Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - Part 3.

slowlyfading

Nice to see you aeb :hello: Hope things are going well at your end

gien

Well done on the weight loss natnat - which fat club do you go to? I trywith slimming world. I had to pay for the coil because I live outside the UK and medical insurance here doesn't pay for contraception. I did get it fitted in england when I was home on holiday this summer but paid because it's not fair to claim NHS treatment when I'm not permenantly living in britain. It would have cost £500 here (switzerland)!

redglass_2

ceridwen wrote: »

I'm a "visual" as well - so that would work for me. Also - photos on the fridge door (not necessarily of me personally - but of "normal" figures and errr...ahem...."other" figures).

The most motivating picture I ever had was a photo of a woman who was a dead ringer for me, features, hair everything...but thin. It was quite weird, like having a slim twin. I don't have the picture any more, I wonder what happened to it?

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

Where i work, we get old handbags etc, which ladies havent emptied out propely, so they still have indivdual sealed packs of their sanatery pads in there... I am going to starting keeping them for myself, as this will save me a few quid a month.... now i do feel as 'should i, shouldnt i' but they are still in their wraps etc... was just wondering would you do something like this, if you were in my position?

I wouldn't give it another thought, CTC! Whyever not? They'd only be wasted otherwise, or used by whoever bought the bags, in which case you might as well use them yourself.

Gien - I think SW are really good, even though I'm carp at following diets. If you do the green version it can be extremely frugal and still work.

More Amazon sales! :j:j:j:j Should have done this ages ago.

SandraScarlett

Hi all! What a wonderful day I've had! And I think that as I was at Westfield, adjacent to the Olympic site, it is apt for me to say I've won the Gold Medal today in frugalism. :j I have had a facial, a hand massage, received numerous gifts of beauty products, chocolate, a fantastic lunch, and spent ........................ nothing and neither did my friend!!:j:j:j

We Freedom Passed to Stratford arriving just after 10, received our map (the writing is soooo small nowadays!) showing this huge place, and there was Boots in front of us. We walked in and within 3 seconds were asked by a Lancome lady if we'd like a complimentary cleanse and makeup by a "Bafta Make Up Artiste" - well how could we refuse! We had a glass of champagne, and yummy choccies, and then surfed around the store, receiving loads of free creams, and complimentary gifts en route.

I made a point of completing survey cards, saying the staff were really helpful, and was touched to hear how many local people had secured a job, and how thrilled they were. We saw Boris opening the centre on the massive screens that are throughout the centre, then went into John Lewis where we received our free shopping bags, and more free makeup.

Then after stuffing endless free chocolates down our throats (how could we refuse!) we made our way to Pizza Express, where I'd made an online booking for 12.30, but unbeknowns to me, it wasn't due to open until 1 pm. As we made our way to the door, the staff were lined up to meet us and excitedly told us we were their first customers, and the first on-line booking! Our photo was taken with the Manager, the Operations Manager, different staff, and then we were told that the entire meal was complimentary!!!! :j:j:j:j

I did spend some money, cos when we were presented with a bill, reading Total - £0.00 we gave the waitress a fiver tip, and she was in tears, bless 'er! As soon as I got home I sent an email to Head Office, saying how impressed we were with the food, the service etc. We left the centre at 4, having had a tiring, but wonderful and frugal day. :):)

xx

LolaLemon

Oh my, Sandra, that sounds like thee ultimate girly day out, and best of all it was free!, I am soo jealous!

natnat13

Wow Sandra that sounds absolutely lovely:D

I go to Rosemary Conley, off there again in a min to work out. It's good, I pay £23 a month but I can go to as many classes as I want and get the mag every month for free which I would have bought. I like it because it focuses on exercise rather than diet although that does come into it!! (I am in no way connected with this business btw, just love going!)

ceridwen

paidinchickens wrote: »

A woman I used to work with had THE OP lol and had no further use for her pads or tampax. I always suffer and was seen once a month (every three weeks in my case) dashing off to the loo and coming back out in a different pair of trousers :rotfl: This lady (who I did not know that well) brought me in a carrier bag FULL of tampax etc No boxes just full of tampax!!. There must have been quite a few quids worth if not at least £200. I was really grateful as it saved me a fortune. I did not particularly know her or anything but they were all sealed.

PIC xxx

Good to hear someone who has been "on the receiving end" of such a thing saying they appreciated it.:)

When I "came to the end of all that" (ie periods) I had quite a "collection" to deal with it - and didnt want to just throw it all out and waste it (one of the things I'd hated about periods being how much they cost me to deal with:().

Obviously with my friends tending to be in the same agegroup as myself they werent likely to want them - so I just picked the first younger woman I could see basically that I didnt think would be offended or embarrassed at me passing them over and gave her the bag of them. She seemed very pleased and "took it the right way" (ie that I wasnt "making comments" about her). She just accepted them in the spirit they were given - ie she still needed them and no point in wasting them.

So - it is an idea for ladies (once we "reach that age") to just give it all away - rather than throw it away. Younger women will appreciate the moneysaving thought.

seriouslyfrugal

Wow sandra that sounded amazing i'm pleased you had such a nice day

making fruit bread at the moment - which I hope will be ok

going to brownsea island tomorrow ( near poole dorset) so hopefully that will be good - will report back


have a good day everyone

paidinchickens

Sandra Well done you :T

I missed the English Heritage open day as I had a bad back :( another year to wait now I was really looking forward to going

Whoopsie pork joint roasting away in the oven Cold weather always makes me crave warm, filling comfort food such as roasts and steamed puddings! Trying to be good as I need to get those inches off!!!

The gazebo put up to dry my washing under is still standing :j I thought it was going to take off yesterday, took my pants off the line just incase :rotfl:

I could do with a little snooze so best get of my bum and go do something instead.

PIC x

natnat13

Went to Mr T's and only spent £12 :j
No whoopsies just lots of blue stripes!!
Didn't have time for the library as well, may go on Sat and take the kids too.
Off to walk to school in a bit, my bum and legs are hurting from squatts and lunges though!! Car is nearly on red so I'm not driving.
My dad always comes for tea on a Wed and I always do a "proper" meal like roast. Tonight however is prawn pasta bake in an effort to use up odds and ends so we'll see how that goes down.
Re: sanitary products, I would love it if someone gave me some, wouldn't be offended at all, just very grateful!