Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

grandma247

Hello rictus I wondered what had happened to you.

Hugs to all those poorly and in pain as well as anyone having a difficult time.

Lolalemon my dh was soo glad today that I had started saving in the credit union late last year. The boiler broke down on Friday and the plumber finally came this morning. it needs a part as big as my thumbnail and it costs £50 plus his time to come back tomorrow and fit it.
I pay my money in by standing order each week along with the mortgage and council tax. It is all gone before I see the wage so I don't miss it and I know what is left is ok to use for everything else.

Frugaldom

Thanks fruguys and gals.

The Miss Moneypenny series starts on Wednesday night, will be watching that to see how we could all improve but I'm betting it won't be anywhere near as frugal as some real people NEED to be.

Keep on frugaling, we're almost into the second quarter already.

cw18 wrote: »

The challenge runs for the whole year, but I need to start a new thread from 1st April (Frugaldom started us a new one quarterly the last couple of years, and that seemed to stop us getting into trouble for them getting too big )

I'm in, too. Should be back in the land of the frugal living just as soon as all these problems are sorted out - feels as though stuff's been happening for years instead of just a few months. Can see a flimmer of light at the end of the tunnel now, but the tunnel just keeps growing!

tumptyteapot

I went into town, tried on the shoes and they are lovely so came home and bought them cheaper online through my paypal account which doesn't really count as spending does it? I'll have to ebay some more things to make it up :-)
and I got some free hair dye http://www.lorealparis.co.uk/beautyconfidential/default.asp?section=competitions-offers&page=comp-1103-sublimeCoupon so sort of a cheating NSD for me.
I still get that raised heart beat and excitement of being in the shops though, it feels sort of dangerous!

23rdspiral

hey everyone, thank you so much for the support. and more *hugs* going out to those feeling porely or broken, bashed or bruised, physically or mentally.

Lola - eek! i really hope my tinnitus goes away, i'm so sorry yours didnt. i posted about it on FB and am shocked to hear how many people have it.

big hugs to Rising, i hope your feeling better, that is one very interesting named artritus.

i went back to the dentists this morning and decided on the 200quid more permanent option (is it spaving?!?). and the bonus is that the pain injection for my tooth has stopped that side of ear ache hurting!!! i've a tempoary fix and am going back for some bling next week, so i should be able to eat again - even yogurt hurt yesterday.

And.... i've just been told we've Completed on the house! we can go get the keys!!! :j (but not till 3-3.30 as OH has to work and can't leave any earlier ) . we're meeting the electrician there later so i've all my fingers crossed the estimate hasnt gone up for the work.

So whilst no money has left my purse, even though the shops are right next to my dentist, i'm not totally convinced i can call it a NSD!

Dizzy - that's such a cute picture! what are you planning on making with your crafty bits?

Tumpty - good on you for finding the shoes as cheap as you could, making sure they were comfy so will be worn, and finding ways to off set the cost. (erm.. i've now got 2 diff pairs of their boots on watch on ebay - cheap ones as they are scuffed!)

Frugaldom - i hope the TV prog isnt as silly as the one last year on ITV, where some reporter tried skip diving and freeganism and still wore a designer suit!

never_too_old

23rdspiral wrote: »

And.... i've just been told we've Completed on the house! we can go get the keys!!! :j (but not till 3-3.30 as OH has to work and can't leave any earlier ) . we're meeting the electrician there later so i've all my fingers crossed the estimate hasnt gone up for the work.


how exciting:j:j

tumptyteapot

Frugaldom wrote: »

The Miss Moneypenny series starts on Wednesday night, will be watching that to see how we could all improve but I'm betting it won't be anywhere near as frugal as some real people NEED to be.

I've googled but I can't find it, do you know what channel it is on please - I'd need it on the Iplayer or 40d cos we have no TV :-)

ahh, found it - I anticipate much shouting at the screen if it comes onto 4Od, it looks terrible!
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/superscrimpers-waste-not-want-not

actually I am fuming allready reading about the first family - "Sanjay works as a consultant psychiatrist and Christina as a sister-in-charge at Birmingham Hospital. Between them, they have a joint salary of £108,000 per year. However, they have a monthly overspend of £2,800 - which means they're spending £33,600 per year that they don't have." they are all "self-confessed shopaholics."

