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

Savvy_sewing

For some reason I never was able to open the spreadsheet. Have a new laptop with Windows 7. Still learning what I can and cannot do on it!. I know that I have overspent as I have not followed my groceries properly, and have had to use much more fuel with collecting Twin1 everyweek. But to be fair she has been supplimenting the budget, for the last 3 weeks.
But as I dont have much option as my income is pretty fixed at the moment, I will have to just make savings in other areas later in the year.
I am hoping that once I have bought DGD her toothepaste (she squeezed the last lot into the bath!), all I will need to buy will be milk, fruit and veg.
Havent managed to read all of this thread but did anyone mention that in Mr T, they have a purple lidded milk, 4 pinter was 65p!!! I bought 4, and still had change from the Healthy start voucher to go towards the banana's that DGD loves so much!. Have just defrosted the last one, so will have to get more today. Pity as I didnt need to go out other then for milk. When its just me I have UHT milk, or even powdered at a push, but I cannot really give that to a two year old.

I havent joined the other threads for Frugal Feb stuff. No toiletries etc and no new clothes for 2010. But I am already aiming to use up what I have got inthe cupboards etc. But this means I have to make do with some face creams that are not as good as the ones I have been using this last few months.! Dig in the draw time.!
Re clothes, I mostly only buy secondhand from Charity shops, and so thats more of a hit and miss afair. However this year, I am hoping to sew more of the things I want. Try to use up the fabrics that I have around the cottage first. However a lot of them are curtain fabrics. So thats out!!! I am not reduced to going around in frocks from the curtains store yet! (OK, maybe next year!!!????:eek::D).

I will probably have to get some shoes though. But I have been looking for some plain black shoes that I can wear as my main shoes, with a small heel. However I havent seen any I like in over 8 months now. Not at the low budget end of the costs anyway.!
Meanwhile I have to wear my brown ones. They dont always go with things!.
Not such a good look. I may be a granny but I dont want to look like one! :rotfl:
Sorry if I have gone on too long!.
If DGD goes to sleep around lunchtime today, I am hoping to make my newest grandson some bibs. Bandana style that are on the scene, think they are so cute. So got to try them.

babyboysmommy

You have all been busy! I love reading this thread, it helps keep me on track

Yesterday we went to visit family, aside from petrol & train fare it was a cheap day out. We took our own sandwiches & drinks as we needed something for on the way home.

Just posted another book sold on Amazon. I bought some free range eggs from the post office shop £0.85 for 6 large eggs. A good price & they are from a local farm so that feels good as well. Needed to buy milk & bicarb but that's it for today.

I didn't get any baking done over the weekend so I need to do some cakes & biscuits. My bicycle is being delivered this afternoon.

Off to do some baking now & then general house work before I need to collect DS from pre school. At some point I need to fit some studying in (Open University) I love being a housewife/stay at home Yes, more money would be really helpful but thankfully we can just about afford for me to stay at home.

annie123

Mooloo wrote: »

However a lot of them are curtain fabrics. So thats out!!! I am not reduced to going around in frocks from the curtains store yet! (OK, maybe next year!!!????:eek::D)

I made myself 2 dresses out of curtain fabric,
1 was a full length, close fitting evening dress made out of a black crushed velvet curtain found in a charity shop with very badly torn edges and very dusty, cost £2 and came out of a wash looking like new and looked great on me, even if I do say so myself:D...hubby looked horrified when I told where it was from and made me promise not to tell anyone else:rotfl:
and the other was when I was a teenager back in the 70's...anyone remember the teddyboy/punk thing around then? well punk wasn't glamorous enough for me so I was for a few months a teddy girl, and made myself a 1950's blue/white gingham dress from one of my mums original patterns using the old kitchen curtains she had replaced. She had them at the windows and infront of the cupboards instead of doors.
*starts eyeing up curtains around the home*

Kiwisaver_2

Aril wrote: »

After 3 years of procrastination and hiding offending papers I have finally made a start on sorting out the bag of bits of frugal scribblings I have made over the last 5 years. It's amazing what you rediscover and what you've forgotten when you look back through!
[/B]

I know what you mean! We've had a long wet weekend, so I've mostly stayed indoors the past few days and among some baking and cleaning, decided to refresh myself on some green living ideas. I have a fab book (Australian Readers Digest) 1001 Easy Ways to Earthwise Living, which I have re-read from cover to cover and made notes in my little book for: energy saving tips around the home, recycling, gardening, recipes for homemade cleaners etc. I feel it was not a wasted weekend and I now have a shopping list of cleaning ingredients I need to research and price up.

My January budget was $72.03 favourable, despite best efforts to spend all of the grocery budget and stock up on a few bits in advance for February. Some of the 'saving' is not real as it relates to Electricity, which will catch up with my budget during the winter months. The biggest saving however has been on my 'personal' spends - the just 'stuff' type spends, clothes or bits and bobs around the house, lunches etc. We had just one takeaway as a treat on Friday night. So I hope I can keep this up for a good while longer. I still managed to buy three books in the month and come in under budget:T

Congrats to Hardup Hester & Fishcakeon your good news, must be a relief for all concerned.

