FRUGAL LIVING CHALLENGE part 3, July - Dec 2010

findingmyfeet

thanks cw18 and enjoyfinancialchallenges- never made jam much before. think maybe once many years ago with my gran but shes in a carehome now and remembers nothing much these day,so all help and advice on the subject gratefully accepted.

have all my stuff ready to go now so in ten minutes or so we will begin.......will report back tomorrow with the result. if anyone has any more recipes for jam making in the breadmaker i would be grateful too...its a mo**hy R*chards one , must admit never heard of doing jam in a bread machine before. Hubby thinks ive gone even more scatty when i mentioed it to him!!

spent the afternoon in the veg patch and have picked onions , new pots, carrots, cauli n cabbage. will do a cheesy veggie bake with everything in it plus a spare for freezer, and a huge bowl of coleslaw cos everyone loves it here. Then make a start on freezing some of the cauliflower as well, going to be a busy evening.

thanks for the help

fmf

top_drawer_2

hi everyone!

Thanks Dramarama! I seem to be having this years worth of negativity all in one go, this year has been going swimmingly and then suddenly I feel like its all rubbish. I'm feeling a little more cheery today though thankfully. I finished my clutch bag at sewing classes today, when I have a minute I will post a pic. I am very proud, it really is very pretty! Its a gift for someone who helped me a lot awhile ago but I havent had the opportunity to thank properly. I hope she likes it and it kind of demostrates my creative side which she was all for encouraging.

I am signing up with housing associations online if possible or on paper as soon as I get the paperwork through, my situation is unlikey to change for the worse so im not sure whether I will stand a chance. RE: Housemates its normally while Im watching tv/cooking in the kitchen/in my room/in the morning before I get up that it bothers me.... and I cant really wear ear plugs and watch TV/sleep (how would I hear my alarm in the morning?). Its just standard fayre for living in a shared house ;((

I havent mentioned it because I have been known to offend people without meaning too about how I deal with things which upset me, so instead I dont say anything. I just cant find a way to just say how its making me feel and ask her to stop... she doesnt have the same problem which only p!sses me off more.

Frugaldom - I'm sorry if I offended you, what I meant and thought I said was that its a low level job in the organisation and as such is going to have lots of applications from WAY more qualified and experienced people than me as they are a good place to work for (public organisation who offer v.good working conditions for a admin role). Its because it pays well and they treat you well that I am applying for it, they also have lots of opportunities for secondment to other parts of the workforce. This is what I would like .... the very idea of properly paid holidays, bank hols, being spoken to with an iota of respect etc sounds like heaven!

I dont want to move to another shared house ... these problems are standard in shared houses and I should be thankful no-one is stealing/breaking my things, threatening to hurt my pets, loud music ALL night, dealing/taking drugs in the house or having doubtful "friends" around. I'm allowing it to bother me because of the way I am feeling, normally I can put up a shield IYSWIM and deal with it, when I down in the dumps the shield seems to be weaker.

Erme - you're right its just hard work when the blows keep on coming.

Yesterday I joined rosemary Conololys (sp?) diet classes, I've decided that the £28 it cost Im going to call it my way of reigning some control over my life again. I weighed in at 10 st, 9lb not good but I'm confident I can lose the weight again.....

Its been really bad weather here, flash floods etc so I havent been out in the garden for awhile but I went to put the bin out and one of my potato plants has been ruined ;(( all the branches have been knocked down ..... it looks awful. I need to dig up the potatoes, not sure if they will be rotten with all the rain we have had.

For my diet/frugal eating I also had a brainwave, rice made with stock = flavored rice! Much healthier and cheaper than bread and butter/filling every day.

Jen

JayJay14

Jen - don't give up on the potatoes, some of mine look really tatty and the leaves have gone yellowish and spindley. It just meanst hey are ready to dig up, especially if they are earlies.

Erme

I'm going on my holidays :j :j :j before the great job hunt begins...though right this minute no sure how much to budget (and how I'm going to afford it :eek: what with washing machine and FF lately). Just a rough guess thinking £10 per day (a week's holiday) including accomodation and food plus cigs and a little treat money (£20)...so that's like about £120?

