Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

redglass_2

Happy Birthday, Alec! :bdaycake:
Cheryl, great news about The Bloke. :j

My sympathies, Puddleglum. It's a tough one. My window cleaner charges more than any other window cleaner I know (!) but he's also got a reputation for being absolutely straight, declaring it all in tax, etc, and is very nice on top of that, so I want to support his business. I also struggle about whether to buy 'green' kitchen products. So far I have followed my conscience because in the long term it's got to be better, but it's a lot more expensive than getting a big bottle of Stardrops, which used to be my favourite cleaner, and I wonder how much longer I will hold out. I suppose the next thing is to investigate home-made cleaning products, vinegar etc... I do love my Orange Mate spray on cleaner, though! It comes as a concentrate, saving on packaging, it smells nice and you can wipe up with a bit of kitchen roll then chuck the whole lot on the compost, totally safe because the cleaner is just plant essences, no nasties in it at all.

The advice about looking to see how your bloke's family treat the mother made me smile. I received that very advice at school, about 40 years ago...from a nun! She might not have had much practical experience of marriage but she must have been wise and observant because I can think of lots of examples to back her up.

PS (added in) - Good Luck, HelenPie!

lynzpower

red glass dont know how useful this is, but they have ECOVER mult liquid (the one you dilute) in poundstretcher for 99p.

I know Ive paid a lot more for this in the past.

midwinter

An MSD day today, all of 89p on the market, for a fresh pineapple and 2 lemons

Getting through so many lemons at the moment, as both myself and DS are suffering with this flu/cold....

mooomin

Well I've had a bash at cooking the venison, so we'll see how it goes...

I chopped garlic, onion, carrot, swede and leeks and put them all in a casserole dish. I then added the venison (browned), some herbs, red wine and beef stock and have whacked it in the oven. I'm going to poke it in half an hour and see how cooked it looks.

Delia I am not.

loislane999

I buy the large containers of vinegar at the local greengrocers in teh autums (when people start picking onions and stuff), about 5 litres for less than 2 quid. I use the vinegar for cleaning, as a washing conditioner and for pickling!

lynzpower

also for tough grime esp oilyness in kitchens cheap citrus fruit like limes, grapefruit or lemons dipped in salt make fantastic eco cleaning products, good on bathroom tiles as well. Sometimes I can get 10 grapefruit for £1 on the market so good for the big clean ( of which we are probably deue one in a few weeks)

salski

I know for you guys this sint a huge thing - but for me - its MASSIVE - I had my first EVER NSD!! I have never had one before and Iknow its cuz I was stuck in the house al day - I even took the dog to corner shop to buy some cigs and crisps and turned around and took dog on field instead! (~My plan is to give up smoking tomorrow) (AGAIN)
Im so chuffed!

Sally x

kayharcombe

Well ive come in under budget for my first week, which is pretty good going for me and how much money i was getting through before. Spent 35 on groceries, 32 on petrol (i have a 20 mile drive to college a few times a week so petrol is a biggie for me) and was aiming for under 100ish cash a week for that and clothes, trips etc

156 went out on 1st for gas and elec for the whole month, and 8 for weekly bt payment, 25 for tv licence, but only house and car insurance left in DD`s

35 on groceries i thought was fab, for 1 adult, 3 kids over 10 (all with hollow legs) and 2 kittens which both have whiskas kitten sachets, thats over 10 a week on its own. all kids have packed lunches too with a healthy amount of yoghurts, crisps, fruit, sandwich fillings which they are all fussy over

today ive started on 2nd week, and although didnt really need much, spent 19 in mr t`s today as i will be having car fixed this week, and a general anaesthetic on tuesday so wont be able to drive, usually those are the days i would reach for takeaways, but im determined not to.

Hope everyone is having a fabulously frugal new year!:beer:

franby64

Just thought I would pop in and say hello :wave: though only as a lurker atm.

I would love to do this challenge but don't feel quite ready so if you don't mind I'll read and learn this year.

Well done to everybody who is braver than me and has committed!

seriouslyfrugal

Hi salski : well done on your first nsd :j:j:j and here's to many more also good luck with the giving up smoking stick with it and you know where we are if you need us :):)