Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 2

minnie2

tumptyteapot wrote: »

Minnie - have you googled the problem with it or are you just accepting what the shop says?

I have been given the number for acer support but im not sure i have strength energy or time to keep phoning round.had to travel twice and 4 phone calls already.usually i would trudge on but i cant see me getting anywhere - if i send it in theyll say i damaged it and charge me for sending it in. i just dont know sorry! i could google it tonight just to check.

kittiej wrote: »

Minnie - you're wearing me out just reading your posts!

My cake is done and I wasn't sure how it would turn out as I used half sugar substitute and half of the real stuff to see how it would taste. Not bad at all, but that is my opinion, and the boys like it. I need them to leave some for school now!

SandraScarlett wrote: »

kittiej wrote: »

Minnie - you're wearing me out just reading your posts!QUOTE]

Hear hear! Oh Minnie you really seem to have gone through the mill both frugalwise, and stresswise.

Auntie Sandra's advice would be ............. sod everything, sit down and have the tipple of your choice, wine, whiskey, tea, coffee, whatever. Read a book, watch TV, have a long soaking bath, or chill out generally.

Then, 10 minutes before your hubby is due home, spray rooms liberally with fresh air spray, put a drawer on the floor, and scatter some of the contents around (always looks like you've been doing loads) and he'll be none the wiser.;)

Also, he gets the benefits of a chilled-out wifey, instead of a stressed out one.

xx

im sorry!!!!!!!!! just had so much going on!! must try harder in the next few months - i wanted to pay off one of my loans by summer but cant see that happening now!! sorry ill stop now!!

tumptyteapot

minnie2 wrote: »

I have been given the number for acer support but im not sure i have strength energy or time to keep phoning round.had to travel twice and 4 phone calls already.usually i would trudge on but i cant see me getting anywhere - if i send it in theyll say i damaged it and charge me for sending it in. i just dont know sorry! i could google it tonight just to check.

I know what you mean about energy - but I saved my self the cost of a new laptop by googling it - I just typed in the problem and the make of the computer into google and it turned out loads of forums had people writing about the same problem and it was easy to fix. My laptop has been fine ever since. I agree there is no point in sending it in, I had the same problem with a mobile phone, totally pointless sending it to be fixed because they could say what they wanted and I had no right to reply.

Good luck!

rising_from_the_ashes

SandraScarlett wrote: »

Decided to act as I "mean" to go on, in Mean May!!! Went to the terrific Marty Wilde show (he sang for nearly an hour and a half in the second half, without a break)

Glad you enjoyed it Sandra, DM & DF went last year & said he was brilliant (DF knew him when they were younger).

minnie2 wrote: »

thank you those all those who have offered advice about my laptop!!! much appreciated!!! I think i am fighting a losing battle!! so latest is - i picked it up from th shop and they have spoken to ac*r and the usb ports are not covered under warranty - they wont entertain they were faulty in first place. Also i can send it in to be looked at but if they say its been damaged (which is very likely either way) then they will charge me alot!! so i give up i think!!!!

tumptyteapot wrote: »

I know what you mean about energy - but I saved my self the cost of a new laptop by googling it - I just typed in the problem and the make of the computer into google and it turned out loads of forums had people writing about the same problem and it was easy to fix. My laptop has been fine ever since. I agree there is no point in sending it in, I had the same problem with a mobile phone, totally pointless sending it to be fixed because they could say what they wanted and I had no right to reply.

Good luck!

Ohhhhh Minnie what a mega stressful 2 weeks you've had - I'm exhausted just reading about it! Happy Belated Birthday!

Re the laptop, I was also going to suggest trying a search to see if it's a common problem.

Could you not just plug in the internet/tel line & use it?

kittiej

Aw minnie, if you need to get it off your chest then there'salways someone here to listen, you seem to be rushing here there and everywhere.

I have been shocked tonight by my DH. He turned round to me and said "we need to stick to just spending £50 pw week on food" Hello I thought, I've been telling him this for the past few years! I'd given up on him ever thinking my way, let's see what happens. Ideally I would love to be able to live on his wage and put mine to paying debts off but that really is a pipe dream.

Aril

Hello fellow frugallers:j
A cheapish day here at Gnat Bottomed Towers as we had lunch with friends- they're both self employed and are having a hard time financially so we're all more than happy to do cheap/free entertainment. Today we went on a 3 mile walk and visited a local church which has a stunning set of unrestored medieval paintings.

As usual we swapped the CS books we've bought and DVDs so that way everyone benefits.

Hugs Minnie

Aril

redglass_2

minnie2 wrote: »

ok so i am now getting back on track but so so much to catch up on!!!!!!!! ....... Anyway i think that is everything!! now to catch up on all your posts!! what a couple of weeks its been!! and im one year older too!!!! boo hoo!!

Oh, Minnie! that certainly puts my moment of weakness in I**a in perspective...It sounds as if you're spending because of stress, and stressed because of your spending.

minnie2 wrote: »

oh also building myself up to do a car boot!!!! but i am no good at them id let people just have all the stuff - i cant haggle or refuse people!! ....im so rubbish!!

You're putting yourself down so much, no wonder you feel awful. Could you get a friend to come to the carboot with you? A friend who likes haggling and who can be tough. Bribe your friend with some tea and cake, or offer to take her stuff as well, for free.;)

kittiej wrote: »

I have been shocked tonight by my DH. He turned round to me and said "we need to stick to just spending £50 pw week on food"

Has he been reading that Guardian article?

never_too_old

tumptyteapot wrote: »

is that something we can see online? I'm so frugal I don't have TV or sky etc. :-)

i couldnt find it on skyplayer but thats not saying it isnt on it.:D

redglass_2

Tumpty, was it you that had the firepit made from the metal bit of a car wheel? Maybe somebody else. WHoever it was, if you have a photo showing it, I would love to see that (pretty pretty please!:)) as I think it's a brilliant idea.

My spuds are doing really well in their containers. I can't earth them up fast enough. :j Wish I'd planted more now. Should have done this years ago.

tumptyteapot

redglass wrote: »

Tumpty, was it you that had the firepit made from the metal bit of a car wheel? Maybe somebody else. WHoever it was, if you have a photo showing it, I would love to see that (pretty pretty please!:)) as I think it's a brilliant idea.

It was me and I'll take a photo next time we have a fire - it's been too windy recently - it doesn't look like much though when it is unlit :-)

LauraM65

Hi All

I've not been on here for a while but have been reading some of the threads for frugal living. Well I survived April trying to live frugal but hence my budget went over, although I have to say it has cost me less for my shopping last month, which is where most of my outgoing go. I have money left so am now going to draw this out of the bank and put it away for other things, hubby will have to pay off £200 for the bike he has just purchased from a friend but then I have about another £150 to put away, an amazing result for me as generally I have no money left in either account by now.:T

A new month, off work today so will be putting together my new spreadsheet for the month. Will be getting out mince and onions out of the freezer that I have already batched cooked as a basis for a tea tonight. I like the strap line "Mean May" lets hope we all have a good mean one.:rotfl:

Also been looking for coupons after watching the Extreme Couponing programme the other night, those women must not do anything else in their day other than look for and cut out coupons, dont think that we have such luck here with coupons although I am having a little look each day to see what I can find.