Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

mooomin

Big hugs Cheryl, hopefully the news isn't as bad as you fear.

CRANKY40

silvasava wrote: »

Remember - How do you eat an elephant? A teaspoonful at a time!:grouphug:

I love that. I may make it my motto for this year :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Cheryl I hope it's not as bad as you think too, but as you say, sometimes it can be quite obvious. I hope you get to see him anyway. Biggest hugs.

Erme

enjoyfinancialchallenges wrote: »

Oh Dear Erme, I've just had a laugh at you taking your two rats out for a walk with a crocheted coat on. Sorry not actually at you but at my minds pictures IYSWIM. Anyway you certainly seem to be enjoying them and taking care of them every well. Maybe you should look for a job at your local vets as you seem to have a lot of love to give to these creatures. I know how animals do seem to take over your life because I have a one person cat sitting on my lap as we speak who really only wants me, she does not like other people and runs a mile when they appear which concerns me because it seems to indicate she has not had a good life before I took her into my home...and yes my heart...I stayed in bed this morning late because I wanted to finish a book then when I did rise found the hot water was cold so waited for it to heat. In the mean time my cat decided the only place she wanted to be was on my lap and seems intent on staying there for some time......so what does a cat lover do except stay and fuss her. Now I'm not sure I should have laughed at you Erme because some people would say well shove her off and get on with your day. Oh well, sorry this is not a very frugal post, I must do better.

Have a good day everyone, I have planty to do and want to sort out my finances from yesterdays unfrugal day and make some scones for the man who cut my hedge with his tractor the other day. Catch up with you all soon.

Thanks I feel rotten this morning with either side effects from meds or my 2nd bout of flu in a fortnight (apparently some nasty side effects from the haloperidol can make you feel like you have flu - basically I just ache and have little energy) - yesterday turned out to be sostressful...

Needing my espresso @ 2pm I turned on the espresso machine to find it too hot and not even the on light coming on. Changed the fuse - still no joy...replaced @ Mr JL (praise God I got it from Mr JL!!! NEEDmy espresso) but no joy. Flicked fuse box...no joy...turned out to be the fuse for that socket...out comes a grumpy German electrician @ 5pm just when I'm cleaning the ratties out...

Then I lost the clip for the bottom cage . Still not found it. Praise God I have books on the top (otherwise Milo would be out in no time) so so far it's okay...

Then I spy a second hand Bosch washing machine for 135 in the second hand shop...promptly nab (cos I have 100 savings already) - only to discover this am it's a 2003 model so don't know if it was such a good buy. Praying it being Bosch lasts another 10 years but have taken out warranty just in case (cos warranty was about 100 for 3 years - but thinking of lowering that to two. You can get Bosch machines in Mr JL for 300 :j)

It does look better than my current machine (bought when paranoid last year) as this one is well over 10 years old and grinds (common problem with it) on the spin. This one has variable spin I think (will have to check) and lets you know how long it's got left to wash stuff

minnie2 wrote: »

so now going to spend sometime sorting through my finances again!!! think i may do another budget thing in general too as my finances have changed so much since January - oh the joy!! but we dont have two cars now and all our money is different so think it needs to be done - see if we are any better off!!!

Erme sounds like your rats are a big part of your life like our animals are to us!!!!! though i am total phobic of rats and mice (bad experience as a child had lots of different therapy but nothing has worked!!) but my selfish spends this week were animal related - we have ended up with 3 new additions - granted not everyones cup of tea but they are already a part of our family and we love them, they are the children I cant have. So on top of the three very demanding dogs we have already - we now have a baby spider who we have named Matilda and who will eventually grow into a curly haired tarantula, a baby snake who we have named Maddy and an austrailian gecko my little boy who weve named Bertie!!!!! All of which at present are nice and snug and warm,curled up in our bedroom!!

It is so bad - and apparently I am his best customer this week!!! Spending nearly £250!!!!! argh!!!! I am presently looking after my mothers bearded dragon - which i have been looking after since August!!!!!!!!!!!! hope it will go home soon!!! So I went into shop to buy her food as usual but my hubby had the day off and came with me and thats how it happened!! he wants a snake and I want a spider again (as i miss Rosie my old one). And then mums car was in garage so i had to drive her around and she wanted to go to shop as my sister wants some crested geckos - and what happens?!! i saw this gorgeous gecko and suddenly Ive bought him and called him Bertie!!!!!

