Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

JayneC

Hi all,

Just a quick pop in as I'm working from home - flippin toilet man never came yesterday - they rang DD at 7pm to say they weren't coming and it would be THURS!!!! Not happy so I rang this morning to see if they could get anybody out sooner, after several comings and goings I eventually rang a local plumber who is coming today and they are going to reimburse me the cost, so waiting for them now (they'd better come!!)

IAITM Dare I ask what the giant cotton bud method is?

Nuala glad you're improving now. I do remember you saying about the ME and fibromyalga (sp?). I have eaten my eggs are they were indeed yummy We're not the Redgraves, lol. Someone at work said we're like the Partridge family!! All my kids are into drama in some form although youngest DD seems the most determined to take it up professionally! Eldest DD was a Haven Mate for a while (Like a Red Coat at Butlins, but for Haven holidays), she's a Housing Officer now!!

Can't remember who started the conversation about pennies, but I pick them up too. However I was with DS1 when I saw one the other day and I knew he'd give me a hard time so didn't pick it up - not sure I've gotten over it yet!!

Summertea - I do the eat take out alone it's in the grocery budget, with others it's leisure budget. This year tho I've set a separate line on the spreadsheet for eat out spends, so I can keep a better eye on it and I've separated personal leisure spends from family leisure spends.

Anyway s'pose I'd better go and do some work. See you all soon x

rubytuesday

Morning everyone. What a lovely day!
Jayne I forgot to say congratulations on your chicken eggs!
I use the very unhygienic 'long arm of the law' to clear a blocked toilet and then scrub vigorously!
Found ten pound fifty worth of 10s 20s and 5s in my penny jar and a pound in the bedroom.
A LSD for me today. I need mozzarella from Lidl and red peppers from the Turkish shop for peppers stuffed with spicy cous cous and left over roast chicken.

enjoyfinancialchallenges

I always pick up coins from the pavement when I see them but once when I did I couldn't stand up straight until a woman who was passing by helped me, very embarrassing I still do it but bend my knees now and not my back. I don't tell anybody about my secret though as I'm not sure many people would understand, I know you all will though.:)

NualaBuala

HowlinWolf wrote: »

Nuala I also got a bag of whoopsied pears from Mr S. I'm planning on stewing them for crumble either to have in the next few days or to freeze for the future.

Ta HW, I think I might do the same. I opened the bag and they seem fine actually, not on the turn yet. But the one I ate wasn't very flavourful (maybe cos it was cold out of the fridge). So I think they will be nicer cooked with a bit of ginger and then can use them for yummy crumbles etc. Not very good for my waistline though and I'm trying to lose weight! Maybe I will use just a tiny bit of crumble and a lot of fruit.

Thanks Jayne. :A Hope your plumber shows up soon. I have someone coming today or tomorrow.

I think my sister was embarrassed when I picked up a cent off the floor in a book shop. I know it's a tiny amount but it still has value - and I sure ain't rich enough to be snobby about these things! Now that I think of it it seems strange to me that people would be too proud to pick up money - they could always put it in a charity tin if they don't want it. And I really believe the truth in if you look after the pennies, the pounds will look after themselves. I noticed that when I constantly let small amounts go - paying extra for convenience rather than shopping around for example, all the small amounts combined to a rather large amount that I could have saved by being more careful. So now I do try to watch the pennies!

itsallinthemind

JayneC wrote: »

IAITM Dare I ask what the giant cotton bud method is?

After getting up to my armpit about a dozen times, a normal plunger and a pump one...it worked.


You get a broom or mop handle, wrap an old T-Shirt in a ball around the end, wrap a carrier around it, then a few bin bags, scecuring with tape. You need to do it as compact as possible.

You then use that as a plunger, it JUST forces down in to the skinny part of the toilet. It is quite hard work.

After over a week of trying, this method worked after about 20 decent pumps. It did make a right mess of the bathroom, but saved me plumbers fees. Wear an apron/old clothes and put your shower cap on!

midwinter

JayneC wrote: »

Hi all,

IAITM Dare I ask what the giant cotton bud method is?

Can't remember who started the conversation about pennies, but I pick them up too. However I was with DS1 when I saw one the other day and I knew he'd give me a hard time so didn't pick it up - not sure I've gotten over it yet!!

I'd be interested to know the giant cotton bud method.... our toilet seems to block with alarming regularity!

and if out with either of my sons, they're mortified when I pick up change... they wouldn't even stop to pick up a 50p!

midwinter

itsallinthemind wrote: »

After getting up to my armpit about a dozen times, a normal plunger and a pump one...it worked.


You get a broom or mop handdle, wrap an old T-Shirt in a ball around the end, wrap a carrier around it, then a few bin bags, scecuring with tape. You need to do it as compact as possible.

You then use that as a plunger, it JUST forces down in to the skinny part of the toilet. It is quite hard work.

After over a week of trying, this method worked after about 20 decent pumps. It did make a right mess of the bathroom, but saved me plumbers fees. Wear an apron/old clothes and put your shower cap on!

Thanks, I'll bear it in mind.... but would need a very bendy broom handle as it seems to be the pipe behind the toilet, rather than the toilet bends itself

Lily_The_Legend

l.m.hart wrote: »

since super***g was over the road i purchased a paper to get the 2 free gifts so that was 45p.
went to collect my goodies and was told to make it fairer to other customers and because stock was low, i could only have 1 item, which was different to advertised, chose the face mask and it was £ 2.49 .

Didn't know about this offer, DH is going to get a paper at lunchtime and see if the Superdrug in town has any left. That's not good that you only got one item. I just read a thread on the freebies board and it seems a lot of people have had problems getting them this morning.

patentgirl

Morning everyone or is that afternoon now think it might be
this thread has gone mad last couple of days since I last read it
Had 2 NSDs but will need to go shopping tonight which I dread but unfortunatley didnt do my shop and meal plan this weekend will be paying for it now later after work
Jayne congratulations of your chickens eggs bet they tasted yummy
I am another one to pick up pennys but dont look around to see if anyones watching just pick it up and walk on method:rotfl:although if with my youngest DD at 18 she would be mortified
Just had left over shepherds pie for lunch at work heated up, the smell as I walked down the corridor past everyone eating their expensive baguettes and sandwiches brought from work at rip of prices amde me smile
HM pizzas and wedges for tea
No major unexpected expenditures yet although car tax next month

have a good day everyone

itsallinthemind

midwinter wrote: »

Thanks, I'll bear it in mind.... but would need a very bendy broom handle as it seems to be the pipe behind the toilet, rather than the toilet bends itself

It is the force and fact that it is such a vacuum created that it becomes powerful(is hard pumping!).

It does not matter that you are only plunging so far.

Six bits of large duplo, a toy car, my spare keys and half an apple flew out of my pipe :rotfl: