Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

mooomin

Morning all,

I've been relatively quiet recently but mainly because I've been frugalling away and had nothing exciting to report. All the little savings I've been making have been adding up and I've been PADding to cover my car insurance which is due at the end of the week. I've almost got enough now, so feeling quite proud of myself. Last year I had to pay for it with my work bonus, but this year the bonus is mine....all mine!!

The only really non-frugal thing I've done this weekend is get a Chinese for dinner. I blame Mr Fresian though - he went to his grandma's and I thought he would be eating there so just took some soup out of the freezer for my dinner. He then came home starving and disappointed there wasn't "real food" so we ended up with takeaway. He paid for half though, so it could have been worse I suppose - and it was really yummy

My grocery shopping for the week is essentially done now after trips to Morrisons, Aldi and M&S. I took advantage of the roast for a fiver at M&S. The food should have cost £7.32 so it was a reasonable saving and the chicken will feed us for a few days when I get round to cooking it.

Tonight we're having something with leftover pork, but I haven't decided what yet. I might just fry the pork in some oil and onions and have it with tatties and veg, although any other ideas would be very welcome indeed!

Better dash to work now. Have a good day all and *hugs* to those who are needing them today. Xx

tumptyteapot

Today I will be mostly painting the hallway but I do have to buy bread for my sons sandwiches, the cake shop is a spending danger zone! Also I have to pay the house insurance today. Really pleased at my NSD yesterday, I think it is a good omen for the future, normally I would have had a coffee somewhere, my son would have had ice cream, we would have paid an entrance fee to see something........
I have leftover quiche and something un labled and soup ish from the freezer for food today.

itsallinthemind

Aw Lola

It all sounds a bit much at the moment. I have sympathies with you. Try just attack a drawer or cupbaord at a time, in one room and work from the inside out. Baby steps x

Frugal NSD here, Homemade soup out of freezer with homemade bread, then children will have a homemade pizza later and I'll probably have a risotto when they are in bed as I was donated a bottle of wine on Friday

Co-op have some good deals if you look at the left hand links. 16 Nouvelle for £5, 375g of Crunchy Nut Cornflakes £1 etc, may stock up with the £5 off £30 deal!

Children have a few activities this week, but that comes out of their child benefit, so bar any incidents this week, it should be cheap. IF I can resist stocking up!

Have a good day folks

mama67

cw18 wrote: »

Looks like I may have been a little hasty/off the mark with my assumption

'Wandered onto' the site we met through this afternoon (hadn't been on since Monday, but wanted to check something with my settings on it), and he'd messaged me on Wednesday evening and Friday morning...

Turns out he dropped his mobile on Tuesday evening, and damaged it enough it wouldn't work for incoming or outgoing calls or texts. Took it in for repairs on Wednesday and hopes to have it back tomorrow, but says he's 'missing our chats'

Guessing he's like me, and only keeps phone numbers on the phone and/or SIM, so without a working phone I'd be up the creek trying to get hold of almost everyone I know as well :eek: (Mine are all on the SIM, apart from my I.C.E. number which is also saved on the handset memory)

Note to self - must save/write down ALL important contact numbers somewhere else 'just in case'. I always have a back-up handset in the house anyway, but would be stuffed if the SIM failed on me

Depending on the make you can back your entire phone up to your pc.

we all have S0ny €ricssons and they can be using the PC suite.

hth

mama67

cw18 wrote: »

I round all my spends up to the next 10p, and drop the loose change into pots - then at the end of the year I use it to treat myself to "wants" rather than "needs"

Last December I bought myself a new TV (last one was bought early in 2002, and the pictures were getting really grainy, with the colouring often not being 'quite right') and a loooaaaad of discounted DVD box sets (which give me something to watch now I've cancelled my TV licence )

We save all coppers and change them when a £ this then goes into a piggy and gets counted at Christmas, most years there is enough to pay for a New Year takeaway for the 4 of us

23rdspiral

i'm happy coz dinner was super yum last night, and both wknd days were NSDs for me (but not my OH, but thats cash i dont control so doenst count!).

but i'm unhappy as i'm suposed to be doing overtime today but have run out of work.. i did warn work on fri but they couldnt help. i'll have to go in tomorow to pick more up which is spending money on petrol but oh well - speculate to accumulate i guess?

i'm more unhappy as my SoW says i've so far this month spent almost as much as i spent on food for the whole of Jan!! and its not like i've filled the freezer or cooked for friends either. err, think i need to reign that in

i'm also on tenter hooks re the house... have been told our move might happen soon so fingers crossed!

so i'll take Dizzy's household tips and do some cleaning and possibly even some sorting before packing!

have a nice day everyone. *hugs* to lola and anyone else who wants/needs.

inspirespirit

Could I please join in this thread, or are you too far down the line for newbies? I seriously need to make a huge budget adjustment due to divorce and ill health. I literally need to watch every penny.
How much per week do you think I should be spending on food including all household items like washing up liquid/shampoo/soap etc. for 3 adults (myself and 2 adult sons ) and one dog?

tumptyteapot

I went to the cake shop and I spent........£1.20 on a large loaf of bread, I am applauding myself!

never_too_old

inspirespirit wrote: »

Could I please join in this thread, or are you too far down the line for newbies? I seriously need to make a huge budget adjustment due to divorce and ill health. I literally need to watch every penny.
How much per week do you think I should be spending on food including all household items like washing up liquid/shampoo/soap etc. for 3 adults (myself and 2 adult sons ) and one dog?

hi inspirespirit

welcome, im sure someone will be along shortly and add you to the list.Lots of people on here (and its a brilliant thread) have varied budgets,mine is for 3 adults and its £300 a month for everything including a dog.It takes me a lot of planning and i for once in my life cook properly but i think i should manage to say within budget.:D

itsallinthemind

Hi Inspirespirit

It makes no difference when you join in, if you just read, if you post lots or rarely. This bunch welcome everyone, cast no judgements and have so much knowledge between them, you will be made to feel welcome.

Cheryl will no doubt come along later and add you to the list

As far as budget for food, we all have such different ones! Some people want to pop money by for treats, others to save for someting major and some just so they can put food on the table without using a credit card. I think it also depends if they are those kind of teens that are hungry ten minutes after a roast dinner :rotfl:Myself, I just cut 25% of my previous weekly spend. It is tight, but I can do it, I also have been beating budget. That meant when I was ill the other week I cheated and bought a pizza from the co-op :eek:(It was yuk and the most expensive, dare to think what the cheapies are like, urgh!)

Welcome aboard, plus hello to all those I missed joining in whilst I was busy