FRUGAL LIVING CHALLENGE part 3, July - Dec 2010

slowlyfading

thriftylass wrote: »

Thanks, and congratulation to your engagement, just saw your signature.

Thanks! planning is a bit scary though!

pink_numbers

yay! My mobile contract was due for renewal, and I've manage to cut my £18 per month tariff to £7.50 for 200mins and unlimited text. All thanks to knithappens, as I rang up orange quoting t3sco's offer and asked them to match it THANK YOU!

thriftylass - welcome back I fell off the challenge a while back but NualaBuala talked me into coming back, so I'm like you, a born again frugalite

NualaBuala - EAT LOTS AND LOTS OF CHCOLATE. You know it makes sense

JayneC

ARGH ! Lost my post!!
I was saying Welcome back Thriftylass and congrats:D

And then I was saying, after reading about the soaps and stuff comments that I don't use soap anymore apart from (if you'll pardon the expression) my bits n pits!! When I was reading The Moneyless Man he pointed out that skincare manufacturers sell you stuff that strip out all your natuarl oils and cleansers and then sell you more stuff that puts in back in!!Your skin is well designed to clean itself and you just realy need to wash off the surface grime. So now I wash with with plain water and in the bath I use an exfoliating mitt to scrub down my bod - I don't use bubbles or anything! Even the skin on the back of my thighs and arms where it was all rough and dry is now much smoother and softer. I wouldn't have believed the difference. I've used cleansers and stuff forever as I had bad acne as a teen and became a bit obsessive with skincare! Anyway hope you don't judge me and think I'm a 'dirty hippy' which is what my work colleague said! I only now use soap if I wear make up which I've also stopped wearing most of the time.

I had a look at my budget again last night and set a provisional one for next year which is much less than this year (about £3000 less!!) so hope I can keep to it!! I also came up with a better plan to keep money for different things separate, so hope it works! DD3 will leave college next year and so she should satrt making a contrubution and will cost me less!! I think DD2 may move out with DGS, she's said she's saving up for a deposit for her own place, she has her name down with the local Housing Assoc but I don't think she'll stand much chance of getting anything anytime soon.

Well off to get some lunch TTFN x

Kerry_Woman

thrifty - Congrats on your great news.

NualaBuala

Kerry_Woman wrote: »

mardatha and pink - Thanks for your tips. A great idea and worth a try.

Nuala - I also heard that oats for good for dry skin. As my Mum and I both have psorasis, I think we have do give it a try. Would not cost a lot either.

Well I know oat extracts are used in some of the creams so this would be a nice MSE way of treating the skin. Also,my hands get a touch of eczema and I find coconut oil better than anything the dermatologist prescribed. The more I read about it, the more impressed I am - if you have some, might it be worth a try on psoriasis? It has anti-inflammatory properties and it moisturises too, seems to absorb well into the scaly patches I've had.

My bathroom is turning into a kitchen - I have bicarb, vinegar, coconut oil and soon will have oats!

pink_numbers wrote: »

NualaBuala - EAT LOTS AND LOTS OF CHCOLATE. You know it makes sense

Funny you should say that .... I'm working on it! I had some of A1di's Milk Chocolate Coated Butter Biscuits and they were a good start!
Well done on your good mobile phone deal!

Welcome back Thriftylass, hey you'll be in good company here. There are lots of us born again frugalites (I like that expression Pink!)

NualaBuala

I agree about the soap Jayne. I think it's the same with hair - we're told we need shampoo. It strips off the oil and so we need to buy conditioner to put back what the shampoo took away! I've never used body lotion and reckon it's cos I don't wash with shower gel. The one bit of me that gets exposed to detergents (cleaning etc - ought to wear gloves) is my hands, and they are the one bit that needs patching up!

pink_numbers

I use my home made neem soap for body and hair. I find that washing hair with mild soap means I don't actually need a conditioner.

I then use homemade balm (mix of olive oil and bees wax) all over. These two are all I need in terms of toiletries.

Kerry_Woman

NualaBuala wrote: »

Well I know oat extracts are used in some of the creams so this would be a nice MSE way of treating the skin. Also,my hands get a touch of eczema and I find coconut oil better than anything the dermatologist prescribed. The more I read about it, the more impressed I am - if you have some, might it be worth a try on psoriasis? It has anti-inflammatory properties and it moisturises too, seems to absorb well into the scaly patches I've had.

My bathroom is turning into a kitchen - I have bicarb, vinegar, coconut oil and soon will have oats!

Thanks for the advice. Worth a try. I don't see a dermatologist anymore, but my Mum still sees one.

NualaBuala

Kerry_Woman wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. Worth a try. I don't see a dermatologist anymore, but my Mum still sees one.

I haven't seen one in ages - found her a bit useless really! You're welcome but I guess if what your Mum is using works, it might be as well to leave it alone. I don't want to be the one who made things worse!

Pink, some day I will have a go at soap making. Have heard good things about neem oil.

Kerry_Woman

NualaBuala wrote: »

I haven't seen one in ages - found her a bit useless really! You're welcome but I guess if what your Mum is using works, it might be as well to leave it alone. I don't want to be the one who made things worse!QUOTE]

Please don't feel that we will blame you for anything. I will use it first to see how it works to see if my Mum is happy to use it. Two other people who I have spoken too have mentioned using oats. I will also try the coconut oil first also.