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

mooomin

Morning all!

Today will be a spend day (Boo!) as I need to get milk, margarine and olive oil. I will check out the whoopsies too, but normally don't get anything good on a Sunday.

Yesterday we went to Asda as that's where the nearest Post Office is and I had an Amazon parcel to post (Another £5 into the debt-pot) and only bought bread, bananas and tuna steaks. The tuna was whoopsied and we never normally have tuna steaks as they're too expensive :j so that was a very nice dinner last night.

Today I need to do some housework and parcel up the Ebay sales I have made - £55 so far and the auctions end later today. I might have time to go to the Post Office with some of them today if they are paid promptly. At least the Post Office is in Asda so that will kill two birds with one stone.

Not a lot of other frugal things planned. Dinner is going to be something from the freezer, so either home-made or whoopsied! I'm also going to try and get another bag full of things ready for the charity shop/tip.

Hope all other frunchkins are having a lovely Sunday!

landregistrylass

Dear all Car boot sale day today. I agree with earlier comments -mostly dealers, but managed to get a new airbed (grandson coming at half term and old one kept going down in the night!) for £1. When its something I need, I dont mind that its not a NSD. Method in my madness?

grandma247

chika wrote: »

My comment was to warn people about downloading the toolbar because it's not known what it can do to your PC.

Yes I totally agree with you about that as I had a Google toolbar and for some reason it started behaving oddly and in the end I had to get my computer man to look at it. It seems there was a virus that corrupted it. Since then I have been very wary about toolbars in general. I do have the sparklebox one and have never had any trouble with it. In fact I have found it useful when I want to search for mainly UK stuff as it gives first preference to them. BUT it does have links for facebook,twitter and a couple of other things I don't recognise and never use any of those sites anyway. That will be the thing of most concern where children are concerned.
Really I feel that teachers or anyone else using a school computer should not download anything like toolbars without talking to the school techie person first. Teachers can always use their own home computer to download stuff and put it on cd to print off at school once a virus scan has been performed on the disc.

Happymrsh

Had a busy weekend, DH and eldest DS went to Twickenham yesterday to watch London Irish V Lenster. The trip came as part of a rugby training camp they did in the summer so they only had to pay for the coach which was £10. A good time had, and they even got to go on the pitch at half time.

Myself, youngest DS and DD watched the match on TV but didn't manage to spot them :rotfl:

I spent my quiet night last night making cards. I managed to make 6 and I think they are pretty good so very pleased with myself. will try and photo later. Will try and find some more time later to make some more.

Today will be a NSD. Dinner is shepherd pie with Minced lamb from the freezer and lots of Veggies. Have done all the ironing and have school clothes ready for tomorrow and DH work clothes are ready too.

Also have used the washing gloop i made to do the washing. I am sooooo impressed, its great, clothes are clean and smell really good too. I already had the soap and essential oils so only had to buy the soda crystals and needed to use quarter of a bag, so have made enough the last me about 2 weeks for the cost of 20p!!!!! :j

All in all a pretty frugal weekend

xnatalie81x

Bolognese for dinner here. I use a bag of tesco healthy eating frozen mince (400 or 500g cannot remember) and i split it into 2. Half mixed with value sauce and mushrooms for bolognese and the over half with bisto gravy, carrots and mushrooms for cottage pie.

We have enough bolog for 2 adults and 3 kids and enough cottage pie for the same - Monday is mega work day and i don't have time to cook so when we get home from childminder i need something quick and easy!!!

babyboysmommy

Picked up a few essentials from MrT this morning. I'm always pleased when I manage to just buy what we really need & ignore all the temptations

I've sold 5 books on Amazon this weekend I've made over £45 for books that have just been gathering dust & taking up space so I'm really pleased.

I've treated myself to a cross stitcher magazine subscription using Tesco deals

Have found 2 really old mobile phones that I'm sending to MrT as I can get 200 reward points for each phone as they both work so 400 points all together (worth £16 in deals), more money for something that's just been in the back of a draw for ages

Aril

Hello fellow frugallers:j:j
No spending here today as OH and I have just spent a romantic afternoon together sugar soaping walls prior to repainting. Ugh horrible job!
Had a friend pop round this morning to show off her new beau- he seemed very pleasant and left with a big thumbmark on his forehead where I had stamped my approval:D:D

OH is very excited because he's had a chance to christen his new corking machine that he got for Christmas - we now have 6 bottles of strawberry wine and he's now eyeing up the demijohns I got him from the jumble sale to make up one of the kits that he also got as a present. Am I to be sober at all this year I wonder:rotfl::rotfl:
Hope everyone is having a jolly day full of frugal doings!
Arilx

savingfortravel

Nyk-Just wondered what are the best bottles to keep for Elderflower champagne? thanks sft

shaz_mum_of__2

savingfortravel wrote: »

Nyk-Just wondered what are the best bottles to keep for Elderflower champagne? thanks sft

I am sure nyk will tell you NOT IN PLASTIC SCREWTOPS :rotfl::rotfl:

I use the swing top type ones (like gr0lsch comes in) as these are nice and strong , you can use old fizzy wine/champagne bottles too but you will need the cages as well and special corks . The fizzy stuff builds up quite a head of gas ....................doesn't it nyk ?


If you are going to buy new ones get them now as when elderflower season comes you cant get them for love nor money , or you can buy the beer and drink it Mr A sell individual bottles of Gr0lsch with the swing tops but the multipack cases have regular cap style tops


Hope that helps if it is a bit waffly

Shaz

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/bottles_corkers.html

i have used this company but i collect my order

savingfortravel

So gr*lsch is best. thanks SFT