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

Frugaldom

lemontart wrote: »

don't forget to boil up any chicken or meat bones for broth or a special treat for the dogs

Perhaps you only skim read, but I already stated that I get 3 litres of stock (soup stock) from a chicken. This usually pads out to about 3.5L by the time the veg & rice are added.

crystals2632

Thanks so much top-drawer, e-mailed sis with info she may have used one at uni, seems like a really essential bit of kit to have. cant believe I have never seen or used one of these even at my sisters college. just shows what level of teaching we got.

SuzyWuzy_2

Hi all,

Well I've been anti-social for the most part of this challange so far,and now that the thread has slow down a little I'm getting withdrawal symptoms and refreshing that button far too often waiting for someone to post! Go on..make my day

I enjoy reading tips, peoples journeys and inspiration for ideas that I can use in my own life.

The real change for me in all this has been .....ME! I can't believe how much I have changed since the end of December when I first signed up to this. I'm constantly weighing things up in my mind and asking / myself..

Do I/we need it ?
Ok If I need it.. can I get it cheaper/ make it myself?
How can I use these peppers I've got left over?

The way I cook has changed dramatically. We eat the best we have ever eaten and I've even now reduced the shopping further this month as I know I can easily make my personal target. How cocky am I?! I don't throw any food away. Everything gets used.

I want to thank everyone for all ideas , suggestions and the encouragement you give to us all. Keep it coming

Frugs to all!

Suzanne

LilacPixie

I am struggling somewhat. Things going on outwith this challenge that are making life a bit more difficult. We hope to market this place for sale in March/April so I am busy busy and finding I am opting for take-aways rather than cooking. Still in budget but I feel that it is only my tight budgetting in January that has kept us there. So annoyed because we should be further ahead than we actually are. :insert sarcastic smily here:

I also have had a bombshell dropped on me by OH which is he has 6k of debt i knew nothing about. 2k overdraft, 3k storecard and 1k credit card all because of what I can only describe as a shopping addiction. It has transpired that he has 20+ pairs of jeans ranging from next to versace. over 30 Tshirt mostly firetrap or diesel and I don't know if I should hit him, cut up his plastic or just cry.

ETA - positiv point. Electric bill for last 60 days arrived. I am happy with my frugalness.

Seriously why am I cutting budgets down to what I perceive to be the bone ( alot meatier than some) doing without myself to free up money to pay down debts I knew about only for this!

mooomin

Morning Frunchkins!

I have had what feels like a very long weekend with the Family Fresian visiting. My dad decorated my spare room while my mother did her bit for propping up the local economy by shopping for most of the weekend and dragging me around with her. She feels like it's a personal insult if I don't allow her to buy anything for me, but I really need very little at the moment, so I'm the proud recipient of two new paperbacks and a weeks shopping This means that half way through the month I have only spent £50ish of a monthly budget of £150 for food, and they brought me loads of lamb for the freezer so there will be some good eating in Fresian Towers this month and hopefully some money saved! Anything left at the end of the month will go towards a Costco trip I think.

I spent a lot of money this weekend on things for the spare room decorating, but this is already covered outwith the Frugal Challenge thanks to some Ebaying last month. Any excess will be covered by our new lodgers first month's rent.

I spent £40 yesterday on Papa Fresian's Christmas present - a bird nester which has a camera in it so he can watch the nesting birds on his telly! He loves watching birds in the garden and I know he will love this. I had seen that it was on offer in Ald! but thought that I missed the deal so when I saw it yesterday I had to snap it up. I'm now over budget on presents and Entertainment this month but should bring it back in due to my small Grocery spending.

Happy Mondays to all!

cw18

((hugs)) LilacPixie

Look on the bright side though - he's confessed to them now, rather than running them up to twice the amount first..... and at least he won't need any new jeans or T-shirts for the next 'few' years It could have all been spent on expensive (and unused) gadgets.

I'd definitely encourage him to cut up the storecard and credit card though - I wouldn't have thought you'd have (m)any objections to that as it sounds to me as if it's been weighing on his mind, otherwise why would he have admitted to it now?

