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

ChinaTea

More snow here yesterday and a hard frost overnight so really icy roads. Listened to the farming weather forecast for the week and forecasts heavy snow from Tues on and daytime temps at or below freezing all week with a easterly wind on the coast. So will go out tomorrow to make sure I have enough catfood so I don't have to venture out in the snow, I have enough food for just me for the next few weeks so not a problem there.

Was given a brand new pair of flanalette sheets and pillowcases this morning by a neighbour. Was aiming to replace a couple of mine that are 15+ yrs old so a saving there.

Thanks to whoever suggested using a childs paddling to grow veg in (sorry can't remember now). I have my DGS one from last year in the shed. It's was of those big ones with rigid sides that took all day to fill so will get him a smaller inflatable one if we get any decent waether this year. With it having rigid sides the cats won't damage it if they decide to scratch at it. As soon as the snow's gone will get DS to dig it out ( and fill it with compost).



Can't believe how fast this thread has moved in the last couple of days.

Paulgonnabedebtfree

skint_chick wrote: »

Today is understairs cupboard clearout day - I took some before pictures





as you can see it's a disorganised mess and the thing I need is always at the bottom - so I spent £68 of last year's budget on Broder shelving from Ikea and clear plastic tubs to store all our diy and car cleaning supplies. I've just painted the entire cupboard with leftover spare room paint (bought 3 years ago) and am trying to convince DH to sell his golf clubs, bag and trolley - as he's been maybe twice in the 3 years I've known him. He also has so much sports equipment for sports he doesn't get time to do anymore so maybe this can get freecycled.

I made an inventory of everything we have diy wise as we had a lot of stuff that was useless/empty packaging/duplicates with tiny bits left at the bottom - so I won't be going to the diy store for something we already have:o. I bought so much from the diy store when I moved in that I have everything I need already to finish this year's planned home improvements except for floor sanding and varnishing and paint for my bedroom. I also need to pay someone a small section at the front of the house and weatherseal it, and get 2 upstairs radiators replaced in the spare room and study so I've budgeted £550 for this. It's amazing how in the middle of rising unemployment I'm struggling to find someone reliable to turn up when they say they will to quote for the work:mad:. At this rate the first person that turns up is getting the job!

Mystery shopping company rang to offer me 4 Post Office jobs, 2 Spars and a couple of mobile phone stores. So this will give me enough stamps for the year free and £10 worth of groceries - usually soft drinks for DH plus I'll have earned extra money for debt repayment:D

Oh the shame of it. It looks just like my hall way. It is getting better gradually. There's still some stuff lying around from my garage clearout (gave it back to save a tenner a week) plus some of my work tools had to come inside to stop them freezing up overnight in the van. So I've got a hallway with jack, wheelbrace, a couple of hosereels, window cleaning poles, containers of oil and antifreeze etc. What a mess LOL. Only temporary though.

Paulgonnabedebtfree

So much for my third NSD in a row. Got a short notice invite to a friend's place for evening meal. I'm elected to take the dessert round. So down to Asda for a cake. Also, earlier on my razor broke and could no longer grip the blade so needed to replace that too. At least the blood has now stopped flowing from my upper lip. I also decided to get some loo rolls as I've had kitchen roll in the loo the past couple of days LOL. So a little bit of unplanned spending today. I know I'm always skint but I'm not going to use recycled newspapers for loo roll nor do I intend to grow a beard.

Debs08

cw18 So sorry to hear about your dog, this can be such a hard time I hope tomorrow will not be to sad/awful

Paul Thanks again for your help, after your last message I have had to adjust my mental image of you - didn't have much to base the mental image on before so now you are a bleeding hairy chap with pudding

How do you skim read these messages without missing anything and how to you all get so much done and keep up with this thread and others by the sounds of it

Getting under pressure

mooomin

I have ventured out to the local shopping centre :eek: and only spent money on groceries. Most of them were on my list too

I didn't manage to get any salt (I didn't really think about the fact that it's been icy, meaning there was none in the shop!) but got everything I need for lunches this week and to make soup this evening. I'm making potato and leek soup, the stock of which is made with a Lump Of Lamb which is bubbling away at the moment The lamb will do dinner tonight, possibly sandwiches tomorrow (Depends how much Mr F eats) and the soup will do lunches for both of us all week, hurrah!

Total spend for the trip was £10.88 :j This was...

