Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

minnie2

l.m.hart wrote: »

minnie2

I think my day has now joint the ranks of your bad day yesterday.
My dh was leaving for work this morning , dd bf car blocking his way so i was moving it, was going slowly and dh thought i had moved and reveresed into his car damaged front wing.cant claim off the insurance because ddbf policy will be loaded next year even with a no fault claim. and as he has only had the car and been driving a couple of months we cant have his insurance going up because of my dh.
so now we have to foot the bill for the wing to be repaired.

any ideas on how much that is likely to be?
dh is such a negative so and so he plans bad days before they even happen then is in such a mood that he plods around and obviously doesnt concentrate properly.

so definately not a frugal day
I have also dug out all my documents because my car is due an MOT this month, car was purchased in 2008 by dh and until today i didnt realise i have MOT cover ,( you pay £40 for mot and some things are covered if they need replacing)
i have had a breakdown cover called eden assist and apparantely is top notch cover.
i have been paying for cover for the last 3 years.
so now only have to get breakdown cover for dh, so moral of story read all documents dh brings in because you may be paying for things that you dont need too, :-(

oh no!!! you have my sympathies!!!! truly!!!! men!!! ok is the boyfriends car old or new? I should imagine price will depend on the paneling and therefore type of the car.Also if its crushed or dented?

some cars they make you replace massive section other just the panel you damamged - depends on car type - also depending on type of damage a panel beater may be able to sort it out for you then add a touch of paint.

Another idea which i have done before is ring round the local scrap yards - they may be able to give you a replacement panel cheap and then you just need it fitted - they often have car accident cars that are classed as write offs - but if there are sum same colour and make etc that got hit up the other end you may be in luck!!!!!!!

cw18

minnie2 wrote: »

well my house was supposidly done up before i bought it - job lot - hadnt been lived in for 3yrs then anningtons came bough them done up and sold on - some are still being done. We had 2 stains in that bedroom which were higlighted and the guy said they were old and it had been repaired - i know the wood work in the attic is new so i had assumed everything had been fixed.

I don't know if you can challenge the people who did the renovations then?
My current place is new build so came with a 10 year 'warranty' (though IMO it's not worth the paper it's written on!), but if I'd had my roof repaired properly myself I'd expect it to come with some sort of guarantee - just not sure how long it would be for, or whether the company who did your place up offered anything when you bought the place?

never_too_old

minnie2 wrote: »

oh no!!! you have my sympathies!!!! truly!!!! men!!! ok is the boyfriends car old or new? I should imagine price will depend on the paneling and therefore type of the car.Also if its crushed or dented?

some cars they make you replace massive section other just the panel you damamged - depends on car type - also depending on type of damage a panel beater may be able to sort it out for you then add a touch of paint.

Another idea which i have done before is ring round the local scrap yards - they may be able to give you a replacement panel cheap and then you just need it fitted - they often have car accident cars that are classed as write offs - but if there are sum same colour and make etc that got hit up the other end you may be in luck!!!!!!!

car is 6 year old corsa, hoping to find out soon how much it will set us back, seems a sham with the insurance though, he will have his policy go up even though hes not at fault.will keep you informed.
what part of the world do you live in Minnie2?

23rdspiral

oh dear, so sorry to hear of the mishaps, cars and roofs, ouchie.

I've now had the call and am to see HR on Thursday. It can only be the Big R.

On the plus side, i've been offered a mad amount of overtime till the end of the month - simple computer clicking editing so i risk getting RSI! but it seems like i can do as much as i can manage... which is good, but i know i'll have to be careful to keep my mind balanced, if you see what i mean.

Also on the plus side work took me past IKEA at sort-of-ish lunchtime, so i popped in and got what i needed (Huge Jars for dry goods to prevent any future Weevel infestations spreading), a glass for OH and a treat of a big tray reduced from 7 to 2.99 that will be grand for using in our new garden (if this deal ever goes through, but that's another story). I spent under 8 and was only there for 45 minutes! That has to be some kind of miracle... before the Frugal Challenge i'd be there all afternoon and have a boot full of stuff!

rising_from_the_ashes

Hello everyone, not been around for a few weeks .... not been very well but nearly better now!:) and then ended up really, really behind with Uni work - didn't want to log onto the boards until I'd finished my assessments as I get really easily distracted and don't get any work done!

