Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

rubytuesday

Redglass I don't have a Sainsburys near by unfortunately but will look if I am passing Thank you. I have it with the M and S walnut and cheddar flatbreads though so it's annoying I can't get hold of it! I think I will write to them but I'm always planning on writing to someone about something and never do!

cw18

NualaBuala wrote: »

Cheryl, sorry to hear about the cutbacks. Well on the positive side it’ll leave you with more “you time”. And it sounds like you will still be able to make ends meet – just hope there is something in the kitty for the occasional treat.

My budget is set with no reliance on overtime (or WTC, which I only get if I work at least an extra 4 hours every 7th week!), so no 'robbing Peter to pay Paul' required just yet

How are things going with your chap these days, is he still on the scene?

Just got off the phone with him for the second time this evening
We're still getting on really well, and still finding new things in common (latest being TV programmes we used to watch as young children and into our teens).
Unheard of to have a day without at least a couple of texts sent each way, and probably only a couple of days a week we don't speak for at least an hour - so I guess you could say he's still "on the scene"
Still just friends with no indications that he wants to change that any more than I do, so no awkward moments due to either of us saying/doing something the other is uncomfortable with.

With the extra hours at work I don't seem to have had much time for anything more than eating, sleeping, working and chatting to him over the last few weeks - and now have several hours h/work to try and get done before mid-morning tomorrow, as it sounds like he could be coming over again

Just hoping it's "third time lucky" though, as both the other times he's been over he's been called back due to his Dad taking bad I jokingly said his family (who actually know nothing about me) must have something against me - and the best bit was knowing before I said it that he'd take it as it was meant, and not as me being nasty

NualaBuala

Yes, definitely counts as still on the scene! It sounds like you are really comfortable together, that's a lovely feeling.

I know the extra hours brought a nice bit of money but it does sound like you will have more breathing space now. Or just more time for texting/chatting on the phone! Sounds like I'm talking about a teenager and her boyfriend!:rotfl:

apple_mint

23rdspiral wrote: »

family brevement + having to write the 'here's why my job is valuable to you so please dont make me redundant' document = a pretty horrid day.

at least it's been a NSD.

hope everyone else is a bit more chipper than me. have a nice friday night everyone. x

(((23rdspiral))) you really do need a massive group hug. Take care of yourself. This smiley is sort of the wrong way round. We should be all gathering you to us, but hopefully it covers.

Spent a little yesterday. Bought some raffle tickets, which came from my pocket money (a small allowance I give myself each week - fully budgeted ).

A batch-cooking day here today. It's really helping to have meals and packed lunches ready in the freezer. It means we can sit down earlier to eat and have more time to relax in the evening.

I've been meandering around the sewing threads and looking at ideas on blogs for making or altering clothes. I have a couple of brown / orange skirts which I'm thinking about dyeing black. Has anyone done this and does the colour stay fixed? I don't really want spend the time and money doing this if the colour rapidly comes out. If it works it would extend my wardrobe choices a bit and will cost a lot less than buying new or making my own. The two skirts are a linen type material so I think they should take the dye pretty well.

mooomin

Morning folks,

Hope everyone is ok, I've been skim-reading recently. *hugs* to 23rdspiral though, seems like you're having a rotten time of things this week.

Yesterday was pretty frugal - the only spend was a planned for drink with a friend. £7.55 for a bottle of beer and a glass of wine is pretty pricey though :eek:

Today was going to be a NSD but they have a free Doctor Who audiobook in the Guardian, so I'm going to the local shopping centre to get that and will get the bits and pieces of shopping I need while I'm there. That should leave tomorrow free for not spending. I hope!

Have a good day all

apple_mint

apple_mint wrote: »

I've been meandering around the sewing threads and looking at ideas on blogs for making or altering clothes. I have a couple of brown / orange skirts which I'm thinking about dyeing black. Has anyone done this and does the colour stay fixed? I don't really want spend the time and money doing this if the colour rapidly comes out. If it works it would extend my wardrobe choices a bit and will cost a lot less than buying new or making my own. The two skirts are a linen type material so I think they should take the dye pretty well.

I've done a search and read a few threads on dyeing and I'm going to give this a go. I've also got some t-shirts that could be saved/revived by dyeing them black. I've seen some Dylon machine dye on Amazon so I might give this a try. If this works I might start dyeing some bedding too.

diddly74

I have dyed various things in my time from towels and curtains to jeans.

Always re-dye my daughters black jeans when they get a bit grey, and it lasts a fair while.

I dyed some large cream curtains when I couldn't get cerise ones for a 9ft window, it was cheaper to buy them and a dye than make or buy. They did however turn out a bit like pub flocked wallpaper!!! But they looked fab when up - and my elder daughter has chosen to keep them up in her new bedroom here! I also did same for our lounge curtains when I decided I wanted brown curtains not cream ones and they look fab and have matching linings! What you have to remember is any relief patters/embroidery probably will not dye well, as it is usually done in polyester cotton.

Look at it this way - do you wear the orange and brown skirts now? If you don't and they go wrong (which if they are linen I would not expect them NOT to take) you haven't lost anything but a few quid for a dye and salt.

apple_mint

Thank you diddly74 I'm getting quite excited about dyeing :j Like you say, I'm not wearing the skirts now and quite honestly I won't again as I've stopped dyeing my hair and embraced the silver look which looks great with aqua's, greens, blacks and purples. I spent just under £500 18 months ago getting four outfits in these colours that I could mix and match :eek: I don't have the budget to add to these, but I do have a cupboard full of clothes in russets and browns so I'm looking forward to a little creative re-purposing OH was worried about the dye running in the wash but on reading about it on MSE its a matter of following the instructions properly.

We are saving to buy our own place and so any curtains we buy will be from charity shops. Thank you diddly74 for the great idea of colouring our curtains

minnie2

altthough i think we are still in budget for groceries etc - we have had a very wasteful month - when we have money we spend it!! january was great coz we didnt actually have any. going to tweak what goes into what pot and im hoping that will help!!! leave cards at home and have cash and when its gone its gone!!!!

redglass_2

apple_mint wrote: »

What you have to remember is any relief patters/embroidery probably will not dye well, as it is usually done in polyester cotton.

I would echo this. I redyed black trousers that were going charcoal-coloured. Dylon lasted a fair while (though not forever) and it was a lot cheaper than buying new trousers. But when I tried to dye some jogging pants, the stitching (polyester) didn't take the dye and looked a bit weird. Overall, though, it's good fun and good value. One of my friends dyed all her cushion covers and curtains to get them colour co-ordinated. They looked great.

minnie2 wrote: »

altthough i think we are still in budget for groceries etc - we have had a very wasteful month - when we have money we spend it!!

Me too, Minnie, me too. I am fatally tempted by things and can't achieve the low figures some people manage on here even though I live alone (though that's a double-edged sword as sometimes you save by having a practical person who can do the DIY jobs you can't). But we do what we can, eh? And get back on the horse...;)