FRUGAL LIVING CHALLENGE 2010, part 2, April - June.

Fishcake_Random

Cha97michelle- another belated Happy Birthday from me and mine.

Today is a quiet one at home as we have a packed weekend coming up, FMIL has invited herself and OH's sisters round on Monday which is irratating as I wanted a quiet day with OH. Never mind.
Fishfinger has heat rash which is heartbreaking to see on her little face. Its calming down a bit though from this morning as shes just been in a vest all day. Makes me feel bad though.
Todays entertainment has been cleaning the lounge with bicarb and vinegar, polishing all the wood and just decluttering really. Found a few bits for online, dvds and such.
Need to be creative with some potatoes that are getting old. Hmmmmmm

x x x x x

NualaBuala

Erme, Glad you're minding yourself - you can always live on couscous and ketchup lol! Bet all the politicians will be only to happy to friend you on FB with an election coming up.

Fishcake, I forgot to reply about the tins - could you paint them up and use them as planters in the garden, for herbs or something? I know I've seen that in some MSEers blogs, just can't think whose! Or maybe decorate and use for storing dried foods like beans and grains? Again, I know somebody has done this but I can't remember who it was. Although I guess you have your hands full with fishfinger so not much time for painting tins!:)

Great bargains you got there Kiwi - I know I'd be chuffed with them!

Hugs all around and hooray for it being Friday! :j

Blairweech

Michelle - Belated happy birthday, hope you had a good day
Kiwi - Good bargains! That is really cheap food...

Gorgeous day here so managed to sand down a piece of furniture ready for staining it tomorrow. Oh, I also have a job interview on Tuesday - kitchen assistant 2 nights a week, so fingers crossed for that. And I have booked a place on three work weekends, working on an organic farm later in the summer. Really looking forward to that. Things are progressing, albeit slowly. Will try and go to the farm shop tomorrow, speak to them about work.

stitching_witch

I am still reading even though I'm not posting. I'm trying my hardest to stick to the challenge, but it may be just that the budget wasn't realistic to begin with.

One piece of good news is that our GP has agreed DH could try to go back to work on light duties after being off for 23 months. Crossing fingers (and toes) that his employers agree. It would be good to have an income again!:j

I did achieve a brilliant bit of Moneysaving today. I had new wellies for Christmas as my "strawberry" wellies had reached the end of their life. Since having the chickens I've been looking at garden clogs to keep by the back door as I think they'd be easier than putting on long wellies.

Ten minutes with a Stanley knife and I now have "strawberry" garden clogs I can slip on in seconds and kick off again. £33 saved!:D

mumtoomany

Hi all, haven't updated for a couple of weeks, must find time when all the children are back at school/college/uni next week. Just thought i would tell you all about our frugal dinner. DH brought home a pheasant yesterday. Road kill but not dead long. So tonight we had "chicken" curry made with this and 2 tins of tesco 4p curry sauce. Cost for 4 people 8p plus the rice. Not quite a free lunch. PS don't tell the children it was mock chicken.

Will try to catch up now am a gazilion pages behind.

Mumtoomany.

rozeepozee

Erme wrote: »

Somebody tell me like ASAP if this is the wrong thing to say but I remember someone talking about slug probs etc and there's a whole range of stuff for these things (from pot makers for seedlings @ £9.99 downwards and upwards) on the gardening bit of W - by work from home eco friendly business. So let me know if anyone wants the link for my site ....Copper tape is supposed to be good. What price is it @ B&Q? It's like £4.99 for 5 metres on my site? but there are other solutions.....

Just happened to find it.....Think the pot makers would last years and we're already using them in the veg garden and they save a fortune in seedling pots

Hugs

E

I was asking about slugs Erme, so a link or two would be great - thanks!

Not been online much at all as I am soooo uncomfortable now. I can barely walk and I've had to borrow my gran's mobility scooter to get round the shops. I'm 36 weeks pregnant today and if I don't go into labour beforehand then D Day is 20th April when I'll be having my elective caesarean. Good news is, I spend a lot less when I'm housebound and can't sit for long at the computer!

Have to go - back ache...!

Hugs to all you frugal peoples.

enjoyfinancialchallenges

Fishcake-R you said you were going to have to be creative with your old potatoes, if you havn't already eaten them why not plant them? I cant remember if you have said you have a garden but if you haven't just put three or four into a bucket/large pot or similar of compost to grow somewhere. This is the most creative thing I can think at this moment and very frugal.

