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

cw18

((hugs)) Erme.... sounds like you've had a pretty rough time Guess the main thing is that you're now seeing it all for what it is and trying to help yourself (as well as, by the sounds of things, getting outside help with it). Best of luck at getting everything sorted, but remember it's better to take baby-steps and succeed than giant leaps and fail

danielley

I have a bread making question….

I need to take a fresh loaf to the hairdressers on Saturday morning, but I won’t have time to make the dough on Friday night or Sat before I go.

The only time I have to make the dough is tonight….

I have heard people mention freezing or putting dough in fridge etc, so would it be possible for me to make the dough tonight, keep it in the fridge until Sat morning (so approx 18hrs) and then pop it in the oven on Sat morning to bake ….

FYI (I don’t have a breadmaker, just use loaf tins)

The reason I have to take a loaf to the hairdresser is because the last time I was in (beginning of Jan) I was telling her all about my plans for 2010 and how Frugal Living was going to become a focus, budgeting, baking from scratch, crafts, no unnecessary spends. She basically laughed in my face, as she has known me a few years and I have been quite material in my past. Anyway, as I challenge I said ‘I will bring you a fresh baked loaf next time I'm in’ and she said ‘yeah right!’ SO I HAVE TO DO IT (she is a lovely lady really, it's just banter…):rotfl:

PS - I appreciate that a hairdresser appointment is a luxury and not very frugal, but it is budgeted and if you saw my hair (very thick, very frizzy) even the most frugal of you would have some sympathy

grandma247

danielley you can make the dough with cold water and put it in the fridge. It takes around 12 hours to rise in the fridge. you need to work out when you want to bake it as you will need to allow it to reach room temperature. just punch it down when you get it out and shape it or put it in a tin and leave it in a warm room to rise again. If you don't have time to do it the you can just punch it down and put it back in the fridge, just remember to cover it with cling film or a large plastic bag to stop it drying out.

I don,t think any of us would say you should not go to the hairdressers. All of us have things we can not do without.

Frugaldom

Been otherwise engaged this morning, as I'm on chickwatch! :j One of the eggs in the incubator has started to hatch, so I keep getting distracted and watching it, like it's about to pop out a chick any minute! I know it won't, as it's not due to hatch until tomorrow, but I still have to look every time I hear chickie go chirpy, chirpy, cheep, cheep. :rotfl:

Erme, thanks for the run down on your situation, I think it's fantastic how well you're doing with the challenge. The smoking will come under control gradually. I cut down gradually, knowing I was going to stop. I just kept moving back the time of the first cig and avoided phoning anyone, as the phone was what triggered the lighting up habit, like some sort of conditioned response. :rotfl:Just keep pushing the time back further and further before you light up and you'll soon be down to half, then quarter, then £10 a week into the bank for every week you do without, that was my method and I had no withdrawal symptoms at all.

I did manage to bake a couple of batches of oaty crumbly biscuits this morning but I think my incentive was more to have something for eating whilst drinking coffee and staring at a pipped egg as it chirps at me. :rotfl:Naturally, frugalcam is at the ready and there will be photos of the baby if it manages to hatch out tomorrow.

I also managed to get another DVD set listed on eB!d and will take a few photos this afternoon and continue with my slow progress. I have no enthusiasm for this listing carry on, so I'm setting myself a realistic goal of just 3 items per day. SURELY even I can manage that!

EEK fund increased by £10 today, courtesy of free scratchcards.

rictus123

Hey everyone hows it going? Not stopped snowing all day, turned to sleet now. Feet were soaking at work Anyway payday a week tomorrow Monday is more than a 6th of the way through the year already! Mind you its maybe a good thing as im getting closer to my payrise! Really think i deserve it but mind you il be saying that when it comes upto my big one next year

pagangirl

Thanks for the heads up on Bury market Chika & grandma 247

rictus123 - just seen the photo :eek: Stay safe n warm !

Fishcake - glad move went ok, and both you & baby doing fine.

Today turned into a spend day - went to Mr A superstore with friend, 40 min walk each way, but nice day so no probs. Loads of offers 4 items for £3.00. On Health/Beauty bought womens "things", originally priced £1.78 box. Reduced to £1.00 box, further reduced to 4 for £3. Got 16 boxes. Total spend £21.32. Savings of £20.95. Now have enough for 6 months. Wasn't in this week's budget, but stockpiling is good.

Spend included lunch out, nice pork chop reduced to 55p, also free mag & 3 X strong plastic carriers given out unasked for, as I always take own bags. Can re-use these at home. Glad I went.

