Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 2

rubytuesday

So glad to hear Hannah is doing well Lola. Thinking of her xxx

Kerry_Woman

Seem to be doing alright with the food shopping and other things that my Mum and I need. Within the last week, saved roughly £45. Had a £10 voucher(used in Wilko's) and points that were added onto my advantage card after a complaint. Last week whilst shopping there was money off some of the things that we had to get. Both of are happy with that.

Looking at what I spent on food between Jan - March last year and this year, I have managed to save £189.27. I am not too sure now what I spending the money on last year, as I have not kept the receipts. Am shocked and pleased at the same time.

Tomorrow I am going up to the London Marathon as my friend is running the marathon. Then meeting up with her afterwards.

Not a lot of temp work at the moment, am hoping it changes after Easter, so that I can have more work. It will give me time to hopefully catching up with a few things and to do some baking.

Frugaldom

Good morning, hello and welcome to all the new folks,

Things now underway for the move, but we'll be running two houses from now until 7th June while trying to get the repairs done at the new place.

Managed to shave an evtra £10 off telephone & Internet for this year but the sving should be nearer £10 per month, next year. It still won't be superfast broadband, but we don't expect that about here. There's no mobile phone signal, so top ups won't amount to more than it costs to keep the phone activated.

Gradually working our way through the contents of the cupboards, fridge and freezer in an effort to reduce what need moved; meals are interetesting, to say the least.

Re growing the potato skins - yes, it does work, my gran and my mum both used this method, as have I - it's on an earlier post from aaaaaaages ago but I wouldn't have a clue from which year - frugal memory syndrome :rotfl: You don't cook the potato skins, you peel them off, cook the potatoes as normal and plant the skins. That's what works for me - I have some ready to go in as soon as I can get to the new garden.

miss_empty_piggy

Good morning all.

The potatoe skins sound like a really good idea. I have just bought a bag of potatoes from W*lk*'s to plant but they don't seem to have many eyes on them yet!

Plan for today is to plant something, paint something, go to the tip, cut the grass and weed the play area. I'd really like to take the climbing frame down and make the whole area veggie patch/more room for the chickens (and maybe more chickens!!!) but DD2 is still only 6 and loves to play out there in the summer, although she's a darling and loves playing with the chickens and gardening activities etc too.

I love how these lovely sunny days make me feel happy. Have a great day everyone. x

destroyerofdebt2011

Hello everyone, id like to join you all if thats ok.

I have filled out my SOW but with guestimated expenses to fill the blanks for groceries etc in Jan as i didnt start my spending diary till february. I did air on the side of caution tho. Id like to keep my living costs under 13k this year including mortgage etc, then the spare from my salary can attack my debts so far it is looking gd and i didnt realise how much i was actually spending on the dog but loosing in grocery previously... the lil sod must eat better than i do. Quite interested going forward with putting in more details with the groceries to see their true value as i seem to be living of DTD and whoopsies so far this year.

minnie2

Trallwm_Farm wrote: »

23rd spiral.....
How do you think I feel then ?
Theres a section on the Superscrimpers site where you could all add your comments and money saving tips. You lot would be brilliant at it. I forwarded the request for more realistic families to the directors. It reflects on me too because Im really poor and people think Im not. Everything I have is in the sanctuary. If you found the tips useful then please say so on the comments so the programme will start to be what YOU the viewers want it to be !!!
See you in a minute gulp if Im on tonight lol

so who are you in the program?!! how many times have you been on? I missed last weeks but have watched the 1st and 3rd

LauraM65

Trallwm_Farm wrote: »

As the interest in laying hens grows please remember that rescues have chickens needing homes and are much cheaper than the breeders and suppliers. We have 300 still in and more arriving next week
http://www.trallwmfarm.org.uk

Just wanted to say that I have 2 new hens arriving this week to add to the other 11, we are taking them on as there owner works away a lot, looking forward to their arrival.

alec_eiffel

rubytuesday wrote: »

Thanks Tumpty; we actually went in to La Senza on Oxford street and they all started at size 32. She is really going to have to try them on as she needs to be careful the wires are not digging in to the tissue and she is actually quite flat/shallow across the chest bones so the shape is hard to fit.

La Senza do only start at 32 in my experience. I'm a 30 back and get most of my lady garments from Debenhams or online at figleaves (there are free returns so no worries if you have to send them back). Debenhams if you want to try on there and then though.

rising_from_the_ashes

23rdspiral wrote: »

thanks. erm, i'm not too sure to be honest. it was a redeployment post so i got the impression the council just want to fill it and didnt care much for what i had to say. which i guess is a good thing but only if i tick more boxes than the others invited to interview.

it is in the right field, but not my specialism, so i'd have lots of learning to do. my main issue is that it's less hours/pay for the same amount of petrol spent! we'll see what they say...

Fingers crossed - at least it'd keep you in work & your "foot in the door" with the council in case anything else comes up.

LolaLemon wrote: »

i see these forums the same as other real life groups that i have joined, i meet many new people, and i gain many new friends, and im proud to be able to have all these new friends that live soo far away but we are joined by our similar interests.

Hannah is doing well today, they removed some of the tubes and wires holding her together and she was fine she is getting stronger by the hour.

Couldn't agree more Lola, I've got some really good friends that I originally met on forums.

So glad to hear Hannah's doing better, prayers are with her and the rest of the family & friends at this very difficult time.

Trallwm_Farm wrote: »

As the interest in laying hens grows please remember that rescues have chickens needing homes and are much cheaper than the breeders and suppliers. We have 300 still in and more arriving next week
http://www.trallwmfarm.org.uk

I've always wanted to keep chickens and nearly got some at the end of last year but decided to wait until after winter (glad I did) but now seem to be running into problems with restrictions on keeping them in back-gardens where I live:( - may need to move!

Still hoping there may be a way around it and I'd love to rehome some - I saw the ones that Adam (Countryf*ile) took and how scraggly they were and how beautiful they are now.

Welcome to Lincoln-Potter and DestroyerofDebt

Freshian thanks to the link to the money thing, will be giving it a try later.


Been to a car boot today - bit of a disappointment. Covered my costs and made £16 (DM made £26) but sold most of that between 9:15 when we arrived & 10 when it opened. Not long back & absolutely chilled to the bone & have the shivers (was sunny but a really cold wind) so just a quick catch up while that bath is running!

Lesley_Gaye

went to an exhibition about the allotments today.

there are 63 people on the waiting list apparently (not much idea where we are on the list. I put us on it when we first moved here 4 years ago), and they are planning to have 90 something allotments, so everyone should get one - Yippee, that means I should def get one :j

they are standard allotment size, it did say what that was, but I've forgotten it now! 10 metres by 5 metres I think

they will be installing water butts on each site, and we have to have a certain size shed, and that all needs planning. They are hoping they will be up and ready to use next spring. That would be great, can I wait that long?