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

ifonlyitwaseasier

Nicki when my OH quit he found the inhalator the best for him, even when he ran out of the filter it ewas the movement of hand to mouth that soothed more than the nicotine. apart from a couple of birthday cigars he's been smokefree for 16-17 months now and even says he hates the smell!!!!!!

well today i spent a little out of my GC pot, don't need anything now (she hopes) til we go out for my birthday

homegrown_life

Hi all,

I did a small spend this morning (must update sig), just some groceries to see me through to Monday when I do my proper weekly shop. I haven't done one in ages as tried to stay away from the supermarkets over the Christmas period.

Also loved updating the spreadsheet

Noticed that MrS has some King Of Shaves stuff at a 1/3 off so thinking of stocking up on blades for DH. They are so expensive aren't they? Will get some on Monday probably.

I'd really like to get some kind of stockpiling started, but not really sure where to start with it all. I did buy some beans the other day but that's all I have in the pile! Anyone got any tips on this? Unfortunately I also have space issues, but I'd like to try I guess.

mooomin

Well over the last two days I have inventoried all my toiletries, cleaning products and food in the cupboards, only the freezer to go! Doing that, combined with another decent snowfall has kept me busy and away from the shops - both online and real

Tonight I have made some marshmallow crispies (Mr Fresian has eaten a good chunk of them already, I'm planning to hide the rest!) and a massive pot of bolognaise. We've eaten loads and there are another four portions ready for freezing.

Just sitting with a nice cup of tea now and will aim to inventory the freezer before bed!

cw18

homegrown_life wrote: »

I'd really like to get some kind of stockpiling started, but not really sure where to start with it all. I did buy some beans the other day but that's all I have in the pile! Anyone got any tips on this? Unfortunately I also have space issues, but I'd like to try I guess.

When I first started with this, I looked at meals we ate that used 'long life' products - especially those that were quick to make - and stocked up on the ingredients for them

Tuna Pasta 'bake' (I never put it through the oven) lead to tinned chopped toms, tinned tuna, dried pasta, and frozen peas and sweetcorn along with cheese (kept a block of around 500g in the freezer, but chopped it into 3 or 4 pieces before freezing).

Macaroni Casserole was mince (in freezer), baked beans, oxtail soup (no longer add this though), dried onions (normally use fresh, but got a couple of boxes of dried in), dried pasta - and cheese again !

Chille was mince (freezer), tinned kidney beans, tinned chopped tomatoes, packet mix, dried onions, and rice


There were about half a dozen other meals I worked on though I can't remember which they were, but I also kept (and still do) a couple of tins of meat (the mince & onion or stewed steak type) as emergency back-ups.... as well as at least one tin each of peas, sweetcorn, carrots, mushrooms and potatoes. And I have a number of tins of soup in (great for when I'm not feeling great), as well as enough flour and yeast etc. to make a couple of loaves in my machine.

ziggy2407

I would love to jon this challenge please, I am armed with Cheryl's fantastic spreadsheet and will spend the next couple of days setting a budget. Our circumstances are due to change at some point during 2010 - my hubby is to be made redundant and will find out next week when this is likely to be (a shock to both of us as he has been there since 15). Anyway, we are me (40 SAHM), OH (57 working at present) and DS (6), three fish and a guinea pig. I cant believe how excited I am to be starting the "New Year", and am hoping that it will also help with my "depression".

I am looking forward to being a member of this special group, having been a long time lurker/reader/fan from the other thread.

savingfortravel

Hi Everyone!
Wow! What a lot of posts. Great to see everyone so keen.

Well we've had a productive day.
We went for our lovely walk-easy and crisp underfoot on footpaths across fields. Slippery and slightly terrifying when on roads. But we did it and have completed a few more miles of our 2010 county footpath challenge. :T Took some interesting photos, including of a ford, windmill and a group of alpacas.

For lunch sloshed some worcester sauce on our cheese on toast and found a tin of soup. Mr SFT ate some cold sausages that needed eating up too.

This afternoon my main school task took ages but I persevered and got them all done. Bit to do tomorrow.

Lovely dinner tonight, saved our foil dish and now warm and cosy in front of the multi-fuel burner. Nearly finished decluttering another box.

2nd NSD complete

Tomorrow's plans: Go to the gym in the morning. Return some curtain tie backs to shop (£7 is £7 after all). Going to make sure I use Gym shower gel despite my hoard.
Will need to buy some bread, potatoes, a chilli and some leeks for next week's soup/evening meals so won't be another NSD unfortunately.
In the afternoon I'll do some more school work and do some more decluttering.
Tomorrow evening will be a relaxing evening and catching up on the thread.

sft

tryingtodobetter

Welcome Ziggy2407 :j

ziggy2407

Thank you so much for the warm welcome, Off to quite a good start

Yesterday was a NSD
Today - cash neutral - only items bought I used vouchers or points.
managed some decluttering, meals from stores/freezer

Looking forward to each new day.

Thanks again

citroennut

NYK, was very interested in the potatoes baked in the fire. We have a woodburning stove and I just wondered if you knew if they would work in this or if the heat might be too fierce and I might end up with burnt crisps!

We use the top of the stove to make soup and reheat stews, etc and we have an ancient battered old Aga kettle that I bought for a few pounds from e-bay that sits bubbling away ready to make endless cups of tea. Combined with Basics Sainsbugs tea bags ( very nice too ), very frugal refreshment.

debtmess

second nsd here too, trying to write a shopping list for monday/wednesday of what is needed all i can find to write is tin foil and a milk loaf (long may this continue)

listed 3 items on ebay all currantly have watchers so fingers crossed they sell well

done today with the heating off as its been mild, but will fill the water bottle for my bed shortly

just a mega pile of ironing to be done tomorrow where it all comes from i will never know