Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

redglass_2

JayneC wrote: »

I didn't mean burning bamboo for firewood, tho I suppose we could. There's actually what can only be described as a small wood at the top of the garden and most of the trees are very overgrwn, so could do with a good amount of chopping back and some trees could go altogether as they block out so much light. I've got some pics on photobucket I'll try and find the link...

It looks like a lovely big plot with beautiful views....and you'll be fit as a fiddle by the time you've cleared it.

I did a quick google about burning bamboo. Some people do, only it burns extremely hot & can damage stoves in large amounts so check it out before having a go. I'm very envious of anyone with their own wood supply - the best I usually do is like today, when I begged some wood from a nice old man at the recycling depot who was about to chuck it in a skip. That's a night's heating for me.

enjoyfinancialchallenges

SS so sorry to hear about your leaky roof, talk about it never rains but it pours! actually that wasn't meant to be funny but it is, well sort of but sorry about it. Anyway at least you have it in hand and whether you get another estimate or not the work will have to be done sooner or later. When I have emergencies like that and have to take money out of savings accounts I have to remind myself thats why I save it, there are no pockets in a shroud. I'm going to have to take out part of an ISA at the end of March which obviously I'd rather not do but sometimes it just has to be done. Good luck to sorting it all out and to DD and DH when they have to go into hospital soon, try not to stress about them they will be in the right place to put right the problems they have.

I had a look at your garden JayneC and you certainly have plenty of work to do there, which I'm sure you will sort out eventually, just don't try and do it all this year. Was that a couple of cherry trees I saw, if so that will be free fruit if the birds don't get there first :mad:

I haven't felt a bundle of fun these last couple of days and the weather hasn't been good either, I intend going on the bus tomorrow and get a small bag of seed compost, I have some chilli pepper seeds I want to get sown in the next few days. I don't like buying small bags of anything but may have to do so because I shall be on the bus although if I take a trolley I might be able to get a larger one. I'll see tomorrow when I get into the shop.

I havn't made any more marmalade this week, maybe I peaked at the weekend However I do need to start again soon as I still have the grapefruit in my fridge and the skins will go leathery and dry if I leave them to long. They are fine now though.

Erme there is no need for you to apologize about how others are reacting to your problems and perhaps I should have used the word concerned not distressed so my fault really, you just get on with recovering. I used to keep mice when I was a teenager but that was a very long time ago and the thought of keeping rats well I'm shuddering at the thought. Well done for using your hats to pay for the rats, I think 'I'm a poet and don't know it' as my Dad would say. If you enjoy them and have somebody to take care of the when you are away from home that sounds fine.

I'm still not buying food but money still leaking out, yesterday for instance I had to post all my documents which included, birth cert, deed poll, driving license, and passport to the DVLA being as I've just changed my name I needed to notify them of my new details and it cost £5.05 to post a recorded delivery to them, I was gob smacked.:eek: I hadn't though a recorded post would have been anything like that expensive. I have to take care of the documents carefully though I didn't want them to end up in anybody else's hands.

I have my laptop on my lap and my cat Poppy is trying to climb on also so I think I will just give her a fuss for a time whilst I watch Waterloo Road, lovely cat very special to me.

rubytuesday

Sandra so sorry to hear your woes!

Jayne I loved the garden - OH said he thought it was mine for a minute as it has a similar wild look but I do really need to work on it too but I prefer a wild look to neatly manicured.

Another spendy day but not too bad really. I went with my daughter to get her hair coloured for free at Trevor Sorbie and gave the young lady a tip. It was quite strange as my daughter used to model for Vidal Sasson and it was the same colourist who she really likes so that was nice.

I got a voucher from a magazine there for a handcream from Crabtree and Evelyn. It's a full size and is lovely. We then went to Nandos for something to eat. Fairly cheap and we haven't had a meal out together for a while so it was nice.

My chair has sold tonight for a hundred and thirty two pounds so that's good!

