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

Frugaldom

BigMummaF wrote: »

So how many people do you think it would need?
I'll make a list of various catagories & then we can all have a think to see is some need to be smaller/ combined/ better defined...& also who might like to volunteer for the job
1. Blogs, links to & for. I've already started this one
2. Gardening A --Container; B--Garden
3. Allotments.
4. Recipes.
5. Home Preserving.
6. Debt Repayment.
7. Mortgage/ Rent, Utilities.
8. Poultry-keeping.
9. Pensions & Personal Banking [savings accounts etc.]
10. Insurances; House, Pet, Motor, Travel, Health.
11. Useful Hobbies; knitting, sewing, crafting, etc.
12. Green Living.
13. Motoring.
14. Family:- baby, school-age, older, elderly.

To be honest, looking at the above list has me flummoxed as all of those things are available right here on the MSE forums, you just need to search the subject in forum search box, so it looks like a lot of extra work for no reason. A little bit of research goes a long way and private messages are free if it's a question needing asked of one person, like particular recipes etc.

I can't believe I tried so hard to keep up yesterday and come back to 5 or 6 pages. Will try to catch up as soon as I can, haven't even skim read yet.

ceridwen wrote: »

Maybe a category for cleaning and cosmetic recipes?

Maybe a category for "alternative" type shopping - eg LETS, co-ops, etc.

I already have those within the handy links section

knithappens wrote: »

lso recipes baking

Recipes are indexed on MSE, already linked from handy links section, person in charge of that is always happy to add more.

AEB - I think your story warrants a book or TV programme far more than any other I have ever encountered on here. I am still completely gobsmacked by your situation. The idea of anyone coping so admirably in such an unbelieveable situation SHOULD be publicised to show others who may face similar enormous changes in their lives that they can cope. It really is a book and TV programme in the making - anyone who can do what you can do after sudden widowhood and 6 small children just astounds me. I'm amazed the local papers weren't swaprming around just at the arrival of the triplets! Hats off to you and long may you continue to inspire others.

rictus123 wrote: »

about 30 miles from Aberdeen

I used to live in Newburgh, not far from Ellon! It's about 45 miles (ish) north of Aberdeen. It's also snowing in Lanarkshire & parts of Glasgow, everyone's emailing me to tell me. Wind is northerly, so maybe I'd best be prepared in the very rare chance that it finds it's way to our corner.

Erme

re mobile phone update....

Hmmm...what can I say? E2save are interesting. Good deal on the nokia 1661 (if you view it as sim only) but a hassle. DHL did NOT come yesterday but this am (think that's more about aberdeen DHL though) and like I've spent a fortune phoning customer services cos still have no confirmation email (2 days later). Only alternative (I figure this is best cos I'm known for my killer emails to health board managers etc) is to email carphonewarehouse (parent co) via the website and send it twice (cut and paste) so it gets straight through to excalations.

Also the cashback (apparently any previous reported probs have been sorted) is 102 every time - but then the first one isn't till 6 months. So you actually end up paying 4.84 for this contract per month this year (after cash back) and you get £4 credit per month for the last 6 months. Baring in mind this is, in effect a sim only contract. Also despite just being over the 3 month to go mark with orange, they are charging me £70 to disconnect. Hmmm was that very frugal? Average mobile bill is about 22 a month. Contract would end in May. Hmmm...doing the maths in my head I'm not sure. So what with the £70 disconnection fee fae orange and the actual contract cost for this year it works out £10. something per month this year. ...does not sound very MSE considering I don't even get a decent phone with it (but the blackberry curve 8300 has lasted me years...so why worry...bit battered but I like it ).

Only good thing is that the vodaphone sim worked no bother in my blackberry so no massive unlock fee. - phew. Only spent £3.30 in a panic buying cables to unlock the Sony which I intend to sell (and keep the granny Nokia 1661 phone for sos/camping/hols etc). So that should help the orange bill:).

Aiming for a NSD day. Going to chaplaincy @ Uni this pm for coffee and cake (students MAKE USE OF YOUR CHAPLAINCY. DOESN'T MATTER IF YA RELIGOUS. BEST PLACE @ UNI FOR FREE COFFEE ETC. Also will visit (if you tell them) when ya in hosp and bring goodies ). and then off to the Quay for tea (so that'll be free). Have to put chick peas into soak this eve for houmous tomorrow. Have lunch from last night's tea. . Have cheese spread from asda (something like 33p a tub) for sos sandwich spread when I'm too tired/sick to make it self. Cheaper than buying houmous ..

Also bought coffee this week (49p a jar for 100g Asda/tesco - not taste fab but hey has caffeine) when I didn't need to. So now have enuf coffee for about 4 weeks or something.

Figure when the barley cup dies (for caffeine free stuff in the evenings) going to use my puerrh tea I got from the chinese supermarket (something like £3 for a 1lb in weight loose) which will do. Will last ages and I need to use it. Might do that long term for caffeine free hot beverages cos like barley cup is expensive and decaf coffee is even more expensive!!!

And that's about my news for today....don't get me on about health professionals. I'll get steamy ears...LOL...(but maybe that'd be good since it's snowig LOL)...

