2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

Ches

More4Less thats really good news. I have a bit of good news also. My Gas account is £194.49 in credit which SE are crediting to my bank account next week. And I didn't have to ask.

SandraScarlett

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Oh wow Sandra ... I bet there was some interesting stories to tell...... both my grandparents (dad's side) were 1 of 12 children ... I just can't imagine!

It's incredible to think that, in our living memory, we had relatives with so many siblings. My Grandpa's family had 2 rooms, in a tenament block, and lived in a "court".

This sounded so grand to me, but having studied genealogy, I realised there were 4 tenements, in a square, and in the centre was the "court", with a stand pipe - with water connected for an hour a day, if they were lucky!:eek:

Where he lived, in Whitechapel, was called "Little Holland" because so many immigrant families from the Netherlands settled there. I believe my grandpa's grandpa came over on the onion boat - oh I have such noble beginnings!

More4Less wrote: »

Just had my three month power bill (Eon). Electricity is down 30% on this time last year and gas 12% down. Really pleased. Contributing factors have been:-

Buying & using a Remoska instead of the electric fan oven.
Ditching the electric kettle
Replacing an old microwave
Finally getting rid of some 15 energy hungry light bulbs in the kitchen!!
Taking showers instead of baths
And of course the milder weather.

If I can keep this up I should be able to shave a massive £400 off my annual bill.
:j:j

Well done you! :j What wonderful news!

Ches wrote: »

More4Less thats really good news. I have a bit of good news also. My Gas account is £194.49 in credit which SE are crediting to my bank account next week. And I didn't have to ask.

Another triumph for the Power Fighters! :T It surely looks as if the bills won't be Williams, and you 2 definitely have Little Willies!!!

xx

More4Less

Ches wrote: »

More4Less thats really good news. I have a bit of good news also. My Gas account is £194.49 in credit which SE are crediting to my bank account next week. And I didn't have to ask.

Absolutely fab!

zafiro1984

Having read that Aldi came out tops for fresh fruit and veg in a Which Report recently I decided to give it a go. Our nearest is 18 miles away but thankfully it's nearly all duel carriageway door to door. Parking easy, store modern and in amongst a row of other shops like Wicks. I really only needed fruit and veg as I'm well stocked for other things at the moment. I have a weekly budget of £15 for fresh so off I went full of hope. Unfortunately, I have to say I was very dissappointed with the quality of the fresh fruit and veg, limp cabbage, sweaty parsnips, marks on the carrots, however, potatoes were good and a very good price, celery and bananas likewise. On the whole not worth the trip or effort, in future I'll stick with my usual supermarket and this year make a lot more effort into growing my own. It seems stupid not to do it as I've got a purpose made veg plot of 12 raised beds each being 12' x 4' plus a fruit cage of 48' x 24' plus greenhouse.

I've not grown anything for the past two years The season starts and I get left behind and then give up. I do know that in the past when I have managed to grow things, they taste a lot better, I've always got something to put on the plate alongside the meat but best of all it stops me going out to the shops and spending - impulse buying, coming home with a trolley full most of which I don't need. I've loads of seeds from last year, in fact I will have to buy very little. The hens at the moment are doing a great job of clearing the weeds and bugs. Must get Dave (not my DH but someone who helps him) to put loads of compost/rotted manure - of which we have loads - on them. Seems silly not to try again, in fact just writing this down makes me feel quite enthusiastic about it.

paidinchickens

Morning peeps

Thanks for the well wishes.

To top matters off I had a back spasm while holding a hot choc yesterday afternoon. Next door had popped round for a gossip and she got more than she bargained for when I dropped the scolding hot cup into my lap and had to strip off while back was in full spasm, hobble upstairs to put a cold, wet towel on my private bits. I then had to shout downstairs apologising that I think it would be best if she went as I would be a while. Luckily I have not blistered but blinkin eck it was painful.:o I wonder if she will ever call round again? she may think I am a pervy who dances round stripping :rotfl::rotfl:

I am not moaning this morning :whistle: so I thought I would share my latest treat to DH and myself

Bed picnic ........ usually whoopsie from Mr T for a few pennies. Big cushions propped up and snuggle under the big winder duvet ( back issues permitting) then we sit and watch an episode of the goodlife :rotfl::rotfl:

A friend as given us some copies and to make them last we are limiting ourselves to one episode a night. I love it, I forgot how good they were and some parts are still totally relevant today.

I know I really need to get a life but hey its free, funny and it cheers DH and me up at the end of the day.

Whats your idea of frugal free fun???

PIC x

determined_new_ms

paidinchickens wrote: »

Morning peeps

Thanks for the well wishes.