SandraScarlett

Thanks for all the hugs and advice. I won't go back on the deal, because that's not me, and I don't think it's that expensive for this area, either.

Some friends had a similar thing done about 15 years ago, and paid £700ish then, and it does include a 20 year guarantee. I had already wondered if it was covered by insurance, and even though I don't think it is, I'll give it a whirl. It's probably considered maintenance.

I absolutely agree that it's things like this that savings are for, and I've posted before that there are no pockets in a shroud - it's just everything seems to be coming together.

Hopefully they'll all go, hand-in-hand, at the same time, as well.

xx

enjoyfinancialchallenges

I have had a good sort around my freezers and I can't believe it as I still have enough food to last me another two weeks at least. It just goes to show how much food I've been hoarding which considering we are not rationed or short of food in this country seems totally unnecessary really. At least its getting used now and I have enough space to move things around in the freezers at long last so I shall have to start buying soon otherwise I shall run out of everything at the same time. Oh dear, that could be very expensive.

mooomin

Today's free book on Snazal is about painting murals. I thought it might appeal to some of the artier folk

http://www.snazal.com/freebook

miss_empty_piggy

JayneC - I have just been experiencing envy looking at your fantastic garden. That is my dream garden, plenty of room for exploring and room to do whatever you want with it!!! I'm not the world's best gardener, my garden is very boring, but does have 2 cherry trees in it. I did have a lovely plum tree but I chopped it down last winter as I was fed up with the fruit always being eaten or being rotten in the middle. My plan was to use the area to grow other vegetables but haven't got around to it just yet!!! Did plan on doing it this year, but we are about to move to another house which has a far smaller garden so I'll have to have a rethink!!! Also, there is no room for my chickens in the new house, but lady who is renting mine out says she loves them and would like to look after them for me. I will miss them, and my strawberries and rasps but never mind! sob.

Just to update, mum and dad have offered to pay for my fire to be lined!!! I will pay them back, and am very happy that it will be mended yeah!!!

Car being MOT'd and serviced today (so that will probably cost me a small fortune), I don't think the few ebay sales I made will cover it, but it comes and it goes. C'est la vie!!!

Hope everyone has a frugal day. x

Georgiegirl2012

Hello - I did sign up for this in Jan, but I have completely lost my frugal streak. I'm psyching myself up to start again in March.

I have only read from the top of this page, and looked at the pics of the garden, which, by the way, are lovely.

I have started making bread properly again, so that's a step in the right direction.

elly68

i'm the same georgie trying to get back on budget so will do that return some jeans and aim to live off 50 a week for the month of march .
i bought 2 beds that we need from homebase kngsize with mattress 265 and single frame we have a mattress 60 however topcashback have 3% off and disc code £50 so came to a grand total of 284 so basically sons new bed is free will also sell the kids beds so should get it down to nearer 200 if i do i will be well happy .and the thought of the luxury of a king is great the bedroom in this house is massive so will take it easily .i need a new duvet anyhow and the rest of the room will be tarted up with pictures from my livingroom in the old house .
happy frugalling elly

redglass_2

Welcome back, Georgiegirl!

Sandra, if you're thinking of the insurance I'd just put a hold on the repairs until you've checked the situation with them. You don't want to find out that you would've been covered, but invalidated the cover by going ahead without consultation.

I've been thinking about the things that come up unexpectedly and can wreck a budget. For me this week's aren't huge, but they add up: they include a pack of wood screws, a bradawl (because the old one is lost) and a petrol can (because I now find that the nozzle on the old one leaks). There have also been, recently, new door knobs (the old ones broke and were not repairable) and soon I'll be paying, probably, to have a piece of hardware cut off my second hand bike (I can't get it off myself and as long as it's there, the bike won't take my basket). There are also such nuisances as broken jars of jam that have to be discarded, garments that are accidentally torn or burnt and, of course, Sandra's roof disaster!

Do people run emergency funds or safety nets as part of their budgets? I wish I'd started with one this year. I've had to add one, but I underestimated how much I would need, I think...