Erme

Frugaldom wrote: »

CW, if we didn't work from home, I'd do without the TV, Internet and telephones, travel to town less often and save a fortune on electricity. If I was truly skint, I'd cancel my life assurance, saving another £15 per month, and that would bring my cost of running this household down to less than £5000 per year INCLUDING rent & council tax. Sadly, such socially interactive frugal challenges aren't available online because they dictate that we NEED telephone/Internet access.

Been trying to keep up with Weezl's thread - most interesting but, again, something that's impossible to reach those in most need if they can't afford Internet access and have no interest in setting foot inside a library. I'm convinced it's all down to education - people need to be in a frame of mind that they WANT to learn about this stuff but even if they NEED to deal with debts, there will always be those who prefer alternative methods to solving their own problems, even if it's the ill-fated 'head in the sand' method. I guess that's why the lottery is such a success, giving hope to all who can't see that the amount they spend each year could pay for something more than just hope.

Interesting point. I don't have tv. But have net (that I got reduced from 22 a mth to 9.99 cos I threatened to leave them) and like yeah, I want to quit/sig reduce the cigs and certain things like mobile I need cos I find otherwise phoning my pals mobile no's costs loads and with being a singleton I find I do need my phone right now. Though if I was more well and got a f/t job I'd try and reduce my phone package etc. In the mean time I plan on going with TT for landline and broadband when I'm up with this contract (sadly not till Jan next year *sob*)...

E

Frugaldom

SuzyWuzy wrote: »

Hi all...
The real change for me in all this has been .....ME! I can't believe how much I have changed since the end of December when I first signed up to this. I'm constantly weighing things up in my mind and asking / myself...

:j:T:beer: FANTASTIC NEWS! WELL DONE - we've scooped another frugalite!

LilacPixie wrote: »

I am struggling somewhat... I also have had a bombshell dropped on me by OH which is he has 6k of debt i knew nothing about.

But like CW says, you have done exceptionally well so far and made the situation possible for your OH to find the confidence to tell you about the debt. It's the first step in the right direction towards his accepting responsibility and doing something about the debt. He might just have had his lightbilb moment - good luck, we're all here for you.

flying_fresian wrote: »

Morning Frunchkins! ... She feels like it's a personal insult if I don't allow her to buy anything for me, but I really need very little at the moment...

I know this one, I have similar problem and my lot are due a visit in the next few weeks. I've decided that we just won't go near town and if mum brings anything with her, I shall graciously accept and return the favour when I next go there - it's usually homemade jam, jelly, lemon curd, cake or pate, though. :rotfl:

Back again - still on the quest of the really rubber chicken and will continue with the 'Nile' mince experiments whenever I can, but here's where I'm at with the chicken:

2.3kg fresh chicken produces 1kg cooked meat, 3 litres stock, 400g aspic and 100ml fat.

Erme

I'm stressed. I have a homeless chap staying with me and so far it's been ok but like now my minister is warning me against having him stay. He's been cleaning and is a frugalite

Alas my budget went bottoms up on Friday when my mobile died and I forked out £35 for a new mobile. Pray it lasts a while. I thought I did so well not getting my all singing all dancing mobile this year with the x hundred £ contract (instead getting one with 17 mths cashback ) but anyhow. Gd news though - that's paid for off ebay. (I made a few quid on ebay the other day )...

So now I'm stressed out about the views of others when I know myself everything is ok - argh why do they matter so much??? and thinking - hmmm how can I save? Baring in mind there's another mouth to feed etc. And I need to EAT & not starve!!!

Anyhow tis all my news. Any christians on here (not nosing just is relevant) can you pray that F my HP finds somewhere new to live soon and another job....

Ta

E

Frugaldom

Erme, you are doing really well, please don't panic or stress about how to manage. Food is pretty cheap nowadays and if the homeless person is staying with you, doesn't that make them temporarily not homeless, thanks to you? I'm sure they'll can find £10 each week to help cover their food bill if they are frugal. A large chicken costs less than £5, bag of rice, bag of potatoes, some veggies and that should last a week. Have just posted the figures for the chicken to show that it's enough for a dozen meals plus soup for the week. Hope this helps and I hope everything goes well for your homeless friend, too.