Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

natnat13

I have had a less than frugal morning, was waiting for someone and whilst sat there forgot to turn my car lights off and ran the battery flat :-( Had to phone hubbie, who them had to leave work to rescue me and fleeced me of money for pasties for his workmates. Should have called the RAC would have been free, but probably would have been sat there a lot longer. Won't do that again!

Laushappy

Just popped on again to let you guys know about a super bargain i just picked up from a charity shop:
A bottle of britney spears curious perfume for £5.99:cool: was very chuffed as this will form part of my mums birthday present, as you know perfume is really expensive My mum is not at all fussy about what perfume she wears and i think she will be very chuffed with this gift

Also picked up a couple of books for my boys, one about starting school 79p (my eldest starts school in sept) and a Tombliboo book for my 20month old (he's mad about ITNG at the moment) 59p

I did get to the post office to, just did a detour to the charity shop on my way back to the car, couldnt resist

diddly74

I got a few jobs done this morning - posted off some ebay items I had sold. Also sent 2 packages to MusicMagpie do managed to declutter approx 40 cds of hubby's that just lie around gathering dust in boxes - so will make approx £22 on that - I could probably "earn" more by putting them on ebay but I have to pay the fees and the postage then and Magpie pay the postage and its an immediate reward for me!

Then drove 16 miles to Walsall and treated myself to £56 worth of perfum and shower gel - which cost me £17 and an new Bra - which should have been £32 and I paid £6 - I shall be going back there for undies again! I also treated myself to a walk round Ikea! Alone and at my leisure! And I only spent £20! Which is good for me in there!

Tomorrow I will be able to bank some Magpie cheques I already have and hopefully make some money on clothes that I plan to throw out. We have a scheme here that pays you approx £5 per bin bag of textiles! Car will be heaving tomorrow morning!

rubytuesday

Horrible, horrible day for me today spent from 9.30am until 3pm in the youth court only for the case to be adjourned to July on our anniversary! Bumped into the defendants coming back from buying lunch to be greeted with teeth sucking and nasty glares. Feel absolutely shattered.
Spent four pounds on lunch and then ten pounds on a Top Shop gift voucher for a teenager's birthday.

mooomin

Wahoo - glad I didn't go to Tesco last night

I got my Clubcard points things today and have vouchers for:

£9.50 (expiry of 2013)
25 points when I spend £1 on fruit
25 points when I spend £1 on vegetables
25 points when I spend £1 on anything frozen
25 points when I spend £1 on bread
25 points when I spend £1 on dairy

All of which I was planning on doing tonight anyway!!

I also got a cheque in the post today to pay me for my last mammoth batch of cards, so I'm trying to decide if I put it all in the emergency fund or pay some off the mortgage. Only £40 but every little helps

redglass_2

rubytuesday wrote: »

Horrible, horrible day for me today spent from 9.30am until 3pm in the youth court only for the case to be adjourned to July on our anniversary! Bumped into the defendants coming back from buying lunch to be greeted with teeth sucking and nasty glares. Feel absolutely shattered.
Spent four pounds on lunch and then ten pounds on a Top Shop gift voucher for a teenager's birthday.

That's so nasty, (((Rubytuesday))). I want to write, 'hope it doesn't spoil your anniversary too much' but it sounds a bit feeble in the circumstances. Big hugs....:grouphug:.

Cheryl, I have to PM you as something is going on with the Spreadsheet of Wonder and I don't understand what..(again)...:o

Was finally offered a council garage this week. :jI've waited years for one and I'm very pleased but of course it will cost, so the budget has to expand. (I can't turn it down or my name will be taken off the list and I probably won't be offered another one in my lifetime!) I also discovered that my name had come to the top of the list in the past but the garage had been awarded to someone else who hadn't been waiting so long. :mad: I think this is because I complained to the people then running the system (not the same ones as now) about unfairness (people taking garages who already had ones on their own land, people taking two and only using them to keep junk in, etc). In the meantime my car was being repeatedly vandalised out in the road (there is nowhere on my property I can put a garage and I can't park outside the house). When I complained the woman on the other end got very arsy with me, so I suppose she must have enjoyed her moment of spite depriving me of the garage even though it was my turn. Well, I've got it now.

silvasava

rubytuesday wrote: »

Horrible, horrible day for me today spent from 9.30am until 3pm in the youth court only for the case to be adjourned to July on our anniversary! Bumped into the defendants coming back from buying lunch to be greeted with teeth sucking and nasty glares. Feel absolutely shattered.
.

Rubytuesday - you must be feeling so demoralised. Years ago I worked in the Magistrates Court - if I remember correctly you can tell them you can't make a particular day if you give them enough notice but things may have changed...........:(

:grouphug: Hope you have a relaxing evening at home & dont let the b****rs grind you down

rubytuesday

Thanks folks! I'm just a witness for my 18 year old neighbour who was assaulted by another neighbour and two other girls. She's due to give birth in a few weeks which is why the defendants were playing silly B's in court today to try and stop it going ahead. I think I'd rather just get it over and done with for her sake. I know both these families so it's all a bit awkward and I've learnt today that the main assailant has been done for assault many times and has a habit of carrying knives! Great! This is what you get involved in when you do your 'good citizen' thing!
OH's Mum died the day after our anniversary a couple of years ago this year so it's not such a great time now anyway really.
I think 'womans hour' is approaching as I'm feeling a bit teary now! xxx

rising_from_the_ashes

Evening everyone - just another quick visit tonight as head still pounding (not had a migrane for at least 10 years and not enjoying its return)!

Flying_Freshian - your cards are absolutely fantastic! Wish I was artistic.:D

Rubytuesday - that really sucks :grouphug:

Sandra - another great poem, it really cheered me up.:)

What a talented bunch everyone is!

Must look into Quidco, I don't tend to buy a lot online (difficult to get delivered when no-one in to sign for it) but get the odd bit here and there.

Redglass - your talk of a council garage has got me thinking of allotments again. I'm on the waiting list but have been told it'll be YEARS before I get one:(.

So..... anyone any ideas for things I could use to make planter type things in the back garden?

I don't have a lot of room and have usually grow lettuce etc (though I don't really like it:o - am going to try spinnach this year:).

I'd love to be able to grow some spuds/swede etc.

I was going to try to build planters last year with old railway sleepers but the cost of them and the soil just didn't make economic sense. I must be missing something really obvious!

Cats still haven't touched new cat food so looks like it'll be going to the cat shelter - little "so & so's". Sigh... I should know better by now but their food is just so expensive I really wish I could find something cheaper that they'd actually eat.

rubytuesday

Cats are so annoying sometimes aren't they RFTA! My cats will usually only touch Whiskas fish in Jelly although they did wolf down the Felix pouches I got from freecycle. I can't give them biscuits too often because they are invariably regurgitated either all over the furniture or where someone inadvertently steps in them! I have to give them from time to time though for their teeth. The bloomin' neighbours cat helps himself to anything going!