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

jtb2412

Evening everyone

Panto was great fun and despite the kids being that much older now, they still thoroughly enjoyed it

First day back on the diet here and it's going well. I feel much better, less sluggish and frumpy so there's something to be said for eating yourself silly over xmas :rolleyes:.

Having leftover duck for dinner here (sorry NYK !!! ) with 2p strawberry whip for dessert.

Just had to call electrician out (thankfully we rent so nothing to pay) - was putting the xmas decs up in the loft and hubby came across a group of wiring that was basically 'taped' together, a complete bodge job :eek: (previous tenants I think). Just a bit of a fire risk (under-exaggeration) so they've been and put a junction box in - very good service, out within the hour and all sorted .

Only spend today was £2.40 for parking at the panto - kids spent their own money on sweets/ice cream despite me taking bits and bobs. I shall have to teach them better !

Just my two-pennies worth re: smoking. I've been given up 6 years (this week). Docs prescribed me a drug specifically to stop the craving, not sure if it's still around? I'd tried patches, cold turkey, gum etc etc so this was a last resort but I'm happy to say it worked and it really was my little miracle pill. Doesn't work for everyone though as DH tried it and had every side effect going so I was very lucky. I'd recommend a visit to your doctor first and foremost, they were great with me !

Good luck to all those trying to give up at the moment - stick with it, you won't regret it !! :beer:

Ches

I have taken my first weekly £80 out of the bank today (didn't leave the house yesterday) and that has to last me for everything except bills until next Friday. I also did a shop but because I have stashed everything possible from Christmas into the freezer I didn't need much to see us through the week. Yesterday I made a nut roast from all the leftover nuts which was declared a winner and today we are having corned beef hash and beans. I have done a meal plan and with all the frozen Christmas goodies we can last until mid February without buying any meat so that should be a big saving. All money that I can save from my weekly £80 will be put away to use for restocking the freezer when empty and defrosted. I think the problem weeks for me will be those when I go to the hairdressers. And the most tempting time will be on the days I work in the charity shop.

signs_of_recovery

Quote" would anyone know, does seatsalt, olive oil and say a fragrance oil make a good body scrub ? ive used olive oil for hair but never for anything else ive got all 3 of the above and it would save my buying a bottle next time i go to lush[/QUOTE]

I have Psoriasis (a skin condition) and I find buying value salt and adding a load of it to the bath (until it actually tastes salty) then soaking in it does my skin no end of good. I also use olive oil on my skin, which, again, does help unless I am in the middle of a huge flare up. I sometimes add some lavendar, or chamomile, or rose body oil to the bath, but only a few drops. On the other hand, I find Lush "Dream Cream" and "Handyguru" cream and "honey I washed the Kids" soap far kinder and more helpful to my skin than a lot of the things I've been prescribed for psoriasis over the years.

signs_of_recovery

Regarding stopping smoking:
I was a very heavy smoker and stopped. (Alan Carr's stopping smoking book and stubborn-ness combined with feeling absolutely carp while smoking) My DH still smokes in the evening, but I don't find I want one, unless I am in a complete temper about something, and then I just will.... no rhyme or reason to it. Mind you, that only happens about once or twice a year and without fail it tastes (and I smell) revolting.
My FIL is/was worse than I ever was. Nearly 60 a day and a will to continue, even dispite sleep apnea, bronchitis, and a host of other problems. The GP smoking cessation clinic prescribed him some tablets which are meant to take away the urge to smoke, and it certainly worked for him. He used those and patches, and while he did lapse a couple of times while using them, he's been smoke free for over a year now. I hope that helps.

JayJay14

nikki20022008 wrote: »

I'm really looking forward to starting unfortuantly the pharmacy doesn't have a quit clinic which is a pain. I have tried a few times but the last time I had a major reaction to the gum but I know I'm ok on the patches as I have used those before too but this time I am determined to pay for my holiday with the money I save a great swap I think fags for a holiday for two weeks with the lil one.

Nikki - My DD2 signed up online to the NHS stop smoking thing a couple of weeks age. She did it one evening, they rang her the following day to discus which method would work best for her, she chose patches, and they went her a voucher to get them in the post about 2 days later. It cost her nothing so I would check them out. I can't find a link for you but will have a word with her if you want.

I used to be a heavy smoker but got chronic bronchitus when I was 6 months preggers with DD2 - couldn't even sleep lying down for the fluid on the lungs, that cured me and haven't smoked for 22 years:D

I now have a motgage instead, wouldn't have been able to afford both.:rotfl:

knithappens

Fishcake_Random wrote: »

Knithappens- You soooooo have to use it for baby sweetcorn lol or something with baby in the title lol Baby spinach????

aww too cute an idea, going to have to lol

Frugaldom

nikki20022008 wrote: »

I'm going to get Nicorete patches tomorrow and going to quit the fags they are my biggest spend so if anyone fancies joining me I'll be starting on Monday. :eek: so get ready for the mood swings lol

Have you considered the possibility that there won't be any mood swings?

jtb2412 wrote: »

Evening everyone

Just my two-pennies worth re: smoking. I've been given up 6 years (this week). Docs prescribed me a drug specifically to stop the craving, not sure if it's still around? I'd tried patches, cold turkey, gum etc etc so this was a last resort but I'm happy to say it worked and it really was my little miracle pill. Doesn't work for everyone though as DH tried it and had every side effect going so I was very lucky. I'd recommend a visit to your doctor first and foremost, they were great with me !

Good luck to all those trying to give up at the moment - stick with it, you won't regret it !! :beer:

My personal belief is that the habit of lighting up is one that can be broken easily once you have agreed with yourself that you have a good enough reason to quit. I think you need to be happy with the decision to quit to make it a simple process of switching the habit elsewhere. Just my opinion.

Good luck to all the ciggie quitters, but I know it isn't luck that you need - it's a belief in your own ability to choose how you spend your own money and live your own life

signs_of_recovery

nykmedia wrote: »

Have you considered the possibility that there won't be any mood swings?


My personal belief is that the habit of lighting up is one that can be broken easily once you have agreed with yourself that you have a good enough reason to quit. I think you need to be happy with the decision to quit to make it a simple process of switching the habit elsewhere. Just my opinion.

Good luck to all the ciggie quitters, but I know it isn't luck that you need - it's a belief in your own ability to choose how you spend your own money and live your own life

I completely agree with what you have said. It reflects my own experience completely. Thank you for putting it so succinctly.

nikki20022008

nyk I have tried about 10 times and I get a right moody person lol but I am going to give it my best shot this time

castafiore41

Please count me in this!
I already try to be cost conscious as much as possible.
This is what I already do:
Never buy new clothes and look for bargains in charity shops (except for undies;)). It means that I never have to pay full price for items from Next, Monsoon, Per Una ..., as I am still brand specific.
Never buy on impulse. I will often think big purchases over for weeks before committing myself, and often decide not to spend.
Have a veggie plot in my garden that help feed a family of 4 (2 teenagers) fom spring to autumn with very little work involved.
Have 5 bantam hens that satisty our protein need most of the year and provides us with presents for the neighbourgs in summer (with the added bonus of excellent entertainment in summer when the garden is full of bugs...)
Watch our electricity consumption with an energy monitor.(0.775kw at the moment)
Always try to cook from scratch, avoid take-aways as much sa possible-5 in 2009-
Cook in bulk and freeze, harvest whatever is edible and cook it, preserve it, jam it... you get the idea.
Use everything until it is either finished or broken, and then find out if it can be fixed, mended, upgraded, and do it.
Avoid impulswe buy (have I alrady said that?)
Avoid gadgets.
Always reuse and recycle.
Refuse to have a mobile phone and avoid what looks like huge monthly costs.
Alawys compare prices before commiting to a purchase.
Buy in bulk (within reason!)
Sometimes recycle from skips(always with the owner's permission), this is how we built our hen's run and coop)

It does not mean that that our lives are sad and dull, and that we live in another world. We know the value of what we have and use. We use oiur savings to maqx out our mortgage and aim to have repaid it in 13 years instead of 25, saving us £35k in the process.
So this year I will keep keep receipts to try to keep my shopping on track. Target 1: clear out the pantry of stockpiles of food, preserves etc. This should kep us going for a while!