Anyway.... I've finally finished them!!! Yeha.:j

That's me completed this section of my degree :j:jand probably won't be starting the next part until September (fingers crossed, struggling to find somewhere near enough where I can go part-time and depends on being able to raise funds - £3.5k :eek::eek::eek: needed for the next bit).


Have loads & loads of threads to catch up on (and around 60 pages on this one:eek:) so hope everyone's well and living frugually!
Lily

ceridwen

minnie2 wrote: »

the leaking is next to the chimney on one side ( I am assuming this as the massive stain in the bedroom is by the chimney bit). We are not attached to anyone there.




oh dear!!!!! its hard to say according to my neighbours as all the houses have just been done up and put up for sale etc weve been in just over a year the ones opposite are in process of being done up and ones to the right people have started to move in. Houses are 1970's. The people doing them up have repaired roofs that needed it. I know ours has got new wood work in the attic as the aerial guy said so - so i dont know. All the houses havent been lived in since 2006 and they started being done up in 2009

If the houses are 1970s build - then the roofs should be basically sound then. So - a small repair - and it might well be something like flashing then that is the problem. Goodness knows - a house THAT modern shouldnt have any problem at all with the roof...but check out that flashing in case..

rubytuesday

Hello everyone

Glad to hear you've finished your assignment Lily.

23rdspiral - I got those huge glass jars a few weeks ago - I've used them for cereal, they're great aren't they?

Well I must confess I have gone on a spending rampage the last few days - I think I am staging a frugal rebellion!

I bought two cushions at the weekend. A wool one for 7.50 from the white company sale and this one from ebay http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heaven-Sends-Linen-Postcard-Cushion/dp/B004D3JM3Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1299540596&sr=8-1
Five pounds cheaper than on Amazon.

Today I met a friend at the British Library and on the way popped into a charity shop which has had a major face lift and thus price hike but I managed to find a pair of Agnes B jeans for my daughter for a fiver and a Monsoon skirt for a fiver too.
On our travels I spied a new charity shop where I found some jeans for me for a fiver and then when I left my friend I popped into Oxfam and found a beautiful and unusual dress for six quid, so spendy, spendy me!
Still if I was buying new I'd have spent a lot more money on clothes.

Dinner was the sausage casserole which was very nice but after the butchers sausages we have been getting from time to time the sausages were a bit of a disappointment! However I'd made it in the morning so a first for me there!

Anyway back on the wagon for the rest of the week!

enjoyfinancialchallenges

minnie2 wrote: »

thank you!!




thank you so much!! its a yellowy stain and feels cold but not damp. oh dear scaffolding is going to be a prob as its right where two of my dogs are and a fence!!!

I'm going to have to claim on my house insurance aren't I?!!!! !!!!!!!!!

I go away for a day and everything falls apart, minnie2 I'm really sorry to hear about your roof as I had a wet patch on my porch ceiling fixed before Christmas. That was due to me choosing a dodgy builder to do the original work, so no chance of insurance paying up at all. Fortunately I have a roofer in the family which is useful but was still expensive but at least I know the jobs been done OK now. trouble is I have 3 dormer window roofs that will need fixing soon, so far they are OK so am just watching and waiting. Hope you get yours sorted soon.

l.m.hart wrote: »

minnie2

I think my day has now joint the ranks of your bad day yesterday.
My dh was leaving for work this morning , dd bf car blocking his way so i was moving it, was going slowly and dh thought i had moved and reveresed into his car damaged front wing.cant claim off the insurance because ddbf policy will be loaded next year even with a no fault claim. and as he has only had the car and been driving a couple of months we cant have his insurance going up because of my dh.
so now we have to foot the bill for the wing to be repaired.

any ideas on how much that is likely to be?
dh is such a negative so and so he plans bad days before they even happen then is in such a mood that he plods around and obviously doesn't concentrate properly.

so definitely not a frugal day
I have also dug out all my documents because my car is due an MOT this month, car was purchased in 2008 by dh and until today i didn't realize i have MOT cover ,( you pay £40 for mot and some things are covered if they need replacing)
i have had a breakdown cover called eden assist and apparantely is top notch cover.
i have been paying for cover for the last 3 years.
so now only have to get breakdown cover for dh, so moral of story read all documents dh brings in because you may be paying for things that you don't need too, :-(

Not easy living with somebody who plans bad days is it? I know that one from when I was married but then all the family had a bad days also because of him. I do hope its not too expensive to pay for the repairs but something I'm sure you would love not to have to pay for obviously otherwise you wouldn't be on the site. How frustrating also that you have been paying for a MOT cover on your car and the repairs doesn't it make you want to scream. Chin up though nothing you can do about it by being cross, that wont help one little bit.

