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

pagangirl

Hi all

Not a very frugally day here - I requested repair to double glazed window in living room with Housing Association May 09 ! Man came to measure up about 10 days ago. Got call yesterday to say getting done today. " men arrive, removed old double glazed window, then find new one is wrong size - one side too long, t'other is too short. I now have a boarded up hole in the wall with the wind blowing through at the sides. :mad::mad::mad: Man said we will get a new one made asap, could be back tomorrow or thursday :eek: Have put tacks across top, strung a bath sheet over the board, and pillows up at the side to try & keep draught out - worst of all - the radiator is under the window, so all heat is goin straight out

To top that, a wire came out of the back of the phone, so can't hear if anyone rings - wire has snapped so can't replace, which means a new house phone.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh !!!!

Apart from all this, a NSD, and have sausage casserole in oven for dinner - mix was BB July 09, tin mushrooms BB June 09 but fine.

Have found in storecupboard some BB but OOD chinese stir fry sauces but liquid ones, not dry mix. Does anyone know if they are still ok to be used, or should I just chuck ??? Any help (n hugs) appreciated !!! Not a good day.

Hope evryone else has had a better one !

FrankieM

pagangirlMy DH decided to put in french doors and then thought he got the measurements wrong. Left me with a gaping hole in the back of my house covered with blue builders plastic while he went off to work for the week! Why don't you turn that radiator off? Then the heat won't get wasted.
In regards to the sauces, I'd give them a try before throwing them out. HTH

pagangirl

FrankieM wrote: »

pagangirlMy DH decided to put in french doors and then thought he got the measurements wrong. Left me with a gaping hole in the back of my house covered with blue builders plastic while he went off to work for the week! Why don't you turn that radiator off? Then the heat won't get wasted.
In regards to the sauces, I'd give them a try before throwing them out. HTH

Turn the radiator off :eek: - it's flippin freezin here , rain, high wind - errrm - no ! (Got no other heat source)

How on earth did you manage for a week - guess I'm just used to C/H although not on high, just 15-18' keeps me happy (have got layers on first)

mama67

jtb2412 wrote: »

Thanks for all the well wishes re: mum. She's fine and I've just spoken to her (bit groggy and sounded drunk lol). In a bit of pain but to be expected. Surgeon said it all went well and they plan to get her up out of bed tomorrow ! :eek:

She's had it done with BUPA (via NHS, apparently they 'sub-contract' to cut waiting lists). She's got a nice room on her own so should get a good night's sleep.

Weigh in went well tonight, I stayed the same which was a blinkin miracle ! I need to get to goal fairly quickly as it's costing me money having a weekly weigh-in. But I do need that otherwise I won't do it .

SFT that's fantastic about the mortgage ! You've done so well considering you had all the problems with the roof :T. Amazing !

CW that's a lovely pressie ! Have told mine I'd just like brekkie in bed, a nice walk on the downs (weather permitting) and a nice dinner cooked and maybe a foot massage (not so likely lol :rotfl:). Not that my feet are manky though ! :eek: My kids just have a thing about touching other people's feet .

Happymrsh you got some great bargains there :T

Right I'm off to read my new cookbook (I bought it tonight at my WW meeting, not a very frugal buy but a 'tool' to help me along the way). I shall recoup somewhere along the line in the very near future, I promise

Told mine that as a combined birthday/mothers day pressie as only 2 weeks apart I would like to be taken out for Sunday Dinner. They all agreed so thats good.

knithappens

Mooloo wrote: »

Been turned down for the community care grant, so caring for my granddaughter to stop them putting her into foster care, is not care in the community? No its becuase I am on the wrong type of ESA, apparantly if I was on Income Based I would be, but as I am on Contribution based, I am not. so it boils down to the fact that I had worked all my life and so I an not entitled to. But if I had been sitting on the benefit trail all my life I would be!!!! I am hopping mad.
so I have got to get the budget back on track as I have been turned down for all the funding in every direction at the moment.!

On the plus side a no spend day today, and my Mum has given me a few quid to go towards the next lot of logs that I urgently need.

i cant remember the exact names for it, but i was watching a programme on this a little while back that if you take in a relatives child you have to take care of to make sure you are a a certain status (and this is what i forget the name) or you get nothing, if you get this status then you get the foster carers grant etc.

rictus123

Hey does anyone know what van is the lowest insurance group out of them all? Seat inca 1.9 is £700 a year...

sophiesmum_2

Have found in storecupboard some BB but OOD chinese stir fry sauces but liquid ones, not dry mix. Does anyone know if they are still ok to be used, or should I just chuck ??? Any help (n hugs) appreciated !!! Not a good day.

Pagangirl - These should be fine, I have just made OH tikka masala with OOD sauces bought from AF 12 months ago and he said it was delish.I would use them if it was me.

ceridwen

hermum wrote: »

Hi, I see that most people have added tv licence to their expenditure. As I assume everyone has internet, check out this link from tv licensing
http://www.tv-l.co.uk/faqs/FAQ103/
I've always had a license but probably only watched a couple of hours a week, I'm now watching through the computer & after they're shown "live" so around £145 pa saved.

Well - at a guess - i figured I watch about 1-2 tv programmes a month even if I have a t.v. here - which made tv viewing pretty expensive in my book.

Hence - I gave up buying a tv licence a while ago and chucked out the t.v.

I still only watch that 1-2 tv programmes a month on average - but now its on line after they've been sent out in the first place. Although - I have to admit there is a certain incentive not to have a t.v. when the last t.v.-centred conversation I was involved in was one where 3 out of the 4 us had got rid of it (not for financial reasons basically...) and my parents home is the only house I can think of where I can recall there being a t.v. and where it is placed. I couldnt even tell you if anyone else I know has a t.v. in the first place - because if they do - then its hidden away.

mama67

Nyk/SM just thought I'd say that those salt croutons we bought from AF I saw today in Mr S at 40p/bag.

meg72

Mooloo wrote: »

Been turned down for the community care grant, so caring for my granddaughter to stop them putting her into foster care, is not care in the community? No its becuase I am on the wrong type of ESA, apparantly if I was on Income Based I would be, but as I am on Contribution based, I am not. so it boils down to the fact that I had worked all my life and so I an not entitled to. But if I had been sitting on the benefit trail all my life I would be!!!! I am hopping mad.
so I have got to get the budget back on track as I have been turned down for all the funding in every direction at the moment.!

On the plus side a no spend day today, and my Mum has given me a few quid to go towards the next lot of logs that I urgently need.

No of course, looking after your own Grandchildi is not care in the community,
why would it be. but if you stop ranting and start looking there is help you can get. Although personally I have looked after two grandchildren for the past six years and not thought this should be a community obligation and Yes also worked all my life. I consider my self lucky, one to have been in good health to have worked and two to have been blessed with the Grandchildren to be looked after.