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

slowlyfading

I've only gone and got the job! :j :j :j

Kittikins

Yay, congratulations SF What a turn up for you, hope you can celebrate in frugal style tonight

danielley

slowlyfading wrote: »

I've only gone and got the job! :j :j :j

Congratulations!!!!!

x

homegrown_life

Well Done SF!!!!

[Deleted User]

Has anyone else had specific 'Aha' moments whilst on this frugal living journey? I was very happy to be cutting our grocery budget last month, but when I was writing this week's shopping list, I crossed out three items that I realised I didn't need to buy ever again!

1. Kitchen roll - gradually I've been changing to using old, clean tea-towels for those jobs. I even line my fridge vegetable trays with folded tea-towel. It soaks up the moisture and keeps everything fresher for longer.

2. Cake-tin liners. I wash and use the greaseproof paper inserts from the top of margarine tubs to line my large cake-tin. Small cake tins get well-greased and used without paper cases. I'm just careful not to scratch the tins when I remove the cakes

3 Instant cocoa drinks. Either I can make my own with a teaspoonful each of cocoa powder ( I use organic), demerara sugar, and dried, skimmed milk powder. Mix in the hot water and stir vigorously.

I have a feeling that I will get many more 'Aha' moments as I go on my frugal journey. I would love to hear if any other peeps have begun to strike items off their shopping list for good, after signing up for this challenge

Optimisticpair

candygirl wrote: »

Morning everyone:j:j
Watched the first half of dream farm last night, but switched over to corry for 2nd half.How did she go on in the end?I loved those alpacas:D:D

Monty eventually sussed she wasn't really into getting stuck in to farming. He suggested she got a farm manager in and just do the alpaca and wool products marketing herself.

I'm glad he isn't advising me. He had her spend 2k she didn't apparently have on 14 ewes and progeny before he discovered she wasn't passionate about grassland management, blackberry jam making and shearing.

She was determined to stay on so good on her. But IMHO she will have to learn to love her new lifestyle and tap the potential and see her 14 acres as more than paddocks if she wants to succeed.

It reminded me to value my knowing what to do with land and livestock. It sent it home to me that you can have a dream of the country life but feel at sixes and sevens from the culture shock and suffer a big dent in confidence from that if you didn't grow up with that background. I hope she succeeds.

[Deleted User]

slowlyfading wrote: »

I've only gone and got the job! :j :j :j

Well done:beer:

Brighton_belle

slowlyfading wrote: »

I've only gone and got the job! :j :j :j

How FANTASTIC!!! What a boost for the rest if the time on the course. Well done and I am sure much deserved:T:T:T.

Not been posting peeps but still read avidly. I guess I am just bumbling away at the same level as last year so nothing significant to report. I am focussing much more of simplifying our life/clutter/stuff than additional frugalising methods and on starting my own little creative business.

I've made over £80 on eb^y so far this week (stuff decluttered)and am putting that towards a professional de-clutterer to sort my attic: I don't have kids,holidays,drink, or pets, lol, but do struggle with arthritis and it makes me very tired too, so have decided this is worth the investment, especially if I can make it cash neutral thru eb^y sales.

She comes next week and am so excited. Found her via a site recommended by mama1967, I think, 2 weeks ago, so many thanks. This is going to increase the quality of our life is one vast swoop I think.

XSpender

Phew finally caught up with the thread. I didn't want to skim read because I pick up so many tips from you all like you can use nectar points in Arg0s:T I have £10 on my card and our contribution to the nursery furniture and cot mattress (Mum is paying for the majority of it) is £135 so will use my points to bring the total down:T I have a voucher for a further £10 off but it expires next week and we can't afford it until pay day on the 27th:(. Will have to see if I can get one from somewhere with a longer date.

Spoke to my Mum earlier who said she had seen an original Paddington Bear for £50 in 0xfam:eek: I have one in the loft with the matching Aunt Lucy and am now seriously think about selling them but NOT on ebay, not sure where though. Any suggestions? I also have an original ET doll so it may be worth speaking to a specialist dealer.

£50 of CDs and DVDs to go to Music Magp1e tomorrow. Thats £80 I have made there this month as well as clearing 2 boxes out of what will be the baby's room.

It's a good job I get a maternity exemption for prescriptions as I have now been put on iron tablets! I have been looking for good veggie sources on the tinternet as I hate taking any kind of pills but bambalino comes first at the moment so needs must.

:TCongratulations on the job SF:T

Right best go empty the dishwasher!

XS x

FrankieM

Congratulations sf

Thanks frugaldom for the chicken info. If holidays are a no-go, then perhaps now isn't the right time for me to get any.

I was in Wickes today and they doing 5 lots of 75L bags of compost for £12, which works out at approx 65p for 20L, so cheaper than Aldi. Does compost last or does it go funny in those plastic bags. DH reminded me about our home made compost but I'm not sure how mulched it will be or how much I made need for my seeds.