Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - Part 3.

SandraScarlett

23rdspiral wrote: »

sandra, i hope u dont mind but i've put a link to your poem on the MSE Cross Stitch Cafe. i know some of the ladies there would find comfort in it too.

I don't mind at all.

xx

savingforarainyday

Hi everyone, lovely sunny weekend.

I have been playing catch up on the thread whilst drinking my coffee.

Poorly !!!!!cats:(. Our pets are part of our family and it is so hard when they go (we are a doggy household; mainly because there is a busy road to the back of us), but I love them both to pieces.

I loved the poem and I shall send them to my cat loving friend, she will think it is beautiful.

Have been on with paperwork, need to get some of it in the post this morning, would be nice to spend some time outside whilst the weather is so nice.

We run a very old vw passat and the fuel pump is on its way out, so I am trying to find a spare part for it otherwise it will be to the big scrapyard in the sky:eek:. I refuse to believe there is not one rotting in a breakers yard somewhere in the UK.

So I am trying to live out of freezer and store cupboard until next payday, which is the last thursday in October, (Ouch to 5 week months and poorly cars)

SandraScarlett

Isn't life strange? I've noticed that whenever anyone on here has had a rough time, myself included, all the regulars immediately send as much love, help, support and kindness as they can possibly muster.

And yet our "real-life" friends are often less understanding. We're a rag-tail bunch, all ages, shapes and sizes, some married, some single, some with loving families, some who never see their families, and yet we all manage to find the time to give words of help - or comfort - when they're needed.

Personally, I'm a happy soul - most of the time. But I have some really dark, and difficult periods, coping with the myriad of problems that DH's illnesses create. And when I mention them "on here", I get such positive feedback and comfort from everyone, that things don't seem so bad.

I know this a board to help us save money, but I think that as well as the plethora of money-saving tips and recipes that I have learned, I've found my store-cupboard of love and good intentions is over-flowing, thanks to all you lovely people.

So, 9 months into the year, we've given birth! We may not be millionaires, yet , but we've got a lovely happy "baby" of kindness, understanding and support.

Here's to all of us! :beer:

xx

Aril

Hello fellow frugallers:j
I totally agree it is a lovely vibe on this thread and I always find people really helpful. With regards to RL vs this thread- over the last couple of years I have found the courage to stand up to a couple of "friends" who had really drained me over a long period of time- I suddenly realised that they only picked up the phone if they had a crisis and expected me to be there for them 110%[ which I was] but it simply didn't work in reverse. After, what I can only term, probably the most difficult/stressful year of my life this past year [I simply don't post details on here] I have really found great support from other friends [I'm not a person to offload generally] so am now really blessed with some great relationships. Although I found it a really horrible process to go through and wracked with guilt it's also been very cathartic and liberating. I suspect we all support each other here because we'd gel in real life as we all share a similar outlook on frugal and many other matters.
Anyway back to frugal matters- I had a birthday on Thursday and I have been spoilt rotten. A good chum bought me cockles on the front at Brighton- it was so simple but a lovely gesture and I'm being taken to a surprise location for lunch today:j
My frugal tip for today is if you buy Simple showergel get it from £land- it was £2 in Wilko:eek: Am going to have to have a really strict October- bought a Christmas pressie from the CS this morning. Over the next couple of days hoping to turn my frozen elderberries into a batch of cough syrup and still knitting like a thing possessed!
Arilx

SandraScarlett

Happy Birthday Aril!:bdaycake: Even though it is belated
I'm sorry I am tardy, and The Day's been celebrated


It's great you had some cockles on the beach - and that sounds fun!
Whilst strolling down in Brighton, in the late September sun

It seems you've had a rotten time, and things have been quite stressful
So let us hope the coming year is happy and successful

I know I speak for all of us, your unseen virtual "sisters"
So hip hooray! Enjoy your day - from all us Frugalistas! :T:T:T

xx

:bdaycake: :bdaycake: :bdaycake: :bdaycake: :bdaycake: :bdaycake:

wuvvies

am feeling a little down now. ive just been on a thread where people can SAVE 1400 POUNDS per month. thats not savings thats a whole salary. ive just managed another 2 pound to go in my christmas tin. if i put more in then i wont have any milk /bread money. i know little steps are important and yes i do well as some people will not save anything but i have got 50 pounds in there and i need about 700 to do the lot. im ebay bits and bobs now so that will be a help. i cant beleive people have so much spare cash. they are actually putting that much away in their ISA accounts.
oh well onward and upward

natnat13

wuvvies wrote: »

am feeling a little down now. ive just been on a thread where people can SAVE 1400 POUNDS per month. thats not savings thats a whole salary. ive just managed another 2 pound to go in my christmas tin. if i put more in then i wont have any milk /bread money. i know little steps are important and yes i do well as some people will not save anything but i have got 50 pounds in there and i need about 700 to do the lot. im ebay bits and bobs now so that will be a help. i cant beleive people have so much spare cash. they are actually putting that much away in their ISA accounts.
oh well onward and upward

