Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - Part 3.

rising_from_the_ashes

redglass wrote: »

Ahem. Nothing. I'm like the woman with the wrecked house, I never get them cleaned. (No damp yet, though.)

rubytuesday wrote: »

Nor do I!

I didn't realise you were supposed to unless there's an obvious problem.

Feeling a bit better now!

However, I do (and always do) have an obvious problem - my next door neighbour feeds the starlings and swarms of them sit on our roof and make "deposits" which then turn into mounds of grass. :mad:

Unfortunately, the favourite place seems to be at the join between the 2 houses which resulted in the most tremendous icicles last winter and also means I frequently get wet when it rains as there are "blockages" all along the gutters:



Need to get it sorted before this winter!:eek:

The most annoying thing is that they'll be just as bad in a few weeks - I know it's nice to feed the birds but I wish they'd stop.

SandraScarlett wrote: »

We had a super time in Brighton, thanks, and saw 6 weddings, whilst walking round. The temperature was perfect, and we did quite a lot of walking, taking in the sights and sounds.

The sea front was heaving, and we saw dozens of youngsters decamping from the train, in high spirits, the lads with holdalls, and the girls with suitcases - obviously hen and stag weekends.

Only spent a fiver all day, so a nice frugal day out, and great fun.

xx

Sandra, what a fantastic day out! Glad you and your friend had such a good day out - and soooo frugal!;)

I need to be more organised and see what I can come up with as even I could afford a couple of days like that (on hols after next week).



Hi Dizzy!:wave: We've missed you too!


Was up at 5am this morning:eek: (so much for a lie in, will try again tomorrow)!

4 loads of washing done, out & dry - has been a lovely day again, what a difference it makes. (Only downside is the ironing!:D).

Also painted my window sills (outside) from inside - still need to do the frames but need someone to hold the ladder:( however at least the sills are now watertight (huge chunks missing before).

cw18

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

4 loads of washing done, out & dry - has been a lovely day again, what a difference it makes. (Only downside is the ironing!:D)..

I've pegged 4 loads out today as well
5th is now in the machine, but will go through the tumble drier as I don't like line-dried towels
Then I've 2 more to do (my bedding) which will also get tumbled as drying it outside can sometimes cause me problems with my hayfever
Work uniforms and a couple of dresses to iron, which I'm going to try and get done (while watching a DVD) tonight. It's normally a Sunday aft/eve job, but I need to get it done sooner as my chap's coming over late afternoon tomorrow for tea and the evening

Aril

Hello fellow frugallers:j
First day of my new life post redundancy and am very excited by the prospect of change.
We had a fabulous letter in the post yesterday- confirmation that our house is now our own and there's enough left over from the endowment to start up a decent savings plan for the small person.

Just need to be uber frugal and draw on all my thrifty tricks until I can find more work- we've done the sums and I think that I shall be able to work fewer hours now. Am hoping so as would really like to spend more time at home and save by making cards etc etc.

Popped into the local CS today and for a princely 95 pennies I have bought some huge red buttons, some pretty aqua thread and some sparkly green metallic thread. The small person has returned from Scout Camp today having had a fantastic time. We treated him to his favourite meal- scampi [bought on offer], hm chips, hm grown beans and mayo with a dash of lemon juice and hm chives snipped in. Less than half the price of buying fish and chips and deleesh!

Welcome back Dizzy and glad to hear you had a great day in Brighton Sandra Scarlett- it's not far from me and the most fabulous place to people watch!
Aril

ceridwen

Aril - that was just SUCH fortuitous timing there wasnt it? That is - that your mortgage finished at last at exactly the time this redundancy happened.

Anyways - hope you get a suitable new job soon - and meanwhile enjoy your unexpected extra free time. I've had periods of unemployment before now - and I took the view that I was at least going to enjoy my extra time whilst it lasted. It was difficult not being able to commit to starting up anything on a regular basis - because I had no idea how long the unemployment was going to go on for - but I did what I could on a non-fixed basis to enjoy the time whilst I had it.