To top matters off I had a back spasm while holding a hot choc yesterday afternoon. Next door had popped round for a gossip and she got more than she bargained for when I dropped the scolding hot cup into my lap and had to strip off while back was in full spasm, hobble upstairs to put a cold, wet towel on my private bits. I then had to shout downstairs apologising that I think it would be best if she went as I would be a while. Luckily I have not blistered but blinkin eck it was painful.:o I wonder if she will ever call round again? she may think I am a pervy who dances round stripping :rotfl::rotfl:

I am not moaning this morning :whistle: so I thought I would share my latest treat to DH and myself

Bed picnic ........ usually whoopsie from Mr T for a few pennies. Big cushions propped up and snuggle under the big winder duvet ( back issues permitting) then we sit and watch an episode of the goodlife :rotfl::rotfl:

A friend as given us some copies and to make them last we are limiting ourselves to one episode a night. I love it, I forgot how good they were and some parts are still totally relevant today.

I know I really need to get a life but hey its free, funny and it cheers DH and me up at the end of the day.

Whats your idea of frugal free fun???

PIC x

eek that sounds painful pic!

re frugal free fun - loads (some obviously I can't share! :blushing:) going for walks, we're trying to learn about what plants/fungi we can safely forage, at the moment we've signed up to Netflix (got £12 cashback for a free month's trial via topcashback :T) and are watching 'Its always sunny in Philadelphia", a game of scrabble & a glass of wine or two - think I'll have a irish coffee this weekend as have all of the ingredients in, watching films, oh recently got several vouchers for free drinks for his birthday as he signed up to various pubs who give a drink and sometimes plus one when its your birthday

We love going to spas and are verging on being spa junkies! So last week bought 2 copies of the telegraph for the coupon for a 'free' sauna experience. Its at a place where we went last year which cost £17 each to use the facilities and this has cost us £2 each :T

Tomorrow I have prepared a surprise for oh as it was our anniversary on Thursday. I'm taking him to Tunbridge Wells to the Museum and later to a forest/pinetum not far from there. am going to make some bagettes to take but will treat him to a tea and cake somewhere

No plans to spend any money today :T going to my ex-mil's for lunch so free food there, will also go to the gym for a massive gym, swim & sauna session food to the rafters in ours at the moment so no need to buy anything there and have promised to watch a film with oh tonight with probably a glass of cider :T

It's not too shabby this frugal lark is it?? :rotfl:

More4Less

zafiro1984 wrote: »

Having read that Aldi came out tops for fresh fruit and veg in a Which Report recently I decided to give it a go. Our nearest is 18 miles away but thankfully it's nearly all duel carriageway door to door. Parking easy, store modern and in amongst a row of other shops like Wicks. I really only needed fruit and veg as I'm well stocked for other things at the moment. I have a weekly budget of £15 for fresh so off I went full of hope. Unfortunately, I have to say I was very dissappointed with the quality of the fresh fruit and veg, limp cabbage, sweaty parsnips, marks on the carrots, however, potatoes were good and a very good price, celery and bananas likewise. On the whole not worth the trip or effort, in future I'll stick with my usual supermarket and this year make a lot more effort into growing my own. .

We are lucky enough to have an Aldi within walking distance, and can check out the veg on offer quite frequently. It can be a bit hit and miss...... they often seem to lack the staff or stock to keep the shelves filled up, but there are usually a few good buys to be had. The trouble is you cannot depend on them to have what you want, so it means shopping around which takes so much time!

Morrisons have just started to offer a few 30p veg packs (tried the apples, pears and potatoes) all excellent value.

Growing your own is of course best, but we are always off somewhere in the camper van would never be around enough to benefit

mooomin

More4Less wrote: »

Morrisons have just started to offer a few 30p veg packs (tried the apples, pears and potatoes) all excellent value.

I bought the apples, pears and baking potatoes from Morrisons this week and was really impressed with them for the price. Hopefully they will keep doing this as it's helped to keep my food costs low this week.

zafiro1984

More4Less wrote: »

Morrisons have just started to offer a few 30p veg packs (tried the apples, pears and potatoes) all excellent value.

Growing your own is of course best, but we are always off somewhere in the camper van would never be around enough to benefit

Thanks for that I'll check out Morrisons, only 20mins away, I tend to do a whole load of jobs when I go out as our nearest supermarket is 15mins away and we have no local shops, so I like to do my shopping once a fortnight with a delivery of the basics once a month - well that's the plan, doesn't always work.

Camper van - I do envy you, would love to get out more but we have dogs, chickens, alpacas and horses so leaving the place is a no no

dizzy_lizzie

paidinchickens wrote: »

Bed picnic ........ usually whoopsie from Mr T for a few pennies. Big cushions propped up and snuggle under the big winder duvet ( back issues permitting) then we sit and watch an episode of the goodlife :rotfl::rotfl:
PIC x

Hope the scald has cooled down now paidinchix!
Aw I loved watching 'The Good Life', many moons ago. Lovely gentle comedy. Another favourite was 'Ever Decreasing Circles' which Richard Briers was also in.
For a bit of frugal fun Me and OH potter around car boots, dog walks with a flask and a sandwich, mmmmmm not much else aside from the usual Must get out a bit more with him really.

determined_new_ms wrote: »

It's not too shabby this frugal lark is it?? :rotfl:

determined new ms It is amazing how much stuff is out there free or bargain prices once you really look. Makes it all the more fun too

x