dottyy with a brwn clasp-I never thought I'd be agonising over a purse!I'm hoping that means my attitude towards money is changing.lol I feel so shallow.:o:o

grannynise

Ches wrote: »

As opposed of course to the black suitcases pulled by 30 somethings (sorry) that trip you up in railway stations.:T

And the massive rucksacks that hit you when the owner turns around ....


I was given a CK trolley for Christmas by a friend who couldn't bear me using the old lady one I'd bought from the market. But the market one is actually much more practical and cost well under £10. So if you can cope with the old lady image - check out the markets.

Well done SF. It seems ridiculous to me that even if you've passed the relevant exams you still have to do the skills tests.

BB -- come on, what afre we congratualting you on? Tell, tell, tell - please.

rozeepozee

rachelet wrote: »

XSpender, I am due on 4th May as well. This will be my fourth child and last, although not the last if my husband says anything about it! He wants another boy to even up the numbers. Currently we have 2 girls and 1 boy and are expecting another girl.

As I live and work (a little) in France, I get the French equivalent of the maternity grant which is this year 889E. Just slightly more than what you would get in England. The thing is I don't really need very much in the way of baby stuff so this extra money will be going towards the house costs and especially things like the logs for the fire. They really encourge you to have more kids here as the child benefit payments are loads more than England if you have 3 or more kids.

Spend day here unfortunately as I had to buy chicken food this morning and tomorrow I need to go to the post office to post some letters. But a couple of the letters are claiming money back so I don't mind posting them!

I'm due on the 7th May but, as it's twins, I'm expecting them to have arrived by mid April probably. Glad it's twins as I'm 41 now and we wanted 3 children - probably the only way we'd get them is by "efficiencies" such as 2 children in one pregnancy However, not good from a Grants/Tax credits point of view as they only allow you to claim for one child in any one year (so be careful not to have twins or your children very close together unless you have to!:rotfl:).

I have saved almost everything - well, actually, probably everything - from my first pregnancy and been given quite a bit of girls stuff (they woulda been dressed in my son's clothes if not, anyway) so the only thing we need is another cot and perhaps a couple of Moses baskets- Freecycle, I imagine - and a twin buggy - ebay!

slowlyfading

grannynise wrote: »

Well done SF. It seems ridiculous to me that even if you've passed the relevant exams you still have to do the skills tests.

Me too! You can't get on the course without a grade C or above in Maths and English ( I got B's luckily) and then you have to take more tests in ICT, Maths and Literacy.


Have a good day everyone, I'll post again later

purple_angel_3

Morning everyone,

Pay for me today,:jso I have been moving funds around and making notes in my diary,I now know exactly how much I had to spend until next payday. Also made an overpayment to my C.C with the money left in bank account before pay went in.Last year this would have never happened.

Hoping for a NSD but I think I will fill my car up with petrol when I get to work as it's 6p cheaper and I will get Nectar points.

Lunch will be a tin of soup from the cupboard, dinner this evening is stir-fry, OH will be cooking.

Hope everyone has a good frugal day and hugs to all that need them.

purple_angel

rachelet

rozeepozee wrote: »

I have saved almost everything - well, actually, probably everything - from my first pregnancy and been given quite a bit of girls stuff (they woulda been dressed in my son's clothes if not, anyway) so the only thing we need is another cot and perhaps a couple of Moses baskets- Freecycle, I imagine - and a twin buggy - ebay!

I got a twin buggy from ebay last year, just after I had the baby and when I realised that if I needed to go anywhere DD2 would also have to go in a buggy as she tends to run off if not strapped in! Luckily so I have even got that for DS1 and the new baby to go in. I think on ebay the lady had it on buy it now and auction. The buy it now price was £40 but the bidding started at £25, so I waited until the last moment and got it for £25. It also fitted the car seat I had from my other travel system so was a complete bargain and will get used loads more this year!

I am quite big already so not sure if I am actually going to make it to my due date but I hope I do as my husband works in UK so he wouldn't make it over to France in time if I did go into labour early!

Not been very frugal recently as today will have to go to post office to post some letters and will also have to fill the car up with diesel which will cost me a fortune as it is a minbus! Am hoping the weekend will be better and I won't spend any money!

Twinkles08

I'm due on the 28th Feb with baby no 2,another girl.So v moneysaving!It's all getting a bit close but I've been as frugal as poss and am using everything from last time and borrowing the rest.Althou I have just realised I will have to buy some new nursing bras.They're all so expensive :eek:

knithappens

rozeepozee wrote: »

I'm due on the 7th May but, as it's twins, I'm expecting them to have arrived by mid April probably. Glad it's twins as I'm 41 now and we wanted 3 children - probably the only way we'd get them is by "efficiencies" such as 2 children in one pregnancy However, not good from a Grants/Tax credits point of view as they only allow you to claim for one child in any one year (so be careful not to have twins or your children very close together unless you have to!:rotfl:).

I have saved almost everything - well, actually, probably everything - from my first pregnancy and been given quite a bit of girls stuff (they woulda been dressed in my son's clothes if not, anyway) so the only thing we need is another cot and perhaps a couple of Moses baskets- Freecycle, I imagine - and a twin buggy - ebay!

have a look on the nearly new boards on netmums too, they have forsale, wanted and free, lots of decent stuff, and people sell cheaply too.

thriftylass

Just had a little good news on the free scratch card front. I had to apply for a new credit card due to fraud a month ago but the old one was registered with two bingo sites. So I asked and they said I had to empty my bingo accounts (by playing) and then register the new one - which meant I would have lost £16 in free scratch money. So I just tried to withdraw from one of the accounts that was above £10 and it worked. I guess the different number on my credit card doesn't matter as it is essentially still the same account.

shaz_mum_of__2

twinkles i think Mr A sell nursing bras

Approved foods - i think its a look and see thing i have not bought any carp from them no biscuits etc but have foung the packets tins etc fabulous 12 boxes bread mix for 1p!! couscous, rice, pulses etc and of course the condiments and catering size deals on apricots, celeriac and olives etc as well as those fruit flakes apricots snack packs etc i did buy a case of jammie dodger snack packs i think that was my naughtiest buy

the robinsons natural squash was 6 for £1 and is usuall £2 each and the fruit juices were cheap to , each to their own i guess i for one will keep popping on to see what they have but am resisting at the min as i have no space at all.................scary stuff!

weetabix cake in the oven to be followed by coconut cakes some for freezer and some for packed lunches next week .

Need to check if smallholders group do a lets type thing ......