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

gilligansyle

Morning all

yesterday was so nice that I spent it getting washing dried on the line, and trying to sort the yard out. Its only tiny so need to be careful and leave enough space to actually sit in it occasionally. Someone was talking about old tyres - because of space I use lots of hanging stuff and have had these for over 20 years, somethimes I put flowers in them, but usually cherry tomatoes or strawberries and they seem fine. Mine are lined with cheap blue builders tarp!

Have still got my old laminate worktops because I couldn't get them to the tip and then because they had been outside, the recycling people wouldn't take them. Could I get these cut up to make raised beds do you think? Or would they fall apart?

fishcake random - I loved that Kirsty programme, but there was no way some of that home made stuff was a bargain. Some of the beads she bought were £25 :eek:
The idea of home made stuff though was good, I did her chutney and it was ACE!

Did grocery shop yesterday and managed to only spend £17, and some of that was on stuff for DS that he pays me back for, so doing really well at the moment.

JayJay14

gilligansyle - re the worktops, yes they would probably fall appart more quickly than going out and buying seasoned wood, but then again they would probably last you a few years and being frugal is using what you have before going out and buying new.

rictus123

grandma247 wrote: »

rictus well done with the cc. Getting your payrise would be the ideal time to save in earnest for your vehical. You could put the extra straight into another account by standing order before you see it so you don't miss it.

Thanks, i was thinking about doing something like that! My aim is to be ending the month having spent £500 or less(doesnt include debt repayments as id be counting some stuff twice - ie put road tax on cc and have just cleared it) on everything so thats £560 left at least...after summer that will be £860 + left a month which i think is really good. Plus considering iv got £700 in a savings bond that isnt open until the end of November, thats xmas paid for and the whole month of December so il manage to save my holiday pay(2 weeks+2 weeks holiday pay)which with payrise works out at just under £1500 :T

Dont know how soon il actually get the bmw, maybe wait until next June - 2 years no claims and right before summer(dont know if it would be good in the snow) And after next summer get another payrise :T

Things are on the up :j:beer::j

aeb_2

gilligansyle wrote: »

Morning all

Have still got my old laminate worktops because I couldn't get them to the tip and then because they had been outside, the recycling people wouldn't take them. Could I get these cut up to make raised beds do you think? Or would they fall apart?

My three eldest have gone to Sunday School with a friend - I normally take them as it means I meet some lovely people from the village - my weekly outing! But today I was just too tired so I'm having an hour of me/baby time

We used laminate worktops for edging at the old house - it did swell but it must have been in place for 8 years or so. Place it with the laminate facing the bed as you don't want the chemicals in the mdf soaking into the vegetable soil.

PS - good uck with cutting it:mad: very hard!

I'm off to make good use of my hour:)

Kiwisaver_2

I have had a mixed weekend, it started very badly when I noticed the wet carpet outside the airing cupboard door first thing yesterday and discovered the hot water tank had sprung a leak. What a mess!! There is a tiny hole in the pipe by the outlet valve and hot water had been spraying out for who knows how long. The carpet and everything on the floor and bottom shelf were all sodden wet, sleeping bags, suitcase all damp and stinky. Plumbers bill $258.50 (100 quid) for weekend callout and still no further forward, no hot water all weekend as typically the plumber couldn't get the part until Monday, so a waste of time and money all round. Had the dehumidifier running for past 36 hours and no signs of it drying out any time soon.

Still, these things are sent to try us and I've spent the remainder of the weekend trying to recover the situation and re-coup some costs.

• Cashed in $40 of credit card rewards for supermarket vouchers
• Sorted out college books and bags; chucked a carrier bag full of notes and found 19 books I can sell
• Spent all afternoon doing photos and listing said books *yawn*
• Made bread and pizzas
• Made an Apricot Clafoutis
• Roasted remaining apricots and froze them
• Saved on electicity not having any hot water

All the books I listed will potentially raise $251.00, less the $22.00 I spent on courier bags. I have a heap more books I can list if I can muster the will to do all the photos and listings. Since I have to stay home for Mr Plumber tomorrow, maybe I can put my time to some good use.

gilligansyle

JayJay14 wrote: »

gilligansyle - re the worktops, yes they would probably fall appart more quickly than going out and buying seasoned wood, but then again they would probably last you a few years and being frugal is using what you have before going out and buying new.

aeb wrote: »

We used laminate worktops for edging at the old house - it did swell but it must have been in place for 8 years or so. Place it with the laminate facing the bed as you don't want the chemicals in the mdf soaking into the vegetable soil.

PS - good uck with cutting it:mad: very hard!

A couple of years will be enough for me. My plan is to be out of this house by then. If I can get the next few years veg out of it that would be good.
Fortunately DS has friends with the necessary tools!
Once the debts are paid off, at the end of this year (!) will start to overpay a bit on the mortgage, and will either look at a smaller house with a small garden, or really downsize to a flat, save money and go abroad when I'm 60. Friends who work in Spain, but live in, bought a finca so they had something of their own. No mains gas, normal for Spain, no mains water and limited mains electric, but it keeps them fed all year round. That is my ultimate goal.

chika

hermum wrote: »

Hi, where was the one that you stayed in? Several years ago I stayed in one in London & it was dire, so haven't tried it again.

Hi it was the one in Castleton in the High Peak, Derbyshire.

Frugaldom

gilligansyle wrote: »

...No mains gas, normal for Spain, no mains water and limited mains electric, but it keeps them fed all year round. That is my ultimate goal.

:rotfl:Just add on intermittent TV & mobile phone signals and it sounds like here once the garden gets going properly! Of course our electricity is only limited by how much is in the meter and assuming there are no power cuts. :rotfl:

We have white out with freezing fog at the moment, so not a lot of garden work going on today - more rug making, bread baking and paper shredding, I think, and then we'll see what the afternoon brings. It was lovely out first thing this morning before the fog rolled over the hill.

Hoping to curb my spending after this month. The start of the year always seems to be expensive, what with replenishing winter supplies of coal, logs and bird feeding, so I must try harder with home making whatever I can, as the savings pot is growing so slowly that it's painful to watch. I need a nice windfall from somewhere.

poorbutrich

lynzpower wrote: »

4) think about booking car for Glastonbury as so far in advance it should be cheaper.
5) make another HM B&B pud with the fruit loaf gone wrong and the

Lynzpower! Great to see you on this thread - you are one of my MSE heroines!

I'm glad I'm not the only person on the frugal living challenge going to Glasto! Although on reflection, what could be more frugal than living in a tent in a field in Somerset!

I came home last night after a shift at my second job to find a massive patch of the garden dug up ready for the potatoes to be planted next month - very, very proud of OH for sorting this and looking forward to being Tom and Barbara Good once again :rotfl:

Very excited also by NYK's rag rug. PLease post some pictures when it's finished!

Thriftkitten

Hi,
I have decided to have a bash at the slow cooker again today as I got some whoopsie brisket from Mr T's can anyone give me some ideas on a recipe and any tips so that it dosent come out like a donkeys butt, thanks