Will check later...still have a thick head...so not with it and not read bible this am

Hugs

E

babyboysmommy

It's the start of a new month budget wise for us. I found tracking every penny in January really helpful so will carry it on all year. I have already slashed our grocery expenditure just through really good planning & switching to 100% HM food, the cakes & biscuits have gone down a treat with everyone

My bicycle is being delivered on Monday, really excited! It has a huge basked on the front & back so is really practical & will help in my mission to use the car as little as possible.

I need to really start planning what we are going to grow in the garden. Space is very limited & it's mostly container growing. So far I'm thinking about carrots, tomatoes, beans, strawberries, radishes & lettuce but I'm sure there must be more we can do. My mum has a greenhouse so I can ask her to start some things off for us.

Off to the kitchen now to do some baking

knithappens

aeb wrote: »

Thank you. Complan in milk sounds a good idea, I don't seem to be short of milk, in fact I've been feeling a bit uncomfortable for the last few days as I think the weaning is taking over and they have a little less. I had some porrige made with milk for supper too. All quiet now so head down till 5.

yes the unconmfortable feeling happen to me too but settled down after a week or so,

knithappens

cha97michelle wrote: »

Are you thinking Fenugreek? Can get it as a tea or tablets i think.

yep there the ones


ooohh and cheryl i so love you right now, with the virus on my laptop my spreadsheet is inaccessable but i remembered you fixed it for me, after i had inputted some data, so have now saved it fromemail onto a USB, and am so glad i saved all of my receipts so it is now all shiny and updated, so i am bak in business :T

LilacPixie

SOrry sorry sorry I am so so pants at this and all the keeping up. I have about 17 pages to read. Looks like all systems are go on a housemove :eek: so my decluttering/cleaning frenzy is continuing. budget looking so so, over on some things and under on others. Groceries we are either just under or just over which is disappointing because I thought we would come in 60-70 under at least. Main reason we are not is OH got a huge amount of meat yeasterday that will do us all feb and grocery order for 1st week in feb will be done on Sunday so through Feb we should only need milk, fruit veg, rolls etc By end of feb I hope the budget will look a bit healthier. Needed to put Diesel in my car yesterday as well I had hoped to get 1 full month out of it but only got 26 days I think I need to look at ways to improve fuel economy

AEB I agree with Nyk your story should be a book/short film.

No help from me with breast feeding i was crap at it and gave up.

knithappens

it is my little ones birthday tomorrow she is 14 argghhh, here is almost 7 years between each of my kiddos, so i will have one at 14 one at 7 and one at 6 months.

she already got her present, method inmy madness she needs a laptop for school, lots of research etc plus keeping in touch with her half sisters, i bought her a net book reduce from 300 to 200 before xmas, and told her it was for birthdy and christmas, as i cannot justify spending so much money on one gift.

she has a big costco cake, so she can take some to her grandparents on sunday and some for her friends to school on monday.

She is not having a party - do you think i am mean??
she says she is getting too old for birthday partys anyway, so she has opted for her little brother to spend the day at his dads (lol) and it will be just the girls, shopping trip into manchester to spend her xmas money, and any birthday moey she gets ( 1/2 in the bank - her request - she is learning) and a DVD from blockbuster get one rental rent one free from a voucher she found in a mag - like mother like daughter haha

I just picked my 6 month up from childminder , she is settling in so well, my maternity leave ends on the 12th, sneaky as that is the last day of half term, so my full pay will kick in then on the 21st my part time pay. being on maternity leave ha given me a good trial runn at becoming more frugal and i am not so scared as to how i wil cope going part time, but i am so glad that i am, as i love the time i get with my kiddos, and seingm daughter almost 14 now, just shows me how precious and how short a ime you get to spend with them until they becomemore indepentant, and begin to need you less.

ooh also on allisons flour have a freebie ( it is posted inthe freebis forum) but it ends onte 31st for 2 free sachets of easy bake yeast, mine came this morning, but it came with alovely little guide to breadmaking and home baking with 13 recipes in in, we are going to try the crunchy toffee muffins this weekend , will let you know how they turn out.

FrankieM

Can't get my beetle to start, it's having a moment, so it looks like no trip in to town. I can't decide if I'm disappointed
I've decided to go down the Student Finance route. It seems best to have it even if I don't need to spend it all.

glendam

I was checking this for my son thought I would put it here not sure if someone else has answered this.



If the tax disc has not arrived after 5 working days, please phone us between 8am to 8.30pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 5.30pm Saturdays on 0870 850 4444. When you make the call, please have the Reference Number available and choose option 4 then option 1.
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I have not received the tax disc. Can I use the vehicle without the tax disc displayed?

When you apply for a tax disc online or by using our phone service you are able to legally continue to drive your vehicle for up to 5 days after the tax disc has expired while you wait for the new tax disc to arrive. This will only apply when you have applied for a new tax disc before the current one expires. You should continue to display the expired disc on your vehicle, until the new one arrives.

Glenda

xnatalie81x

went to lottie - got stuck in mud. Put wood under one of wheels and did some fun driving - now home safe and sound. Lots of sideways action reminds me of my youth lol