Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

midwinter

jess444 wrote: »

Thank you to everyone for your good wishes. A very scary time, but feel much more prepared due to finding MSE a few years ago and sorting out my debts and overpaying the mortgage.

A good day today. Bought some 'cooking bacon' from Lidl for £1.45 (ish) yesterday. I have used this for breakfast, made bacon and lentil soup for lunch and plenty left for pasta carbanara (sp) for tea tomorrow - a bargain.

Jess

well done on finding your bargain bacon.

I'm also sorry (as others above also are) to hear of your impending redundancy. Hope we can help support you

Kerfuffle

Hi everybody,

I've just popped on to update my signature. I've had a massive overspend this week at the dentist, more than double my yearly estimated amount as non of the work was covered by the insurance company, so here's hoping I've got the rest of the year to make up the shortfall.

As it's the weekend it's soup galore, but yesterday the supermarket didn't have any parsnips so I was wondering what to do instead, and thanks Jess444, it's looks like Bacon and Lentil is on the menu.

I still haven't managed to catch up with all the posts, so I will endeavour to do that today/weekend.

Toodles

slowlyfading

I've had the best day! I've been to see my friend for the day at Meadowhall for a shop and a catch up.

It was lovely to see my friend and have a good natter and a moan - she even had the flu and really wasn't feeling well but she still made the effort to come. It's friends like that that make you feel worth it, because even though she wasn't feeling great, she still came just to see me

I didn't spend too much either! I treated us both to lunch and I bought one dress from N£w Lo0k but that was using a voucher so didn't actually cost me anything Enjoyed a much needed starbuck$ during the afternoon, and that was it

I feel so much better, it's amazing what a catch up and moan with a good friend can do.

jess - sorry to hear about your job
:hello: Marru and welcome back!
saorsie - welcome to the thread!

thifty

Hi everyone
I can't believe how quickly this thread has moved. I have managed to read up to page 16 but am afraid I have given up.
To date I have tried to be more frugal but have had 2 lapses in 2 days= 2 take aways, the first was fish and chips after parents evening as I didn't fancy a freezer chilli or blognese again and the second was a horrible chinese as the chicken hubby got out hadn't defrosted, wouldn't have minded if it tasted nice but it was yuck:mad:

Can I ask a question about the washing gloop as I have given up on my washing balls again as if I didnt put my washing straight into the dryer the washing smelled really bad and needed doing again:mad:
People are talking about washing soda- is this the same stuff I use for general cleaning, soda crystals?

My freezer is full of meat from the butchers- was amazed how much I got for £50 from the butcher, loads more than if had got it from supermarket.
I have also shopped at Aldi for the past 2 weeks and I have been amazed at the quality for the price, not everything is cheaper, but as my dh says, nothing has been more expensive so am pleased that I have done that.
The bread maker is smelling lovely again:D

rubytuesday

:hello:Everyone

Not a frugal day for me. I got some chicken breast fillets from the Free Range Butcher for a Thai green curry in order to avoid Mr T and nearly had heart palpitations when he told me the price! However all was not lost as I cut it up and froze two portions as they were huge so will get three meals out of them.

Then I was suffering from Frugal- fever so I went to the 99p shop and Poundland and spent quite a bit but I'm pleased with my purchases.

If truth be told I actually had two cupboards where stuff fell out if you opened the door and they are now clean and sorted. I found my wooden salad bowls, I'd wondered where they'd got too, a lovely glass cream jug I'd forgotten I had, another clip lock box - a tiny one and a lovely terracotta pot with tete a tetes on it which I didn't know I had and I will plant it up and give as a Birthday gift.

Summertea that soup sounds yummy!

Jess sorry to hear your news.

Oh and I resisted those organic bath soaks yesterday. One of them was Linden blossom bath milk and I remembered I have some cheap Linden blossom tea bags I don't really like so I will shove one of them in the bath!

mooomin

thifty wrote: »

I have also shopped at Aldi for the past 2 weeks and I have been amazed at the quality for the price, not everything is cheaper, but as my dh says, nothing has been more expensive so am pleased that I have done that.

Despite my mammoth supermarket frenzy today, I normally split my shop between there and Morrisons and find it's fairly cheap. I only rarely find bargains in Tesco. A lot of our basics come from Aldi, especially fruit and veg, and I see a lot more people shopping there nowadays.

rubytuesday

Ooh I forgot! I did have some frugal good news today; there was a huge positive differential between incomings and outgoings on my bank statement! That makes a bloomin' change!

dizzy_lizzie

slowlyfading friends like that are priceless
rubytuesday poundland had a bit of money from me too today, it's lethal going in there!
flying-fresian we have an Aldi not far from us. It's a lovely store, usually very quiet too. I get quite a lot of my fruit and veg from there. I think the quality is very good.
I'm really pleased for everyone that's had great bargains today My going to Mr Ss was a disaster. DS and his girlfriend kindly came with me 'cos I didn't want to go on my own but I couldn't concentrate properly and it's not a store I go to that often and usually only go when getting the odd thing so......ended up putting other bits in as well and spending £24.58 but DS gave me £4 towards their bits, and declaring I was giving up and going to Mr As were I spent £66.24
As I wanted my monthly budget to be £240 that means I've got less than £19 for week 4s shopping! To be honest I shouldn't be too down because before joining this thread it would have been sooooooo much more.
Oh no just remembered my phone top up and shampoo and conditioner. Argggh. OH was putting the shopping away (his contribution for coming with me) and says 'looks like we've cornered the market in quorn' I must admit to throwing bags of this in when it's on offer.
I did get a £5 No 7 voucher in boots and a £4 off a £40 spend in Mr Ss though (some use that will be)
So off to update my sig again and think tomorrow is another day and everyday above ground is a good day
Luv Dizzy x
♥

rubytuesday

It is lethal isn't it Dizzy although I spent much more in 99p land but I did get some good bits, chilli kits two for 1.59, spinach and salad seeds, those veg bags everyone's been going on about, Gordan Ramsey's Autobiography for my son as he used to work for him, tea towels, the usual toiletries gumpf, etc etc. So money well spent really I think. Unlike many here I don't seem to have a huge stash of toiletries.

dizzy_lizzie

It is a brilliant shop and I could easily spend a small fortune in there
Very well thought out too 'cos it's stuff I never even knew I wanted till I went in
Ah well ruby I'm drawing a line under today and must bear in mind how well I am actually doing. Bought two books from the charity shop today for 50p each, one is 'Don't sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff' by Richard Carlson which I used to have a while ago and lost it, probably lying next to my chocolate recipe book lol and the other is 'Smile for No Good Reason' by Dr. Lee Jampolsky ..."a delightful book that guides people through the daily stresses of life with hope and optimism" It's about 'attitudinal healing' which I have never heard of before but I'll give it a read. More info here in case anyone is interested
http://www.hopehealing.org/WhatisAH.asp says on the back of the book, 'if you buy it and read it you will keep it forever' Can't do any harm and this kind of thing does interest me.
Off to bed now, might put my night light on and have a read
Hope everyone has a peaceful sleep.
Then tomorrow we battle on...:)
Luvz dizzy x
♥