Frugal Living 2010 - the final stretch

slowlyfading

Thanks for posting that cake.

Brrr, isn't it cold today? It read 1C on my car thermometer coming home and it certainly felt it!

Today went okay - it's not been a NSD as I have had to pay for the first part of a sign language exam that I am doing. I am also going to order a couple of christmas presents online this evening. Having sausage and mash for tea, nom nom nom

lingojingo

cake21 wrote: »

Heartfelt thanks to Frugaldom for setting up the original challenge and cw18 for taking up the baton. Between you (Frugaldom's thread and sage words of advice reminding us to distinguish between needs and wants, and cw18's spreadsheet reminding me when I've started to confuse the two) I have literally saved thousands of pounds this year which has gone to paying off debt :j

Couldn't possibly put it better!
:T Huge thanks to both of you from me too :T

chika

Thank you for starting this new thread Cheryl and thanks to Frugaldom for being an inspiration and offering kind words and advice when I first joined this challenge.

I agree slowlyfading I'm soooo cold. I've been trying to get by with just wearing warm clothes but the heater has had to go on tonight.

I'm really trying to be frugal here. Toying with the idea of suggesting to family that we have a cap of our Christmas gifts. I would normally spend 50 each on them but my budget would be so much easier to balance if I could get away with a little less!

redglass_2

Erme wrote: »

I .How much do these chains cost (is this a really stupid question?) and are they heavy or light...and how will they stay up if I have them laden with coathanger and wet clothes? Still researching this idea but thinking now more about putting the lines in the hallway (across it) about headheight rather than the bathroom with the probs with the shower that would need a plumber to fix...or else still in the bathroom but lengthways sink to top of door....

Hi Erme,
I looked up chain on B&Q website but all the prices are for 10 metre reels (a scary £15-odd) whereas you don't need nearly that much. In B&Q stores they sell it off the reel and you just measure as much as you want. Aluminium washing line as suggested by another frugaller (sorry, can't remember who!) might be better for you, depends on what you want to do and how you're going to fix it.

The chains can be quite light and still hold up well, but you need to check they are well constructed, not with loose links that will pull apart. They stay up because I attach them to very solid hooks or nails driven into wooden battens, shelves, whatever.

If you are going to do a lot of indoor drying just be careful not to let too much damp build up in the house, especially if part of it is cold. I'm speaking from bitter experience here. For years I've dried all my winter laundry over a woodstove. It all seemed very cosy and cheap and 'green' but in time it caused a bad mould problem in the back of the house: warm moist air went into the back rooms, which were colder, and the steam then condensed onto the walls. Result: stinky mould. For ages I thought the mould was caused by rising damp but to my embarrassment I now find I have been causing it. I've had to get one wall drylined, fit two radiators and a boiler. I will also have to get an extractor fitted over the cooker. It's not going to be cheap... :eek: So in future I will be much more careful about where I dry clothes and about keeping the back rooms dry and warm.

Must dash now and might not pop up from lurkdom for a while again because the men fitted the new heating today and I now have a house full of red brick dust...let's just say the future's orange.

Puddleglum

Thanks for all your hard work Frugaldom. It is true you have inspired so many of us over the years. I don't understand quite what happened back there and am shocked to have lost the old thread! I worked out today that over the past two years I have had effectively a 7% paycut when inflation is taken into account. While we hear many stories of people who are receiving inflation busting payrises, I suspect that many more of us are going to have to cut right back over the next few years in order to survive.:(

One of the things that I am most grateful to the old thread and old style in general for is what I now call my Mouldy Foods stable. There are 3 horses in this stable at the moment (Appr Foods, FBarg and BBFL). These three nags have stopped us at Puddleglum Mansions from sinking. What I want to say really is "thanks to everyone for all the help and support", just unfortunate that it reads like a drunk rambling!:o

Thanks Cheryl for stepping in and starting the new thread.:)

Best wishes to all

Puddleglum

Erme

xnatalie81x wrote: »

Erne I bought some cheap yellow plastic washing line from mr m and hung it from my bathroom window on the handle, through to the handle on my bedroom window - this was my indoor washing line I now have an aluminium washing line that is brilliant - it is really light but a proper circle washing line. It is a caravan one. Got it on eBay and is brill for indoor use x Evay: portable rotary caravan washing x x

Still being frugal and slowly putting together next yrs budget. I have already decided that instead of paying car insurance in installments I am paying in full and using the monthly equivalent to pay back into savings. This will save me 140 in interest!

