Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - Part 3.

LolaLemon

Pic, I love the square wraps, but only buy them when on offer.

Sorry I've bn a little mia lately, just not enough hours in the day for all the things I need to get done.

Turned out I have a hairline fracture on one of the tiny bones in my foot between the pink toe and other toe . It's not so bad now, I can walk and don't need the tubigrip on all day anymore.
Tall ships was great, but the council let the area down, really badly! They had only paved/tarmaced the main entrance, the rest was still cobblestones, which I love, with the tram lines still exposed or rubble which had stones that where bigger than a big man's clenched fist. It wouldn't have bn soo bad if this had only 1 year to be sorted, but its been 4 years in the making! Their was no local companies supplying anything, everything was supplied by English companies , more so London ones (we are 8 hours away on the fast train from their!)

My 'status' has changed from 'single' to 'couple in training' haha, his definition not mine. He's taking me out on a proper date this Thursday, babysitter is booked don't know what we are doing tho, although I know that food is involved, as it always is with him lol, I think we might end up at the pictures to see harry potter, and I know I've not to dress up, jeans is acceptable (keeps me happy that lol, mite be summer, but we have already had our summer)

Im seriously thinking of making more of the turtles to sell, one of my friends said she seen aeroplanes crocheted at a museum, smaller than my turtle and the where bein snaped up at the lovely price of £39 each! I just need to practice embroidering features and find a good place to produce a material type label. As my stuffing is safety stuffing and I play tug if war with my son b4 it goes as a present.

cw18

LolaLemon wrote: »

My 'status' has changed from 'single' to 'couple in training' haha, his definition not mine.

:rotfl: Loving the sound of 'couple in training' :rotfl:

May have to borrow that one myself

23rdspiral

hi everyone, windows explorer keeps crashing so i'll try again later to catch up.

HAVE to find a new car insurance provider today... they've added 100 to my breakdown cover (!) and have added on 40 as ive moved (to a residential street, not on a B road anymore and now have a driveway!!), whilst they took my fiances cover down by 35 for the same reason!?! i did expect it to go up this year as these things do, and due to the EU rule on women not getting cheaper cover... but that is plain crazy.

paidinchickens

spent all afternoon trying to make my own yorkshire pud:wall: I STILL CAN'T DO IT!!! I have tried different ways :mad::mad: In this case it most definitely cheaper to buy :rotfl::rotfl:

LolaLemon

23rdspiral wrote: »

hi everyone, windows explorer keeps crashing so i'll try again later to catch up.

HAVE to find a new car insurance provider today... they've added 100 to my breakdown cover (!) and have added on 40 as ive moved (to a residential street, not on a B road anymore and now have a driveway!!), whilst they took my fiances cover down by 35 for the same reason!?! i did expect it to go up this year as these things do, and due to the EU rule on women not getting cheaper cover... but that is plain crazy.

I was getting quoted £800+ with R*C, who I already have a shared car with (although I never ever get a chance to use it!!), which was a massive increase from last years £300, so I had a look on the motor section on here, and it recommend a different name for my job and I got it for £306 with A*da online, who is provided by the same company as the r*c are. Soo strange.

I did also tweak about my mileage, as I have yet to make 10000 miles a year.again, recommended on here

LolaLemon

cw18 wrote: »

:rotfl: Loving the sound of 'couple in training' :rotfl:

May have to borrow that one myself

Borrow away

It is a rather cute way of saying we are going slow, although I have seen him at some point for a least 2 hours, 7 days out of the past 10. 3 of those he has came to the pub when I'm working, 1 I had 2 hours b4 son was being dropped home n we went out for food for an impromptu date, the rest he's came to mine when he's finished work, even tho he is extremely tired.
Last night he came in when I was in a shower, n when I got down stairs, he was sleeping on the couch !! We watched bad boys on 5 n he went home lol.
Im actually really liking this whole getting to know each other stuff, I forgot how fun dating can be, as my last date b4 him was abt 6 or 7 years ago.

paidinchickens

LolaLemon wrote: »

Borrow away

It is a rather cute way of saying we are going slow, although I have seen him at some point for a least 2 hours, 7 days out of the past 10. 3 of those he has came to the pub when I'm working, 1 I had 2 hours b4 son was being dropped home n we went out for food for an impromptu date, the rest he's came to mine when he's finished work, even tho he is extremely tired.
Last night he came in when I was in a shower, n when I got down stairs, he was sleeping on the couch !! We watched bad boys on 5 n he went home lol.
Im actually really liking this whole getting to know each other stuff, I forgot how fun dating can be, as my last date b4 him was abt 6 or 7 years ago.

