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

debtmess

afternoon every one ive been missing for a few days and will be back properly sometime in febuary

we have had bugs here last few days (again) but hopefull all better now

a quick on from me as i have under 2 weeks to pack my house out, went and viewed the flat (its a nice size) and i take over the let of it next friday (29th jan) he then has a 3 bed house comeing up in a few months time which i can think about (double woop)

so lots of frugalness going on here, i have so much in freezer to use up (opps) cupboard stuffs can move with me

ive used most of my savings from last year to secure this and opay 2 months rent to cover myself untill bh starts comeing in.

gas and elec are pre payment meters and water is unmeatered (huge bonus) all double glazed, clean and well looks nice (with a nice front door lol what more could i ask for) we should fit in nicely

better still i will have no rent to make up saving £49 a month and im £100 a month under bromleys lha rate (even better) shame i will be living near a nandos (nom nom nom)

sorry for my quick excited burst, once ive moved i can start to look up tubs for my garden for growing (small garden but nice big shed, part patio part grassed)

im hopeing i will use less gas and leccy and i have the option of an open fire, if i want to have one landlord will arrange for it to be sorted either just before or just after i move in (pros on wood/coal fires please )

i just hope to stay on the wagon during the time im going to be away sob sob not sure how long phone n net will take to transfer (if i stay with bt that is)

moving will cost me petrol for a friends van, boxs im going to be trying asda and market on wednesday afternoon

i need to buy one set of curatins, all my others should fit, currant tennant is leaving a huge wardrobe for me (nice one) and window blinds up so curtains will be when i see a nice pair at a good price.

will try n play catch up, appologies if ive missed anything

patentgirl

Afternoon all
NSD for me too been to brighton for a weekend away managed to be quite frugal while away and stilll had a good time lots of free fun walking round the lanes, harbour and beachy head called in Eastbourne on way they had got some good charity shops stocked up with some books 3 for £1 brand new jigsaw puzzle £1 and DH best bargain £5 for some suede shoes he was admiring actual pair in lanes at Brighton priced there at £120 think I have converted him now to charity shops!
Taken me ages to catch up between Thursday and now, Lovely inspirational post Lillibet
Sweet and sour chicken tonight nedd to go to Aldis if I can make time this week to stock up on their cheap fruit and veg apart from that hanging on till pay day next Mon when i can draw out next months food allowance before now would have just got some anyway then spent rest of month trying to catch up but not any more if we havnet got it will have to make do with something else my new motto!

Thriftkitten

Thanks Kittikins, I am very proud of my furbabies, My little fawn pug " Mya" is presently going through the registration process to become a "PAT dog"( pets at therapy) basically visiting the elderly in residential homes across the south west, I know she will love this as cannot get enough cuddles.
Regarding the freely aquired slowcooker, I now know why they call it a slowcooker,as I just tested the diced spuds in the soup stock and they are solid after 2 hours, it's set on high aswell, Oh well guess I'll be having it for tomorrow's lunch not today.

Kittikins wrote: »

Hi Thriftkitten, I wouldn't say that spending money on children's shoes was *bad*, if it was on shoes for you when you have a gazillion pairs in the cupboard already, then I'd be tutting I've got to buy DD's first pair of ballet shoes on Wednesday, and know that she'll be mithering for tap shoes too but am hoping to get away without having to buy those for a little while, as she's only had one lesson....

How sweet that your pups won prizes, you must be a proud "mummy"!

Hello everyone - I'm debating whether to do a SFT and up my baked bean mountain as the Mr T offer ends tomorrow, I have about 30 tins and DD does love a good baked bean or two.....decisions, decisions! Apart from that, I need to keep my purse snapped shut.

NualaBuala

Hi all!

Hope you're all having frugal fun today!

I know there are a few few people here wanting to grow their own veg so thought I'd mention Aldi are doing cheap seeds next Thurs. Flowers, veg and herbs at 79c/39p a packet. I'll definitely be picking up a few of those. Sorry if it was posted already, I haven't had the chance to catch up today but I will shortly.

The seeds I ordered online arrived today; mixed salad leaves and radishes. I don't have a greenhouse so will start them indoors in the yoghurt pots I've been saving then plant them outside in containers. But I don't think it will be for a while yet.

Also got some tough gardening gloves as I need to clear some brambles and do some pruning. The house is going up for sale and the garden is an eyesore so hopefully I can improve it a little.

My knitting is coming along nicely - nearly finished the first half of my poncho last night. And I've been practising the chain stitch with my new crochet set when I get bored of knitting.

It's lovely and sunny here today so no heat on, just for a couple of hours in the morning. I'll light the fire soon and that will keep the sitting room plenty warm enough all evening. I have a supply of free coal to use up before I move out so it's a very thrifty option for me! I don't mind a chilly bedroom as I'm snuggled under so many layers!

Not sure what dinner will be, perhaps mushroom strogonoff with rice. Or some pasta thing with tinned tuna and mushrooms. Off to make a late lunch and a cuppa then read all your posts.

ETA: Just did my imeasuring and my gas usage last week was half the amount used the previous week so very happy about that!

rozeepozee

Well, the good news is two NSDs yesterday and today. The bad news is that I've significantly under budgeted for petrol. It's more like £25/week than the £25 per month I allocated.

The reasons for this is I'm using the car loads more because of my pregnancy and find it so difficult to get about by foot which was my previously preferred mode of transport - so perhaps this will only be short term, but my £600 contingency fund is going to be rapidly eaten up by this extra cost.

I think I remember Cheryl saying that when she first did this challenge, there were things she got completely wrong - it's all very enlightening, keeping a close account of where the money goes!

Popping over to slow cooker recipes now and will start to copy and paste some of those so I can try them out when it arrives on Weds.

Happymrsh

Just been having a look around for some seeds - thanks NualaBuala for telling us about the seeds at aldi, will definitely be getting some.

I was looking on the poundstretcher/instore website and i came across a page that has links to 6 knitting patterns. I'm not much of a knitter myself but i thought it maybe of use to someone. I can't post links as i'm new but it is below, just exchange the * for dots.

www*instoreretail*co*uk/html/offers*htm

candygirl

Hi peeps:j:j
Had quite a productive day today.Made potato n leek soup which i've just had for tea, and got a veggie curry in the sc for tomoz n the freezer:D:D
Have also been looking after DGD again, and she was a little angel again.Went to the shop n spent £10 on flu tabs , grapes, bread, crisps, baby bels:D
Am chilling out tonight and trying to shake this cold off:o:o
Frugal wise I haven't used the car since Friday:j:jwhen I filled it up with a full tank of petrol;):D
Have also looked in my airing cupboard where I keep my toiletries, and should be ok for at least another month so woohoo:j:j
Have fabbily frugal evenings:D:D

ChinaTea

Have had a good day today, another NSD and have cleaned the kitchen + cupboards+oven. Made bread as I hadn't had any since Saturday, didn't have the get up and go yesterday after the marathon ebay session. Have got watchers on all but 4 of the 31 items and bids on 3 of them. Also found another couple of things ready for the next free listing day.

The cats all refused their usual pouches this morning after the raw meat yesterday so seems like this is a big hit.

Thanks BigMummaF for the Dig in info. Seems like they will offer the free seeds again but will have a look in aldi, can't remember who posted about their seeds but thank you. Going to Asda on Wednesday with my neighbour, she doesn't drive so always insists on buying lunch which is really nice as I don't eat out usually. nice to have someone else cook and walk away from the washing up.

Oh, even made a start on OU, the course doesn't start until the 6th Feb but like to get ahead, the first assignment is due on the 24th so need to start now.

This might sound like a silly question but... all this talk of the bra**** baked beans got me thinking, do they actually have the pickle in them or are theythe same as ordinary ones? told you it was a silly question

ChinaTea

Happymrsh wrote: »

Just been having a look around for some seeds - thanks NualaBuala for telling us about the seeds at aldi, will definitely be getting some.

I was looking on the poundstretcher/instore website and i came across a page that has links to 6 knitting patterns. I'm not much of a knitter myself but i thought it maybe of use to someone. I can't post links as i'm new but it is below, just exchange the * for dots.

www*instoreretail*co*uk/html/offers*htm

Just had a look at these and the throw and cushion one looks great will have a look for the yarn when I'm near there again.

larmy16

Hi all.

Hope everyone is well. Wonder if we will get snow again this week? Let's hope not as I am back in my "routine and lovin it".

I have had about 4 NSD's last week and over the weekend. My ds has our car at the weekend and that really makes me think twice about going shopping.

I have been naughty though in that I have broken my promise about buying on Amazon. I bought the book "Feed your Family for £4 a day" (written in the eighties I hasten to add) - I had a major declutter as you do and chucked it out and then saw it mentioned on this site so had to get it again! It should save me money though:p, also a book about container gardening for veg (again should be useful) and an album by Teddy Pendergrass following his death, just had to hear him again. Only £3.97 for best of.

I do allow myself £5.00-10.00 per week for my own spends though. Anyone else do this? Have not been to the charity shop in ages too.

All in all I am on track but I do find unless I write a spend down immediately I can forget.