Going to have a lazy day - still have a cauli in the veg box to pick - have wrapped it's leaves around to keep the frost away - also need to plant more salad leaves. My food budget is going to be an area I cut drastically next yr. We are trialling 160 this mtg and on grocery challenge, this is a cut from 275 month usually!

I'll check out the £shop maybe later this week for this one...I don't want to spend a fortune on this indoor washing thing so it's either that or having researched on ebay last night the camping washing lines that need no pegs...

Where is the best place to put them because I'm short of space (hence I have the kindle to reduce the amount of space needed for books. Only prob..now I have books all over the lounge waiting to be priced and taken to BE to sell so I can't hoover)...the bedroom is out and I haven't really got the space in the lounge....so it's either the hallway or like the space asides from the bath in the bathroom...kitchen is out - it's just too cold in there with the stupid vent the council put in that just makes the wind whistle even more on days like this :mad:) The hall is narrow but long (about 2-3 door ways long) and an l-shape. I just don't want to be ducking under washing but I have a spare chair in the kitchen I could use to hang washing on the line....

Also attaching it? Screws with raw plugs or hooks. Sorry to ask so many questions and I know this is going on a bit so pray I'm not doing anyone's head in. The budget for all this is £10 or less - preferably less cos the retractable ones are like £13 in argos so it's got to be less than that....

Hope everyone is well....got to check budget...so much for sticking within my £45 for food and cigs and misc this week...think I'm already over it..but I will not go into savings this week. If the £5 I have left in my account after phone don't pay for wee extras over the weekend then I'll go without!!! Simple...

And must remember to put the storage heater up cos am using the fan heater FAR too much and it was 0c here last night...

Hugs


E
PS. Redglass I just wrote this and then saw your post - sorry... I don't really have a problem with damp apart from a little on the bathroom ceiling because I'm in a highrise and near the top so it's really not an issue but I appreciate what you're saying cos I know when I stay @ Ma's my clothes are always damp the next morning after going to bed the night before...I have a huge vent (see above) in the kitchen which the council insisted on putting in when they upgraded the kitchen a few years back (great kitchen - shame about the 5 weeks of solitary getting it put in).... and I'm just sitting here thinking the kitchen window is quite high so maybe one across the top (and it's quite deep the sill...been known to grow a growbag of tomatoes on it in the past..who says you can't have GYO in a high rise!). Again the double lounge windowsill could also be an option but the one by the craft table is out because it's hard to get to... So I'm sure between me and you guys I'll find place to put these lines....someone remind me how I'm going to attach them? e

xnatalie81x

Morning all

Been to the shop to get my leccy for the month - since we moved here end june i have got used to the electric being meter, but the gas is not so awaiting my second bill this month - i have been working on a monthly budget as you know (due to massive changes in life!) and i budget 55 for electric, although this is taking me further and further into the next month. This being the 11th - last months has lasted me an extra 11 days....... However i can imagine this being used over the next few months for some electric heaters.

Still no house heating on as i find a 10min blast with the electric fan heater is enough to take the chill off a room, and eldest son (6.5) has taken to jumping around the house lol. Frugal kiddies - may not be so easy when baby no 4 is born, although it will give me an excuse to keep him in those gorgeous fluffy snowsuits

Did not go to exercise class yesterday or today and have kept kids off school as feeling rather rubbish - and they are sniffly and snotty - bleugh. I did however spend 3 hours cleaning - windows inside and out, all furniture out, sofa bed upstairs etc (nesting) - so i think i burnt my calories in housework

Today's to do list:

