Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - Part 3.

rising_from_the_ashes

Hello everyone - I'm still here catching up on posts most nights.

Haven't posted a lot as not a lot of "frugalness" going on:( - started to stock up on heavy things (cat litter etc) for when I'm going to be house bound following op.

Popped to Mr A yesterday (local wee one only sells 2 varieties of the tins my wee one likes) and thought oh, I'll get a tray of this, a tray of that (they were on offer) and got a bit carried away - 138 tins!:eek::eek::eek: which was about £40!:eek::eek::eek::eek: (they only do them in 85g tins which is VERY annoying):mad:.

Also got some bits for the dog (which they also don't have in my local store), a bottle of something nice for DFs birthday and literally a handful of things for myself - I knew it would be bad but £85!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Will be hiding for the rest of the month!

weesmiler wrote: »

Well I'd like to share some good news...yesterday I found out that my job has been made permanent! It was a 6 month contract to start with...and now I'll be there for good. I'm absolutely delighted because I love my job, and now I can plan ahead for my moneysaving!!! :T

Awww, that's fantastic news! :j:jCongratulations - you must be soooooo chuffed (and even better that you actually enjoy it)!:D

KolaKube wrote: »

Hi everyone! Sorry i havent posted in a while - good news - we have officially moved back to ireland and living with family to save cash! Its lovely - didnt realise quite how lonely we were in england...!

Glad to hear the move went well and you're now enjoying being surrounded by family again. What's the bet in a years' time, you have no intention of going far away again!;)

23rdspiral

phew, i had a really stressful day at work last night - a 12 hour working day (not counting 1.15driving to and fro), which is a bit of a shock to the system for a lowely 7.24hrs a day council worker! i delivered my first 'outreach' session in my new role, and whilst it didnt go according to plan at all (as suspected though so it was fine) it did go very well, i basically had to run it twice as ladies left and told their families so i had some male elders join, which is aparently unheard of! and i've a second session booked with the same group for a few weeks time. to quote the group co-ordinator 'even our husbands and fathers want to come along, that's amazing'.:D

but i was so exhausted i kinda failed on dinner - didnt cook the woopsied pork i should have... we had 2 frozen lasagne woopsied ready meals and a garlic bread (oh the shame!) but they were 40p reduced and taking up freezer space so i shouldnt feel too bad.

and our water butt fell over yesterday... no strong wind... was fine first thing. all that lost water:(. we've no idea how it fell

LolaLemon

Morning lovelys,

Spent the best £10 ever yesterday, (£5 each) and got ;
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My feet have never been soo soft. It was £5 for ten minutes, had to keep a hold of wee guy incase he slipped in, as he was just a little on the short side, it was fantastic, and very tickley. The girl left us for abt half an hour!
If u can get a good deal on them, I fully recommend the fish pedicure. I was looking into salons that do them so I could get a proper pedicure but at £20 for the fish then £30 for a basic pedicure, it was out of the question. I'm really tempted to go back again today n wear flip flops, no nail varnish, then run home as soon as finished and do my own pedicure.

Yesterday was a bit of a spend day, £8 in pound shop, £20 in hairdressers including tip, and in their for ages, wash cut blow dry, n I have really frizzy, curly hair and come out with hair Cheryl Cole would be jealous of! £7 in primark on socks, tights, purse etc and £15 in T's all because I was in a panic over my date.
He sent me a txt yesterday morning saying he was taking me to Jamies Italian up in Glasgow (bout an hour away, Jamie, as in Jamie Oliver) and that ment my outfit had to change.
The restaurant was lovely, even tho their was only a few things I could eat (dairy allergy) but they had sorbets! The prices wasn't too bad, I got a lemon chilli veg pasta, small n was £6ish the large was £10ish, but the small was too much for me, also got blood Orange sorbet on a bed of fresh pineapple sprinkled with chilli n mint... was really lovely.
He bought a BTL of rose wine, I don't normally drink wine, but nearly finished the bottle myself, as he was driving so only had 1 glass (I watered mine down) bill was under £60 n he get steak plus sides.