I could not be more pleased for you Lola :T

I must say when I read you was in the shower I hardly dare read the next line :rotfl::rotfl: thought you were going into business with Mills and Boon for a mo

Just had to stop myself ironing the kids school shirts as I realised they break up tomorrow.........would never have forgiven myself if I ironed something that did not need it :rotfl:

Luv

PIC

23rdspiral

hi everyone, sorry for not posting in a week - had a cold (i blame work stress), and OH birthday and boiler issues, and car insurance to sort out.

update on my absence report = i've manged to argue/prove my case over some days sick so am no longer on report. the other 3 days are currently down as annual leave AND sick leave... i say surely they cant be both. ok i dont think for a second i'll get the AL back if it is resolved in my favour but its the principle fof the thing! thanks everyone for helping me grow a backbone!

hello to the newbies!

Minnie - definately think you did right to stock up on cheap mince. well done! (sorry to hear your hubby still needs his own lightbulb moment.)

Tumpty - shame about the wood. i'd have done the same myself. what a pity.

LolaLemon wrote: »

I was getting quoted £800+ with R*C, who I already have a shared car with (although I never ever get a chance to use it!!), which was a massive increase from last years £300, so I had a look on the motor section on here, and it recommend a different name for my job and I got it for £306 with A*da online, who is provided by the same company as the r*c are. Soo strange.

I did also tweak about my mileage, as I have yet to make 10000 miles a year.again, recommended on here

thanks. i've tried the different names for my job but they dont make a difference. also i dont drive anywhere near that much but my existing insurers didnt want to reduce it 'in case i did'.

i've cancelled their breakdown (can get cover for almost 100quid less elsewhere) and also the guranteed hire care, as when my oh needed one, it suddely wasnt gauranteed! if i pay in one go the price now is c.30 more than the cheapest online quote, but it is easier to stay...and there isnt a compulsory excess just the voluntary one and the rest seems ok... humm... easy to stay put for 30 isnt it?

paidinchickens wrote: »

I went to a jumble yesterday and bought them each a book and an item of clothes each......I waited for the outrage of second hand clothes but DS just said "but I really need some new trackies mum not more jeans" so to me this was progress.

i'm really impressed by all of this - good sense and good child raising i'd say. u should be proud of yourselves :T:T

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

There's 3 on the market the same as mine, one hasn't shifted for a very good reason (but no-one looking will know that) and the owners have just reduced the price by nearly £30k:eek:.

that's why we own two houses now too. next door eventually sold last month for 40k under our lowest asking price! someone got a very good bargain (it was a do-upper, was quick sale for probate and someone did die there, but still, it's very irritating when the market is so distorted).
We got our first month's rent last week, i was very happy and relieved. the small amount we get beyond that house's mortgage will go towards a 'sinking fund' for if repairs are needed. it's really not making us rich, contrary to what some of our friends think

weesmiler

Hi everyone,

Mrs B, sorry to hear that DH has to have some surgery and will be off work for a while, although definitely better to get it sorted if possible!! Hopefully having a few weeks with less income won't hit you too hard:) Fingers crossed it all works out, maybe having less income for a wee while will let DH realise the fun of being frugal!

Well today I made £20 without trying. One of the girls at work had borrowed my old epilator before buying one of her own. She really liked it, so offered me £20 instead of buying a brand new one. Money in my pocket and less out of hers :T And one less thing cluttering up my house...off to post this on de-cluttering thread :rotfl:

Keep smiling xxx

tumptyteapot

I have a plan for the summer holidays when I have time off my son - I'm squirreling away vouchers from deal sites for pampering things - have a foot fish thing for £1 (because someone else signed up to it and I got credit) and a haircut for £11. The plan is to collect a weeks worth of nice things to do so if I can't go camping and get away from it I can at least relax at home. I'm just waiting for a relaxing massage to come up at a bargain price. What I really want now is a cleaning company deal for a tenner or something silly! This is going to be the best holiday for me ever!