I was just so aware each time that, when I got back into work again, that I would probably not get a decent spell of free time again after that before I got to retirement age - so, once I had done whatever I could/had to for the day re job-hunting - then the rest of the day was mine and I made the best of it.

In the event those periods of enforced unemployment HAVE been the only breaks I've ever had from work and I'm glad I did "do my best to make the best" of them - as the longest break from work I've had otherwise were 2 week holidays from work. So - I guess that means that, for me, those spells of unemployment were a blessing in disguise - as I would have never had a break from jobs at all otherwise until I draw my pension.

rubytuesday

Don't forget The Big Butterfly Count folks.

I went out on my bike fo the first time in ages yesterday and did the count down by the canal.

https://www.bigbutterflycount.org/sighting/where

SandraScarlett

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Feeling a bit better now!Sandra, what a fantastic day out! Glad you and your friend had such a good day out - and soooo frugal!;)

I need to be more organised and see what I can come up with as even I could afford a couple of days like that (on hols after next week).

I bought the tickets yonks ago on the one day Southern Railway sale, £1 each return. I used my Freedom Pass to get to Victoria, so no cost there. My friend wanted to buy lunch cos I'd bought the tickets, but I said that was too much, so she bought sandwiches and fruit.

I had 2 Costa coffees, filled up my empty water bottle in the Thistle Hotel, where they had jugs of water , and had an icecream, and that was about £5.30 so a very cheap day out.

I'm out with another friend on Wednesday, Regents Park, with Boots lunches, and perhaps another couple of coffees. Then down to Bond Street and a trawl through House of Fraser, John Lewis and Debenhams, replenishing my free samples of posh face creams. Bargains all the way!

xx

Aril

Hello fellow frugallers:j
Aww thanks for the lovely post Ceridwen:A and for the heads up on the big butterfly count Ruby Tuesday- hadn't heard of that.

Frugality of a definitely domestic nature here at Gnat Bottomed Towers- Mr Gnat Bottomed took the lawn mower apart after it died on us last weekend- the replacement part would have cost £11 but with a bit of jiggory pokery he's managed to fix it:jHe's also dug out our longhandled window cleaner and done all the outside windows for me [I don't do heights] bless him.

Much washing of the festering variety done here today following the small person's return [he's gone off on holiday again already] - now drying on the line. I had a stunningly simple thought [my kind of thought:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:]- instead of overcrowding the washing line why not put the inside airer on the patio aswell. Simples- more washing drier quicker and no extra cost incurred!! I've also finally worked out that by mixing a few drops of essential oil in with some water in a pump action bottle I already own I can make my own air freshner so have done that aswell.
My final frugalling consisted of my rootling around in various cupboards and garage shelves to get a better picture of what I have stored...the usual OS subjects were present...tins of toms etc but I have discovered that I seem to have developed rather an obsession with buying showergel and tuna...if anyone sees me furtively scurrying around the supermarket with either of these items please feel free to holler at me "DROP!!"

Until tomorrow....
Arilx

rubytuesday

Be careful Aril - I don't have a line but a couple of airers on the patio and some times they fall over and I end up having to do the clothes again! Maybe if I wasn't lazy and brought everything straight in when dry it wouldn't be a problem! Also it has been known for a cat to p*ss on it!

rubytuesday

A lovely NSD for me today- went out on my bike again and OH bought us bagels and we took a flask of tea.

We have lots of left over Thai chicken curry from last night so will be having that rather than a roast chicken for dinner.

MrsB31

HI everyone
Ive been away from any form of computer for over a week! Had my 3 year old niece staying for the week as my sis is on holiday! Few ups and downs and moments of wanting to run for the hills but overall it was fine! We spent most of the week outside with the kids as it was gorgeously sunny but now its back to reality, work, washing and money matters!

Things going well on the frugal front! We just bought a bike in the sale that will do our 3 year old for christmas just to sort out the boy now but dont have a clue what to get him! What do get a 1 year old? He will probably be more interested in the box anyway!

Im starting back to college soon and trying to sort out childcare is an absolute nightmare!!