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

rictus123

Hey everyone, finally got some overtime in. It was unplanned and only half an hour but small steps, itl mean alot in the final years budget Payday Friday thank god. Hopefully work all day this Saturday aswel, need the money. Mot on van is up in 3 weeks and im buying a replacement. Should i include this in my budget? I dont think so as its a big one off. I dont count loan repayments or that but note in down in my spending diary.

So hoping to have at least 2k in the bank by the 5th of April...which is a payday so should manage. Just hope my insurance doesnt go up as a result of changing over vehicles. Should get £50 tax rebate and £100 or so for scrapping the van.

Soon after that itl be time for 3 weeks holiday and then payrise when i go back

cw18

annie123 wrote: »

I'm sure its the thought of entering every item on to the CW18 spreadsheet that keeps the number of items low in my shopping basket:D

:rotfl:

Suppose I should be honoured to be given credit for some of the drop in your spends, but I'm sure it's only a small part of it

slowlyfading

evening everyone.

sorry I'm being so rubbish at updating. Most days I have nothing to say!

Had a really rubbish day at school today so am feeling a bit down this evening. Had my year 9 group for the first time this afternoon and they were a nightmare. Made me question why I've chosen to do this teaching lark to be honest oh well.

Had my first NSD of March, so off to a good start. I need to rein my spending in further this month if possible, as I need to save as much as I can for the summer months when I won't be earning anything.

Hope everyone is okay this evening.

sf x

stilernin

annie123 wrote: »

Evening frugal ones :wave:


On a positive note I made a homemade heated propagator that works:j
Never needed one but thought I'd try one this year but not paying £10 for one if I can make one for nothing

Get cereal box , cut off one of the big sides so you are left with a tray, line with tin foil, and then bubble wrap. I then heated homemade wheat bags in microwave and placed inside with seeds in marg tubs on top. Used more bubble wrap as a lid.
I only did this at night. 1 week later I have lots of little pepper seedlings, ...

x

Just brilliant!! A great idea for all of us who no longer have an airing cupboard. I'm going to give this a go.

On the subject of using less washing up liquid. For years now, I have reused handwash pumps. I still buy Fairy liquid, but dilute it with water. When filling the washing up bowl I put 'one pump' into the water and then only pump a pea size blob onto a sponge when needed. I have saved a fortune this way.

NualaBuala

Lily_The_Legend wrote: »

Sorry for butting in, but think I've heard about this before. You keep the lid on the washing up liquid bottle closed and put a nail in it, then take it out, so there is a very small hole in it. Then less comes out when you pour it in to your sink. I think so anyway!

Thanks Lily, I'd never heard of that trick, very clever!

Annie, I love your heated propogator idea - ingenious!

What a clever lot you are!

SF, glad to hear from you - was wondering if you were ok. Sounds like a tough placement. Fingers crossed it gets a bit easier. (((((hugs)))))

candygirl

SF don't beat yourself up hun, year 9s are the worst year to teach imo:eek::eek:It's cos the boys are often just coming into puberty apparently:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Oh the joys;)
Have been parcelling up my ebay stuff today, have sold 13 items so am well chuffed and have made quite a little profit:j:j
Am getting Mums freezer tomoz so can fianlly do more batch cooking, and buying of freezer bargs!yipeeeee

Savvy_sewing

There is so much going on in my life that I have lost track of the spending etc.
However as I only have my ESA to survive on, I am sure that I am still within budget at the moment, as there is still money in the bank. But Once the family problems that have side tracked me, I will gather all my bits of paper, and my bankstatements and get back on track!.
So sorry no figures for me as yet.

On the plus side, I had a no spend day, and a whole 72p back from quidco, and £5 refund from another company who let me down with a delivery!

top_drawer_2

hi everyone,

I'm down in the dumps again ;( I sold all of TWO items on ebay, some curtains I bought in a charity shop and intended to use as door curtains but changed my mind, sold for what I bought them for + p and p and some earrings for 1.50 plus p and p. For all the hassle of packing them up and going to the post office etc it really isnt worth it....

I have kind of managed NSD too but I had to hand my cheque as had my first pilates class - really enjoyed it, it went very fast tho.

I also managed to save by taking last nights leftover pasta (I used a can of salmon I have had forever with pasta and some garlic squirty sauce + oragano - definitely one of the best meals Ive had for awhile).

Jen

rictus123

Just found out im going to be an uncle

candygirl

rictus123 wrote: »

Just found out im going to be an uncle

Yay congrats:j:j:j:j