Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

23rdspiral

well i've had a happy NSD - i spent lunchtime catching up on this thread! :T

and the threatened redundency notice didnt come today (it's 12 weeks till the last day of march today)... so as i'm not in again till monday i've a few days reprieve from the probably inevetable.

Last nights dinner was Home cooked gamon risotto - a little meat goes a loonng way. it was leftover from the in-laws-tobe festivities and was happily still fine.

??? i got a whoopsied big patty of sausage meat stuffing for 50p the other day - i whacked it in the freezer.... any ideas what i can do with it ?? (other than the obvious!)

CW18 - thanks so much for the new spreadsheet - it only took me a few minutes to set up and transfer my info and i'm already very happy... now i've relocated my other bargain spends I can see that i have only spent 5.78 on groceries so far this year! (25 a week is my budget and normal spend!!)

wornout mum - i count BOGOF's and Store Offers as whoopsies as they often influence how i shop (eg, it's BOGOF so i buy 2 lots), and i'm very keen to know how much i save as well as how much i spend!
- i like your idea to record monies from cash machines... i might do this after a couple of months if i get lazy! (though knowing where the random £1s go will help me see where my wages are going to!)

grandma - i have friends who live on a SSSI (so no impact to the earth allowed) and they've used a double composting toilet for 20 years! (use one side for 6mths, switch, then before going back to the other side shovel out the compost from the hatch.) apart from remembering the tourch and the handful of sawdust after, it's fine. it never smells or attracts flies. i'm very inpressed. I've also used ones at a green festival (shambala) that were made using an old green wheelie bin, some scaffold poles and planks - brilliant tempoary option as i'm not sure how you'd empty them easily!

minni 2 - i'd appreciate a heads up on pub/restaurant vouchers - we dont go often but when we do it'd be nice to make it cheaper. Sorry to hear you're stuck with your mortgage. if we dont exchange soon we might get stung in a similar way. eek!

sandra scarlet - wow! thats some good savings, but a very pertinent point about saving for a 1/4 of a house in a year through working hard! shame it's impossible these days. things certainly are out of controll. i've never rolled my dumplings in flour? am confused.

minnie2

lynzpower wrote: »

Oh minnie what are you going to do?

It sounds very stressful indeed.

Do you Need both cars, can one of you do without? Can you walk more places to save petrol? Could you cycle? ( has anyone got a bike you can borrow even for a week it would save money?

im still positive at minute! it is very stressful though. Been coping with it for a few months but very glad to be on here now and being very aware of all spending!

We do need both cars - one is very old and knackered and the other is ok so nothing fancy though mine is on finance. We live the sticks and work different times plus i have other jobs as well as main job which i drive about for,we both work during the week and weekends.we are a too far out to cycle and i cant ride a bike anyway for medical reasons.

appart from the car tax i think we will do well this month.

need two new tyres on front of car too - but they will have to wait!

its funny coz having no money has changed out attitude, because we cant spend we are not bothered about not spending if i make sense. I havent missed the thing i would buy or havent missed going to the shop! i have missed my can of coke from shop on way to work but think thats more the sugar!! but we said tonight we dont miss the shops and spending money!

dizzy_lizzie

23rdspiral wrote: »

i've never rolled my dumplings in flour? am confused.

:rotfl:
That did make me laugh. Sounds like a line from a Carry On film
Luvz Dizzy x

minnie2

[QUOTE=23rdspiral;39975200
minni 2 - i'd appreciate a heads up on pub/restaurant vouchers - we dont go often but when we do it'd be nice to make it cheaper. Sorry to hear you're stuck with your mortgage. if we dont exchange soon we might get stung in a similar way. eek![/QUOTE]



ok no prob will look them all up and add them to here asap! they are in my contacts so not sure what the addresses are offhand!!

minnie2

www.VoucherCodes.co.uk

www.myvouchercodes.co.uk/

www.vouchers.org.uk/


www.restaurantvouchers.co.uk/

www.vouchers.co.uk

www.discountvouchers.co.uk/


I get regular emails for these sites and once you start choosing and getting the vouchers, you get the vouchers straight to your email account.

23rdspiral

thanks Mini! i think i'll have to leave it till tomrow to explore those links though. i need to wash dishes and cook before we can eat! and thus get of this computer!!

NualaBuala

23rdspiral wrote: »

grandma - i have friends who live on a SSSI (so no impact to the earth allowed) and they've used a double composting toilet for 20 years! (use one side for 6mths, switch, then before going back to the other side shovel out the compost from the hatch.) apart from remembering the tourch and the handful of sawdust after, it's fine. it never smells or attracts flies. i'm very inpressed. I've also used ones at a green festival (shambala) that were made using an old green wheelie bin, some scaffold poles and planks - brilliant tempoary option as i'm not sure how you'd empty them easily!

Glad you have a reprieve on the redundancy front. Have my fingers crossed for you. Was wondering what is an SSSI? No impact sounds great, I often think I'd love to live on an eco-communey type thing.

minnie2 wrote: »

its funny coz having no money has changed out attitude, because we cant spend we are not bothered about not spending if i make sense. I havent missed the thing i would buy or havent missed going to the shop! i have missed my can of coke from shop on way to work but think thats more the sugar!! but we said tonight we dont miss the shops and spending money!

