Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

NualaBuala

A big fat welcome to the new folk! :wave:

Sandra and EFC - I am really enjoying your posts, you keep inspiring me!

Puddleglum - wow, that's great that you got on the front page of the paper! :T And even better that your library was saved! It just goes to show what can be achieved when we put our minds to it!

Dizzy - that cake looks gorgeous and is making me hanker after something delicious!

Has anyone heard from Itsallinthemind? If you're lurking, hope you're ok pet. x

Erme, try not be too hard on yourself hon. I know I'm not Christian but it seems to me that you are not at all "full of sin" and to say that is to ignore all the good in you and you clearly have a good and kind heart. x:A


I have spent nothing today or yesterday because I have been resting at home, feeling a bit lousy to be honest but I'm sure I'll be fine.

Hope everyone is ok and big hugs to anyone who'd like one!

NualaBuala

dizzy_lizzie wrote: »

Hi Erme
Hubby has put the shopping away so here are those links to my crochet on the crochet thread, can't do the individual photos but can do the page and I'll put on what post number they are, though you'll see them anyway
Here are the links for some of my crochet pics
Fireplace bunting post no 546 (my favourite)
lion post no 1278
Baby bootees these were hard for me to do post no 1141
Tin of hearts post 997
Hearts and flowers post 912
Blankets and flowers post 836
and post 3975 are my knitted wristwarmers

For anyone wanting a cheap hobby and to help take your mind off spending etc crochet really is quite frugal. All you need is a crochet hook which cost 0.95p in my local knit shop and a ball of wool, cheapest again 59p. And to make it even more frugal you can crochet strips of plastic carrier bags to make...bags lol, string, unravel jumpers that don't fit and reuse the yarn etc. Loads and loads of tutorials on youtube for complete beginners.
Luv Dizzy x
♥

Beautiful work Dizzy! :T:T:T
I bought a Learn to Crochet mag with a DVD, free hook and yarn but haven't managed to learn more than chain stitch. Once I finish my current knitting project (which I seem to have abandoned ) I will give it a go again.

Laushappy

Evening all

Hope you have all enjoyed the day.

Miss empty piggy - I know what you mean about over spending on xmas presents, i went way over the top with the kids this xmas. Dont beat yourself up about it, just knowing where your money goes is a massive achievement. It can take a while to get on top of finances, but with persaverence (think thats how you spell it!!!) you can achieve your financial goals

Must finish this post when the kids are in bed as they are jumping all over me!!!

Bye for now

enjoyfinancialchallenges

Erme thanks for confirming you want to be told if anyone of us notice things are not so good with your MH. Thats makes it so much easier for everyone, anyway you are doing great at the moment so well done.

minnie2 I bought my toilet rolls from Approved foods, its on the first page of this thread so do look but it doesn't seem such a good offer at the moment well certainly not as good as was suggested by midwinter.

Nubu pleased you find some inspiration in my ramblings.

23rdspiral

A happy NSD here - went to carvery with OH's parents, for mine and their birthdays, and they insisted on paying. it was mega yum and filling so we will just have cake and whoopsied cream for dinner tonight! and with a nice long walk around a resivour on the way home we got the most out of the petrol spent too, & no fee as we parked outside the official carpark, and others didnt and it got locked and they were stuck and cold and i feel aweful for them.
re pastry - THANKS for all the tips! i'm pretty sure i only bought the whoopsied pastry because i had a feeling i could figure it out after reading about all your pastry tips on here. So i've just turned 30 and i've made my first pie!:j it was really nice! (though i might leave the whoopsied red pepper out of the mince, mushrooms and onions next time!!) (and i've a little ball for the freezer too!):D

Hi Mogan! good luck with your personal challenge, it really is never too late to start, (and also restart) (and restart again!!)

dizzy -:D i've all sorts of scarfs in all sorts of colours for all sorts of occasions! and i've a good excuse!!
i agree that Nigel Slater comes accross as really gentle, even more so for me since reading his book.

Minnie - i know there's a homebargains in Northampton so they arent all 'up north'! and congrats on the decisions you've been making lately, they seem to be helping you work towards your goals.

Nichelette

Thanks to everyone for all the welcomes...

First thing on my list is to stop buying breakfast at work (I never want food til about 10am by which time I'm always at work), and to take a proper lunch so I don't need to buy anything during the day.

I went to Tesco earlier and got a few salad bits so I've made a quorn chicken salad for lunch tomorrow. Quorn chicken & mince were only £1 a bag in Asda recently so I stocked up on both as I'm a vegetarian and it's cheaper than meat anyway. Also managed to get a couple of loafs for 25p each which I'll freeze and make sandwiches with.

I'm trying to cook things to freeze so I'm not eating rubbish when I come home from work - I am at the moment which isn't very MSE as I've put on enough weight that my clothes are now mostly tight or don't fit . I made a batch of this:http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1364/spicy-root-and-lentil-casserole which is quite cheap and healthy and did actually taste quote nice, so much so that my dad who was quite hungry ended up eating two portions. I've only got one left now which I've put in a container for my mum to try, so I'm going to get more lentils and potatoes tomorrow so I can make another batch which will hopefully make it to the freezer this time.

I've tried to teach myself to crochet, I can start it off but then I mess it up . My nan taught me to knit but I can never get the tension right, and she died before I had time to perfect it. She always had to fix it when I messed up :rotfl:.

minnie2

[QUOTE=minnie2 I bought my toilet rolls from Approved foods, its on the first page of this thread so do look but it doesn't seem such a good offer at the moment well certainly not as good as was suggested by midwinter.
.[/QUOTE]


thanks will have a look - am no where near to get those other deals.and the supermarkets dont seem to have anything at the min!

[QUOTE=Minnie - i know there's a homebargains in Northampton so they arent all 'up north'! and congrats on the decisions you've been making lately, they seem to be helping you work towards your goals.[/QUOTE]


thank you!! yeah im actually looking forward to feb-things are coming together! - except work wise got some very scary interviews coming up! im in east anglia - so im no where near any of their shops - gutted!!

never_too_old

Minnie
£1.75
(43.8p / Roll)
Velvet Triple Layer White Toilet Tissue (4) plus you can download a 50 p off voucher from there website,not brilliant but alot cheaper than normal.

forgot to say Mr T's

dizzy_lizzie

Thanks Nuala
Don't give up on the crochet. Go on Youtube tutorials on crochet and I think that will really help. Or you can always ask me and I'll try to help
Hope you're not coming down with anything. Keep warm and drink lots of fluids.
The weather doesn't help. I'm trying to keep off going to the docs. I have asthma and use an inhaler and a preventor but in cold weather I get dreadful chest infections. I know I need antibiotics, but had them only a few weeks ago and I'm loathe to have them again so soon. Doesn't help when the little sweetiepies at work are coughing, sneezing and spluttering over me, Bless their little cotton socks, they don't do it on purpose.
Chest has been rattling something awful this week. I'm determined to get to the end of this term without any time off! Anyway I'm going to think happy thoughts and......
Spring is just around the corner


Luv dizzy x
♥

Oops, forgot my manners, can I just say a huge HELLO :hello: to everyone new who has joined the thread x

seriouslyfrugal

Hi Everyone


Welcome to Morgan6 & Nicholette :hello:


today was a spend day for me as I went to the local farmers market


Erme: I think what I ment by my last post about the planters was for anyone who doesn't have a garden ( I personally do ) I remembered someone saying they had a paved area - so that was my thinking behind that comment but of course plants can be grown anywhere


have a good monday everyone :j