2 big things of milk @ 75p (Arla milk, 2L)
Reduced bread
Onions
Bag of peppers (£1)
Beef stock cubes
Leeks
8 free range eggs
Mouthwash
Ham
Carrots

I have jiggled the budget so I can utilise The Spreadsheet more effectively. Instead of £170 per month for groceries all-in, I'm going to do £150 for this and £20 for toiletries/cleaning stuff. This should let me see how much I'm spending each month.

jtb2412

CW sorry to hear about doggie, thinking of you xxxxx

2 pork joints are out of the oven and I managed to get chocolate cakes and cherry and almond cakes cooked at the same time - I had some glace cherries and almonds left over from xmas cake so I'm pleased i've been able to put them to good use.

DH has batch cooked his rice for his lunches for the next week - we're trying to save on gas, can you tell?

Have managed to declutter a bit more today, a bag of old decorations has gone to the tip and currently decluttering a nice bottle of white .

The allotment was fine and garlic/onions look ok too. Some of our gooseberry bushes (only very small, new bushes planted in Nov) have snapped, probably the local wildlife, so I'm hoping they'll be ok . Strawbs looked ok and I was totally shocked to see 2 new stems of rhubarb appearing :eek:. Not sure what's going on there .

Right dinner is calling for attention, going to make a clootie on Tuesday (I'm day off so can keep an eye on it ), really looking forward to that.

Getting nervous about tomorrow and handing in my notice - I might be chicken and hand it in just before I go home .

TTFN xx

Paulgonnabedebtfree

Debs08 wrote: »

cw18 So sorry to hear about your dog, this can be such a hard time I hope tomorrow will not be to sad/awful

Paul Thanks again for your help, after your last message I have had to adjust my mental image of you - didn't have much to base the mental image on before so now you are a bleeding hairy chap with pudding

How do you skim read these messages without missing anything and how to you all get so much done and keep up with this thread and others by the sounds of it

Getting under pressure

Quite simply, part of my frugality has involved organising other areas of my life as well as the finances. Stuff like getting a freezer from freecycle, cooking large quantities of veg in a large saucepan and separating into freezable, microwavable, portion sized containers. Being more efficient with record keeping for my small business (I have made another reply to your PM BTW).
I wouldn't say I don't miss anything on here. I'm sure I miss plenty. I often see stuff I could reply to but I need to do other things with the time. It's not a problem. If something is important enough it will come around again or I will seek it out and find it.
LOL re bleeding hairy.
Funnily enough, my hair is closer to Jean Luc Picard than Russell Brand.

gilligansyle

Afternoon all,

Have been trying to work out how to put budget into spreadsheet, currently use a little book. Reason is that I have a 'sort of' fixed income of £100 per week, which I use for gas, leccie, petrol and food etc. Other essentials are covered by mortgage PPI and such like.
DS works and pays 'keep' he also pays for sky sports and his own mobile bill.
Budgeting is purely about what I eat and the basics as I don't think if fair to include DS money as he could leave at any time, and he pays extra so I can get him stuff that he likes and I wouldn't normally buy...pizza etc. So far have had a few NSD's but had to go out today to Mr T as DS is working tonight and needed drinks. Managed to get away with spending £14, but that included his drinks, so really only spent £7.60 and that included staples such as tinned toms, tinned sweetcorn, kidney beans and baked beans.
There is enough chilli/curry/bolognaise in the freezer for about 12 meals. Also remnants of turkey, ham and beef, plenty of stock, and 32 slices of various bread.

I live in a small terraced house and didn't grow much last year for various reasons, but this year will definitely do salad veg, peas, carrots, sweetcorn, and if I can find a deep enough pot, potatoes.
I've also got enough toiletries to last 6 months.

candygirl

(((HUGGLES))) to you and the poor doglet CW18.I know how hard it is when they get to this stage:(:(

savingfortravel

grannynise wrote: »

YES! Unless you aren't actually in work at the moment? Sorry, I know I shouldn't shout, but as a headteacher I feel so strongly that everyone who works in a school should have the protection of a union (not pushing you to belong to the NUT but to any union that you feel will support you if needed)

I've been involved in several situations where people have needed this support and it has been invaluable in all cases.

Sorry - it sounds all pushy and dictatorial but I mean well!

I agree..unless you are teaching at an Independent school. Then inquire what other organisations your school may belong to that will give you the same level of support.

sft