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

danielley

Just posted similar to this on the Digital TV thread, but just got 20% off my Sky subs for 3 months, just for asking if they had any deals on.

Saving £10 a month. Should really be putting it to the base package, but I am holding off until I absolutely have to:o

ChinaTea

Originally Posted by grandma247

I made some easy socks last night and I am so glad I did. My toes are toasty warm. They are easy for anyone with even the most basic knowledge of knitting. I cast on 40 stitches and did knit2 purl2 rib on size 5 needles for 16 inches. The length can be adjusted, just remember that when they are stretched over the leg the length will shrink a bit. When finished cut the thread leaving a long piece for threading through the stitches and sewing the seam. I did both socks at once using seperate balls of double knit wool. It is what I call nobrainer knitting because I can do that and read my emails etc. or watch tv while doing it. I don't need to look at my knitting much as I can tell by feel if its wrong.

I’ve been knitting socks this week but these sound brilliant. I’ve only got size 3 feet so shouldn’t take too long at all, one question though do you use DK? I’m guessing that with size 5 needles it’s not sock wool. I could use up all my odd balls with this, I used to knit socks using all the oddments with various colourful combinations when my son was small he’s 35 now but have only been able to find patterns using sock wool recently.

rachelet

ChinaTea wrote: »

Originally Posted by grandma247

I made some easy socks last night and I am so glad I did. My toes are toasty warm. They are easy for anyone with even the most basic knowledge of knitting. I cast on 40 stitches and did knit2 purl2 rib on size 5 needles for 16 inches. The length can be adjusted, just remember that when they are stretched over the leg the length will shrink a bit. When finished cut the thread leaving a long piece for threading through the stitches and sewing the seam. I did both socks at once using seperate balls of double knit wool. It is what I call nobrainer knitting because I can do that and read my emails etc. or watch tv while doing it. I don't need to look at my knitting much as I can tell by feel if its wrong.

I’ve been knitting socks this week but these sound brilliant. I’ve only got size 3 feet so shouldn’t take too long at all, one question though do you use DK? I’m guessing that with size 5 needles it’s not sock wool. I could use up all my odd balls with this, I used to knit socks using all the oddments with various colourful combinations when my son was small he’s 35 now but have only been able to find patterns using sock wool recently.

I think I might have a go at these as well. I presume you just knit straight until they are long enough? I too have loads of odd bits of wool to use up and might knit some for all the family (DH, DD1, DD2, DS and baby due May 2010).

Could also be done for presents for next Christmas for the family!

thriftylass

Just applied to get one of these for free (found it via the T3sc0 greener living site). It's a shower water saving thingy but doesn't work with electric showers (which we have, thought get one anyway for the future )

Pippilongstocking

Thinking about this challenge - my sort of budget is:

Oil - 1200
Elec - 1020
Coal - 360
Groceries -1200 (this includes toiltetries, cleaning stuff, dog/chickens food etc)
Travel (ferries) - 600
Petrol - 600
phone & BB - 600 (no choice of provider here so BT package)
Misc + pressies, clothes etc etc - 420

Should come to about 6k

I am not including things I can't change - tv licence, road tax, car repairs etc nor my rent (£7800)!!! and will be moving house in 2010 so some things might change - although I have included oil and elec.

OK so what have I forgotten? Any help much appreciated

Nessa56

fayjmck wrote: »

Thinking about this challenge - my sort of budget is:

Oil - 1200
Elec - 1020
Coal - 360
Groceries -1200 (this includes toiltetries, cleaning stuff, dog/chickens food etc)
Travel (ferries) - 600
Petrol - 600
phone & BB - 600 (no choice of provider here so BT package)
Misc + pressies, clothes etc etc - 420

Should come to about 6k

I am not including things I can't change - tv licence, road tax, car repairs etc nor my rent (£7800)!!! and will be moving house in 2010 so some things might change - although I have included oil and elec.

OK so what have I forgotten? Any help much appreciated

Hiya

the only ones I could think of was insurances of any kind? Holidays?

v
x

Pippilongstocking

Hiya nessa56 - happy new year

Holidays I guess is (sort of covered in ferry trips) but to be honest we don't normally do much holidaying (normally) unless its trips south to visit pals or with the camper. We are going abroad this year but OH is paying for this as its his present to himself for his 40th. I can't afford to do what he wants to do (go to Canada for 2 weeks) so he's paying for the holiday.

Insurance - yeah car stuff I've taken out as try and maximise that with quidco and the house insurance I cover with lodger money and quidco stuff so its pretty neutral - (i hope!)

Most of the fixed house costs I am just using in a seperate budget as its a big house and we currently have lodgers which help cover alot of the expenses (ie rent) but have included fuel bills as I really want to try and reduce these in the 8 months we have left in the house.

My kids have a monthly budget each (from thier child allowance) to cover all their expenses clothes, clubs, buses, cinema, school lunches etc - I am trying to teach them to budget now, rather than suffer in debt like I have done!). Funny how appealling a (free) packed lunch is from home when its your own money you're using for school lunches.

Fishcake_Random

Hey all,
OH struggled to his shop this morning but decided to give up after 10 minutes as he was the only thing open in his part of the town, so we've been snuggling on the sofa with the duvet. Its nice to have him home for an extra day but he's a bit bored and trying to eat everything in sight lol where as I'm trying to ration things to last the month.
He tried to get some milk on the way home but everywhere was sold out with no deliverys getting through so we will have to eek out the 2 pints we have left. At least its a no spend day today so all is good.
I've finally finished my socks and OH is happily wearing them in as I type and I am now making a tube cover with my odds and ends. I'm using a recycled pringles tub for my needles and it looks so out of place in my knitting basket lol.
Hope you all stay warm and safe in the snow, I'm off for a lurk.
x x x x x

taka

fayjmck wrote: »

Thinking about this challenge - my sort of budget is:

Oil - 1200
Elec - 1020
Coal - 360
Groceries -1200 (this includes toiltetries, cleaning stuff, dog/chickens food etc)
Travel (ferries) - 600
Petrol - 600
phone & BB - 600 (no choice of provider here so BT package)
Misc + pressies, clothes etc etc - 420

Should come to about 6k

I am not including things I can't change - tv licence, road tax, car repairs etc nor my rent (£7800)!!! and will be moving house in 2010 so some things might change - although I have included oil and elec.

OK so what have I forgotten? Any help much appreciated

Insurance?
Entertainment?

rachelet

Fishcake_Random wrote: »

I'm using a recycled pringles tub for my needles and it looks so out of place in my knitting basket lol.
x x x x x

Fishcake, that is a great idea. I have been thinking recently about what I can use to keep my knitting needles in and was going to ask for some kind of bag for my birthday, but I think I will recycle a pringles tube instead!! Thanks for that. Have saved DH some money there!