Frugal Living 2010 - the final stretch

NualaBuala

tori.k wrote: »

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)

Hmmm, I know I saw this discussed on one of my regular threads but can't think which one. I think it was the Really Old Style thread. I remember a few people were using boxes under their beds.

Edit: here's a linky to the thread which is well worth a read anyway.

cw18

I've got food just about everywhere in the house - apart from the loft so far
(Note : Even I draw the line at storing food in the cloakroom, en-suite or family bathroom )

Two of the beds (in the rooms with the built in wardrobes) have storage under them that I don't use for anything else, so might as well be used for food
The two built in wardrobes have big floors and shelves over the hanging rails
I've got a welsh dresser in the dining room with a large cupboard space
The living room has a number of heavy oak units with cupboards in them
The hallway currently has the boxes that arrived from App F00ds today (minus several items - one looks like it was OOS, but three others are significantly short!)
Even the garage has a couple of boxes of stuff in it

And in my kitchen I have stuff on top of my wall units, on my worktops, on the shelves meant for cookery books, and on the small table (and the chairs) - and that's as well as in 9 of the 12 cupboards!)

I'm off work this week, and started an inventory of my kitchen cupboards yesterday - now completed 5 of the cupboards, but one of the others won't take long as it only houses my herbs and spices (alongside my pans and baking tins and rolling pins and cooling trays and.......)

slowlyfading

cw - I'd love to see your inventory once you've done it, if you're willing to post it?

Arctic_Sky

tori.k wrote: »

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)

I use suitcases - well they do nowt else but take up room 350 days of the year!

cw18

slowlyfading wrote: »

cw - I'd love to see your inventory once you've done it, if you're willing to post it?

It's frightening - even starting to scare myself :eek:

I've already got 253 rows in the spreadsheet, and whilst I may have two lines for the same thing (different makes or packet sizes), I also have a lot of rows where the 'quantity' is >1 (and significantly more than 1 in a number of cases )

Think I'm going to have to post it somewhere though, as I'm going to have to look for new ideas to use up some of the stuff -- unless I want to be eating the same 12-15 meals in a cycle throughout 2011 that is :rotfl:

slowlyfading

cw - wow! That's a lot of stuff

tori.k

That gives me some food for thought
Thanks for the link Nulua
Artic sky what a great idea (knew someone would come up with something i'd hadn't thought off)
Im now the proud owner of a wall of toilet paper ( 156 rolls 6 months by my reckoning) told the kids its extra insulation still waiting for my approved food delivery (cut off from the world by floods at the moment) and will have to find homes for that lot.
I'm starting with a budget of 4k for 5 people from January but will have around 6months of non-perishables by then, seems tight but when i factor in my 10% from work its more then doable,
Thinking of work better get to it, these 2am starts are a killer be glad to see the back of them

aeb_2

Just a quick post before bed

I store stuff behind the plinths in the kitchen,there is loads of space for bulky items -

jam jars
bubble wrap and padded envelopes
the spare dryers I use to peg socks up in winter( I hate it when they get tangled together in the cupboard)
big awkward shaped dishes I only use once or twice a year

cw18

aeb wrote: »

I store stuff behind the plinths in the kitchen

I stored the tinned cat food there at my last house
Unfortunately the plinths in this house won't come off to allow access, as the builders used silicon sealant to hold them in place - and tiled the floor after putting them in place, so even if I remove the sealant I still can't get them off

xnatalie81x

Morning all - hope the stock take is going well Cheryl have updated grocery challenge spend below after buying sone BOGOF shreddies! A Thomas tank b day cake and juices for packed lunches

Loving the puppy - and the kids are too - he eats very small amounts, 55g a day of James wellbeloved so the 2000g pack for 7.49 should last - with insurance I have estimated 30 mth for next yr budget

Was involved in rta wed when someone smashed straight into passenger side mums car - where I was sitting! Luckily a very safe car and myself and baby are fine apart from aching. Did spend all eve at hospital getting checked yesterday and it showed on the trace my very regular 'braxton hicks' contractions (they don't peak - just stay at same level) so at least i'm not imagining all the uncomfortable pains!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had roast dinner last night - stayed at mums and she only did 2 portions veg and no yorkies so the kids ate loads more than usual - one of those portions was the last cauli from the garden and it was lovely - now only have purple sprouting broccoli in raised bed and cabbages in allotment - all to be ready next year!

Frugal plans today
1. Work at home and do re book forms etc
2. Housework in between working to warm up and use less heating!
3. Make chicken n bacon pie with lo from roast last night (which would normally do a curry as well but there is only enough for a pie now!!)
4. Make loaf bread and decide on lunch for tomorrow (kids with childminder/nanny while i go to work)

Have paid for car insurance for the year. £507 but i will get £30 cashbak on day 90 so actually 477 - i paid in full using savings and have set up DD back into savings of 42 per month to replace it, saving myself over £100 in interest for the year (which i have never done b4! I usually pay in installments! I am also going to get a years tax and do the same - saving myself £20 as opposed to buyng 6 months tax - i will do the same and pay the 120 i have already saved over last 6 months (put 20 a month away) and then the other 80 from savings and put 20 into account every mth as have done but saving myself 20.00 over the year VERY PLEASED

Windowsill lettuce is sprouting nicely and i want to spend some time over the next few days getting some more lettuce seeds in, some aubergines and possibly some beans etc.

Hope everyone else has a productive and peaceful day planned and look forward to reading your updates