[STRIKE]
1. Loaf bread in bread maker
[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]2. Make sure mince is defrosted and batch cook cottage pie, bolognese and mince and potato filling ready to top with pastry on Saturday for dinner[/STRIKE] That was harder than i expected lol but also managed 40 fairy cakes in between
3. Sort out playroom/office as a complete PIGSTY - reorganise and generally give into 'nesting' (did front room and kitchen yesterday lol) - burn some calories!
4.[STRIKE] Finalise 2011 accounts[/STRIKE]
5. [STRIKE]Chase up my tesco clubcard vouchers as my mum n sis got theirs and i want to use them for DS2 b'day pressie on 29th nov!![/STRIKE] Came this morning so have transferred 15 into 30 and now only need to pay the extra 9.97 (will also get 3% TCB and 78 points towards next statement so my son will get his 40.00 scooter for about 9.00 :T)

Have a party for DD at 4pm - 5.30 and although she is snotty i don't think she is contagious so we are all going - Will ahve dinner of cottage pie and veg when we get home but i imagine she will be stuffed with the nuggets and chips on offer. Bought the boy a lovely pressie from poundland - lots of crafty paper, felts and stickers! My kids' dream pressie lol - total 3.00 plus a 25p b'day card (so lovely!!!) and wrap from last year lol.

Also started wrapping crimbo pressies. Have managed to re-use a lovely sheet of wrap and pressie from kids to ex MIL (relaxation set from poundland - well i'm not even with her son so officially he should buy her a present bu i don't trust him - which is brilliant) looks really luxurious and expensive for 1.00 NEEDS MUST

Had a mega shock yesterday when checked online banking - 10.00 maintenance money had gone in!!! I had the notification that he must pay 5.00 week about 6 weeks ago and have actually had a payment. Lucky i was laying down! Still not on speaking terms with ex and i still hide behind a van when dropping kids off on a Sunday lol. Due to unreliability of their father i am not including maintenance in my budget for next year so anything i do get will do into the 'additional income' bracket - all will become clear when i post next years details

Enjoy your day my friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UPDATE: 2pm - rather than add more posts i decided to amend this one - bolognese smelt lovely - i used mince, passatta, tom puree, sugar and mushroom antipasto and courgette antipasto (AF 33p jar and used 1/2 each) - needed no oil as i used the oil in the antipasto and also a shed load of basil. The mushrooms and courgettes also had garlic and herbs so needed none of those either

Cottage pie in the fridge ready for dinner tonight and also the mince and potato mixture in a dish next to the frozen puff pastry which is defrosting nicely.

Have a small shopping list of items need for meals from Sunday onwards. Ibought a months worth of shopping in one go but not items like milk, potatoes and eggs which would go off so 1st nov was main shop, 14th nov is top-up shop and also need squash

Tesco vouchers were £18.00 so 15 transferred into toys double so now have 3.00 which i shall prob keep for next time as i am hoping it will be double up again

I have ddecided that this and the grocery challenge will be the only forums i am posting on, trying to keep up with too many threads is confusing my 39 week pregnant brain! I am huge right now BTW - this is gonna be another biggie! (well my belly is huge, i am still 4.5lb lighter than when i fell pregnant lol)

cw18

I've started having a think about my s/sheet and budgets for next year as there are several companies I want to speak to in order to try and reduce some of my out-goings - and as I'm off work next week it's the ideal time to deal with these.

The first is my energy provider when I next submit readings (next Tues eve/Wed morning) to ask them to force a review of my account. From the bill dated 20/10/2009 to the bill dated 19/10/2010 I've only eaten into the credit on my account by £49 (still over £100 in credit, and that's with no change to my monthly payment in the comparison period) - and although my gas useage is currently higher than at this time last year my electricity has dropped by at least a third (DS's bedroom light and computer no longer being in use here being the only difference I can think of). I'm hoping this will reduce my monthly payments by a couple of quid, but if they try to raise it again (like they did on the standard annual review in July when they wanted to increase it by £7 :eek:) that will result in a further negotiation to leave it as it is now for a while longer (they agreed last time, so don't see why they won't agree again as I'm more in credit now that I was then )