Keep up the good work!!

xnatalie81x

FRUGAL FEBRUARY!!!!!

Monday is my busy day. Shower at work for free. Kids to childminder so less electric and gas

WEEKLY FOCUS: Electricity usage.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - ANALYSE USAGE
Thursday - REDUCE USAGE BY CERTAIN AMOUNT
Friday - REDUCE USAGE FURTHER
Saturday and Sunday - REDUCE USAGE FURTHER

Last week's focus was lunches for us all and has got me into a fantastic habit of cheap lunches. Just that one week of focusing has made a massive difference! Hoping habits learnt this week will become 'normal' and reduce our electricity usage overall.

Having a weekly focus is really helpful in keeping to my frugal aims. I may choose to extend the electricity week for 2 weeks............ depending on outcome.

Have printed ebook from freehomeschooling website on teeth (what they are, how they work, why we lose them etc) for eldest son who wants to know why his teeth are falling out. Will sit with him at some point and go through it. This is the website if anyone is interested http://www.homeschoolfreebieoftheday.com/ - they email you on Sunday with all the freebies for the week and you just go on when there is something of interest to you and your kiddies. It is Amercian but still pretty fab for FREE

lyndasharp

Re: oven and banana bread...

Have you also checked that you are using the oven and not the grill setting? :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Guess what I did at the weekend. The banana and ginger bread was a little black on top, and we had to grill the bottom as well to cook that bit, but it is edible....

poorbutrich

catznine wrote: »

Almost forgot to post!

Januarys budget was £350 and Januarys spend was £304.86 :j so £45.14 left!


So a few unforeseen expenses but I am so glad I'm keeping a record of where the money is going now! I also now realise the need to be looking ahead. We have 2 more birthdays in February, luckily I have the presents in the gift box so just need to make a couple of cards.

Aril - I would love it if you could put up a list of fruit and veg in season!:T

Well done for coming in under budget!!

For finding out which fruit and veg are in season, try http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk/ they even send emails if you sign up saying "Eat parsnips" "eat carrots" - never says "eat chocolate" unfortunately!!:rotfl:

This is such a great thread, but it moves so fast that I haven't had time to keep up recently! I have just taken some time to work out what I spent in January and it is HUGE. Over budget and far too embarrassing to post. It is a great lesson in unexpected spends though - there are also some, and by definition, they are unexpected! There were things on my list like funeral flowers, a parking ticket (don't get me started on this - I am appealing it and then some!), screenwash, lots more diesel than I had realised, stamps, sellotape, charity donations and four Big Issues!

So very embarrassed, but have learned a lesson and will ensure that February will be better!

You guys are such an inspiration, many thanks for having me here :A

jtb2412

Afternoon everyone

Recovering here at the moment after our competition win meal out last night. Details on my blog but Oh My ! What gorgeous food ! How the other half live indeed ! :eek:

Having a nice relaxing day here. I want to get stuck in now that I'm off work (cleaning/sorting etc) but I'm going to just 'potter' today and maybe write a list of all the things I want to do over the next few weeks.

I'm also expecting a phonecall at some point today ...... my mum is having her hip replacement operation this afternoon. She's only 56 but has really bad arthiritis in her hip joint so they've decided to operate. She's really worried it won't work and she'll have been through the mill for nothing .

Going to pop down town for some fresh air later, it might take my mind off things. Dad has my mobile so he'll ring that if he can't get hold of me here at home.

Great news for everyone who's managed to stay in budget for January. If you didn't then don't beat yourself up, you've probably spent less than you usually would and this challenge does take a bit of practice (I should know ! )

TTFN Xx

candygirl

Am quite proud of myself, have just remembered that Nectar points can be used in Argos, so I will be able to get £12.50 off a £14.99 dog bed, and still keep my sofa in on piece:j:jGet tons of nectar points from EDF with my gas n leccy:D:D
Right just off to play centre wiv all the kids:eek::eek:

patentgirl

Afternoon everyone
Candygirl Thanks for reminder about nectar points in Argos always forget that!
jtb2412 meal sounded fab well done on winning such a treat
Mooloo can you post piccie of the bandana style bibs when you have made them sounds interesting, that is one of my favourite sayings " I may be a granny but dont want to look like one yet"

Well at end of first month I have come in on target spent:

Food inc toiletries/cat food £200
(this was lower than normal after stocked cupboards over xmas)
Direct Debits inc Mort, gas elec,ins, phone £457.19
Credit card £100 (always clear this each month mainly petrol)
DD17 driving lessons £150 (forgot to budget this but as less food, no council tax or water rates to pay this month evened itself out)

Total £1007.19 out of £1000 budget so overall quite pleased will be able to make up the £7 next month.

Thankyou everyone for making me stick to my budget first time i have really wrote everything down and kept in budget.