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

rozeepozee

Twinkles08 wrote: »

Rozeepozee,I have previously used a mixture of cardboard which I wrapped rd the buggy,bubblewrap and binbags as the outer layer.My buggy for baby arrived from ebay today and it was wrapped in old foam and bin bags.Not v eco friendly thou I'm afraid.
We're still plodding along nicely and at the mo and are still within budget.
I had some exciting news today.I've been cross stitching for about 8 yrs now and mainly stitch presents and cards for family and friends as I get to enjoy my hobby and knock up a cheap but personal gift for them.I stitched a dove wedding sampler for a v close friend who got married in August (I was bridesmaid n my dd was flowergirl)Anyway a magazine has approached me saying they'd love to do a feature in the mag about it.So thrilled 'cos I didn't submit my work they saw it and approached me!I didn't think my work was good enough but I set v high standards for myself.:p

Thanks for the ebay wrapping tips, guys (there was someone else who advised but I seemed to have lost their quote on the superquote function. Well done on your promo Twinkle - sounds very exciting!

Kiwisaver wrote: »

It took a while, but I assume the blanked out words were 'stealing' however this is not a banned word, so I am as stumped as you are. Whatever it is, must be really terrible, but I'll live with the *HEAVY SIGH* and feel no guilt whatsoever. :rotfl: Hardly the crime of the century, picking something up from the ground (worth about £1) that clearly had no identifiable owner. I would similarly have no qualms about picking up and pocketing a stray £1 coin and if that makes me out to be an awful person, then so be it.

I'm with you on this one Kiwi. While I take ceridwen's point of principal and might think differently for a high cost item, I'm sure in this case the buyer wouldn't have come back for the sake of such a cheap item and it would otherwise have ended up back on the supermarket shelves - why should they profit from it?

Frugaldom wrote: »

Quick update

The Ald! offer for fruit trees is back this coming Thursday, 18th Feb. Belated Valentine's gifts - plant a mini orchard? They seem to have quite a selection of garden-related items suitable for keen fruit & veg growers so I know where I'll be going this Thursday! I have space for 3 more trees in my garden after the recent reshuffle! I WILL have an orchard one day.

I picked up the fruit bushes 3 for £2.49 this week so thanks for the tip on the fruit trees. I'm putting it in my diary - last few fruit trees we have bought have been £20+ bought by my dear OH who has no idea about shopping around (he's never had to...). I think he's kinda getting to like the idea more and more though as he's just come in and suggested we think about buying rechargeable batteries (we get through quite a few mainly in LO's toys). Saddo that I am I'm getting very excited about the shiny new Aldi that's due to open this Spring near us - our current nearest is a few miles away.

top_drawer_2

crystals2632 wrote: »

whats a clapper? Im being really thick but honestly I've never heard of one. did dressmaking at school and sis did fashion design.

This is the wordy answer, this is a pic of one.

I have been reading but not posting this past couple of days - so tired at the moment ....

I'm resisting the temptation to spend my [EMAIL="V@lued"]V@lued[/EMAIL] op!nions points as I have been saving them towards buying grids from [EMAIL="Am@zon"]Am@zon[/EMAIL] to make a guinea pig cage as their current pen is getting smaller and smaller Last night I got as far as price conparing MP3 downloads between [EMAIL="pl@y"]pl@y[/EMAIL] and [EMAIL="am@zon"]am@zon[/EMAIL] - my MP3 player really needs updating but I can't justify the spend ;(( I've also started saving my spare change in a jar and labelled it Guinea cage just to remind me each time I think of dipping into it.

Today I spent the day paint stripping the drawer unit - what a palava!! I'm not sure how the shabby chic thing got so popular if thats whats involved EVERY time! It now looks very scruffy, my housemate says she prefers it though as it "rustic" Ive taken pics to show everyone at the end (if I reach it, hopefully it gets easier from now on).

Having been outside most of the afternoon means I realised just how cold it is, I won't be planting for outside for a bit!