Also want to speak to my 'water people' as I'm on a meter for this as well. I'm not sure they'll do a review between bills (next is due at end of March I think), but my useage has dropped by over 50% since DS moved out - more like 60-70% - and it has to be worth a try if I can knock another couple of quid a month off that one too

I also need to make a decision on my TV license. I'm becoming more and more convinced it's not worth continuing to pay for this as I'm still not switching the TV on at all (5 months and counting now - with the only use in the 2 months prior to that being for my GDs before/after school), so need to get that sorted soon. (Had to keep it on until early last month though, as DS had a set in his room which he had on several times a week.) Not sure whether to drop it now or keep it on until the end of December so I can watch films over the 'seasonal break' if I want to (though the store's only closed on 25th/26th which aren't actually work days for me anyway, so no 'Bank Holidays' for me next month ), but guess that will be decided once I speak to them. If they can't take 'advance notice' of a cancellation - I've no intention of trying to phone them between Christmas and New Year - then I'll drop it now. Either way I reckon I'll be due 6 months payments back, which is just over £73, as well as saving myself £145/year :T

I'm not sure I can make savings anywhere else though - and will have to increase most (if not all) of the others

I have little or no control over the cost of car and home insurances (always shop around for car insurance but haven't managed to beat renewal by more than a fiver the last few years and like the company I'm with, but haven't yet found another company who will give me the cover I want on the home one - and a lot want more money for less cover anyway), other car expenses, dog expenses, council tax, and c/h cover (which I negotiated a huge discount on for this year by threatening to move to another company, but doubt I'll get away with a second year in a row),

I'm hoping my mobile company will extend my current contract at the same cost when it comes up for renewal in Feb (and am going to set my budget based on that being the case). But if not I'll have to seriously consider just moving back to PAYG, which had been my intention in Aug '09 when they offered me the deal I'm on now in order to stay with them on contract - I made it clear I was seriously considering changing provider as I could get a better value PAYG package elsewhere. PAYG would actually work out cheaper for me, but I like the 'freedom' of knowing I won't be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no credit and no money - especially since it's the only way I could contact anyone if I were to have a mishap when out walking the dog/cycling/running. Still going to have to allow for it going up a few pennies/month due to the increase in VAT though.....

I'm also going to have to include all the categories I excluded from 2010, as I no longer have the additional income that funded them (CTC, CB and the like). This means I need to figure out budgets for :-

• anything I might want for the garden (how long's a piece of string - I really don't have a clue on this one )
• any 'get fit' related expenses - replacement running shoes being the big certaintity, renewal of my running club membership, and possibly the renewal of my gym membership if I can find the money from somewhere (on the 'can drop' list if I can't make figures balance), plus entry fees for races which is really a 'total unknown' (but I want to allow something for it, so will have to have a good scan of the race calendar to see what I might fancy doing/average costs), plus something in case I have to replace any other clothing or pay for repairs to my push bike
• my crafting supplies - I currently get a monthly kit from the USA, but get them shipped every 3 months to save on shipping/import costs. Really hoping I can manage to keep this on, but it's the first thing on my list of things I can drop if I have to find money for other things from somewhere
• and I still need to decide whether I want to start building up a pot for anything I'd class as a 'social life' (such as nights out with the running club), or whether this would just come out of 'anything else' (leaning towards a separate pot, which I could then use for treats if I don't go out)

I'd also like to build in a proper 'savings pot', as I've realised (having read posts on several MSE threads about people recently having to replace cookers, fridges and freezers) that I'd not be able to do this 'at the drop of a hat' anymore. So I want to work out a rough costing for the appliances I couldn't be without (washer, hob, kettle, toaster, combi oven, fridge/freezer, freezer and vaccum being the main ones - I can live without the main oven now I'm only cooking for me, as I mainly use the combi due to less capacity to heat and also have a mini-oven), then guesstimate the lifetime of each and work out how much I should be putting away each year towards replacements. For now I'm going to ignore the fact that most of the appliances are already well into their 'expected lifetime', as if I didn't I'd have to put away enough to replace them all within the last 12 months


Didn't do too well this year at keeping tracks on what groceries I used from stock, but did much better in a previous year when calculating the cost of what I actually used instead of bought.

