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

98sidney

Can I join this one too please. Already do meal plans, and follow tips on how to stretch the portions. And scratchards, and cash back etc.
I am getting too into it actually as I drive my friends barmy with money saving ways.lol.

savingfortravel

grandma247 wrote: »

flying_fresian wrote: »

Who in their right mind would have 7 shower gels?

A good few of us on here:rotfl:
I have loads more than that but only buy when they are at very reduced prices. There are four of us so we get through a fair bit.

I have enough to last the year!! :rotfl:Combination of presents from children in my class and free samples...I'm sad because I love having the year sorted out like that..bit like my stockpiling fixation.

sft

mumoffour77

Im so chuffed with all this......Please keep me on track:D
It will show me where im going wrong with my spending.....and I shall be posting asking for advice:)
I am part of flyladies (Pigpen and her crew keep me organised with cleaning the house....giving me manageable chunks of housework to do daily) I find this useful also:)
I have 4 kids:) hence the name.....but I have a large family, and have been know to cook for as many as 15 in one sitting!! (im not a great cook btw) I want to manage my stocks better and my money!! My dad has to go for a big OP on wednesday....he will be in hospital for 3 weeks, so my mum will more than likely be coming here for her dinner....along with my nephew and 2 of my sisters and maybe my eldest nephew!!
My mum and dad looked after my children and I when DH had his car accident 5 years ago and babysat, fed and clothed us all for 1.5 years whild DH was in hospital....they still look after us now when there are hospital appointments ect....they never asked for a penny..(we lived with them!!) We are a very close family and Im not expected to look after everyone but I feel that they have all given me so much.....its the least I can do:)

Hospital is an hour away from home.....
visiting is from 2pm - 4pm
so mum leaves at around 12.30 To allow for parking...
and is home for around 5.45 because of schools and rush hour traffic!!
By the time she gets home she will be starving!!
Mum also doesnt drive and public transport is out of the question as we live quite rurally so she will be depending on aunties/daughters for lifts!!
This is an honestly grueling thing I know as DH was in the same hospital for 11 months....albeit in a coma but i needed to be there (even though there was no reaction)

So for the next wee while my spending is gonna be a bit erratic!!

shaz_mum_of__2

Mum of four your parents sound great and returning favours in such a way is most rewarding..........no matter the financial cost

sending good vibes for your Dads op .............Shaz x

danielley

Unfortunately I have had quite an expensive day....

I have desperately needed a new carpet for the living room for about 2 yrs now, and have finally bit the bullet and bought one. £244 eeekkk! Thats a big chunk of my £600 house budget gone in one go and to add insult to injury the dishwasher has stopped working (and the hot water is on the blink...) oh dear. Boiler cover should sort the hot water, but this is the 3rd time in a month that the dishwasher has given up... may have to go back to basics...

Took the Xmas decs down this morning and started a clear out of the kitchen drawers. I found lots of birthday present wrapping sheets in there, which I have stored for future use, so saved myself a few £££ for the coming months from my 'gifts' budget. Also found 3 packs of cards so me and the OH will have to start playing 'snap' to entertain ourselves

Made a chilli tonight; unfortunatey not from scratch, but from a jar from Sainsbury's (which I already had in) I managed to burn both hands on 2 seperate occasions taking it out of the oven:eek: There is enough left over for lunch or dinner tomorrow, so long as I add some tomatoes.

Im planning on a clutter clear and tidy up to set me up for the week ahead; Im really lazy and do need to really push myself to get motivated, so I do hope I wake up focused, its hit and miss really. However reading all of your posts and hearing about how much you've been getting up to is such an inspiration.

Couple of questions for you fellow frunchkins, where would I get a 5l white vinegar from and how much should I expect to pay?

Also regarding an Allotment, I put my name on the waiting list for one ages ago, I think well over a year probably more like 18 months... does anyone have any ideas of how long these things take to come through... i've got a horrible feeling that it will years and I really want to get going.. when I think of how much I probably spent on salad leaves last year it really spurs me on. I am going to ring the council first thing on Monday and chase it up.

Wishing you all the best for 2010

LilacPixie

Danielley - i asked for an allotment 3 years ago and still no joy. Lists can be quite lenghthy in some places.

danielley

LilacPixie wrote: »

Danielley - i asked for an allotment 3 years ago and still no joy. Lists can be quite lenghthy in some places.

Thanks LilacPixie... at least I know that I am not alone

x

vickiv55

Heya, I'm in Perth and stay at the bottom of a really steep, unsnowploughed cul-de-sac. My tesco order turned up on Tuesday. Mind you the driver phoned me early as he was cancelling all out of town slots......
Good luck
Vicki

LilacPixie wrote: »

Is anyone in Tayside/Angus??? I am and we have snow snow and more snow. I am wondering if y tesco order could be indanger tomorrow??

NualaBuala

Mumoffour, you and your family sound lovely. I hope all goes well for your Dad. And for the rest of you of course, these things are just as tough for the family.

I've been stuck in a lot lately with a bad cough and cold but got out for a lovely walk today. Pottered to the shops and managed to just buy milk which was needed. Am very pleased I as I was tempted by Lidl's special offers :-) Then I did a little bit in the garden, cutting back some briars - just a few, will take me forever at this rate! I spent a couple of hours relaxing doing a jigsaw and just turned on the TV a short while ago so it's been a very cheap day all round! Tomorrow I'll be put to the test as I'm going shopping with my sister! I think I'll be ok though.

vintage_beanpole

nykmedia wrote: »

Have you tried the 'Billy Can' method? :rotfl:
When you feel the urge to buy 20 cigs, take a £5 note, set it alight in your billy can and see how it makes you feel. From that point on, try putting the £5 in a bank each week and watch it grow. Before trying this, go to the 'demotivator' link in 'free tools' on the right hand side of this forum and find out exactly how much money should be in the billy can bonfire over a year. It might allow you the chance to think about what you'd like to do with that amount of cash this time next year. My billy can would have seen £1,059.95 up in smoke since quitting this time 2 years ago, but I used some of those savings towards DD's wedding.

Totally illegal to destroy money though! Also a crying shame - might I suggest giving it to charity/the homeless instead?! :eek: