Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

never_too_old

lynzpower wrote: »

Hi are you usuing strong flour? We use standard plain now and the bread and rolls we make are a lot lighter - cheaper too!

thats helped me too so huge thanks, my bread is also heavy, i made pitta bread yesterday with plain flour and that was yummy.:beer:

SandraScarlett

midwinter wrote: »

NSD yesterday, but dilemma today, been advised Iceland have a half price sale on many items, and Christmas stock reduced...... should I go and wander round the store, and get bargains..... or stay clear and have a further NSD?! lol

Oh you've got to go to Iceland! You must speculate to accumulate and if you can get things like a cheap turkey, that'll do you for loads of meals and soups!

I feel so sorry for anyone trying to get on the housing ladder now. Our first place (1967) cost £4,400 and in just over a year, we'd saved £1000 deposit, and bought some basic furniture (bed, 2 kitchen stools, cooker etc). We managed that by having our full-time jobs, then DH worked overtime most weekends, we both worked in a bar 3 evenings a week, and I worked in a market on a Saturday.

My DH lived in a shared flat and had rent to pay and I gave my Mum a third of my net pay as housekeeping - everyone I knew did the same. My own kids and nephews and nieces didn't have the same zeal, a generation later, for saving, but still managed to get on the housing ladder, usually with some help from family.

But the current generation has an impossible task, as even if they had the same opportunities for extra work - and so many are worried if they'll even have a job this year - there's just no way they could save nearly a quarter of the cost of a home in a year, especially in Greater London.

Those of you who've managed to save a deposit for a home, purely on your own wages, have done incredibly well, and it's no wonder if you've got loans or overdrafts.

Making macaroni cheese for lunch (alas, the turkey stew's finished!) with a bowl of Hunter's Broth to start with:

Hunter's Broth (so called cos you have to hunt for the meat!)

Add a few handfuls of chopped veg to frozen chicken stock that has a wee bit of chicken in it, bring slowly to the boil. Meanwhile, make a few dumplings, and mix the left over flour, which you used to roll the dumplings in (there's always some left!) with a little cold water to make a paste.

Add more cold water (I use an old cup, and add till it's half full) then pour this through a tea strainer, into the soup, so that there aren't any lumps. Bring back to the boil, add the dumplings, cook for about 10 minutes and you have a beautiful thick and hearty broth. Not only that, you will feel so warm and full inside, with the broth and the macaroni cheese, there's no need to have the heating on!

xx

itsallinthemind

minnie2 wrote: »

cakes are the way to go!!

I'd prefer homemade goodies over the tat in the shops over christmas any day

wornoutmumoftwo wrote: »

This year I'm planning on getting hold of some nice cheap mugs and doing 'snowman soup'. (Hot chocolate mix)

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8013752.htm £3.99 and bogof so 3.99 for 8 mugs or 50p each, in store collection only, Yellow/green lovely for easter!

Tesco value milk chocolate makes amazing chocolate easter eggs if you buy the moulds(cheap on ebay) and half of one filled with homemade truffles wrapped in cello looks amazing frankly

LittleMissHappy_2

Hello everyone :wave:

Have been lurking the last few days, but haven't posted as I wanted to go through last years statements etc to try to work out some sort of budget. I spent this morning going through how much I spent in one internet shop in 2010 and how much I spent in the last couple of months at Mr T. Even though I know the last couple of months I probably spent a little more, I know I didn't spend loads more on xmassey stuff than normal because I went to my sisters for xmas day. Anyway, the point is :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
And that is just for two shops

I'm not sure I can go through my whole finances for 2010 now as a) it would scare me too much and b) it would take too much time!

I have joined the grocery challenge and the NSD challenge and was hoping you guys would have me too I know I can easily get my spending down as I just CAN NOT believe how much I spent on unnecessary things. Anyway, am off to sort out a budget and will have a nose at Cheryls spreadsheet (thank you, btw). Will it work on a Mac?

cw18

LittleMissHappy wrote: »

Anyway, am off to sort out a budget and will have a nose at Cheryls spreadsheet (thank you, btw). Will it work on a Mac?

Simple answer is that I've no idea - I've never even seen a Mac

LittleMissHappy_2

Well, I can look at it, but can't save it. I think I need the software to save/change spreadsheets? I haven't got that as never really needed one before (well, I did, but just kept on spending!) I will just write everything down for now and keep running totals and I will save up spare grocery money to pay for it. Spreadsheet looks great, though! Can't wait to try it. While I am thinking about it, my OH has a laptop so maybe I can nick his just to do my (our) budgeting Thanks again

Happy x

seriouslyfrugal

hi


today was my first spend day of the year as i needed to pick up supplies

I went into the local iceland I didn't see anything that i wanted though I did pick up some diet coke 2 x 3 litre bottle for £3.00 which was quite good they also had ordinary coke on the same offer :):)

patentgirl

Just been tweaking my total for year I can start it but not made final decison about selling our family car which case I wouldnt have to include anything to do with car but would have to include bus fares to work so confused! Looking at price of diesel this morning upto £1.32 definatly pushed it bit closer
Here without any of above
Food and Tolietres £3000 (hoping to lower this as year goes on)
Gas £620
Electric £780
Life Insurance £398
Home Insurance £375
mobile phone £180
Dentist £80 only budgeting for checkups fingers crossed thats all it will be
Tv Licence £150
Haircuts £100
Savings & Holiday budget £1200
Christmas and birthdays etc £1200 (this seems high but alot to buy for but big family may well be able to lower this if get alot in sales

total at moment £7983.00 round it up to £8000 as I am sure forgotten something not included mortgage, council tax or water rates and any car expenses yet DH has a company car so we dont need to take that into account
Not included any money for clothing or shoes as we dont need anything if really need something will look in Charity shops or boot fairs

pink_numbers

LittleMissHappy wrote: »

am off to sort out a budget and will have a nose at Cheryls spreadsheet (thank you, btw). Will it work on a Mac?

yes it does, both on open office and excel for mac

Blairweech

Seriously frugal - your course sounds really interesting. I'm studying a BSc in Agriculture, so if there is any info or help you need (my uni library is extensive), do ask

Itsallinthemind - thats a really good idea for Easter. Now if only I had saved the plastic cases from last years Easter eggs!