Have a weekly budget of 45 currently for food, cigs and misc so that's 85 to find out of spreadsheet. but it's like over 2 giro days so I think I can sort it..

Expenditure to date..=

• train home (need to be home early) = £8
• hostel (cos have no where else to stay 2nd and last night) = £20 (for 2 nights)

Free buses most of way apart from last journey....Hostel is only cos chum won't be up on time for my schedule due to his meds. Free accom first night.

Still to come out
* campsite for nights 3-7 (or something) = £20
* food (thinking of getting a good fill somewhere mid day) inc one major day trip which could be expensive food wise... Otherwise when camping there's a day centre I can use for food...Should be there on Sabbath so DV someone from kirk will feed me...if not I'll just have to go to day centre. Baring in mind it's rural food won't be cheap unless I can figure the late night BBE thingies. Will take some dry food with me but don't want to take 101 tins...menu plan yet to do... and also there could ?lunch out? when I get back if I have freecycle before docs that day (hence I'm catching the train home)....

So aiming for a frugal hols...not 100% frugal but fun...

Pics on flickr after...promise guys

Sorry to folk who are feeling down...hugs..

E
PS....just away to shower...then leg report somewhere...it was looking okay yesterday so might well cancel clinic appt for next wed

And eating is improving...I kid ye not someone has put cheesy pasta bake on the menu for Wednesday :eek: Today is mince and potatoes in slow cooker with broccoli..actually I think I might just do the pots and broccoli in slow cooker and fry the mince later..

Blessings

E
PS. Without this board I'd have gotten no washing machine and no fridge freezer...Washing machine out of savings this year...fridge freezer 2/3 paid in mobile cash back deal gotten when first signed up to challenge...:)..so this challenge whatever your reasoning for doing it and even despite the ups and downs really does help...and all this despite paying approx 1/4 of income off in debts per month and like smoking, being in recovery and having lots of unnecessaery spends...(whoopsies) due to illness.

It's a work in progress for all us guys....forgetting the things that are behind and pressing on towards the mark...

E

Frugaldom

Good morning

Findingmyfeet, I'm still using last year's preserves, which have kept just fine in the cupboard. Well done with all the veggie growing! Second freezer needed here, too, so I think I'll be saving for a fridge freezer so DS can have all his stuff in there. That will free up space in my fridge & freezer, then he'll can take fridge freezer with him when he eventually gets his own place. Farmf00ds sugar sounds really cheap! I need to stock up on that, too, as I make a lot of lemon curd and have started on this year's jam & jelly supply from foraging.

Welcome back EFC, hope the washing machine arrives safely and that you get some good drying weather.

Top_drawer, no offence taken, honestly. Basic admin staff can be treated with utter disdain in some organisations, others rely on their admin people to keep things running smoothly. I earned the names H!tl€r and 'miserable jock' in one of my jobs but by gum, did they get their reports in on time. I also lived in a bedsit for a year and there were folks coming & going at all hours. I gave them all nicknames and could have written a really good sitcom just from recording their comings and goings and eventually just had to laugh - until first chance I got to move, when a friend living in same place bought a house and we shared for a while. You could always try doing similar to your housemate to see how she feels about it all when the shoe's on the other foot, so to speak. Good luck with housing & job hunting.

Erme, have a good holiday!

I've started digging potatoes, have loads of cabbage, spinach, salad leaves and the cauliflowers are coming along one by one. Been picking loads of berries and have made juice & jellies plus I have 2 buckets of 'champagne' on the go - rhubarb and elderflower. Freezer is full of stewed rhubarb & crumbles, so doing not too badly this year, so far. Nothing is going to waste, as the hens & ducks eat most things and the rabbit gets the rest of the veg. She's getting huge now!

Got the log store filled up and there's enough egg money saved to top up the coal bunker. Savings paid for the logburner but it has still to be fitted before I can get my kitchen fully organised. I want it user friendly for all the batch cooking. LETS trading also doing well, so I'm pleased about that.

Sorry I'm not around much but I seem to lose track of time elsewhere and in the garden. Summer is a time for making hay while the sun shines, so the extra daylight hours are being put to good use even when it rains.

xnatalie81x

Time to stop in for an update.

I know some will remember i was living in a 2bed house and lanlady was selling so moved with kids and their dad to a lovely 3 bed, well relationship broke down fully (have been probs on and off for long time) and i am now living in ANOTHER 3 bed house in a completely different area (near mum and dad) with the 3 kids and bump (which i will not know sex of seeing as it has crossed its legs and sat on my bladder DAMN!)

I have had no end of financial problems, borrowing 1150 from my mum n dad to pay deposit and using my savings for the 1150 first months rent (thank god for rainy day savings) and have now been waiting four weeks for any tax credit payments (which are around 321 week due to childcare etc)

I have sorted out claim for LHA which will cover most of rent and council tax BUT it cannot be finalised until i get the tax credit award notice and rent is due on the 28th! :eek: so in will be borrowing that from mummy and daddy too (who i still owe 770 to from the deposit borrowing as i have paid a bit back already as i hate owing!)

Not a penny from the kids' dad as he decided he wanted to keep the 3 bedroom house we rented and is now seriously struggling to pay the 1100 rent (although he has finally decided to start working after 7 yrs of letting me work ) and will be giving the house up next month anyway GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR - hoping when he does i can have some maintenance?? but will definitely NOT hold my breath.

As yet, have borrowed just £15 from my DD who turned 4 on 1st July (for petrol) and that is it -- am surviving on miniscule wages, child benefit and some extra work that seems to have swung my way. The work is all casual self employed and i get cash at the end of the session so am using this to survive and will put away some of tax credit payment (when it comes) to cover the SE tax for April next year

I am very proud that i am managing to live on basically HALF my budget, so out of the 1125 a month i allocate (13500 yr) i am living on about 650 at the moment. This is really motivating. I have reduced this year already but know that next year i can stay same or reduce (will have new baby) BUT i have also been offerred some more teaching hours on a Sat from September (when kids are at dads so no childcare issues)

I have had to split the year into 2 tho as things are very very complicated as you can imagine so jan-june and then july-dec and i will total all the bits at the end of the year BUT i see the two halves of the year as seperate and am treating as such.



Hope everyone else is feeling positive too

enjoyfinancialchallenges

xnatalie81x Sounds like you have heaps to contend with....and yet still positive about it all, well done many could learn from you. I'm feeling bad though as I have just spend loads on expensive purchases and then I read your story it puts everything into perspective.

Carry on carrying on Natalie life wont always be cr***y. I look forward to hearing what your new baby is when he/she finally decides to uncross her/his legs! and/or gets off your bladder.

Erme

re camping

Anyone know who has the best deal right now on those foldin fabric/plastic director's chairs? All I need due to dodgy back that needs a back rest...

Ta

Wheezing like a trouper....

Back to bed methinks

E

Erme

This is what I settled on for cheap camp chair with back rest...too old for multi coloured ones...stool from £land not appropriate..tested out in garden...is comfy...

3 hours sleep in 24 hours...so not good. :eek:....M says coffee @ drop in = 35p and it's filtered :j...so that's that sorted on hols...

off to try and get more shut eye now...

e

aeb_2

Hello everyone, it's been so long, some familiar names and many new ones.

My little family continues to grow, too fast, but loving every minute. My garden is also growing. Scrub largely cleared out and well stocked with vegetables of all sort which are really getting going now. I can hardly keep up with the soft fruit picking but my little helpers are well trained and do their best.

Main news is I have chickens big time - all sorts, and ducks. I cleared out a big shed and fenced off a big corner, maybe 30m x 20m. They've still made a mess of the grass. The ducks have access to the stream but come home at night.

I still have many broken windows but my log burner ensures 'free' heat and cooking. The oven is only on once a week to bake - and boy is it filled up on that morning! I make two extra cakes to trade. Also freezing fruit for jam when I have time :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: