Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

enjoyfinancialchallenges

Laushappy : thanks for the advice on eating for depression I think i'm going to start keeping a food diary do you have any advice for those of us trying to cut down on caffine!! - I know exactly what you mean by it being addictive ( the tread and being frugal )

There is a site on MSE about giving up-cutting down on caffeine which might be of interest to you.

I had a megga spend day today,first I had to pay the vet for Poppys eye treatment from when I called her out on New Years Day, £206.88 ! ! ! that did however include the annual injection she has today also but I can claim some of that back from the pet insurance but am not sure how much as I believe the insurers pay according to my excess, etc so I will just wait and see. I think I will keep my cat indoors every public holiday in future, its an expensive day vet wise.
Then I went to Mr A***and bought some fruit for me and rice cakes and chocolate to make my grandson with coeliac disease some flapjack type biscuit/cakes. My daughter said some rice crispies are not gluten free and after looking at every packet I eventually bought some Gluten free rice cakes and will break these up and use them instead, at least it will be safe for him, I'm sure he will like them anyway otherwise his younger brother will eat them so nothing wasted. This brought the total to £11.53 but as I had a £10 voucher to use the final amount I paid was £1.53 so one happy bunny here.
I went into QD afterwards and bought a packet of three redcurrants bushes and another one of three blackcurrants, these came to £4.98 together so I used the credit note I had from last year and got 3p change, another happy buy.

Sounds like I'm bragging I know but am very happy with todays purchases (apart from the vets bill but then I wasn't forced to go I chose to go therefore I pay for the expertise )

Generally NSDs doing well but I don't count D/Ds as NSDs because they have to go out of my account to pay for the services I use. I only count the days I don't go shopping for food or when I don't mooch around and get tempted, if I stay indoors I don't get tempted, simple really problem solved !

cw18

midwinter wrote: »

if annyone on the forum does, do you feel like everyone is staring at you if you do pick up what you've spotted?!

otherwise known as 'road kill' - especially on the Sealed Pot thread

can't say I've ever worried about people looking at me....

and I've discovered my chap also picks it up, so we're going to have races to get there first rather than feeling as if we have to leave it so that the other one doesn't think we're wierd

rubytuesday

Still a bit 'scratchy' Dizzy Lizzie but better than yesterday thanks.

I always pick up coins if my back feels up to it! Everyone one the Sealed Pot Challenge does too.

Well I'm so pleased I ventured out to the charity shop today. I found a lovely woolie cardie (I'm having to replace a load of cardies and jumpers I'd had for years as the pesky moths got hold of them last year, they went to my friend for felting!) a pair of dark jeans that fit me so nicely - hate jean hunting and a lovely Warehouse top.

Yesterdays roast tasted even nicer today!:rotfl:

rubytuesday

Laushappy my daughter started experiencing panic attacks a couple of years ago and found Cognitive Behavioral Therapy very helpful. She also has a visualization she uses. I do feel for you - I know how awful it can be!

dizzy_lizzie

Laushappy wrote: »

Was meant to be working tonite but had to call in sick as had a really bad panic attack, arrgggggghhh!! thats 50 quid down the drain :mad: (dont get paid if i dont work).

Always had panic attacks on and off in my life, decides to show its nasty head every now and again :mad::mad::mad::mad: need to take my own dietary advice and get my blood sugars balanced and stop eating so much chocolate i'm good at giving advice but not as good at doing it myself, but i am going to make an effort from now on :T

