Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

JayneC

Hello again...

I made banana muffins today with my overripe bananas. I just did an ordinary sponge mix (4 egg quantity) and added a couple of overripe bananas. Got 24 muffins - 12 plain - that I may add chocolate buttercream too - and 12 with added sultanas. DS whinged but ate one anyway - he would've prefered the plain fairy cakes. Made a jelly too but it's not set yet.

Hung a blind that I got from Freecycle - it fits perfectly and will help keep out the draft from the window that won't shut (I hate upvc windows!!! We have 4 that have broken hinges that can't be repaired) - a bit prettier than bubble wrap, lol!

Also listed 4 things on ebay,and I've sold 2 of the 3 things I listed last week. No surveys today have been screened out of about 5!! This might be more difficult than I thought!

Made soup as well today - had some for lunch and have another couple of generous portions for lunches next week. Made from chicken stock from last weeks carcass with potatoes and leeks from the garden. ( I'll polish my halo later...)

So had quite a productive day today. Been trying to get DS to make me a cuppa for about an hour but he's hopelessly distracted by Spongebob...

Minnie- I feel for you, my ex OH was terrible, think he called me a tramp at one point cos I wanted to 'reclaim' a door that someone had thrown out!! He hated having to scrimp but most of the scrimping was done because he's gambled away the housekeeping !!!! Anyways onwards and upwards, I'm sure yours isn't that bad, lol...

F-F that's really good news about the money hope you have fun utilising it wisely

Iitsallinthemind - think I may have to have another look at AF, wasn't that impressed last time...

Back soon xx

pink_numbers

Had great new yesterday :j

got our electricity and gas bill for the last three month, and it's gone down by SEVENTY NINE POUNDS!!! WOO HOOOO!!!

I know we had worked hard to cut down on our energy use, but didn't realise it was going to add up to so much just over three months our bill for same period last year was £187, and our new bill is £108 :j

It all started when we decided to get rid of the telly. I got a bit obsessed about energy use after that! I lined all our curtains with double layer of fleece, invested in a few cheap fleece/sock/wrist warmers for us to wear, and only turned heating on when necessary. Not too many changes have been made really, but it's saved us 40% in energy bills.

freedom2011

pink_numbers wrote: »

Had great new yesterday :j

got our electricity and gas bill for the last three month, and it's gone down by SEVENTY NINE POUNDS!!! WOO HOOOO!!!

I know we had worked hard to cut down on our energy use, but didn't realise it was going to add up to so much just over three months our bill for same period last year was £187, and our new bill is £108 :j

It all started when we decided to get rid of the telly. I got a bit obsessed about energy use after that! I lined all our curtains with double layer of fleece, invested in a few cheap fleece/sock/wrist warmers for us to wear, and only turned heating on when necessary. Not too many changes have been made really, but it's saved us 40% in energy bills.

wow that is so amazing, well done. I am going to follow suit, there are lots of little things I could do. If we watch the tele we use a candle no other lighting allowed. I want to get rid of the tv, 1 day I will get my way but for now I am out voted.

chika

Erme wrote: »

Head getting worse....getting very annoyed at the crisis line who are insisting when I ask them it's Sabbath when I know it's Saturday and tomorrow is monday 13th

Erme le fatwig (time to starve methinks...Just deteste le horrid voices kaj le spiders on ze wall)

No more meds for me now...stuff Dr. C he's delusional

ELF

Erme, I hope you're ok. Today is Sunday 9th and tomorrow Monday 10th. Try and keep eating too to keep your strength up... Also don't stop taking any prescribed meds without talking to your Dr, if you really don't like the one you have, could you talk to another?

Keep safe.

midwinter

love the avatar Chika!

23rdspiral

pink_numbers wrote: »

Had great new yesterday :j

got our electricity and gas bill for the last three month, and it's gone down by SEVENTY NINE POUNDS!!! WOO HOOOO!!!

:T that's amazing!! :T

cw18 wrote: »

but as he didn't actually know how to over-ride the timers (I "forgot" to show him how when we moved in ) it didn't actually do him much good

:rotfl: brilliant!

chika

Thank you midwinter.

I've had a stark reminder of exactly why i'm doing this challenge today. Went into town today and decided to splash out on some new wool that I liked the look of. To my eternal shame my card declined - I've been spending out of control all Christmas and doing the classic head in the sand thing of not checking my bank balance. So it's a crisis loan from the bank of Mum next weekend and a renewed affirmation to keep up the frugalisation. On the plus side, had a nsd even though I didn't mean to

midwinter

chika wrote: »

Thank you midwinter.

I've had a stark reminder of exactly why i'm doing this challenge today. Went into town today and decided to splash out on some new wool that I liked the look of. To my eternal shame my card declined - I've been spending out of control all Christmas and doing the classic head in the sand thing of not checking my bank balance. So it's a crisis loan from the bank of Mum next weekend and a renewed affirmation to keep up the frugalisation. On the plus side, had a nsd even though I didn't mean to

Just goes to show, every cloud has a silver lining..... it gave you an NSD! :T

never_too_old

mommyof4 wrote: »

You have my sympathies Minnie2, my dh just doesn't 'get it' with regards to saving! He doesn't have dealings with the paying of bills etc, so he just puts heating on when he wants, when i ask him to turn it off he says he has. Then I find it's still on, he says he forgot! to top it all he leaves the utility room door wide open (we have a cat flap in the door in there, without the flap bit, so howling gale!) so all heat flies out! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I could scream!!!

my husband is the same, he leaves the patio door open so the dog can get back in,he moans about it being cold in doors and i say hes warming the garden up thats why!!!!
its an uphill struggle if only he would realise how much this will benifit him:mad:

Sorting_it_out

Well thats my first week of the frugal challenge and I managed only 1 NSD :-( My total spend for week one was a massive £321 but this did include £200 for hire of car and fuel to get us from one side of the country to another and also a £40 stock up for my daughter who's going back to Uni. I'm hoping this week will be much more frugal.