Well done on staying positive Minnie! :T I know what you mean about not missing things. I think I used to go shopping as a hobby but now I try to avoid shops, advertising, magazines etc and find that way I don't miss things.

Lynz - I'm sure you've nothing to worry about and your brain will absorb everything it needs to know by Monday! Good luck!!!

I'm really enjoying all the recipes, tips and banter - it really helps keep me motivated.

SandraScarlett

23rdspiral wrote: »

sandra scarlet - wow! thats some good savings, but a very pertinent point about saving for a 1/4 of a house in a year through working hard! shame it's impossible these days. things certainly are out of controll. i've never rolled my dumplings in flour? am confused.

Well, I mix suet, flour and water with a knife to make a dough, then I flour the worksurface, and lift the dough onto it, rolling the big ball in the flour, divide it into 6, and then roll each dumpling in the flour.

I think you mentioned sausagemeat? Add some warm water to a packet of sage and onion stuffing mix. Leave for 5 minutes so that the water is absorbed and the mix is allowed to cool. Add half a beaten egg, mix, then add the sausagemeat, bit by bit, and enough flour to bind.

Shape the mixture into burger shapes, then dip each into the other half of beaten egg, and then into breadcrumbs. Fry in olive oil, until golden brown each side and serve with baked beans and a crusty roll. HTH

xx

lynzpower

Not had too frugal a day really.

I was horrified to find that my library fines were over 6. pounds. I dont have a pin to update the books online so that is an asap on my to do list in the morning to get hold of the pin. I need to also find a way of setting reminders somewhere to remind me when books are due back. Now its all that electronic issuing theres no stamp in the front with the date any more, need to avoid fines like this as I dont have a budget for these and I do not want to be having to cut back on other things IE food or heating to pay library fines. :mad:

I also forgot to take my bank card so paid 1.10 off the library and was left with a 5 pound note. I bought 1.63 coke form iceland ( I need to cut this down) bag of peppers £1, 3 spring onion £1, lettuce 40 mushrooms 80p. that was it spent.

Do feel like we have more options now due to the veg I bought so HM burgers, salad and HM chips, from whoopsied mince and rolls from the freezer. I need to get potatoes I can get a bag for 85p at the local grocer, Ill go in the morning.

And I left the heating on when I went out- :wall:

I had to do some shuffling of cash again around and Im loking forward to some stable money coming in from my savings when I get my act together then I can plan properly, at the moment I have 200 to last till mid march, I dont think i can manage that. ( although OH has income too but his income covers bills etc)

So a bit mixed today *rolleyes* Hope everyone is well

itsallinthemind

NSD here So 5 out of 6.

Tomorrow, Eldest may want a hot school dinner tomorrow though(choose daily depending on how fussy at breakfast!). Plus will get down the co-op to get some bread, maybe milk, any whoopsies(only fruit/veg unless killer bargain) and may have to buy something sweet. I never have anything sweet in, but may need something as I'm decorating one of the childrens rooms or lounge depending on which I fancy, going to have to stay up to do it! Not looking forward to spending as only £3 worth of my big Tesco haul was not put into store for when relatives stay. I've not actually opened my purse yet, I do not want to!

Today was pretty frugal. Got THIS arrive(Manuel), which in the end was paid for by xmas cash from my parents(I ordered then they offered later ). It's not bad in real life, much better than children eating on a sofa!!!!! I've really hated them doing that(plus the mess). Chose this one in the end as it is real wood, nice and compact and will fit in the playroom so that it can be used for crafts. Wasn't interested in it to look pretty, but something serviceable, memories are made around tables as you grow and you do not get better ones with a fancier table eh VERY CHUFFED!!!!

Letter from child benefit, all children now going into the one bank(wrong one as I asked to be changed, but never mind!)with payment to myself(good as new shoes all round required for them). So just the Child Tax credit to come still. Getting there! Still tight, but our heads are above water!

Frugal food wise, but still yummy. All had porridge as it is our favourite. Eldest has his packed lunch, we had courgette soup from the freezer, certainly an aquired taste but I love it. Made cereal bars in the afternoon which we sampled-mmmm. Then dinner was chilli con carne and rice. I swear it was 90% lentil, oat, onion, kidney beans, 10% quorn mince lol. Left some out for a JP's for lunch tommorow and bagged up 4 more meals. which just fit in the freezer. Only used £1(special offer) bag of Q.mince and 2 value kidney beans tins, 2 Tesco(free) gitch tomatoes, so the cost of 5 meals (and a lunch) is about £2.50, so 50p a meal with rice etc. Enough to feed 4, we are ganets. Love Chilli Con Carne, tastes nice, but best of all, even my fuss pot loves it!

I may even have some in a wrap in the evening tommorow as it is just me at home! I don't care if I am bored by then-It will be quick!

Seems you are all doing great so far, really sorry about your ipod flying fresian