FRUGAL LIVING CHALLENGE part 3, July - Dec 2010

rozeepozee

aeb wrote: »

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:

Hi, aeb. My twins are 12 weeks old now and, my, how hard it is to get any computer time - they are crying now so gotta dash!

cake21

Well done to xnatalie81x and everyone else who is coping with life's curveballs at the moment.

At the halfway point I am very happy to report that I am back on track, budget for Jan-Jun £2946, spend £2866. :j

Within the separate categories waaay over budget on food, house repairs, sport, and education. Could be worse

Jul & Aug I have holiday expenses and family birthdays, hoping to compensate for these Sep/Oct ready for Christmas

babyboysmommy

Thought I'd pop in & say hello. Still trying to keep to the frugal lifestyle. Had a few bumps along the way but we have made a lot of positive changes & our finances are on track. It really is a whole lifestyle choice & one we are enjoying.

Puddleglum

Hi Folks,

I haven't posted for a while as the finances got right out of control and it has only been this afternoon that I have made myself sit down and catch up with them. I have just skim read the past 4 pages - not really done them justice- and see that some of us are doing better than others. Dodgy hugs all round for all who need them! :grouphug:

Hmm there seem to be some new smillies appeared, better make use of these!

On to the finances.:embarasse Of the £7855 for the year we have spent £4834.30. This includes July. So there is £3000 left. Arguing that this is over 6 months, not 5 1/2, that gives us £500 per month left. My food total to date is £906.59. I have overspent on this over the past couple of months due to birthdays and visiting relics:cheesy:.

On the plus side the electrickery bill is now down to £70 pm which is £55 for one side of the house and £15 for the other. The high side is being overpaid atm and the low side is being underpaid so this is probably about right if you average it out over the year. The gas payment is still extortionate as a legacy from running the B&B and I hope that that will be reviewed soon.

On the plus, plus, plus, plus (must be plus fours!)side we have appealed and had the house downgraded in the council tax bandings. Martin is the man to thank for this :money: following the advice on here we found that there were 3 houses in this road which were banded G. One is massive with outbuildings etc and was converted from a hotel into a private house. Ours which was large enough to run a B&B and the 3rd which is smaller but looks impressive. So we mentioned it to the owners of the 3rd house and put in a claim for re evaluation and the nett result for us is a bit over £2000 to be paid back into our bank account and a reduced council tax bill.:money:

Just goes to show that if you wait long enough then the light at the end of the tunnel may not be an oncoming train!:wave:

Best wishes to all

Puddleglum

Winchelsea

Have just had an enjoyable frugal afternoon. I'm having to get used to my own company since DH has been in hospital (have been to see him with DD4 this morning).

I filled a flask with hot chocolate, put it in my bag with my sketch book, walked to the bus stop and got the bus in to town free with my over 60s bus pass.

I went to the art gallery (free) and spent 20 minutes or so being inspired by the exhibition, which I had not yet seen. Got a few ideas for my embroidery (colours and shapes). Then I walked to a local park, which you normally pay to get into - unless you're local. So I flashed my resident's card and went in free, and sat on the grass listening to the music (brass band), while drinking my hot choc and sketching the bandstand. Not one of my best attempts, but it was fun doing it.

Then, back on the bus and home. After I've cooked my meal I'm looking forward to reading a few chapters of my book.

Another NSD, but just as good as or even better than a day out shopping!

enjoyfinancialchallenges

aeb- just loved your aims for 2010 especially to bring up happy chidren, what could be more important than that? and the notion to accept all that life gives you with a smile sounds so wonderful, I'm sure you will have healthy happy children. Enjoy your life, I remember when the past was very difficult for you and now look at you and how much you have achieved. I'm smiling just thinking about you.

How old are your babies now by the way and all the other little people?

Winchelsea -what a fun frugal afternoon you have had and all for free, Wow.

This forum is such an inspiration for me I feel so privileged to be part of it, thanks to everyone, must go and water my veg now.

landregistrylass

Dear all.........need some advice fast please! My allotment peas are doing so well we had to pick a load today. Do I have to do anything to do them before I freeze them? We cant possibly use them all this week.

enjoyfinancialchallenges

Hi landregistrylass I freeze my peas this way. First prepare the peas as usual as if you are going to eat them straight away. then put a saucepan of water on to boil, no salt. whilst it is coming to a boil take as much ice as you can and put it in a bowl of water large enough to put all the peas. Blanch the peas in the saucepan of boiling water for about a minute and a half making sure the water has come back to the boil for this time. At the end of this time drain them for a couple of minutes then place them in the ice cold water for the same time as you blanched them for, drain again and pack them into plastic bags. I find it useful to pack for one whole meal at a time, you will know best how much that is. Its easy and it works, just remember to get everything ready first, its a quick process with no time to look for anything whilst you are mid process. Good luck I'm actually envyious of you growing so many peas mine did not even get into the garden this year.

Oh, and by the way Nyk thanks for the welcome back, my new washing machine is wonderful I did five loads yesterday. Today I still needed to get the last few things dry so no washing today. Its just as I wanted, buttons to push nothing to turn.

Frugaldom

Good morning

Aeb, how nice to see yu back here and excellent news about the chickens and ducks! I wouldn't be without mine and ALWAYS have eggs for trading. (Had another 6 ducklings hatched out last week and one more lot still to hatch.)

Puddleglum, well done with the council tax! :beer:

Winchelsea, I hope your DH gets well soon. Sounds like you made the trip to the hospital a frugal, fun-packed day.

Landregistry, you'll need to shell all the peas and then blanche them for a few minutes before freezing them.

All is well here, apart from the cost of electricity ruining my plan. I've spent almost £700 this year, so far, owing to how cold it was up until May. My full annual budget is £1200, so I NEED the logburner fitted before the time comes to switch any heaters back on again, probably around October/November.

Garden producing lots of salad leaves, cabbage, snowball turnips, strawberries, raspberries, cauliflowers, broccoli, herbs and, now, potatoes. Courgettes andfreezer full peas should be next, I think, and one of the apple trees is laden. Rhubarb did well, after a shaky start, so I have loads of fruit stewed and in crumbles in the freezer plus almost about 10 litres of rhubarb 'champagne' fizz bottled. Must bottle the elderflower today.

Hope everyone can see the light at the end of the tunnel - loved that expression, must remember not to wave if I think it's a train. :eek::rotfl:

lyndasharp

Hi everyone, had an expensive weekend, but not exactly unexpected as it was booster vaccine time for our cat. She wasn't very happy about it but at least she had a clean bill of health from the vet.

Went to a car show in a nearby village yesterday and had an almost free day, but got tempted by the cakes at 50p each ;-) Very interesting to look round an almost untouched medieval house! Glad I'm not paying the heating bills for that one.