FRUGAL LIVING CHALLENGE part 3, July - Dec 2010

lyndasharp

When we changed vet, they said they had to see our cat for a checkup, I think it's mostly to prove she exists and that she's being looked after, but they didn't charge anything apart from the flea treatement that we bought. Maybe your vets will do something similar?

Spent £2 today on entry fees at a WWII day at Coleshill, where they trained people to form a secret resistance in case Britain was invaded. Great day, a bit of walking, went in the underground bunker and saw plenty of old cars!

Bad news is I have a sore hand after a slight accident on my bike on my way home Friday. I went round a blind corner at the same time someone else did, in the other direction. We almost avoided each other, but we knocked handlebars on one side and my hand was in the way. Nothing serious, just bruised, but a real nuisance for typing as it's my knuckles that are bruised, so my fingers don't bend very easily! DH is out welding the car, so I can't help as the most bruised one is the finger I need for the welder trigger button... I do have a few online mystery shops to do, so will have a go at those soon.

We have discovered a big wild cherry tree just the other side of the back garden. Can't believe we didn't spot it last year! They are delicious cherries - and we're close enough to take our stepladder out and get some more soon.

mama67

Frugaldom wrote: »

Nice to see a few of you still here going into the third quarter of 2010.

Breadmakers - I haven't bought a loaf since getting mine and it's a Morphy Richards. The folding blade does sometimes get stuck in the loaf but aesthetics and bread aren't an issue in our household. I think, however, I might prefer it if the loaves were loaf shaped instead of tall; that would be my only criticism, as I end up cutting the top off mine and eating it like a roll!

Vets & pets - vets can charge whatever they like, there's no governing body overseeing their fees, so I'd phone and ask first, then make sure they don't talk you into all sorts of preventative stuff. I used to breed chinchillas and had no problems with them at all. As a vet nurse, main problems I saw at work were ignorant owners feeding rabbit or guinea pig food instead of chinchilla pellets and not providing proper sand for their pets. You'd also be amazed at how many people assumed they could keep these furry little critturs outside in all weathers without knowing they couldn't survive the wet conditions. :mad:

Budget doing fine here but just discovered the But|in$ free scratchcards have been reduced to one a day - no second freebie on Sundays anymore, by looks of things.

The guy never appeared to install my logburner and I haven't heard from him, so have no idea when it'll get fitted. It won't be today, that's for sure, as the weather wouldn't permit anyone to go anywhere near a roof to fit a chimney liner - it's horrible out there at the moment. Guess the grass & garden does need watering, though.

Got eggs due to hatch today or tomorrow, still keeping very busy here and still need to get my elderflower champagne started. I have the rhubarb one bottled and it's already started to fizz.

Good luck with your medical, Pagangirl.

I have a MR with a folding blade and I don't like the loaf shape either, so I use the dough facility and bake off in the oven in a large slit tin sized loaf tin. This is just right size for us as a family with usually 2 packups per day.

Erme

I didn't get the care assistant job but am going for a laundry assistant post same place tomorrow (Wednesday). Just part time - it's a start and would be a good place to get in (camphill community ). good job I phoned though cos boss is going on a/l soon .. :beer:

Module 3 of ECDL almost done ...:dance:

Basically with this care assistant thing I have two options..either go for the laundry assistant post or apply for the training scheme (no qualifications at end of it mind and like w/e with the council ;eek: ) round the corner.... I spoke to the boss @ my current training scheme about ESA and she said start the 'big' job hunt in September.

And I got a rice cooker but the non stick on the bottom doesn't work (comes off with a wooden spoon) but does fab khitchari...only I lost my memory last night again ...2nd night in a row ..Erme is going senile :rotfl:



So yeah bed soon for a few hours...Just wish this memory wouldn't go so much and I wasn't so spaced out in the evenings . Methinks it'll be rice and lentils all week with the novelty of the rice cooker (was only £4). Need to get more mung dahl though . This means one thing - E will lose weight again (and is hormonal ha ha ha) but have injured knee biking to work this am really sore...co-dydramol coming up tomorrow methinks

Anyhow tis all my snooze...

whitewing

Erme,

Good luck with the laundry assistant post. I have always liked clean, folded laundry - there's something very safe and comforting about it.

Not a lot to report here moneywise. We are intending to go on proper hols in the summer holiday. DH wants a city break, I want seaside. He is now suggesting Brighton, I was thinking more like Cornwall! I feel guilty because when I was pregnant I'd suggested Paris but now baby is here I don't want the hassle. Should we go anyway? Baby won't be weaned.

mama67

DH is officially on a 4 day week as of now with a possibility of reducing to a 3 day week if things don't pick up.

So we are going to once we have sorted some stuff out use his day off each week to try to do a carboot sale weekly. We have some on Wednesdays and Saturdays here as well as the usual Sundays.

At least it is the right time of year to try and do these.

Veggies and salads are coming along nicely so that will help with the food bill.

Winchelsea

Hope you get the job Erme, and hope you soon get over your aches and pains etc. And sleep better!

Still frugalling away here, epecially as DH will be going in to a specialist dementia nursing home soon, and I'm woried about how much I'll have to pay. We had his review meeting yesterday, and afterwards the SW gave me stuff on what you might have to pay etc. She said "Have you got more than £23000 in savings?" (she has to be joking, I thought) and when I said never in a million years, she said "Oh, you'll be alright then".

In bed last night I read the paperwork, and it seems that the £23k is the cut off for where you're entirely self-funding. Otherwise, you have to contribute according to means. I'm sure I'll be fine, but have always been a worrier, so am keen to get this sorted out.

A factor in our favour is that DH needs 24hr NURSING care (which I had been giving for ages) rather than just general care - this may mean some NHS funding going in, but that's not looked at until after the patient has already settled in to the home. And there's always the possibility of our lovely govt. cutting it.

Oh well, will go and have a nice frugal lunch now (NSD today hopefully) and try not to worry!

top_drawer_2

Well I had a really bad day, meeting at uni went really badly and all my outstanding exams are going to be capped at 40%. My degree is in tatters. So I had a bit of a blowout in town, all stuff Ive been hankering after for awhile; new shoes and a pair of boots (£40) and some pillows (£8), pair of leggings (£10) to replace my tatty ones and some jeans (£18). Also what I reserved last night Davina McCall's pilates ball (£9.99) to help me with my back problem. Also bought a subway (£3.95) for tea. On the more positive side this is nothing at all for me, in the past I could have spent this without a thought and I wouldn't have the first idea about individual prices etc. And they are all really nice - keeping them in the boxes so if I have been too hasty (bought stuff which doesnt fit in the past ) I can take them back.

Jen

cw18

Sounds like a few people are having a rough time at the moment one way or another, so ((((hugs)))) for all of you

Things aren't going too badly here, and I haven't yet spent a penny since my blow out on running shoes and clothes on Thursday. I had to go back to both Mr A and Mr T to change some of the clothes for a smaller size at the weekend, and I managed to stop myself even having 'a quick look' at anything else

grandma247

TD I don't know what to say except there will be something good just waiting around the corner.

top_drawer_2

I hope so, just feels like a waiting game at the moment for the next blow to fall.