Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

cw18

SandraScarlett wrote: »

Even if you've only saved £1 this week, and that's all you go on to do each week, that's £50 towards pre-Christmas food shopping at the end of the year. Or £50 to spend on a well deserved pampering at your beauty salon!

xx

Or to treat myself to more DVD box sets now I don't have a TV Licence anymore

enjoyfinancialchallenges

dizzy_lizzie wrote: »

Oh my giddy aunt...so many pages to read, but it's great. I think it really really gives me a boost of inspiration, with all this camaraderie
enjoyfinancialchallenges really pleased Poppy is on the mend. We don't half worry over our little furry friends. I love the name Nanny Biscuit, (conjurs up an image of just how nannies should be)

I think I should get into my rocking chair soon with my shawl around me.:rotfl:

Poppy has now finished her treatment so I can now let my fingers heal and yes I worried a lot when I first noticed what had happened to her. Trouble is she loves being outside and I can't be with her to protect her.....come on Elizabeth she is a cat


I had a late Christmas present from ex-Live Out Lover today Its a gift voucher so I can buy new seeds for my garden for this year, so vegetables paid for the year just got to do the work now. Still can't get the bl***y man out of my head. Grrr.


Going to bed once Ive caught up with posts to watch Girl with a Pearl Earing. I just love the film.

I wonder how I changed the font colour without noticing it, Oh dear, here we go again.

enjoyfinancialchallenges

lynzpower wrote: »

Afternoon all
frozen this time ( we dont always do this- we should!)

Just a quick Q ( if your still awake at the back lol) when you get bleach on some clothing and it goes a sort of neon orange colour spot, is there anything I can do to get it back? I have noticed it on this black jersey top that I was going to wear for the new job, but I cant get away with it with this bleach stain. If I have to redie the whole thing then I guess its not really worth it? ( top cost 5er in a sale, a dye is about 3 - isnt it? )

You could try sewing bold coloured buttons on the mark if its not to big either in a random pattern or perhaps to look like a flower, just use your imagination. It does depend on what style the original top is though. Or even add a bow in a contrasting colour you may need to add one somewhere else to look all designer like..

Sorry about two posts together but I dont know how to combine two quotes from different folk.

elly68

try black marker for bleach mark
lily stovies is a bit like corn beef hash but usually made with square sausage and an onion , with or without an oxo cube however oh is ceoliac so corn beef for him , all parts of scotland use varying ingredients .
well i have stuck to budget and since kids have tidied their rooms will give then 2.50 each tomorrow and bank my underspend of £23 well chuffed didnt think i could manage it lol roll on next week

itsallinthemind

SandraScarlett wrote: »

Or £50 to spend on a well deserved pampering at your beauty salon!

If I had £50 I'd spend it on CHOCOLATE or CHEESE(I hope Dizzy Lizzy is skimming posts!):rotfl:

But on a sensible note. Check out your local college, our local is CHEAP for beauty and hair

enjoyfinancialchallenges wrote: »

Still can't get the bl***y man out of my head. Grrr.

Hey, I have the same thing, six dates lined up and I can't get my ex out of my head. He may be a pain in the you know what, but I still miss and care for him. If you love someone truely, not that wishy washy love people believe they are in, you will always miss him to some extent. Maybe not the thing you want to hear, but it is the reality and you are not going nuts x

I was freezing so put the oven on and cooked soup for lunch(curried parsip with whoopsied parsnips) and a strange concoction, which I am calling whoopsied roasted vegetable pasta bake for dinner, I'm not sure what it actually could be called, but the bit I stole tasted good anyway! Nice lazy Sunday with the children, before they run off to their Dad's AGAIN(Woo Hoo) :T

youngmummy

hi all, hope you are all well, im quit pleased how myself and my partner has done so far. we have had to pay £1000 in diffrent repairs, since the start of dec 2010. and we still havent 'struggled' altho this wont be coming out of my frugal living challange as it is money we mostly had in savings and the rest was paid with the loan which is counted so it wont effect my budget as the loan is included already. i thought that jan and feb we wud really struggle but so far its been ok... although i do have a feeling i will go over on my food budget by the end of the year. i have aims as you can see in my signature and i hope to meet them or not be too far off ... how is everyone else doing?? x good luck xx and hugs tooo those who need them x

salski

itsallinthemind wrote: »

Salski
Well done :T I am finding the NSD's hard, 2/8 currently, the only thing that is keeping me doing it is a well stocked store cupboard and making sure I get everything I NEED when i do go out. It is going to be a nightmare this next week, not letting the children go in to the shop etc as they never quite understand that we have bananas at home so do not need more when a minute walk away!

Have you thought about the e cigs Erme was talking about? It is hard, but do not stress about it or beat yourself up. I smoke outside and I never knew my Mum was a smoker till older. I do not smoke because she does, I started due to being a rascal lol. My last midwife told me preganancy is the most stressful time to give up and if you have passed 26 weeks, you may as well wait to after the birth as most smoking Mums then can not stand picking up baby as they know the fumes can be dangerous even hours after smoking.

Thank you for this. My midwife pretty much said the same - they way I have been looking at it is even if I manage til 5 at night, or until the day after or a week...every little helps! Haha. Funnily enough the patches make me feel so ill but Im persevering. Its been an hour and although for most thats nothing...my first one of the day is always the hardest
Thanks for the support though. It means a lot as Im not telling my family Im giving up incase I cave in again!
Here is to day 1! Midwife due in half hour so need to tidy up house! Haha

lynzpower

Morning all

JAYNE you are so right about baked beans the price is going through the roof, I saw tins for 85p the other day. Its getting like tinned tomatoes. I cant believe how much they have gone up over the last year or so I hope this year I get plenty grown of toms to turn into a massive tomato sauce for the freezer.

Thanks also I have spent 75p on my soap nut free trial postage, this is about the same as washing powder I get ( EASY from iceland £1 each or occasionally 2 for 1.50) one of these lasts about 6 weeks - if not more. Trying to do the economics, but looking forward to giving this a try! at 75p its a cheap "try " as opposed to 5.00 odd to try.

I am trying to do home baking economics and Im thinking that some things now are a lot more expensive to make than buy. Obv Im on the lookout for whoopsied cream to make my own butter but I havent seen much yet this year ( adn now would be a good time I guess) I am treading carefully here! Flour has gone up as well. Even the value is 50 odd p I saw. Need a good deal then a bulk buy I think!

Also I saved one of those "bath roses" ( the net ones) as a garden use it will be good to make a small net for seedlings out of or to bind/ tie plants to the fence. Might ahve a re-read of my titchmarsh gardening book today
Anyway, hope everyone has a lovely frugal day!

frugalbrunette

I would like to join if it's not too late?

We're a family of four with no pets. I'm not including rent as that is non negotiable. I'm also not including DH's car upkeep and petrol costs.

Groceries: £2500
Toiletries: £80
Cleaning products: £80
Electricity: £240
Gas: £840
Mobiles: £540
Internet: £420
TV licence: £156
Clothing & footwear: £350
Christmas Savings & Gifts £200
Insurances: £288
Everything else: £100
Holiday: £200

= £6015

So my budget for 2011 is £6015

midwinter

salski wrote: »

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

Well done Salski! This will give you a real boost!