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

lynzpower

That would be me! It's my masterplan. I have another thread running on MSE for it. Savings were put on hold back in June 2008 to pay for DD's engagement part, then move house, then save for DD's wedding, which was in September 2009. 2010 sees me back on the savings bandwagon.

Would love love love to be able to do this. I have been secretly looking on rightmove for houses we can buy for cash. When OH is permanent at work, he can transfer nationwide, so theres no reason we cant move anywhere.

Best of luck for your savings in 2010!

top_drawer_2

hi everyone!

I'm no managing to keep up with the thread although I do skim read everything .... thankfully it seems to have slowed somewhat recently!

Tonight I tried to sort out my cash book into categories of what I have spent ... I have found it really difficult to define things and to remember to only count everything once.... I feel so throughly frustrated now :(

I was also looking for patterns in my spending i.e where am I spending too much but even that was difficult .... I get the feeling that I have forgotten to include some things too but I can't place them.

Yesterday was a HUGE spend day but it was all planned (Kind of) - I got the guinea's veg and some brambly apples as I way over estimated the amount of crumble and I still have loads left (will is still be ok? I made it on Sunday, its been covered etc since).

I bought a lap tray for myself and another as a little gift for my sis - its proving very useful for my laptop:j and making it much more comfortable, plus its not as hot.

I bought the most gorgeous bath towel ever £12 from BHS, I am planning to buy one a fortnight as this is only the third one I own lol:rotfl::rotfl:

I also stocked up in Lu$h, fresh pharmacy and moisturiser and am I wondering whether making my own will be any cheaper and worthwhile overall .... £19.89 spent

I treated myself to a sports bag as I have had one of the free bags the local market gives out for the past few months. I do feel a bit daft with it as its got a pic of the ladies on the veg stall on it.... mind you my other one has the blokes off the book stall :eek::eek:

I also bought the most gorgeous set of drawers off the outside market which I was "just walking through", I was planning on buying a set of the plastic drawers soon to store my sewing and stationary stuff in around my desk but this will do the job much better and I can restore them too. I will post a pic of it tommorrow when I have got round to taking one - all ideas are welcome on the design front lol. It was £10 and I also bought a HUGE wooden bread bin for £2 - I am so chuffed with these purchases as I really wanted a bread bin ages ago as I kept finding my HM bread went off so fast - I asked on freeagle but no response

I also bought half the matierals for making a underskirt for my nearly made skirt - should be finished this week:T:T

Today I spent £5.52 in Morrisons on (more) veg for the guineas, more white vinager and some Nanna's - I got a big bunch as I sooooooo enjoyed that banana cake I made on Sunday so there maybe another one soon:T

Wow sorry for the long post

TD

aeb_2

Good evening, I've enjoyed reading all the different topics tonight. I condenced everything into one freezer today and switched one off to defrost. Found a bacon joint at the bottom so I shall pressure cook that tomorrow for a couple of hot meals then ham meals for the rest of the week - in pasta, rissoto, soup, etc.

My son brought home an old Ar*os cataloge to 'cut and stick', the new one must be out. I don't think he has twigged yet that the real purpose of it is to buy things, to him it's just a giant 'cut and stick' book!:)

I've been trying to prioritise work that needs doing on the house. I decided not to do anything until Easter but the babies will be on the move soon enough so I'm seriously thinking of putting everything on hold till Easter 2011 and just live with it. Trouble is we will need more space, I can't really go on living in the kitchen and two bedrooms even though it's very economical as the woodburner heats those rooms and cooks most meals in return for a few mostly free logs.

I was offered two pigs! Would have jumped at that when we first moved in but not the right time just now:rotfl:

grandma247

2 litres is 3.51 pints so not quite four pints.

topdrawer you can freeze crumble mix as it is. I freeze it in bags, I just guess at how much will cover one crumble and bag it. It does not freeze very hard so it can be sprinkled over the top of the fruit and put in the oven when you are ready.

aeb could you just do one more room? It might give you a bit of breathing space and you would not have to use it all the time. Depends how much work is needed I suppose, I'm just thinking out loud.

Have been reading but not much else. I have a horrible cold/virus thing so bad headaches with sinus pain and not much energy.
Even with this I had to defrost my inside freezer because it was defrosting itself. I left it too long before doing it. I managed to save almost all of it though and had to empty and tidy outside freezer to fit everything in so did an inventory while I was putting it all back. We have enough to last this month without touching any of the other foods I have so I am going to use it all up and hope to put the money aside for something I really want.
Got to get to bed. Goodnight all.

aeb_2

grandma247 wrote: »

aeb could you just do one more room? It might give you a bit of breathing space and you would not have to use it all the time. Depends how much work is needed I suppose, I'm just thinking out loud.

Sorry to hear you have a cold. I have been trying to work it out. The easiest room to do eg just emulsion, cheap carpet - job done is furthest from the kitchen and not sunny and faces the front hedge. The sunny room opening into the garden and right next to the kitchen is the one I want to do but needs much work - new French windows, chimney lined and/or new radiator and wiring for lights. The previous owner used it as a hobby room and it has a huge fluorescent light so it looks like a shop! I am going to look into buying one window v saving to buy several and getting a discount. I think if I go to a local [STRIKE]man[/STRIKE]person (sorry) I can get them one at a time.

A tidy freezer is a good feeling:j

Paulgonnabedebtfree

I stumbled across one hell of a deal in Asda about an hour ago. Reading glasses (+3) for £1.93. They look flimsy but as long as I keep them indoors they aren't likely to get damaged. I'm wearing them right now at the PC. Even if they have a shorter life than usual I reckon I'll get my moneys worth from them. Also, as I use a Nectar card, I got an offer by email for a cheaper than free eye test at D & A (if before 15/2). It's cheaper than free because they give 500 points (£2.50 in goods at Sainsburys I think).

crystals2632

hi
can I join the thread please I am a new member.
I have been reading the posts and they are great
have saved 850 this year by cutting back on all sorts
my phone bill
lecy, gas
splurged this week though so i am a bit gutted, went to
bygone times in lancashire, for a lovely day out which cost 5.00
+ 2.50 12 month membership to get in. 3.50 on a cup of tea and
biccy (should have made my own thou).
looked at setting up a stall which on the leaflet said would
cost 18 quid per week but the place looked empty, little chance of
return let alone a profit. Me thinks Ill ask on the up yer income thread.
bought a book 8.00 while there which I did not really need.
never mind will start again tomorrow.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

welcome, crystals2632

well if you've been good for a while, you deserve a wee treat, did you enjoy your day out, and the blether?

crystals2632

ee It were great and I agree totally. except tomorrow im going around the second hand shops. every one has one weakness when it comes to spending, when I had a look around mine is books. not much profit in them tho at the moment.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

I like a plunder in the charity shops, you can find some good bargains.