I can't imagine earning that much money! How can people spend so much!

rising_from_the_ashes

LolaLemon wrote: »

anyone else in the credit union? I joined this week, paying £5 in to a savings account and £5 into a christmas club... a girl in the pub will take the money straight out my wage packet and pay it in for me (as well as the rest who do it, shes been doing it for years)
the christmas club money can only be taken out in the run up to christmas i think, but i'll use that money for any big purchases needed (like white goods or repairs, or maybe to book a week in the sun with my son in jan) as im doing the handmade challenge this year, and their is only 8 that i get for christmas; my son, my 2 god kids (8 &6), my granda, my parents and my brother and sister. i do a tea hamper for my granda, make a scarf n hat, and get a nice pic of him n my son together and a framed drawing aswell. i pick up stuff all year for the rest of them.
once uni stops ill be upping the savings amount to £20 a week as i wont be travelling at £140 a month, and might put in my tips, if i get any, as well.
i know the their is no interest rates, so i wont make anything... but it is good to know i am back saving again, after clearing out all my savings this past year plus once i have some savings, if i need to i know i can get a loan that is only at 1% of the decreasing amount and whilst paying it back, u still have to pay into ur savings (any amount even £1).
its good to know i have that added security now, although i have no plans to ever use it.

Lola, I've been a member of Capital Credit Union for years:
http://www.capitalcreditunion.com/content.asp?section=1 (Edinburgh, the Lothians & Borders) - I've found them great and have money deducted direct from my wages (never even miss it).

I only pay in £10/month but once my bike's paid I'll be adding that money too.

I'm not sure what credit union you're paying into but you should certainly get some interest paid!

If you're doing it by paying someone else, please, please get a receipt (no matter how well you know her) as I know someone who did this and the money didn't all reach their account - it was a load of hassle, impossible to prove what had been paid and ended up with many friends falling out with each other.

rising_from_the_ashes

Meant to say earlier, going swimming tomorrow - first time for many, many years but have been told it's good for arthritis so will give it a bash.

I get a discount through work so 12 swims for £17 (instead of £32) so not too bad - hopefully if I buy 12, I will go back!

I used to really enjoy swimming but am now blind as a bat without my glasses so get nervous even thinking about it.....:(

Fingers crossed my swimming cossie still fits :eek: - going to try it on after I've been in the bath!

dizzy_lizzie

[QUOTE=23rdspiral;42390486]
And.... i've just been told we've Completed on the house! we can go get the keys!!! :j (but not till 3-3.30 as OH has to work and can't leave any earlier ) . we're meeting the electrician there later so i've all my fingers crossed the estimate hasnt gone up for the work.

So whilst no money has left my purse, even though the shops are right next to my dentist, i'm not totally convinced i can call it a NSD!

Dizzy - that's such a cute picture! what are you planning on making with your crafty bits?![/QUOTE]

Yay for the completion on your house. You must be so excited and relieved.
I've bought clover crafts yo yo makers. Not the ones with string, the ones you use material with. I bought both large and small of the heart ones and the circle ones. Here's a better idea of it off google

http://community.livejournal.com/craftgrrl/13391799.html

There are sooooo many things you can make with them and makes a change from crochet. DS girlfriend made a little row of heart bunting
with the heart one and it looked so sweet. You can add to cardis or bags etc too :j

[QUOTE=rising from the ashes;42403856]Meant to say earlier, going swimming tomorrow - first time for many, many years but have been told it's good for arthritis so will give it a bash.
[/QUOTE]

Enjoy the swimming, as you say it's supposed to be excellent gentle exercise for arthritis

Hope everyone is well this evening.
luv dizzy x
♥

minnie2

Hugs to you 23spiral!!!!


rising from the ashes - well done!!!! and i hope you clear your overdraft soon!!! my overdraft will take some doing as it 3k!!! i have a second job but it seems like that all that money gets swallowed up in bills each month!! I cant work anymore than i do either i never have any free time or time with hubby as it is!! I work all weekends and two evenings a week on top of my main job mon-fri 7.45-3.45. for which i am also doing over time!!