Cheryl sounds like life is a bit difficult for you at the moment also, you don't have any commitment to your first guy and there is no harm in enjoying another's company so go ahead girl. XXX

Hugs all round to everybody and just to let you know the jam jar mountain continues to grow.XX E

Erme

chika wrote: »

Hello frugal folks. Just saying hellp as I've not been posting much recently as nothing major to report and the first week back at work after half term has finished me off!

Minnie I have my fingers crossed that the leak isn't anything major. Cheryl, you seem so busy. I think you should go out with this bloke too and see what happens. I have a male best friend too, he is much more important to me than most people so if any potential blokes dislike him then I start to dislike them. Wrenlegs, red wind is much much cheaper in France. I shared some lovely stuff with a mate the other day and it only cost her 1.75 euro a bottle. We really do have a raw deal here.

Talking of blokes, I dusted off my glad rags and went on a date last night, it was nice and he paid (bonus!) I've been rethinking my decision to be carless though. I was late yesterday and had to get a taxi and then needed to go fetch some things this morning so another taxi. I've spent at least £40 on them this week already and it is mounting up.

I need to find a cheap to buy, run and insure car soonish. I'm a bit against taking out a loan to get one (and I doubt the bank would be willing to lend to me) so I need to save up. I'm probably looking to spend £1000 max as the insurance will be well over £1000. Hopefully with a car I can do a bit more tutoring work as the people who have tutors for their children tend to live in the posh places, far away from here and not on a bus route! If you have any ideas about cheap little cars I'd be glad to hear them!

The focus this month is on making money as well as saving it! I've listed some things on Amazon today and made £60 already which I'm pleased with. Also spent what feels like years doing 15 ebay listings so they should hopefully make me a bit more to add to the pot too. Fingers crossed!

Well done you but have you thought about getting a bike? Is there a community group that lets you have them on permanant hire for a small fee? Just wondered...there's one here called Becycle....don't know if there's one in your area or not or if you have the time what about trying to set one up yourself? I think Becycle was founded by a student in her garden originally

minnie2 wrote: »

OMG really? well whats the bloody point of insurance - argh thats so annoying!! Havent got the money to pay for it ourselves, just no way we can afford it.

Minnie no offence but I find the first caps here upsetting..I knowwhat it stands for and I find any taking of my precious saviour's name in vain distressing. It's not even offensive...it's distressing. If you said it was Allah the post would be removed....why mock the one true and living God..

and no I don't mean to be provocative over this one but I have to defend Jesus.

This board is for support and whilst I appreciate your distress (and will be praying you find the monies for the roof repair) I'd appreciate it if you considered my Lord and beloved saviour in the use of expletives....Even golly upsets me....I won't go on the ebay thread cos it says !!!!!! before it....language is very powerful..I know this maybe just a message board but these words hurt even if I hear them in the street. Even by the homeless folk.

No I've not been well....Had to fork out £30 for a new cage for the boys on Saturday due to the first one splitting and now @ 6am there's no giro in my account and not enough monies to pay the bills this week s will have to chase up @ 8am when DWP opens and pray I'm not too late for sewing class....

Anyhow I just slept for 2 days with the stress of saturday (took me 2 hours to put the cage together ). I literally had zero energy and no appetite....struggled to eat and yes it caused symptoms but what can you do? Sleep, drink lemonade and take more meds (no more than recommended by the medics though) and try not to do what the voices say...

Anyhow best go get breakfast and have my shower

Blessings

E

mooomin

Erme wrote: »

Minnie no offence but I find the first caps here upsetting..I knowwhat it stands for and I find any taking of my precious saviour's name in vain distressing. It's not even offensive...it's distressing. If you said it was Allah the post would be removed....why mock the one true and living God..

I disagree on this one Erme. If you see language you don't like then block the poster if you feel strongly about it, or consider OMG to stand for "Oh my goodness" or !!!!!! to be "for flips sake". You cannot presume to tell people who the one true and living god is, many of us won't believe that. I personally don't believe in god at all and strongly dislike being told what to say by others on that basis.

Others have used that phrase before without mention by yourself or others. You did say in your post that you've not been well, are you maybe taking things a bit more personally again? Is there anything that we can do to help/support you?