So now working out my finances eek!! We have been eating out alot this week too - though using vouchers aswell as paying for them with money vouchers too - but sometimes had to put the odd £5 towards it rather than wasting a £10 voucher etc. But i have bought and paid for our car insurance, not on a card of anthing £485 we could have done without shelling out for!!

Got to get rid of hubbys car this weekend but no idea what to do with it!!!

Right I am off to do budget again see if we are any better off now!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderfully frugal day!!

And I thought spending about £30 on my rats this week was expensive? LOL......Phew....I have to take Bob to the vets tomorrow that I'm not looking forward to. The posh bedding won't last 5 mins so will have to eek it out a little and buy more suparat at some point. I have a tub for the suparat but they like to sleep on the posh bedding (no wonder it looks far comfier than sawdust)

Still Notfound library book :eek:...Have hunted all over...

Also had a good time @ the charity sale - it was mobbed though. Was wise to take just cash otherwise I could have spent a wee fortune. Got a good old metal ironing board (loads of character but heavy) for £5 and some tweed for 75p and a little wool and some tupperware tubs (4 cereal ones for £1.50 :j). Will have to go next month and see what I need but get there sooner..(huge queue by the time I got there @ 0945)...amazing sale though. Would recommend anyone visiting the Deen to go there (Somebody cares is the charity - think it's on their website. It's down summerhill)..

It's another gorgeous day out there today...... Maybe a time for a walk to the beach this pm if am up for it or a sit out on the grass if not..

Hope everyone is well...still to read Bible though :eek:

E
PS. I just checked the instructions and it does have a quick wash (the new washing machine) = 40 mins and a standard easy care wash of approx 1hr: 18mins.. and you can vary the spin (think 800 will be just fine for me )

slowlyfading

Cheryl, hope it's not as bad as it sounds xx

silvasava

Cheryl - we're all thinking of you & sending the 'vibes' for a positive outcome

apple_mint

Cheryl, positive vibes from here too (((hugs)))

SandraScarlett

Cheryl, love and prayers winging their way to you. xx

Cranky, you have a huge task ahead of you, but there is no time limit on things like this, you just tackle it in your own good time. Even if it takes weeks, months or years, it doesn't matter, as long as the pace you are doing it at, suits you.

No doubt, you will look at items, and laugh, or cry, or both, but remember, God makes tears to wash away sorrow, and you don't have to part with everything at once. Nobody can possibly put themselves in your position, and, after a bereavement, everyone is different.

May God give you the strength to get through this.

xx

rubytuesday

Thinking of you Cranky and Cheryl.

I have a lot to do but I think I need to go and have a lie down again! This is getting a bit ridiculous. I'll try and keep it short!

Puddleglum

:grouphug:Fingers crossed Cheryl, think of the 20% chance it isn't what you fear.

Another month down and for the second month in a row we have a bit of money left at the end. No council tax again next month so here's hoping for a third good month. We have slightly overspent on petrol although that was largely due to the "Gaddafi effect", stocking up at the bargain basement price of £127.9 a litre. If prices go up the way they are predicted to then petrol may never come in on the old budget allowance again.

When I was at the supermarket earlier today they were selling off large amounts of salami at ridiculously low prices. While we rarely eat any meat, I thought that the rest of the family would probably appreciate some on their pizza tonight and in their sarnies in the week. The stink in the fridge though is telling me that DS and DD will probably be picked on if they whip salami sarnies out of their lunch boxes in the school canteen! Still we live and learn!

I am glad your rats are giving you so much enjoyment Erme. They sound like right characters already.

Good luck for March everyone and for the other half of the year to those in schools.

Puddleglum:j

silvasava

Minnie 2 - OOh another lady who likes spiders! Wonderful creatures who must all be ladies becuase when they find somwhere they like they put up their 'net' curtains!! We used to have a VERY large spider that we named Fred who occasionally visited the sitting room. My DS1 & I were watching TV one night & the lights fused, while DH was under the stairs we were just sitting in the dark when we heard a 'pitter' noise. DS jokingly said 'must be Fred' when the lights came on there he was in the middle of the room!! I knew he was big but didn't know he wore boots!

To those who dont like spiders - they dont cause any nasties and are very clean (unlike flies) they eat all the real nasties & just cos they've got 8 legs if they had wings they'd be a butterfly!

Off to rummage in the freezer for dinner tonight