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

jtb2412

You're all making me blush ! lol Thank you very much for all the lovely comments, I do try my best with the kids and have always tried to be open with them about things/issues in the hope that they feel they can come to me with anything. I do worry though that I tread a very thin line between being open and letting them make their own decisions/mistakes and them thinking they can do what they like without any repercussions - I think they know how far they can push me .

edaniels we 'acquired' our first washing machine that way. Used to rent and after about 3 years they said we could have it :j. From memory it lasted another 2 years after that but I dread to think how much we paid for it in total. It was a means to an end at the time though and I'm glad we did it. It's not always feasible to just go out and buy a big value item especially for those on low income/don't want or can't get credit.

chika good news about the MOT :money:

grandma247

edaniels1983 wrote: »

to me any renting is dead money.

The exception to that is probably renting a washing machine if you have a large family. A neighbour rents and when she had eight in the household she was so glad because any repairs are done without cost to her and now they have upgraded her to an industrial machine and I don't think they are charging her anymore for it.

cw18

I rented a TV and video package from 1987, but normally upgraded every few years without an increase in the monthly cost. At the start of 2002 I convinced DH that buying would be a better option, so we went out and bought a cheap VCR and an ex-display TV. I then called the rental company to come and collect, and they were disappointed we'd already bought as they would have 'negotiated' on the kit we had.

TBH, the appliances were getting a bit 'iffy' (especially the VCR) as we'd had them about 5 years, so I'm not sure I'd have paid for the main bits - but my package also included a portable (in the master bedroom) that we'd decided we couldn't justify replacing that for the little it was used. So I asked about just keeping that, and we agreed on the princely sum of £10.

I've not (yet) had to replace any of the appliances, but the portable (more heavily used in the last few years) is sometimes a bit funny with the colour - and the VCR is hardly used since the cost of DVDs came down (and we got a Freeview box). The boys have been nagging me to get a 'modern' (and larger screened) TV for the living room over the last couple of years, but I don't see the need

Renting worked for me when the kids were little though - mainly 'cos breakdowns were dealt with promptly, and no worries about finding the money to replace them (or repair them if we could find someone reliable to come out)


DD has never rented..... her VCR, DVD player and Freeview box were all cheap models, and her first TV was a second hand one (she's since been given a better one by a neighbour 'who had no more need of it'). She did look at renting, but I then talked her through the costings and she agreed she'd be better off within 12-15 months by not doing so. When my kids were little it would have taken a lot longer to recoup the cost, and even when we changed to bought appliances it took just over 2 years to make the purchases cost effective.

edaniels1983

they could of had a tv from cash converters etc for 60.00 and i have 2 spare videos and spare dvd players so 3 months and they would of been better off by 20.00 a month

---

next to sort out is virgin media.

MIL always paid cash at postoffice. i found out this adds 5.00 on a month to her bill!! off to open FIL a bank account later today so a DD can be set up. saving £60.00 a year!!!!

she was so set in her ways. paid every bill at post office(attracting the post office charge every time too).

always went shopping every day for that days food. didnt own a freezer!!

collected a freezer off freecycle last nigh!! so FIL can have a meal every daay from the freezer. ----got to get a microwave today as well. MIL didnt believe in microwaves! will get a basic dial one for him to use. digital will confuse him

[Deleted User]

edaniels1983 wrote: »

jtb- you must be a wonderful mother. i was raised by my grandmother, and i was 21 and married and still scared to tell her i was pregnant!!!


off to father in laws today once my son finishes nursery at 11.15. he has no idea about bills as MIL used to do EVERYTHING!! and i mean everything.

but some good news, they had always rented a tv and video so i phoned up to tell them to collect as i was going to get one of freecycle for him to save on a payment and guess what??? they said we dont want it back. KEEP IT!! for FREE!! makes you wonder if i had phoned up a year earlier they would of said the same thing. it greaves me to think they have been paying for something that the company didnt even want!!

The main thing is that you have it for free NOW:beer:

edaniels1983

budgeteer wrote: »

The main thing is that you have it for free NOW:beer:

pity everything else wasnt free!!

FIL has no ideas about running a house and paying bills. he has just been crying saying he is going in a bedsit because then he wont have bills.

knithappens

chika wrote: »

I had to spend about £20 today on hair producs, I'm not that vain honestly! I have unruly afro hair which takes a whole army of products to keep in shape and looking half decent. The bloke in the shop gave me a 10% discount and lots of mini samples which I'm pleased about. They will do for going away for weekends etc. When I looked at my expenses for last year I really tried to trim this spend down but there is no way I can get the things cheaper which stings.

Have a great frugal day

OMG i remember this feeling, i have brke so many afro combs in my hair oer the years, despite being mixed race, i did not inherit my mums hair, but my dads, now i sport dread locks, all nicely kept, I cant tell you how much money i save on straightening my hair, your post just made me laugh, as me and y best friend are constantly moaning about the cost of hair products for afro hair, i dont need to buy them so much anymore, just a nice organic oil to keep my locks in good shape, before i started glocks, it cost me upwards of 600 a year having platted extensions, treatments straigtening my hair - arrgghhh, now i have two daughters one is just hittng that age where she wants her hair professionaly done yikes, i am dreading it.

knithappens

just got anice surprise in the post - my free bambino mio reuable nappy ( coupon in moth er and baby mag) and a competiton win, lots of make up from maybelline - totally forgot i had entered, and the best news off npower had over estimated my gas consumption by over 200 pound - i dont think they believed it themselves as we have been trying to sort this out since the beginning of december, so i should be expecting that cheque soon, so being more constious of how i am using energy is paying off - yayyyy

Hopefully a NSD here today, had a nasty bug, my daughter had it all week, but seems to be a bit milder with me, the battle axe that i am. so still here in my dressing gown, went back to bed with bubba, I love it when she snuggles inclose with her chubby little hands stroke my face too cute.

My next job is to sort out my term assurance since divorcing i need to update it,so must do this by the end of the week.
Hope everyone is have great frugal day

patentgirl

jtb - Well done on being an amazing mum
Cheryl so sorry that your yorkie is no better sending you a hug
A NSD yesterday which I was pleased by as was in London attending my weekly course normally at charing cross i get tempted to buy a magazine but resisted will need to spend later on cat food and birthday card looking to come on target for first month of being frugal the only thing i find myself getting bit obsessed at times jotting everything down continually planning meals ways of saving money etc i have a pad and pen permantly attached to me, does anyone else to do this?

Knithappens enjoy your cuddles

Aril

Hello fellow frugallers:j:j
Thrifty actions for today- topped up my milk from £land and have ordered my free sample of teabags from Twinings.
My friend's crystallised ginger that she made was deleesh- she used the recipe from the James Wong book and it was really moreish. Off to a 40th birthday bash tonight with another friend.
One of my students gave me the link for the following website about a family that shunned modern day living and were pretty selfsufficient. They lived in woodland in the South East in the 1960s and the film was released last year [it's become a bit of a cult one with the world as it is today] I'm going to borrow the DVD from our local library and see it with a couple of friends.
Anyone who's interested there's a trailer at
www.themoonandthesledgehammer.com
Arilx