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

gilligansyle

Morning all,
have had a couple of NSD's, then yesterday had to go to Bradford for job interview so spent on coach fare. When I got there they gave me a form to claim the expenses back so made up with that.

I have registered with local LETS, will wait for someone to get back to me. Hadn't really thought about it before as didn't think I had anything to offer, but someone on here was talking about buying the first issue of that crochet mag, and learning how, and realised that all those skills my Nana taught me may be of use, so have initially offered to help anyone out who is stuck with knitting/crochet etc. Will get DS to get sewing machine out from under stairs, it was my Nana's old treadle and was converted to a hand machine, very temperamental and really only likes going in straight lines, but fine for curtains and cushions.

I didn't really 'get' Approved Foods, as I live in a city and don't have problems getting out to shops, but it is a case of seeing what the offers are. I have recently bought 'proper' coca cola really cheaply and things like dried herbs at 19p each and soya mince and cous cous which can be used to bulk out other meals. I have just used some of the soya mince, 25p a pack to add to some leftover bolognese and make enough for some more meals.

thriftylass

gilligansyle wrote: »

I didn't really 'get' Approved Foods, as I live in a city and don't have problems getting out to shops, but it is a case of seeing what the offers are. I have recently bought 'proper' coca cola really cheaply and things like dried herbs at 19p each and soya mince and cous cous which can be used to bulk out other meals. I have just used some of the soya mince, 25p a pack to add to some leftover bolognese and make enough for some more meals.

Just had a look on their website. ATM they have loads of things I could actually use. I wish they had delivery time slots though as I can't stay at home all day to get the delivery. Plus you're not told what day they come, are you?

gilligansyle

thriftylass wrote: »

Just had a look on their website. ATM they have loads of things I could actually use. I wish they had delivery time slots though as I can't stay at home all day to get the delivery. Plus you're not told what day they come, are you?

They don't do the deliveries themselves, they use national couriers, mine comes by DHL. You get an email when it is been despatched and then you can track it, so you know roughly when to expect it, so it may be possible to contact the courier and they could give you an idea.

It is definitely a case of just keep checking what they've got.

mooomin

Good morning Frunchkins!

Hope everyone is doing ok. My plans for today in Frugal Fresian Towers are:

1. Go to the Post Office and post my Amazon sale (£9.95 minus postage) and Mus!cMagpie things (Around £10 plus cashback of 10%)
2. Go to Morrisons and only buy things on my list unless they are whoopsied
3. Buy toiletries from Boots - they have my shampoo on BOGOF and I need a couple of other bits and bobs. I'm going to check my Christmas spreadsheet and see who I still need to buy for and check out their 50% bargains.
4. Photograph things for Free Listing on Ebay
5. Make dinner (Meatballs which were whoopsied from £2.49 to 62p and homemade sauce)

I hope everyone else has a Frugalicious Friday!

candygirl

Ches wrote: »

I am just a cantankerous old bid. (with a lime green trolley):D

:T:T:T:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Mine's kind of 60's style flowery one, much to DD's dismay;):D
Grrrr bought some trousers from Tesco t'other day and they're a dead weird fit and I can't find my receipt!!:mad::mad::mad:I have receipts from last year and I can't find this one:o:o
Anyway will go back and try and exchange them:D:Dnot holding my breath though:rolleyes:
Have fabbily frugal days everyone:A:A

babyboysmommy

Been spending money today :rolleyes: Needed to put fuel in the car so whilst I was at Mr. T I decided to do some grocery shopping but I'm really glad I did as their British chickens were on offer, 3 for £10.

I spent £20.70 & for that I got 3 chickens, 500g turkey mince, 3 bread, 8 pints of milk, 15 eggs & 2 bananas. I'll put 1 chicken a week in the slow cooker so we can have a roast with the leftover used for another meal. I'll make turkey & cheese meat balls, a favorite in this house either cold with salad or with HM tomato sauce & pasta.

I then went bike shopping. I've been saving to buy a bike so already have the cash for it. I want a classic/Mary Poppins style with a basket on the front & a frame so I can also put one on the back. In part I want it for the exercise but also so I can use the car a lot less. So whilst it's going to cost it will pay for itself with a couple of months I've found one I like so plan to go back over the weekend with DH to have a second look before I order it.

Continuing to go through the house to find things to sell, recycle or bin.

Finding all your posts really inspiring, will try the weetabix cake as sounds yummy

candygirl

thriftylass wrote: »

Just had a look on their website. ATM they have loads of things I could actually use. I wish they had delivery time slots though as I can't stay at home all day to get the delivery. Plus you're not told what day they come, are you?

I did get an email from the carrier I think, or I traced the order up on the carriers website, but stayin in all day is a nightmare :eek::eek:
I keep looking at the site, but apart from veggie mince n cous cous there's not much else I can eat on this diet:o:o

the_cat

Once I missed the courier for App Food. They left a card for me to rearrange delivery or it allowed for me to collect. I did that as the depot was only about 10-15 mins away.
Not ideal but if you are saving a lot on the products, it may still be worthwhile with a little petrol money added

Fishcake_Random

Hey all,
We seem to be slowing down a little now on here!!! I may have just jinxed us though lol.
OH and I went and viewed a lovely flat today but it just isn't suitable for having a young baby in, and theres no car parking nearby either which is a big issue for us.
I've been pottering about online looking at other local flats and found another one that we are looking at later on today which could be promising. So wish me luck.
I haven't really done much today as I have had so much rushing about but I'm planning to pop out in a mo and get my batterys and look in a local charity shop or two. Then I can post these silly pictures I keep forgetting lol.
My main frugal act of the day is cutting up a seed/flower magazine that came through the post and making a collage on an empty twiglets tube so I can re-use it for choccy bars for lunchs, as OH seems to always have 2 packs open, and I always find one odd one hidden behind the beans lol
x x xx

Frugaldom

Congratulations to SF and to BB, still waiting for big announcement fromm BB, though, as I'm not sure I know what it is. Hoping it's what I'm thinking, but not prepared to say in case it's not.

PMs sent to those in need of personal responses in case I miss anyone out, glad everyone seems to be ticking along through January, now that we'bv reached the halfway mark of month 1.

Snow all gone from here after torrential rain washed all but the most stubborn ice away last night. Feathered friends having a great time now they can get at the grass and I'm contemplating starting off some salad leaf seeds after the ducks scoffed the full box I had planted outside when the plastic cover burst under the weight of the snow and ice!

Log man delivered, so the log store is now full, hoping this will do us until at least the end of February so I can work on getting the electricity daily average back down.

Minimising grocery shopping as best I can, as the freezer is still full to the brim and keeps getting more added by way of leftovers and meals from meals. Today, I'm going to tackle stocktaking the contents of the fridge so I can devise a plan to use everything up and give fridge a thorough clean before restocking. Otherwise, things are going to end up pushed to back by DS and just lurking there, never getting used. :rolleyes: