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

rozeepozee

aeb wrote: »

rozeepozee - I can sympathise with the bump. Are you thinking of breastfeeding, the weight will drop off, I eat for England and can't stop loosing. I was size 18 when pregnant and now I'm wearing a belt on my size 10 trousers! I'm just hoping it doesn't pile back on when I stop feeding. Weaning time soon.

Yes, I intend to breastfeed - it's a pretty strong intention, as I breastfed my first til 18 months and yes the weight dropped off me, it's fab, no effort, though it went back on quite a bit once I stopped as I carried on eating all the cakes!!! Have you exclusively breastfed or have you mixed fed?

Fishcake_Random wrote: »

Rozee- If your near an Aldi they are suposed to have seeds for 39p from the 21st as their week special on gardening thingys. Might save you some pennys.
I have a shopping list from my dad for seeds as my parents don't live anywhere near an Aldi. They always give us a few carriers of their surplus later in the year as well.
The "lovely" jumper is now unraveled into many many balls (thanks for the kettle steam tip!!). I shall start in the morning I think as its a bit late now and I fancy watching Family Guy.
x x x xx

I'm about to go off and search for Aldi's near me. The empty MFI store has been taken over by Aldi and due to open "early 2010" but no date as yet. I think that's my adventure for tomorrow - we need a few bits of groceries and I bet it's cheaper than Mr Ts for essentials (and probably everything else - I only know Lidl and Netto from experience).

Better get back off to bed now... Night all.

rozeepozee

This is what's available according to the Aldi site at 39p per pack:


"Wild Flowers: Cornflower (blue ball), Cosmos (sensation mixed), Marigold French dwf (double mixed), Morning Glory (heavenly blue), Nasturtium (trailing mixed), Sunflower (giant single), Sweet Pea (old fashion), Sweet Pea (spencer mix).

Vegetables: Basil (sweet genovese), Beetroot (boltardy), Carrot (autumn king), Coriander (cilantro for leaf), Leek (musselburgh), Lettuce (little gem), Onion (white lisbon), Parsley (moss curled), Parsnip (hollow crown), Pea (kelvedon wonder), Radish (french breakfast), Runner Bean (scarlet emperor), Tomato (gardeners delight)."

So I'll wait til Thursday now I know where our local Aldi is.

It'll be interesting to see how they fare in comparison the Unwins seeds. We had such fantastic success with these, particulary with germination and pricked out seedlings - which is where I've often failed with trying to grow my own before that I'm very tempted to buy from Unwins again, despite the fact that their seeds are probably five times the cost!

I can see a spreadsheet coming on to keep track of how they get on :rotfl:

cw18

((hugs)) for Lilo and family. DH's diagnosis (as of Easter 2007) was that he wouldn't be with us by the end of that Summer, but he fought it well and stayed with us until Nov 2008.

Natalie - My DD went to the council when she was being evicted (by me!)

Sounds awful, but her living here with one young child and another due within weeks wasn't working . They were all in one room so didn't really have space, DH was supposed to work nights so needed to sleep during the day, and my elder son was coming up to his GCSE exams so needed space/peace to study.

She got made a priority case (they accepted we didn't have space for them here - 3 adults, 2 teenagers and 1+ babies in a 4 bedroomed house, and DH got a letter from work moving him onto days on a temporary basis which also showed loss of shift allowance), and was allowed to 'bid' on properties. Think she got the keys to her place a week before we'd said she had to be out, but we did only give her about 6 weeks notice - so hopefully the fact you have a bit longer than that will mean you get something. I think it depends on the area you live in though, as a friend elsewhere in the country ended up in temporary/hostel accomodation for a couple of months (with 2 young boys) after she and her OH were evicted (and split up at the same time) - though I don't recall why they were evicted.

lynzpower

I think CW it dpeends on the local authority. i used to work in social work and many of my families were homeless. Most of the time they would get their temp accommodation on the day that they would be made homeless. Many having to troop them, thier kids, thier belongings into the council offices .I do hope that has changed now. This is in central london though, where cheap accomdation was scarce.

Things have improved a bit I belive with the credit crunch as landlords have dropped thier rates for the reliability of HB/LHA tenants.

Natalie, I hope you find something soon, speaking to shelter is a really good idea too

Lilo So sorry to heat about stepbrother. We have it in our familiy too, FIL has the big C but he is still working, still driving, still getting about. Puts everything into perspective doesn't it, what is important and what is not xx


On the frugal front today:
Had minor operation yesterday nad am recovering at home today- therefore, I will have HM lunch etc, plus saving on my travelcard.

*Will do some work from home ( at least half a day as have loads to catch up on)
*Will make Quorn lasagne with garlic dough balls ( first time for these- just woke up feeling they would be a good thing to try!)
*will make blueberrry muffins using up the blueberries I bought on the weekend.
*may make rostis again with the carrot/parsnip/potatoes and try to cook them off in a yorkshire pudding tin then freeze them in a tupperware as an easy "side portion" of veg
*will try once and for all to make a decision on the savings account, and open it. - there now its written down i have to do it.
*will finalist the insurance and do that today before CB drops.
*will prob pop to Mr M to get mushrooms and whatever cheap veg/fruits they have ( anyone know what it is this week?)

Hope all have a frugal day- hugs and best wishes to all that need them

Optimisticpair

NualaBuala wrote: »

I followed it today and the fire did light better than previously but took a good while to get going. I think my logs might have quite a high water content. Or maybe just my poor technique!

.

I like my fire, it looks so cheerful.

It's not just a knack, some days it's harder to get one lit due to wind not drawing upwards.

If your logs are seasoned, they are several month old ones, and if kept in the dry they should be ok. If logs are new cut they have a high moisture content and you hear them hiss. I stack a few up indoors and on the hearth. I've found that tree and shrub roots are good kindling as well.

I heard on here pine cones are good kindling but haven't tried them yet.

Good luck

Optimisticpair

rozeepozee wrote: »

This is what's available according to the Aldi site at 39p per pack:


"Wild Flowers: Cornflower (blue ball), Cosmos (sensation mixed), Marigold French dwf (double mixed), Morning Glory (heavenly blue), Nasturtium (trailing mixed), Sunflower (giant single), Sweet Pea (old fashion), Sweet Pea (spencer mix).

Vegetables: Basil (sweet genovese), Beetroot (boltardy), Carrot (autumn king), Coriander (cilantro for leaf), Leek (musselburgh), Lettuce (little gem), Onion (white lisbon), Parsley (moss curled), Parsnip (hollow crown), Pea (kelvedon wonder), Radish (french breakfast), Runner Bean (scarlet emperor), Tomato (gardeners delight)."

So I'll wait til Thursday now I know where our local Aldi is.

It'll be interesting to see how they fare in comparison the Unwins seeds. We had such fantastic success with these, particulary with germination and pricked out seedlings - which is where I've often failed with trying to grow my own before that I'm very tempted to buy from Unwins again, despite the fact that their seeds are probably five times the cost!

I can see a spreadsheet coming on to keep track of how they get on :rotfl:

Hi,

I bought some of mine at Wilko's at 28p per packet. The 28p ones could shave someone a bit off the bill if you are near a wilko but not an Aldi.:D

Also there were white onion sets in Focus (DIY ) reduced to 49p pkt .There was a 10p sticker on a box was but there was nothing left at 10p when I got there .

Grow girl grow:rotfl:

thriftylass

Sorry to hear about your stepbrother Lilo, my thoughts are with you. I wish all your family strength and don't lose hope.




Had a result today. Only posted my old ipod nano on Am@z0n two days ago and sold it today :T. I think I should put my books up again too.

All this gardening talk got me itchy fingers again too. I'll start some seeds (tomato, pepper, chilli etc for my windowsill) today. the herbs are already growing. Also, I had a look yesterday at the back garden (communal behind a tenement). I think I'll do that up a bit this year too. It's mainly students in the house now so maybe not worth it but I want to do it for us. That way I also have made a start to get in shape for if we ever move so it looks more presentable.

rozeepozee

Grr! Just lost my post in my haste to find a Focus DIY hear us!

Thanks for the encouragement Optimistic. We'll certainly be growing something here. We haven't got much space unless we dig up parts of the very established shrubs. Last year we "sacrificed" one flower bed, a decent sized one. This year, I thinkwe'll do another one, closest to the kitchen. The biggest problem is my growing tummy. My mobility is becoming very restricted now and I'm not due to give birth until April, after which I'll probably be out of action for a further two months in terms of any active gardening as a result of my caesarean... think that takes us to July....

Thinking of splashing out on an Agralan propagator so I can start off my seeds indoors and sow them from the kitchen table (as little bending down and back work as possible). These are £12 in the Unwins catalogue... tempted to buy a couple.. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350300219057&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT. But then, I could just use the vast amounts of pots I bought last year from the car boot... Hmmm....

lynz I'm gonna try and sort out the savings account today too.

knithappens

todays todo list

• slow cooker rice pudding to have after my slowcooker pulled pork tonight

• pick up bag of boys clothes from freegle for little man

• cancel love film trial and send back dvd's (£18 quidco tracked - trick its to cancel outside office hours and you can do it online, otherwise you have to call and they try to talk you into staying)

• Clean lil mans bedroom

• see if there are any bargins online at boots once the site is back online - not going to store so dont spend too much browsing - if there is nothing left then so be it

• bidding on babywalker on ebay - local pick up and money neutral from ebay sales

• start looking at what veg seeds i already have and when to start growing

• inspect veg patch. - must start work on this soon, getting it up to scratch - prenancy and a new baby meant i neglected it at the end of the year

Kiwisaver_2

lynzpower wrote: »

Also saw recipe for "veiled country girl" a bit like a crumble but with apple, jam & breadcrumbs which Im going to try too.

That reminds me of something we used to make in Home Economics class at school - we called it Apple (or other fruit) Charlotte. We mixed breadcrumbs with sugar and melted butter as a topping for stewed fruit and then baked like a crumble. Mmmn I used to love it and had forgotten that one - I can see it appearing on a menu around here soon.

Some Charlotte recipes I have seen use whole slices of bread to line a dish as if it were the pastry of a pie. Google Apple or Fruit Charlotte and there are many different versions, some use suet instead of butter.

I spent zero spondulix today and was forced to get creative with my mince, having used up my allowance of pasta days yesterday, spag bol was out. I made some Indian style shami/sheek kebabs, which we had with some bread, salad and minty yoghurt.

I have a date with the OH to meet me at the bank after work tomorrow to sign new mortgage arrangements, so hoping I can persuade him to buy me dinner at the mall.

Well done for passing your test Slowlyfading and good luck with the job application.