Frugal Living 2010 - the final stretch

NualaBuala

Cheryl, you are living within your means ... and that's the main thing. I honestly think eating well and exercising are in investment in your future. And you can't put a price on health.

I did something similar in the garden - planted fruit shrubs last year and I will be moving house (not sure when though, probably next year). So I don't want to invest any more in the garden except for some stuff in pots that I could take with me. I just hope I can afford somewhere with outside space, it's so satisfying growing veggies.

grandma247

Cheryl I found several interesting sites for you to look at. I have moved small trees and although they needed a lot of tlc because I moved them in summer they are fine now. We bought some marked down fruit trees from mr T last year and put them in large dustbin sized tubs because we want to move soon and do not want the hassle of digging them up. They are doing very well. Perhaps you could dig them out at the right time and put yours in tubs or cheap plastic dustbins. The roots generally only spread as far ar the top of the tree measures.

http://www.vegetable-garden-guide.com/alphabetical-list-of-vegetables.html

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/feeling-fruity/apple-tree-needs-moving_3659.html

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=61196.0

http://www.greenfingers.com/articledisplay.asp?id=314

cw18

will have a read of the links later - many thanks for digging out the info

I'm hoping the tree roots won't spread too much anyway, as I've planted them in raised beds (1 metre square and a half metre high). All my fruit bushes are in flower buckets from Mr M for now - figured this was the easiest way of doing it, and by using the larger sized buckets they've got about the same amount of space as I was reading they needed if planted out the traditional way

My spuds this year were all grown in the buckets too - and I'll continue to do this as it's sooooo much easier to tip them out than dig them up

xnatalie81x

Time for a big update:

I have mice! The style of my garden means i have had a few rats and now i have mice and i have had an exterminator and traps down but nothing has worked! So, i had decided to go and get a moggy to do the job. Now, i don't particularly like cats BUT i prefer them to mice and rats and even if the cat never catches one they are less likely to frequent my house with the mog there (they have only started coming in since the cold cold weather started so they are coming in and out like a hotel!)

So, i went to pet shop - £99!!!!!!!!!!!! for a cat! - next pet shop £110!!!!!!!!!!! for a cat! BUT i got this:

[IMG]http://<a href="http://s411.photobucket.com/albums/pp193/xnatalie81x/?action=view&amp;current=rori.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp193/xnatalie81x/th_rori.jpg" border="0" alt="rori" ></a>[/IMG]

He is a jack russell/pug cross - so he SHOULD be good at ratting/micing and he is a he so his wee and scent should send them packing - HOPE plus he is a dog and i have wanted a dog for ages as i left my 2 with their dad when i left - and this JUG will only get to the size of a jack russell - so lil poos, lil dog and eats smaller amounts so costs less than the 2 giant staffs i did have

New category to 2011 budget!!! Pet insurance, food and dog costs

The initial outlay for him has been high but i have been able to afford it as i have been so frugal with everything else and i still have savings intact - kids love him, now just waiting for the baby to come

cw18

He's gorgeous Natalie - and another reason to have to exercise next year (loads of walks!)

xnatalie81x

well i don't know how far he will walk cheryl lol - he has lil legs. I need more exercise than that lol xxx I really enjoy my classes and once baby is 4-6 weeks i can return 5 times a week - i don't like the gym prefer my classes plus i work as swimming teacher on sat and sun - but i have had to stop my exercise classes now till baby born (apart from my pre n post natal on a tue and fri)

cw18

Little dogs can still walk for miles.... the Yorkie I had used to come out with me and the dalmatian without any probs. Sometimes did a 6 mile walk which she was fine with, and one particular 4 mile one ended with a steep hill - on which she towed me and I towed the dalmatian :rotfl:

Given she was almost 13 when she moved in, it amazed many folks how active she was

Arctic_Sky

Thanks for the welcome :beer:. Currently reading through this year's challenge for courage and inspiration - both of which are amply provided by you lot!
Having this month-and-a-bit to work out a budget for next year seems to have been a good idea - keep forgetting about things like hairdressers (mainly because I only go about twice a year, trimming my own fringe in between.

Thought it might be a good idea to set out why I'm doing this (mainly so I myself can see it, when I inevitably need a kick up the !!!!!). In a nutshell, I shouldn't be as skint as I always end up being, which means what I *think* I spend and what I *actually* spend must exist in two separate realities . So by controlling my spending and monitoring purchases, I hope to have a better idea of where my money goes and when. Given that I've not long left uni and started my first Grown Up Job, it seems as good a point as any (if not better) to start afresh and build good habits that will last a lifetime

SO, my goals for next year will be:

1) Live within my £4000 budget (excluding rent)
2) have £1000 saved by April 2012
3) live an awesome, happy, non-consumerist life whilst doing so

Strangely, I've been utterly skint this last month (started new job mid October, won't get my first paycheque from it til next Friday) and just the sheer lack of ability to buy non-essentials has resulted in my desire to buy it all but disappearing. Result! I'm a firm believer that time, i.e. time spent with my DP or with friends, is far more important than things and tat.
Oh great, I sound like a hippy

cw18

Arctic_Sky wrote: »

Oh great, I sound like a hippy

:rotfl:

In which case I think everyone on here must have a hippy inside of them trying to fight it's way out

tori.k

Unusual storage? i've bulk buying (but not getting into debt) to get ahead of myself for next year but storage is becoming an issue, so i thought i'd throw out a ?
Where is the weird and wonderful places you use for storage? (just in case someone comes up with somewhere i hadn't thought to use)