Just seen leaflet from Mr T - if anyone likes 'seriously strong mature cheddar' by McClelland bogof £3.68 - works out to £1.84 for 400g - hope they got some left tomorrow coz it's mmmmmmm ! (need to see how many I can get in freezer first - not much space).

Have a great evening all - think it's My Dream Farm night.

cw18

Have a huuuuge dilema

Been debating having my hair coloured, but it's going to put one heck of a dint in my 'other' budget :eek: So I'd just about talked myself out of it.

But I've just had my payslip for the last 4 weeks, and I've got one heck of a lot extra - 96 contracted hours has become 140.75hrs, including 17.5 at 1.5x (Sunday rate - for two Sundays which isn't a normal day for me - and for going over 39 hours in a week) - so I can afford it, even if it ends up being the one item that pushes me over budget at year end........

Last had it done back in Sep/Oct 2008 (from my last full pay cheque from my last job), when I had two coppery/bronze colours put in as mixed streaks - but it wasn't toooooo expensive as I only had the top layer of hair done, and had it done as a 'model' for a trainee. But I can't get the cheap rate just now, and need it doing right through (if poss) due to having to pull my hair up completely for work (otherwise it'll look odd).

However, I do know it gave my confidence a boost last time - and I have my date-that's-not-a-date coming up at incredible speed which I'm very nervous about (even though we get on incredibly well by email, phone and text) !!!!

For what I want I may have already left it too late to get an appt anyway - but I'm off work all of next week (so not tied to evenings/weekends like most workers are) which just may give me a small chance of getting an appt if I contact them tomorrow.




Guess I need to decide one way or another by 9am tomorrow whether to splurge or not

SuzyWuzy_2

Hi all,

Cheryl - Go for it, it'll give you a boost for the date (thats not a date) ((that I can't wait for)). You've worked hard and got the money for doing so.

Erme - Thanks for sharing your story with us - you are doing fantasically well and you should be proud of your achievment.


Been to Mr A for the cod fillets offer there (from the grabbits board) 4 bags for £3 , normally 2.78 each, reduced to £2 then 4 bags for £3, not many in a bag and they are pretty small but not a bad offer. I think I'm going to breadcrumb them.

Also went to Mr L's for the fruit trees today and I'm glad I got them from Mr A last week as they were like sticks. No one was buying them at all. poor quality.

ok enough from me for now

Suzanne
x

cha97michelle

Cheryl - i would say go for it too. You sound like you really want to and can afford it. I'm sure your 'date' wouldn't care either way but if it is helpful to make you feel better/more confident then it is worth it IMO.

DH's payday. The CC bill is about half of what it normally is at this stage of the year, and over £100 on there is from having to buy my DS2 a new cot mattress as his had gone mouldy. We've waited a good while to replace it and the new one is helping him sleep all night rather than come and get in with us so worth every penny for the extra sleep.

I've also had a little ebay splurge (less than £10) as i have really got into the knitting so i needed a tapestry needle, some wool and some circular needles for sock knitting. Money i needn't have spent but it keeps me very occupied so worth it i think. I have knitted every day for a few hours for the past 3 weeks, and i am also seeing it as good to learn a new skill. (Helpful if it can also lead to kids clothes and small gifts too. )

I've just got some pork out the freezer for the next couple of days meals, and have quite a lot in still so i am hoping to get to next week before needing to spend anymore now.

I want to take the kids to the library tomorrow for the rhyme time group and to get some books out, but then i guess it will be more time spent doing jobs at home. DH has managed to score some free tickets to a kids show with TV characters on Sunday. My sisters are each taking one child and it cost them £60 for the 4 tickets. I would not have paid that but i will certainly take them for free. :T:D

Although the weather is still pretty cold here, the lettuces and chives planted the other day have germinated, and my bean sprouts are doing very well. Hopefully we will have something edible in the next few weeks and my bills will go down a bit.

liloandstitch

Well, all is going well here, and I am seeing the fruits of keeping budgets under control - with having spare money! I am really pleased with the results this month. I have found that being disciplined and not spending what I dont have to be really helping.

And, I have today made Laundry gloop! I am really impressed that rather than spend out when it ran out, I paid 13p for 3 bars of value soap and 94p for 1000g soda crystals. I have used it, and everything seemed really clean and was really soft. The only slight problem was I put it in a five litre mineral water bottle and, you guessed it, cant get it out:rotfl: I thought it would still be pourable, oops. I can reach into it with a spoon at the mo, but will have to cut its head off at some point! Still we live and learn on this journey!

Glad everyone is doing well, lovely to hear of so many doing really well and saving money and reducing debts. Its great being in control!

Lilo