So I intend to run a bit of both in 2011 in that I'll have a budget for buying things, but it'll be a lot smaller than I previously intended and will only be there in order to ensure I don't go silly buying things I don't need It will also be a 'sub set' of my annual grocery budget, as I still need an annual figure to work towards for my budgets

I then need to get my complete stock-take of what I already have in the house done before year end, and when I buy something in 2011 I'll add it to the stock-take list.

This means I can then just mark things as 'used' on the stock list, which will reduce the value of what I have to carry forward into 2012 - and I'll actually use the difference between these as my 'grocery spends'

** is hoping not to have a heart attack when I complete my stock-take, as my biggest fear is that the value of it will actually cover several years grocery budgets **

I reckon I can then take the difference between what I've spent and what I've used (which I very much hope will always been in the favour of my bank account) and use it as savings/towards treats as in 'wants' rather than 'needs'. I'm thinking of putting 50% of it into my appliance replacement pot as additional savings (will help offset the fact I should have started this years ago), and putting the other 50% to one side for treats/wants as I think this should really encourage me to use up stuff I have sitting in cupboards/wardrobes/boxes. This could mean I can carry on with my crafting kit from the USA, or possibly extend my gym membership, or even (something I've thought about and decided was purely a want) get a Wee-Fit or similar (which would also possibly mean I could drop the gym membership)

(Sounds confusing, but basically it would work something like

end of 2010 stock-take value = £1,500
annual grocery budget = £1,100
allowed grocery spends (part of the £1,000) = £400

so hopefully at the end of 2011 I'd have
end of 2011 stock-take value = £800

which is £1,500 start point + £400 spent - £1,100 used

so the £700 I've "spent" on stock items would then be split as £350 into the appliances savings pot, and £350 to be spent on whatever I want as opposed to on something I need)


I intend to do the same thing with my toiletries and cleaning budget. I've already done a stock-take on the toiletries I have in the en-suite, and that alone had me shocked to say the least. I'm honestly struggling to think of anything I'd have to buy from a T&C budget in 2011 due to how much stuff I've already seen lying around/know I already have stashed (which already includes at least a years supply of loo rolls that I picked up when I saw a good offer on the brand I like last month)

cw18

cw18 wrote: »

I also need to make a decision on my TV license. I'm becoming more and more convinced it's not worth continuing to pay for this as I'm still not switching the TV on at all.

Not sure whether to drop it now or keep it on until the end of December so I can watch films over the 'seasonal break' if I want to (though the store's only closed on 25th/26th which aren't actually work days for me anyway, so no 'Bank Holidays' for me next month ), but guess that will be decided once I speak to them. If they can't take 'advance notice' of a cancellation - I've no intention of trying to phone them between Christmas and New Year - then I'll drop it now.

Slept on this, and decided it's definitely one to cancel.

Just been onto the website, and it let me fill in a cancellation/request for refund there. I did find lots of mentions that you're entitled to refunds for 'fully unused quarters', and as my current licence runs until 31/3/2011 that made it sensible not to cancel it until New Years Eve (so using up all of the current quarter should I decided there's something on I want to watch in the meantime). And the webpage let me put 31/12/2010 in as the date it's no longer required from, so I've completed and submitted the form.

Got a message to say they'll be in touch within 10 days to let me know the outcome of my application - so plenty of time to chase/haggle if it doesn't go smoothly - and I've been into my banking site and cancelled the D/Debit with immediate effect (on the basis I'm already paying for a 2011/12 licence I don't see why I should let them take a payment on the first of December )

Now I just need to sit back and wait for all the letters reminding me I don't have a valid licence for this address

mama67

Frugaldom wrote: »

Just an update for anyone who may be due a tax refund. Mine arrived yesterday with no forewarning, just a brief letter saying I was due a repayment from tax year 2008-2009. I was completely unaware of the fact that I had been over-charged at the time, so it's a pleasant (although tiny) surprise.

Your the second person I've heard from who has said this has happened.

Just at thr right time also