Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

rubytuesday

A NSD for me today and dinner cobbled together from what I had in. Salmon and rocket omelette. I didn't go out in the end as I found out the court is only down the road and straight forward enough to get to.

miss_empty_piggy

HelenPie I am also a cake maker and I have to say that your cakes are FANBL**DYTASTIC!!! My cakes are mainly kids cakes, e.g. Peppa Pig, Kipper the dog, Wallace and Grommit etc. and I have also thought about starting up on my own. I have had a few orders which is good from word of mouth and facebook pictures etc. but am generally scared to sell any as I am not a registered business, and wouldn't have the first clue how to get started. I might eventually be as brave as you and get it all going, but I really want to get my debts paid off first. However, it is looking very dodgy at work and they are using the R word albeit in a voluntary sense, so that may be sooner than I had planned.

However, I just wanted to say Good on ya, and I wish you every success possible.

ATM I am sat here waiting for the bread to bake so that I can go to bed. Am feeling like I am coming down with a cold and can't wait to get to my electric blanket. I did have one quick question for all the frugalists out there, has anyone tried soap nuts for washing, and/or eco balls? I love the idea of being eco but also the money saving is appealing to me, but just wondered what people who had actually tried them thought of them. Am really considering giving them a go, but not sure which to try??

Thanks, big hugs and night night to all.

SandraScarlett

Today has been exceptional, the very best of days
I'm sitting here and blushing, because of all your praise :blushing:

I'm just a plain ol' pensioner - although a modern version
And come what may, it's fair to say, that I'm a "people person"

I love to hear about your lives and all the things you do,
I know it is a struggle and my heart goes out to you

Cos I was born in "peacetime", and my age I'm sure you'll guess
Though rationing was still around, we'd got the NHS!!

At 4 I played on bomb sites, and I didn't have to hurry
The streets were free of transport, and my parents didn't worry

At school they gave us malt - and milk, though classes were much bigger
And junk food was unheard of - hence my age group's sylph like figure!

My teens were in the 60s, and the music was just great
My "stay out" time was half past nine - I dared not get home late! :eek:

And when I met my husband, and I became his spouse
No worries for a mortgage, and that's how we bought a house

But now, today, it's different, alas your money's tight
Your worries are enormous as you toss and turn at night

The jobs, that once were plentiful, are now so hard to find
You all deserve encouragement, and if my words are kind

It's cos they're meant sincerely, and I really truly hope
That with the board's support and help, you'll manage and you'll cope

So thank you for your lovely words, like a fragrant, sweet bouquet :happylove
And as I said before to you - you've really made my day!

xx

saorsie

I've said it before and I'll say it again ~ Sandra, you are a truly lovely person! :A x

-s-

mooomin

midwinter wrote: »

You're not a bad frugalista at all! You saved money, and treats dont need to be out of the equation!

That's true

By buying online I have also eliminated the temptation to buy additional items I don't need!

rubytuesday

miss_empty_piggy wrote: »

I did have one quick question for all the frugalists out there, has anyone tried soap nuts for washing, and/or eco balls? I love the idea of being eco but also the money saving is appealing to me, but just wondered what people who had actually tried them thought of them. Am really considering giving them a go, but not sure which to try??

Thanks, big hugs and night night to all.

Hello I had a sample of soap nuts to try for P and P but can't remember where from and haven't tried them yet but someone will probably have a link or you could put it in the search and it should come up.
A friend has been using them and said the whites didn't come up so white.
Found a link.
http://www.soapnuts.co.uk/free_soapnut_samples.html

rubytuesday

That is fantastic Sandra!:j

youngmummy

flying_fresian wrote: »

Has anyone been and stocked up on petfood in Tesco? It's all on 3 for 2 and I'm going along tonight.

I tried to do the order online and had put into my basket:

3 x cat biscuits @ £5.40 each
3 x wet food @ £13.25 each

I was expecting to save £18.65 but it took off two packs of cat biscuits instead. Bah! Does anyone know if the tills will do that instore or if I will have to do separate transactions for the things I'm stocking up on? I also need to make sure that I do a proper list of things to buy so I spend £50 in one transaction to get the 5p off fuel. So much for a low spend week.

This shop will b*gger my groceries budget for the month but stocking up on catfood makes so much sense from a longer term view. I'll take half the money from this month's budget and half from next.

In better news, another £14 of Quidco money has changed to "received" and should be with me by the end of the month. Woo!

well done on Quidco. also i didnt know that tesco had petfood 3 for 2. is it still on offer !!! many thanks

it would of been a NSD today but DP decided to buy some stuff off internet to fix his bike up... better than buying another bike tho, also we have decided not to go on holiday this year as it could completely skint us out and we're going to focus on trying too move house and saving instead. :T
how does QUIDCO work ????


hope everyone is doing ok hugs for those that need them x

rubytuesday

Cat food is on offer until 3rd March I think.

enjoyfinancialchallenges

HelenPie wrote: »

Hello all,

How is everyone. Sorry I've not been about much, I've been working on setting up my baking business following the inspiration given by you lovely lot last month.

I've completed my first commission, found people to do free marketing, branding, photography, and web design (all in return for free cake, of course!)

I've got a few pictures here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=317402&id=679411053

It's meant my Frugal-ness has taken a bit of a hit and my debt free target is moving a little away from me, but there shouldn't be many more costs and hopefully it should pay dividends soon

Take care and I'll try and catch up with everything I've missed over the next few days.

H x

I've had a look at your cakes and gosh you are clever, they are lovely, you should do well with them. I cook a lot also but my stuff is the fill e'm up sort of food at 'car boots'. I do a lot of biscuits also and they sell very well even though they are fiddly but very moorish. I do well on sales but wouldn't ever consider going the whole hog and setting up a business. I look forward to hearing how it all goes for you, please keep us informed if you have time.

Erme I'm missing you being around I hope you are taking care of yourself. XX

miss empty piggy I started using soap nuts last week and I think my washing is already softer, I have to admit that some of the dirt marks I get on my jeans from being in the garden didn't all seem to come out but thats not a big issue for me as I expect they will eventually. Somebody has already put a link on where to get them from and its the place mine came from. I had no idea what to expect when I ordered them and when I saw them wondered how these dried up brown things could possibly work but gave them a try, so far after about three washes with them I'm quite pleased. Out of curiosity I recorded the date when I first used them so I could work out price per wash etc.

Nu Bu good to hear from you also, life seems to be a bit tough for you at times but I admire how you don't seem to let it get you down, really pleased to read your posts. Carry on carrying on.XXX

Lots of new people joining, pleased to see you all with lots of new ideas....AND...more new poems, love them they are wonderful and so is everybody on this site.