Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

apple_mint

Good morning everyone :wave:

My goodness you all have very busy lives! I tried to keep up with yesterday lunchtime (at work) and I've finally caught up with all now (I think). I hope things get better for those of you who are having difficult times (hugs) and well done to everyone - because lets face it things are getting silly with prices. I see another electricity company put its prices up yesterday.

Just popping in to update. 7 NSD's so far this month (with 4 spend days), so I'm pleased with that. Only one of those spend days did I actually use my purse. The other three were direct debit days, so I'm pleased with this. OH hasn't spent anything at all, so he's doing very well. He received his motorbike tax reminder yesterday, but he's going to SORN the bike and take it off the road this year to save some money. He's happy to work on doing it up in the garage this year.

The 'made up' pie was delicious. I made some pastry and then filled the pie with some left over baked beans, some chopped onion, some left over carrots, some left over lamb and some mint sauce. It cleared the fridge of some tubs and was very tasty. I think well do 'made up' pie once a week as I often have bits and pieces of left over food in tubs in the fridge.

We are planning another no-spend day today. I'm hanging on until Friday until I shop again. The freezer is going down but is keeping us going quite nicely.

Good luck with the frugalling everyone

never_too_old

Laushappy wrote: »

Hello everyone
I have been lurking on this site for about a week and finally have biten the bullet as i would really like to join in please.
You are all doing fantastically well.
I need to sort out my budget, one thing i do know is i am desperately trying to cut my food budget down :eek: Mr S gets far too much of myself and hubbs hard earned cash!!!
I should be able to help you out with recipe ideas as i'm a nutritionist so always having to advise people on how to eat healthy on a budget, just need to take my own advise!

welcome
i for one would be grateful for any ideas, packed lunch fillings and snacks
(healthy option).good luck with your challenge:T

ceridwen

redglass wrote: »

NualaBuala, that's a really good link you gave for enzyme cleaner, thank you! I'd never heard of it before. There was loads of other interesting stuff on the site including a recipe for a Chinese egg cake, which seemed to be the Chinese version of egg custard but with added flavours, but I had to tear myself away; can't afford to spend any more time exploring new sites, it's hard enough keeping up with this thread! I've printed out the recipe for making enzyme. Have you made any?

.

Don't know about Nuala - but I was t'one who found the recipe and I have to admit to not having done it yet. We've had a bit of discussion about it on another thread - and came to the conclusion that it really has to be the brown sugar it says (and not substitute white sugar) and that to make sure its brown (and not dyed white) we need to check the package says "unrefined" one way or another.

**************

Goes back to lurking - well...leastways I derive inspiration from this thread anyway. I personally divide spending into "value for money" category (ie I've HAD to spend it or I feel I've got my moneys worth in some other way from it) and "Darn It Money" (ie "Darn it - I've just blown that money straight down the drain - I've had neither use nor pleasure from it"). So far this year theres been only about £11 of Darn It Money (being £3.25 for a magazine and £3.99 each for 2 bottles of wine). Thats not good enough - but its an improvement on where I WAS at...:D

minnie2

romylou wrote: »

Minnie it must be the time of year for it!! I declared yesterday a spendy day for food, however, I didn't realise I would end up spending MORE!!

My Dishwasher died and since I don't do dishes:) I had to order another one - an unexpected cost of £235.99:mad:

AARGHHH.

Will now add this to my frugal spend on my signature:(

oh dear!!! well we do have another 11months to make a difference!!!! think weve definately decided to get rid of hubbys car so over the year thatll save us 2grand

NualaBuala wrote: »

Before I fall into bed ....

Oh gosh, that is a lot all at once. Hope it all balances out somehow. Any chance you could live off your storecupboard for a while to save on groceries? Sorry, you've probably discussed this already - it'll take me a while to get up to speed.

. :j

we are nearly running on empty in cupboards - according to hubby weve had no food for weeks!!!

minnie2

dizzy_lizzie wrote: »

Sometimes it just never seems to end does it. Thank goodness for this thread and all the support on here.
Luv Dizzy x

indeed!!! have found it so much easier not to spend with all you guys here supporting me so thanx!!!!! such a useful helpful nd support thread!!!!

couldnt do it without you!!!!!!!

ceridwen

Laushappy wrote: »

I should be able to help you out with recipe ideas as i'm a nutritionist so always having to advise people on how to eat healthy on a budget, just need to take my own advise!

Oooh!!! That would be useful.

I know I would like a healthy, vegetarian 28 day rolling plan for eating absolutely as cheaply as possible

(by healthy - I mean = no sugar, only healthy type of oils, only "Real Food", everything wholemeal - not white)......so if you ever have a spare 5 minutes (errr...make that spare few hours:rotfl:) 'twould be a service indeed:D

Kiwisaver_2

Remind me not to ever try new recipes on a week night and get suckered in by yummy looking professional photographs of food that probably took a whole army of staff to make and clear up the mess. :mad:

Guess who got the Jamie Oliver 30 Minute Meals for Christmas? Yeah, like it took me one hour to make one element of the meal (Spinach and feta pie) and bung together a bowl of my own Greek inspired salad, rather than the two accompanying salads and dessert that I was apparently meant to make in the same 30 minutes, no doubt whilst sweeping the floor with a broom up my backside. :eek: I got myself in a terrible mess, stressed to the max and landed up with heaps of washing up.

The pie was delicious but not very frugal, although there is some consolation for the extra effort as it was huge and there's plenty left for tomorrow's dinner.

cw18

NualaBuala wrote: »

Yeah, aka Angel of Mercy, same thing as "stubborn, pig-headed nag"! :rotfl:

:rotfl: My Dad has always said I'm far too stubborn for my own good, so hopefully I'll feel able to ease back once he's well again

Oh dear, he seems to be a bit stubborn himself - what with not making it to the hospital initially and then wanting to walk home with his dodgy nerve!

But at least he did as he was told - which is probably more than I'd have done

Hope he is better soon and more to the point, hope YOU are too.

Both back at work today, though I'm still not happy he's driving :mad:

I ended up having an impromptu mini evening out and I'm so chuffed with myself. I'm well and truly wrecked, truth be told it was probably more than I was able for ME/CFS-wise. But it did me the world of good emotionally -it felt so good to be doing what everyone else does and I am quite elated! I don't have anything on tomorrow so I can rest rest rest and hopefully make up for it. I spent a fiver but it was worth every cent and will come out of my "Treats" budget. :j

Ooooo..... what did you do/where did you go? Do tell...... it sounds like you had a fab time

seriouslyfrugal

Hi Everyone,


Welcome Laushappy - good luck with you frugalling and remember do ask if you need us i'm sure we will be able to help :hello:


Esme : I saw a book in the library on the w.r.a.p. system I will get the deails of it and pm it accross to you as it may prove useful to you


I am planning a NSD today :j

have a happy , healthy, frugal day everyone

Blairweech

Kiwisaver - There are a lot of people who have found the same problem with that book! At least you enjoyed the pie though