Frankie M - my Mum used to keep chickens and they did seem to cost a small futune, they were regular layers though (I couldnt look at eggs for months after I left home as that seemed to be all there ever had been to eat ...) We had them on an allotment and we had to be so careful because of the foxes in the area. My Mum found other allotment holders were willing to help out with holidays and she did the same for them. The only serious problem we had was that someone threw 6 cockrels over into our bit and my Mum felt obliged to look after them (she thought they were a kind gift at first) eventually they had to be slaughtered as they were aggressive.

Well done SF on the job!!! :j:j I know how hard it is to get a decent 1st teaching job so give yourself a huge pat on the back.

Rozee - have you tried freecycle for used packaging? I wanted to give away loads awhile ago and I literally couldn't pay someone to take it off me. I know a few people who are avid internet buyers who would save packaging if they thought it would be reused ..... I definitely would.

Fishcake - I wish you the best of luck and really hope you get a new place ASAP, I know all about living alongside neighbours such as these - its really not fair.

TD

gilligansyle

Interesting thing life insurance, other than the one connected to my mortgage I cancelled mine when my son was 21. It's different if you have dependents, but I am single and he earns his own living. So long as I don't actually leave him with debts, the money is better off paying debts, and then going to savings.

I've planted some carrot seeds and they are really doing well, it says they can go straight outdoors but I think the weather's still a bit too changeable, but tend to go for the hit and miss type of gardening.

Nyk (frugaldom) - some people not only favour the 'head in sand' approach but are also convinced that what they are doing is saving money. The cleaner in the pub I work in, was proudly telling me how she had 'only spent £30 in Iceland' for her and 2 kids, and listed all the food she had bought. No eggs, fresh fruit or veg and everything processed, not even mince or chicken pieces. Oh, and it was too heavy to carry so she got a taxi home.
Personally I could do without TV programmes, but need it to watch DVD's. The internet is too useful a source of information and earning money to do without, home phone I could do without, as can talk on internet. Using the library round here to access the internet is a bit of a lottery, keyboards and/or mouse missing, service unreliable, too many useful sites blocked e.g. all banks, most shops.

looby-loo_2

gilligansyle wrote: »

I've planted some carrot seeds and they are really doing well, it says they can go straight outdoors but I think the weather's still a bit too changeable, but tend to go for the hit and miss type of gardening.
Have you started them indoors? Be very careful when you plant them into the garden that you don't disturb the root as you will end up with carrots that split and look like a octopus. Same with parsnips as I found out this year. It may be worth planting them and some new seed out in the garden as soo as possible.

Nyk (frugaldom) - some people not only favour the 'head in sand' approach but are also convinced that what they are doing is saving money. The cleaner in the pub I work in, was proudly telling me how she had 'only spent £30 in Iceland' for her and 2 kids, and listed all the food she had bought.
Someone I work with was saying how petrol costs are really affecting her and she was looking for something nearer. I wasn't sure whether to suggest she brought in a packed lunch which would save enough to cover perol and more. As I'm her line manager I didn't know how she would take it and as she lives alone perhaps eating a hot meal at lunch time saves cooking for one at home. Anyway, I did turn the conversation round and also mentioned about cooking double or treble and freezing it for a quick meal with a baked potato, etc. She saw me on Thursday last week and explained how she had saved loads by bringing lunch and how on Monday evening she had cooked 'a stew for 10' and frozen portions. I'm hoping this means she wont be leaving.

I agree it's a fine line between educating and offending.

Kerry_Woman

Not being alot recently. Just put on books to sell on Green Metropolis. Had put something to sell on Gumtree, still waiting for a buyer. Managed to get a free ticket for the Ideal Home Show through MSE. Will bring own lunch and flask of tea. Only have to pay for my travel. Managed to get a free personal alarm, will come in handy if and when needed. Trying to be strong and not buying anything that I do not need. Thinking twice before buying.

Hope everyone is keeping well.

mama67

Its a damp morning this morning so washing has been put onto the airer to dry.

I have already baked a loaf of bread and now have the meat and some onions roasting in the oven ready for later,(the onions are for using during the week so they don't have to be cooked first before adding into things and can be easily stored in a tub in the fridge) I have also cooked the sausages we have just eaten for breakfast in the oven whilst it was on.

On a Sunday we only have a late cooked breakfast then a roast dinner later as the boys are usually playing/refereeing football matches.

The boys are on halfterm hols this next week so that also means I am not working so I will have a baking day one day and get the freezer loaded up again, the goodies I made just before Christmas lasted until just into January so i have been baking items as and when the oven is on.

DH also has Mon & Tues off as hols so we may if the weather permits do a few outside jobs.

Blairweech

Helloooooo :j :beer: :money::T

How are we all??? I have about 40 pages to catch up, so could take me a while!!

Had an amazing time in Sri Lanka, everyone is so so friendly and the country is beautiful. Highlights were: meeting my sister-in-laws family - they are all delightful and wonderful people who were an absolute pleausre to spend 2 weeks with, my brothers wedding and the gorgeous beach reception, riding an elephant and swimming with turtles in the sea. I think that now the war is over it is going to become a top holiday resort in the next 5 years or so. Hopefully then the prices will come down and I can go back!

Anyway, back to frugality now - am back at work tomorrow But only two weeks left until I leave and move back with my parents. Plans today are to go to supermarket to get boxes for moving plus milk and fruit etc for lunch. Other than that I will be checking A LOT of emails.

Hope everyone is well and I have missed you all!!

Aril

Hello fellow frugallers:j
Sorry have been MIA recently although have popped in under lurker status so don't have too much to catch up with phew! Our internet has been very intermittent the last 2 weeks- we think it may be the router so have borrowed another one just to check. "Seems" to be working better so far but will set the small person on it this half term and we'll definitely know from his mutterings whether the service is better:D:D
Time away from the computer has seen further inroads made into other frugal projects. The decorating is now done and my dear daddy has chosen a chocolate cake with chocolate icing as his thank you pressie over a meal out:rotfl::rotfl:Shall be getting on with that this afternoon. Room looks much improved and am planning to hang mad patchwork curtains up this afternoon.
Had a fun frugal time yesterday afternoon making a hm valentine's card for OH. I had some thick mounting card left over from another project so used my heart shaped biscuit cutter as a template. Then cut out lots of little hearts from the paint swatches I had left over from when I was deciding the colour scheme for the decorating and stuck them on the front. Simples and free!! It's worked out so well that I've cut out a further 3 hearts and little hearts from the remaining swatches and am going to make a mobile from it to hang in my kitchen.
The small person is off hiking and camping :eek: this weekend with Scouts so OH and I are enjoyed a bit of rare couple time. We popped down to a seed swap yesterday set up by our local transition group- we exchanged some duplicate herb seeds we had with some strawberry seeds which are suitable for hanging baskets [already got the hanging basket from freecycle last summer] and some red brussel sprout seeds as OH wants to grow our own for Christmas. We also picked up some planter pots they were making from newspaper for seedlings that you plant straight out in the ground. We've now decided what we're growing so OH will get cracking shortly [the veg and the hm wine are his dept] OH bottled the blackberry wine yesterday and it's really lovely and we also checked the rowanberry wine which I think will be another good one once it's stopped fermenting.
I've been doing a bit of blog catching up today [not mine other people's!] and Mrs L on her unbought delicacies one has a post on how she made buttons from a mistletoe branch- she cut the branch into buttons shapes, drilled some holes and then finished them with beeswax polish. Such a simple idea but inspired- She plans to use them on a knitted garment. I've posted her idea here as she is very explicit that she is happy for any article to be used without her permission.
I've had my own mini version of freecycle going on this week- one of my current students has many of the same interests as me. She and I have exchanged jumpers that both of us like but neither of us wear anymore. Result 2 happy ladies with new to them garments, recycling box ticked and no indent on the finances. Woohoo!
Happy frugalling folks
Arilx

eco

For those of you planting carrot and parsnip seeds, I always plant them in toilet roll tubes, then when there a decent size plant them out in there tube, it helps to stop the octopus look. I do a bit of veg gardening so will try to remember some more tips that might help.
Been frugal today washed the car and floors with rain water, I have a spare kettle for boiling the water, I'm on a meter so I try not to waste water.

poorbutrich

Puddleglum wrote: »

The fellow Puddleglums are getting a bit fed up of me glazing over with a grin on my face when they mention Glastonbury.:D

I'm doing this too and it's driving my OH mad!

Who's up for a Glasto meet-up?