I think a lot of people don't even have £1400 a month! Every little counts and I think we all do fantastically well, keep up the good work and vines everyone!

seriouslyfrugal

SandraScarlett wrote: »

Isn't life strange? I've noticed that whenever anyone on here has had a rough time, myself included, all the regulars immediately send as much love, help, support and kindness as they can possibly muster.

And yet our "real-life" friends are often less understanding. We're a rag-tail bunch, all ages, shapes and sizes, some married, some single, some with loving families, some who never see their families, and yet we all manage to find the time to give words of help - or comfort - when they're needed.


I know this a board to help us save money, but I think that as well as the plethora of money-saving tips and recipes that I have learned, I've found my store-cupboard of love and good intentions is over-flowing, thanks to all you lovely people.

So, 9 months into the year, we've given birth! We may not be millionaires, yet , but we've got a lovely happy "baby" of kindness, understanding and support.

Here's to all of us! :beer:
xx

Sandra: I really agree with this I have had "friends" in the past where i've just not felt supported and yet they want my support 100% + I should mention that they are no longer in my life I just couldn't do it anymore

wuvvies wrote: »

am feeling a little down now. ive just been on a thread where people can SAVE 1400 POUNDS per month. thats not savings thats a whole salary. ive just managed another 2 pound to go in my christmas tin. if i put more in then i wont have any milk /bread money. i know little steps are important and yes i do well as some people will not save anything but i have got 50 pounds in there and i need about 700 to do the lot. im ebay bits and bobs now so that will be a help. i cant beleive people have so much spare cash. they are actually putting that much away in their ISA accounts.
oh well onward and upward

ok i'm going to give you somthing to think about its a saying by Benjamin Franklin " A penny saved is a penny earned " it doesn't matter how much you save to anyone else but you as long as you know you are doing your best then thats all that counts


Aril : happy belated birthday :bdaycake: I'm glad you had a good day


Frugal towers news: today on the south coast its about 25c so I went to salisbury for a bit which was nice but it was good to get somewhere cool as I tend to get a bit :mad: in the heat after a while :rotfl:and its going to be the same tomorrow :T


Hope everyone is ok & having a great weekend

rising_from_the_ashes

Sandra - you've put it so well, I often find my "real" friends don't understand things but get support on here so it makes me feel hugely better.

Savingforarainyday - have you tried e*bay for a fuel pump? I've managed to get a few spare parts for cars on there. Also, if you've scrapyards around worth a ring round and leaving your details in case they get any in.

Aril happy birthday, sorry missed that before:o

Wuvvies I feel like that sometimes too, honestly some people just don't have a clue about money management (not always their fault) and when they post a SOA with several £000s spare each month and others ask where it goes ... and they don't know ..... However, we all try our best with what we've got and don't let others get you down.


Going to be a tight month for me too - down to a huge overspend in August. I knew it was coming as I did all my pre-op and winter stocking up but ..... Bills all covered but not a lot left:(

Been working away on my knitted shoulder throw, it's now really long and getting difficult to knit! Going to finish this ball of wool and I think that'll be it!:) (not perfect, but not too bad for a first attempt and it'll keep the chill off during the winter).

Next on the list if the tapestry I started about 5 years ago:o - hoping to get that finished and framed for DM's Christmas pressie!:).

It's funny as I've hit a year on MSE - I've learned loads but find out something new everyday. I joined loads of challenges at the start - some I've stuck with (such as this one), others have fallen by the wayside as I've found ones that suit me better along the way.

There are some boards I've visited a couple of times and quickly retreated due to the nastiness involved:eek: and several where I feel right at home and comfortable on.

So ... all in all, it's made a huge difference to me and hoping to learn loads more over the next few years:D

nannygladys

Hi can I join your frugalling, I only found the website recently and its really great, I do try to live frugally - needs must- and all the tips and support you receive are great