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

chika

Kiwisaver - I wouldn't take a gift to the baby shower baby stuff is expensive and imo (tight) it's too much to spend on someone you don't know. If you feel really bad about going empty handed take some cake to be consumed at the party.

I've not been about over the last week. We were on half term and driving back from Leeds to Sheffield on the M1 when we saw a sign for London. My best mate is as spontaeneous as I am so of course we just carried on. We stayed in a hotel in Watford to save on costs but being a bit last minute isn't cheap and I've spent a fair whack. Although I had an amazing time doing touristy things in London with my best mate. I was in H4rrods foodhall and actually almost fainted at the prices. I had to bite my tongue when a lady next to me bought salmon en croute - I was going to tell her how easy it was to make ... I did buy a rather nice chocolate fudge cake for £5.95 though. Sounds expensive but the one I make costs at least £10 in ingredients so I was pleased with that and the friends I bought it for were chuffed that I had bought them "posh" cake. All in all it was a good week and a welcome break from uni. Now I need to claw back the money I spent... Wish me luck.

This week I need to figure out how to make laundry gloop I love Aerial but its expensive and the gloop has had nothing but rave reviews. Now here is a question - do you think it would affect the gloop if I used a more expensive scented soap? I have been given some nice smelling ones for christmas etc that I will never use. I'll this be ok? I thought I could even use fairy soap as I love the fresh smell. Does anyone use different scents?

Oooh one more piece of news - I have two degus! I adopted them yesterday they are very sweet one with quite distinctive personalities. I'm not a rodent person so I'm suprised at how much I like them. I didn't pay for them so I spent the savings on some toys and a nice little wooden hut and a big bag of their special hypoallergenic bedding. One of them has asthma (or similar degu disease) so they need special stuff so he doesn't get too wheezy.

Hope everyone is having a great frugal week.

rictus123

Evening everyone! Too cold to build today! Minus 8 when i got to work and was still minus 7 2 hours later at half 9! Doubt itl be so cold tonight. Not too impressed with myself at my budget going so high but i suppose valentines day+new work boots means its worth it if i still managed to come in under £500 All spending done so nothing more to worry about. Got about £900 odd more im able to put in ISA before April - even though nothing in there so might fill it end of March if i can. Even if i have to borrow £100 or so intrest free from gf and pay her back in the new tax year As i know il manage £3,600 from this April to next. Budgetings going great!

pagangirl

Hi all - hope you had a good weekend, most of snow gone from here today - nearly went to Chinese New Year Celebrations in Liverpool yesterday, but not in that ! Big flakes still coming down round 10am. Turned out to be another NSD, as I blitzed the bedroom, storeroom (boiler cupboard), walk in hall cupboard - 2 bags of stuff and small coffee table for charity shop., stuffed toy lion and 2 handbags to neighbour. Re-arranged a lot of stuff, so can find things better - was shattered last night but needed doing for a long time. Have got cross stitch out to finish project not completed...........erm too many years ago

No clothes/toiletries bought here this year - small spends today, only groceries - total spent £5.91/total saved £3.40 - getting the hang of it now - thanks folks - never realised I could live on so little! Will update sig at month end.

Home Brrrgains have onion/shallot sets, plus aparagus/potato - all @ 99p - hope this helps someone.

If we had a prolonged power cut here (we had minor one friday am) - that would be me finished as need elecy to switch on CH, and oven is also elec. Neighbour has gas, she said I could go over to her place if CH didn't get fixed last Sat. (which was nice). Have wind up torch/radio/candles etc. Still need to find wind up mobile charger tho.

Gilligansyle - you anywhere near me - wondered, as you mentioned fridays power cut, and Hilbre Island ? (I'm south Liverpool).

Chika - off to investigate degus - no idea what they are, but hope you have fun with them !

Hugs to all who need 'em, especially poorly 'ick people. Hope you feel better soon.

sophiesmum_2

Frugaldom is SM ok? have not "seen" her on here for a bit. If you speak to her can you tell her that we tried some "canned" potatoes I did in the summer last night and we were very impressed. They were a nicer texture and taste than the commercial tinned ones.[/QUOTE]

Hi Grandma
I'm fine and still lurking occasionally:)
Thanks for the poato info, I haven't tried spuds yet,planning to can lots of produce this year if the garden does well.
Have you done soaked/cooked pulses yet? I want to do a load of chick peas,pinto beans etc ready for adding to stews and stuff. How much headspace would you leave,and would just water be okay, any ideas?
On canning2 I can never open the recipes etc although I get the emails daily okay

Anything else you have tried which has worked well?
I'm still learning with this

grandma247

SM Yes dried peas and beans are brilliant! I put a scant half jar of soaked beans and top with hot water to 1 inch under the rim. No salt etc. It has made cooking soo much quicker with those already cooked and because of that I am using a lot more of them even when I am short on time.
I think yahoo has been playing up bigtime as a lot of the groups I am on have had trouble with files lately. They keep saying they are fixing it, but not very fast. If there are some files you want let me know I have a lot of them on my ext.hd.

zarazara

:)I'm reading this thread with great interest, its a good one.

sophiesmum_2

grandma247 wrote: »

SM Yes dried peas and beans are brilliant! I put a scant half jar of soaked beans and top with hot water to 1 inch under the rim. No salt etc. It has made cooking soo much quicker with those already cooked and because of that I am using a lot more of them even when I am short on time.
I think yahoo has been playing up bigtime as a lot of the groups I am on have had trouble with files lately. They keep saying they are fixing it, but not very fast. If there are some files you want let me know I have a lot of them on my ext.hd.

Thanks for that I've got loads of pulses to do and didn't want to end up taking loads of freezer space up with them.
Also I am right in thinking that the curry sauce/pasta sauce type recycled jars will be okay in the canner - seem to remember you mentioning them, and I want some smaller portion sizes so I canmix and match pulses in recipes

Pippilongstocking

Waves to SM - still reading but not posting here - Mid way through trying to sign up a new house with field etc - and steadings I may need chicken advice soon!

Hope you're all good!!

I'm needing to work even tighter into my budget as I may have two properties crossign over (argh!!)

Will read and catch up properly soon.......:) Hugs and waves everyone!

grandma247

SM thats all I use apart from wired jars for pickles and jams. I could not afford to get the proper jars last year. I have even use very small jars such as those for mint sauce etc. I put small chunks of ham in those for dh's sandwiches in case we have none in the freezer. I have only had one breakage to date and that was last weekend when I did some coleslaw in a bwb. I think there must have been a scratch or something as it was a clean break.
I am hoping to buy some 2 pint bottling jars this year for potatoes as we need 2-3 smaller jars for us in a meal.
EDIT for those that don,t know sm,shaz and I all have american pressure canners. You can only do the food we are talking about here with one of those for safety reasons.

sophiesmum_2

fayjmck wrote: »

Waves to SM - still reading but not posting here - Mid way through trying to sign up a new house with field etc - and steadings I may need chicken advice soon!

Hope you're all good!!

I'm needing to work even tighter into my budget as I may have two properties crossign over (argh!!)

Will read and catch up properly soon.......:) Hugs and waves everyone!

Hi stripey:D
Good luck with new rental shame to leave the lovely garden and greenhouse etc of your current place.Hope your 3 chooks like the move,when you are ready Nyk is the chicken expert for bigger flocks:)