FRUGAL LIVING CHALLENGE part 3, July - Dec 2010

JayneC

Hi all,

Just got back from Acoustic Gathering, was really good. Not been to my other garden this weekend, so feeling guilty now. Will prob be next w/end now before I can go again. ASked on freecycle for a jelly bag but no offers Also asked for apestle and mortar and have been ooffered that so:j

After being very insprired by my Moneyless Man book I've decided to try and have a moneyless week!! I'm allowed to use energy (otherwise would waste all food in the freezer!) but no cash to be spent at all! It's completely unplanned so I've not stocked up in advance. Luckily I have half a tank of petrol (as I have to travel about 100 miles with work on Tues) but not a great deal of food so this may be interesting. I'll let you know how I get on...
Going to bed now as totally shattered.

jayne x

Kerry_Woman

Jayne - Glad you are making progress with the decluttering. Good luck with the moneyless week.

Kiwisaver_2

top_drawer wrote: »

Kiwi - I had no idea that there had been an earthquake! We had a television in the room which we watched briefly, in between sight-seeing but it wasnt mentioned, amazing how they missed it .... Hope things are getting better for you, preparation is key! I made a provisons box up this past winter, just in case.

Obviously wasn't sensational enough for international media without grieving people wailing in the streets an all, they're quietly getting things like power and water back to most, but it will be an awfully long time before they get the city and people's homes rebuilt.

Lessons to be learned though and I spent a while over the weekend sorting my 'survival' kit and added a few more bits to what I do have. The biggest thing that dawned on me and might be useful to others is to have some emergency cash available. Although, some shops and petrol stations remained operational, these were stripped within a short while of bread, milk and bottled water; despite the fact that very few people could buy anything because all the electronic payment systems went down. There were almost immediately very long queues of angry folks at the petrol stations not able to buy petrol, due to having no cash to pay. So that's the one thing I really must get some emergency money put by asap as so rarely ever have any and rely on plastic to pay for everything.

Been reading the 'Really Old Style Living Thread' https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2584367 which has some useful ideas and I will gradually start to build up a stock of emergency food and water. I got 3 litres of UHT milk tonight on special, so that's a start, now all I have to remember is to keep an eye on the dates of stuff and try to use and replace :T

NualaBuala

Hello frugalkins,

Hope you're all doing ok. Today is grey blustery Autumn day and I'm a tad chilly. So I will be layering up with fleeces and rugs as needed. I'm going to try to keep the heating off as long as possible, last year I lasted till November 13th I think.

Speaking of heating, glad your storage heaters are running ok Erme. Hopefully they won't cost too much to run this winter.

Glad you had a good time Jayne, sounds like you have a fab social life! No need to feel guilty - you've got to have a bit of fun and the garden will still be there waiting for you! Good luck with your moneyless week, what a great idea! Let us know how you get on.


Kiwi, I know what you mean about cash. I got into a habit of just using my debit card and never had much cash to hand. But I'm rethinking that now. Although there's a low chance I'll end up in an emergency situation, you never know. Plus if I try to use cash more often for my everyday spending it might make me think twice about handing it over! I hope things get back to normal sooner rather than later for all those people affected.


Hugs,

N

JayneC

Hello everyone,

Kiwi I'm another who rarely has cash but think I will have to try and make sure I keep some in from now on. It must be so frustrating to know there's money in the bank but you can't use it. Sounds like you're getting organised, I've had a quick peek at the thread - it is really good.

Nuala I really don't have such a brill social life although it has been improving lately. For years I hardly socialised at all (unless it was centred around the kids) ex OH never liked any of my friends and I always somehow felt guilty if I went out without him, so never really did much. Now however I'm making a determined effort to get out there and be proactive. I started going to drama workshops last year and now we've formed our own little company and are putting on our fisrt production in November, so have become quite good friends with a few of the peope there and coincidentally at Acoustic Gathering I met the daughter of someone I used to work with, we were quite good friends but she moved away and we lost touch, however her daughter's given me her phone number so I'm going to give her a ring this week and catch up. The universe seems to be making good things happen at the moment - or maybe I'm looking for them more!!

Put the breadmaker on last night but when got up this morning was a big mess of flour and gloop instead of bread. It turned out that the paddle was stuck so now I've unstuck it and will try again!Managed not to spend any money but accidentally sent DS to school with no lunch today - bad mum:( He's forgiven me though cos we're having spag bol for tea (his fave). DD2 and DGS are not herefor tea today and not sure about DD3, so may be able to stretch spag bol over a couple of days. No cheese to grate on top but have got garlic bread, so that will have to do
For my lunch I had the remains of a pack of crackers and remains of soft cheese with some toms from the garden. Picked an apple from my tree but not eaten it yet...

Well better go and make a start on tea. May be back later x

slowlyfading

Jayne - good luck with your spendless week sounds like a good plan, I might try it! and I loooove garlic bread, you've made me want it now!
Nuala - I think it's cold today so am sat with a fleece blanket on the sofa - we're not putting the heating on yet!

The start of the second week in school and it went okay today mondays are going to be a nice day I think, which is always a good start to the week. I have my difficult class tomorrow and I'm a tad nervous about it - but I just need to show them who's boss!

10th NSD of September for me it's going well, as we're now concentrating on trying to save as much as possible for wedding related things! I think we've decided on a venue, but I need to ring my mum to talk things through but, fingers crossed we may be ringing the venue over the next couple of days to hold the date! Wooooop

Right, must go and make tea...

JayneC

SF - Yes you show em who's boss. Kids can definately sense it if you're not confident and will play on it.

tea went down well, DS made very appreciative noises, lol.

Have made another loaf which seems fine and made up some milk from powder (much nicer than UHT). Boiled a couple of eggs for me and DS to have egg sarnies for lunch tomorrow (only 3 left, have to ration them). Contemplating making some hobnobs - is it too late now? No fruit may have to go foraging for some blackberries:D. Ooh just remembered I do have an orange - that'll do for DS lunchbox too.

Winchelsea

Not been here for a few days - have not been using the laptop much as trying to reduce energy use. (Am part of the 10:10 campaign to reduce carbon footprint by 10% in 2010). In any case, I've also been away on a 3-night singing course, which was brilliant.

JayneC - I like your scheme to not spend for a week - in fact I'll try to join you - think I've got most things. Tried to get The Moneyless Man book from the library, but it's unreservable for some reason, even though there are a few copies in the LibrariesSouthWest catalogue. Must look out for a cheap copy if it doesn't turn up on the library shelf.

If I get to OffGrid next year we'll have to meet up, you're right!

Keep frugalling everyone!

queen_of_string

Erme

I had an electronic cig for a while before I eventually gave up. It was fantastic and sooooo much cheaper. Hope it works out for you.

dramarama

Well done everyone on the frugalling! I picked a load of pears off the tree in the garden yesterday...most of them end up on the floor and smash . We're thinking of creating some hammocks to tie to the trees so they don't go to waste- ~I've picked as many as I can reach!!

SF What age do you teach? I teach secondary! No job at the mo but I've got an interview on Thursday so I'm keeping everything crossed!! Very exciting aobut the wedding plans .

I had a NSD yesterday, sort of self inflicted- I know that if I go to Mr T I will spend more than I have!!