Oh dear RoPo sorry to hear how uncomfortable you are but not long now and you will be meeting your babies....I hope all of us on this forum will be able to see them also, I'm looking forward to that.

My month starts tomorrow and I'm feeling rather cross as I went over by £5 93 after I really tried very hard this month but then a D/D suddenly appeared that I'd forgotten about and mucked my budget up. Oh well! must try harder next month.

My Dig In seeds arrived during the week and today I planted the beans, I'm planning to sow the salad and carrots tomorrow and have soaked the ground in preparation already. This week I've been working hard in the garden and tonight I can hardly move I'm so stiff and sore. I mustn't let it stop me though because I really want to finish the front flowergarden before I disappear into hospital at the end on the week. Four days more and it should be finished weather permitting, I will also sow some more vegetables and flowers as well. I watched the Edible gardens program the other day and am now planning to mix vegs with flowers this year. I dont have an ideal place at the veg garden for beans but a good one in my front garden......they should look good with the aquilegias and penstemon dont you think?

Goodnight everyone and enjoy your weekend it is looking good weatherwise.

thriftylass

A very Good morning.

Yes I'm still here but I just checked and I've not posted in over a month . I've just been really busy at work and been emotionally up and down with TTC (how do people cope with this, or how are people able to just relax and believe it will happen eventually with out stressing each month). Anyway, hope all are well and doing great and hugs to those who need them. I'll try and skim through some of the previuos posts today.

I have not been keeping track of my spending but since I reached 98% of my savings target til April this year :jwhich is linked to me sticking to my budget and I still have one paycheck to go it can't be that bad .

Recent developments:

Windowsill garden is doing great and I started tidying up the communal backgarden so it'll look presentable when we finally sell BF's flat this summer to move :j:j:j (can't wait, told my tomato plants already they'll be getting a green house this year ) and had some more serious money talks with BF. Not sure if they really hit home but at least now I practised this a bit and I have more confidence to take a stand when it'll all become serious when we have to sort out finances for the move. We already spoke to a friend who sells houses to have a look at our flat and make suggestion. Hence, we'll definitely put in GCH before the sale but the rest is mainly just a paint job. And in the next week or two we'll also speak to friend who is a finacial advisor to speak money. House prices are still a bit scary though. Although in one of my more hormonal phases I had a wee rant at BF that it wouldn't be so bad if he had saved too and if if his current mortgage would be in a better state. Oh well, I'm sure it'll work out fine.

Anyway long post over and I hope to be back here more often again.

P.S. Since we hopefully move this summer I just made a new savings target in my sig for July (although it'll get a hit with me having to pay for the GCH :eek:)

Erme

thriftylass do you mean the hormonal changes by any chance? First stop is GP (though mine is very unhelpful)...second stop is vitamins etc.

I take

* Evening Primrose (1000mg x 2)
*Agnus Castus
*Magnesium with b complex
*Vit B6 (strong)
*Zinc (15mg)

like every day otherwise I really suffer. Expensive (though you can get most of those bar the evening primrose and AC in a multi vit from seven seas) but necessary. Otherwise get online in bulk (though don't think AC is any cheaper online)...

So much for the cous cous...Community nurse has told me to reduce heavy snacking in the evening (maybe she noticed my 2 lb weight gain this week?). So now onto toast (if anything) though did have 3 doughnuts yesterday ala Mr S when buying loo roll.

Have cigs, have food, bills are paid...no more spending now (DV) till Tues then who knows... Just a battle now with chemist over pills I forgot to pick up (cos was tired and it was the other side of town) on thurs so had to phone OOH last night to get enough over the w/e and don't exactly fancy phoning the surgery on Monday and having all the palava over that again....

By the way I think there's another site similar to Approved foods I came across last night on FB (I spent far too long on FB yesterday :eek:) - tis here.

Will pm RP the link for my website...don't think I'm allowed to advertise on here...

Blessings

E

thriftylass

Erme wrote: »

thriftylass do you mean the hormonal changes by any chance? First stop is GP (though mine is very unhelpful)...second stop is vitamins etc.

I take

* Evening Primrose (1000mg x 2)
*Agnus Castus
*Magnesium with b complex
*Vit B6 (strong)
*Zinc (15mg)

Thanks. I think it's just PMS, impatients and me focusing too much on it (although my cycles were always like clockwork and aren't any more since Jan). Got a GP appointmant anyway in April so I'll mention it.