Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

cw18

Yep, I'm registered on there - but I don't post anything like as much as I used to, 'cos I've lost my crafting MoJo in the last 12 months

Took me a while to stop buying heaps of stuff to try and kick-start my MoJo (:eek:), but all I have now is a monthly kit from the US (which get shipped every 3 months to save on postage costs and 'handling fees' for collecting import duty) - just need to make myself sit down and actually use some of those now

[Deleted User]

well I've ordered my car and for a change have decided on a diesel engined one, same price but better running costs hopefully than the petrol one I have at the moment .Very little difference in costs per gallon but more MPG.
Kent is supposed to be going all metered shortly and at the moment I am unmetered and my water bill is £26.67 per month I am hoping it will be less once the metering comes in.I am very careful with water as I hate waste of any sort.
NSD for me today 9apart from the car of course) but I don't have to pay for that until delivery date in June so I will hang onto my cash a bit longer. :):)not that the interest rates are any better

inspirespirit

Cheryl. Same as you. I hardly post. I used to love it as a community but when the Social Groups started, it went dowhill. I haven't bought any stash for ages, but have absolutely loads. I'm thinking of making some mini books to sell to try to bring in some much need pennies.
JackieO. How exciting getting a new car. What did you get?

silvasava

Just got back from my trip with my friend I did spend but not much and all for DH, Mr S's decaf coffee, bogof on Seriously Strong cheddar & 5 jam donuts (big treat - 2 for me!) & some 'posh' cat food for puss as a treat. I also went in the Asian shop & got 1.1/2lb of cornflour for 1.50. Sorry 23rdspiral - I weakened!! An oddment of beige vynyl for £4 that will be enough to cover my office chair that DH got from a skip and a little stool. Big staplegun here I come!

Lesley_Gaye

had an extremely nommy soup for lunch today, it was a go round the fridge to see what needs using one

had a chicken carcass to turn into stock, so started with that. Stripped off all the tiny bits and put to one side

cooked some buckwheat in some of the stock

then, using some lamb fat from a joint from AGES ago that was in a little dish, sauted some EXTREMELY wrinkly carrots, an onion, a couple of old parsnips, a lump of swede and a potato, skin and all

when they were done, I added the rest of the stock and some water then some random things from the fridge - a third of a tin of sweetcorn, a quarter of a tin of baked beans and a small dish of chick pea and mushroom bhaji left over from a take away last week

blitzed it all up, added some salt, the bits of chicken and the buckwheat

it was super yummy and I now have a large pot that will provide several more meals

dizzy_lizzie

Very proud of myself...last night I noticed 4 wrinkled apples still in the net...! waiting to be binned. So I cut into one and it was ok. I'd already taken out some justroll from the freezer the day before, so at about 11pm last night I made an apple pie with apples that were going to be binned. It was delicious. DD didn't agree that it was being thrifty though because I used nearly all the jussroll pastry which she thought was a waste on 4 wrinkly apples. She still had two slices of it though and here is the pie...


Had it with swedish glace raspberry icecream.
So although I've given up on keeping running totals anymore as long as I can do little bits here and there, which is more than I was doing before, then I'm happy.
Luv dizzy x
♥

tumptyteapot

inspirespirit wrote: »

They have just sent me a bill for £1,040 final bill for the leccy and gas !!!!!!!! I phoned and asked them why they had not let me know I was in arrears and they said the little old man who took the meter readings must have been getting them wrong !!!

I feel stupid now because I thought setting up everything up on Direct Debit meant I didn't need to worry. have worked out a payment plan with them to pay it off before the end of the year but it is leaving me so short I don't know how I'm going to manage.
Is it worth complaining do you think?

There was something similar to this in the Money section of the Guardian a couple of months ago - they did complain and didn't have to pay and you can speak to ofgen I think as well.

tumptyteapot

NSD :j:j:j

mooomin

Well done Tumpty

I've been off work today as I'm feeling really unwell and run down.

Sadly it's not been a NSD, but as I only spent £1 on bread, it's close enough for me.

I've mainly slobbed around today, although I've done quite a bit of cardmaking today - photos are on my homepage if anyone fancies a look. Maybe I'll even sell a couple of them

inspirespirit

Wow. Lovely cards FF. You'll have no trouble selling those. Are there quite a few crafters on this thread? Do many sell their work?