Forgot how expensive dating could be!
I'm shattered now tho, got dropped off at half 1 n up at 7 to pick up son, he will be worse than me, he stays abt 30 mins away and was up for work at half 5. (Whole night was 'pg' rated unlike what my mates where suggesting of '18' haha)

23rdspiral

congratulations wee smiller! best wishes seriously frugal well done with the surveys Arial!

(i've had an invite letter from a well known but tricky to get into survey company - i've done surveys for them for years and am very happy with them. if anyone would like me to forward the letter to you, pm me you email. i hope that doesnt break any rules. sorry if so, and ill happily remove if someone asks me to edit. i'll remove this anyway in a day or so as dont want spam. when they asked me if i knew of anyone who'd like to join, i thought of you lot first)

LolaLemon

Do u think it is worth selling these? I don't really know what they are for, but my guess is wine making? Their is 5 bottles.
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paidinchickens

Lola the feet thing seems a bit fishy to me glad your having a good time dating :T

rising I have stocked up on catfood but can see us eating that all winter if we don't stock up on some other things :rotfl:

weesmilerwell done I am pleased for you :j

Spiral I know how you feel when your friends think you are rich because you have two houses :mad: Ours did not sleep on a blinkin airbed for two weeks decorating from 6am to 2am the next day. Oh the stories on renting a house out.......I could write a book :rotfl:

School play was fab. A really funny play and the kids all did really well and it was a free night out :rotfl:

Kids finished school today and I am already panicking about the price of three school uniforms. Two secondary and one junior school. Junior school is not too bad as you can buy cheap bits from Mr As but the secondary school list is out of this world. Eldest has killed or grown out of everything so needs everything replacing and DSS will be a newbie in September so he will need everything. I think reversible rugby shirts and footie boots are the biggest bug bear........DS has only used his once a year for the past two years. Rugby shirts are £23 each :eek: Not meaning to go on but families are struggling to put food on the table and they expect you to be able to afford £300 a pop per child for uniform (and we do it a cheaply as poss but when everything has to have a school logo on you do not get a choice) I would not mind if they were in a private school but they are only in a common village school :mad:

rant over enjoy your weekend

PIC

silvasava

LolaLemon wrote: »

Do u think it is worth selling these? I don't really know what they are for, but my guess is wine making? Their is 5 bottles.
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Hi Lola

Yes - put them on a local site if you can or advertise at your local supermarket.
You may be able to get about a fiver for them. Good Luck!

slowlyfading

weesmiler wrote: »

Well I'd like to share some good news...yesterday I found out that my job has been made permanent! It was a 6 month contract to start with...and now I'll be there for good. I'm absolutely delighted because I love my job, and now I can plan ahead for my moneysaving!!! :T

Yay :j :j :j so pleased for you x

paidinchickens

Forgot to add

Went to the pound shop today and bought some cheapo badminton racket sets for the boys. DS was really happy as he had wanted some for ages (doing it at school)

Well off they all went to the field, happy as Larry (whoever Larry is) DH and I soooooooo chuffed with ourselves at such a good £2 bargain:T

They came back shortly after and said they think there maybe something wrong with them as the shuttle !!!! keeps getting stuck in the strings of the racket :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: (maybe not such a good £2 spent)

Totally put my foot in it by saying "they maybe ok if you get bigger shuttlecock" well you can imagine the laughter at that!!! Well all three have now had two hours playing NICELY together in the garden ......still laughing and joking............for £2 :T:T bargain of the year I would say :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

rachelhen

I've been really good at frugal all month but dear son coming home for the weekend(Vegan) work full time etc so had to buy vegan friendly food...no whoopsies or anything other than over priced stuff...could have gone to a shop that I know which has the ingredients much cheaper but too far out of the way!! but love my son so don't begrudge it at all