Hi laushappy. I know how you feel. I've been there too. I had a few panic attacks after I lost my mum. I had never had them before. The thought of going into a room with strangers or people I didn't know very well, would send me into an anxious state. Even in the middle of meetings or trips out, theatre, shows etc I'd have to leave immediately as being surrounded by people would set them off, and once outside they'd subside. I learnt to book seats near exits and on ends of rows, a quick getaway, I suppose, fight or flight. And in restaurants and cafes I'd sit along the side of the wall, not in the middle. I still have to sit in these places now and still change seats in restaurants etc. until I feel 'comfortable'
I had the opportunity when I was a project worker at a childrens charity quite a few years ago to go on a Highscope course (childrens development) and really wanted to do it but was in the midst of this anxiety period. I think the course was once a week for about 12 weeks, or something like that, held in a Family Centre, and I thought no way can I do it. I'll have a panic attack everytime I go. Then I got angry and thought this is ridiculous its ruling and ruining my life. Anyway I had a look at all the Bach Flower Remedies and bought one that seemed, to me, would help my anxiety in those situations. It was the Aspen one. And then I put my name down for the course! I would sit in the car and put a few drops under my tongue before I went in and whether it was psychological or not, touch wood and God Willing I got through it and passed the course I carried on with the aspen for a while after then just stopped taking it when I felt ready and haven't had one since. The aspen deals with 'unknown fears' which to me sounded just the right one.
I know it won't work for everyone but for me it was amazing.
Sorry for the long post (and my life history lol) but if it helps anyone then that's great
Here's a bit of info on it http://www.crystalherbs.com/blog/index.php/bach-flower-remedies/aspen-bach-flower-remedies/

Luv Dizzy x
♥

midwinter

This may be specific to my town, but I consistently find that milk and cream bought from Mr T's, hardly lasts beyond it's use by date, whereas if I buy the same from Mr M's, then I can almost guarantee that I can have nearly a week beyond the use by date for cream, to get it used. Milk generally goes 4 -5 days beyond the date.

May help someone!

NualaBuala

ceridwen wrote: »

I vaguely registered there was going to be a tv programme on this and thought "Must do something about that".

Do come back and tell me if its any good - and a link to Iplayer or the like for it would be good please:). I'd like to see it.

I have certainly noticed a couple of things that have made me realise that theres more than meets the eye to things sometimes and the impossible IS sometimes possible - and it shook my worldview a bit in the process. Basically - I'm one huge pragmatist - but......

Here you go, hope it works! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00xxgbn
It was tonight's Horizon on BBC2 called 'What is Reality?' I missed a lot of it, my own fault because I was distracted catching up here on MSE!
It was quite sciencey and got into quantum physics which I find fascinating and puts big question marks over things we accept as normal. It does open the mind but a lot of it goes over my head. I find it quite comforting that there's more than meets the eye, would be a boring old world otherwise. Sorry folks, I realise I've taken this completely OT, I'll shut up now!

itsallinthemind wrote: »

l m hart had the 'incident' after following theirs. If I had a hairy biker I'd find an alternative use, not my type, but this is the year of 'Waste not-Want not' :D

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

For anyone having a go at breadmaking, I caught the end of a programme on BBC2 called 'Baking Made Easy' - there seemed to be some good tips on baking bread. She put ice cubes in the bottom of the oven to make steam which apparently helps. I hope it's repeated as I can't see things on iPlayer, and I'll definitely watch it next week.

cw18

NualaBuala wrote: »

She put ice cubes in the bottom of the oven to make steam which apparently helps.

The ovens at work release steam at the start of the baking cycle - not as much for loaves as for french sticks, but it's definitely there.

saorsie

Quite a high spendy day for me today but actually turned into money neutral. Bought OH's birthday present on line this evening (reduced in sale and via Qu*dco naturally :cool:
However just so happened to have sold some gold earlier in the day for the exact amount that the gift cost me :T His birthday's not until March but feels quite comforting to have got it sorted so early.

Am also sat knitting dishcloths for both mothers for mothers day - I appreciate that it doesn't sound madly exciting however they are very chic and I am going to have a bash at making my own soap so thought I would enclose a chunk of that in with them also.

Desperately needed a coffee whilst shopping earlier but reluctant to fork out cold hard cash (see what you've done to me after only a few days!) so hunted out the old st*rb*cks reward card which had £2 on it - one tall filter coffee for the princely sum of a quid later I was fortified enough to walk home - uphill ~ all the way :cool:

-s-

NualaBuala

cw18 wrote: »

The ovens at work release steam at the start of the baking cycle - not as much for loaves as for french sticks, but it's definitely there.

So maybe it's to make a nice crusty crust. Mmmm, I want bread. Have a loaf to use but all this talk is making me want to make some. One thing I was really happy to read here is that plain flour gives a nice result, it's so much cheaper than bread flour.