2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

silvasava

Sandra are you going to cover your cushions with the Chenille? If so, be warned - cream tends to pick up the dye from dark jeans/trousers so make sure you've a pretty throw - I know from bitter experience [IMG]http://smileys.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/cat/4/4_9_15v.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://smileys.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/cat/4/4_9_15v.gif[/IMG]

slowlyfading

Woohoo it's the weekend :j j

Hope everyone is good

SandraScarlett

silvasava wrote: »

Sandra are you going to cover your cushions with the Chenille? If so, be warned - cream tends to pick up the dye from dark jeans/trousers so make sure you've a pretty throw - I know from bitter experience [IMG]http://smileys.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/cat/4/4_9_15v.gif[/IMG][IMG]http://smileys.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/cat/4/4_9_15v.gif[/IMG]

Hi. I've had my suite for 12 years or so, and the colour is ......... cream chenille! On the sofa, the cushions themselves aren't over-grubby, but the bits where the backs of your knees go are filthy.

This huuuuuuge bolt of material arrived today. It is virtually identical to the clean parts of my sofa! :j I'm planning to leave the original covers on the cushions, and sew round them with the new material.

I'll make new arm caps as well, and then staple a long piece along the back, that I can flap over, like a continuous chair back. Then when I've done that, I'll have a go at an armchair.

xx

rising_from_the_ashes

OK so things not too rosy just now ..... however, a few things now paid for the year (which always throws the monthly amounts off a bit) so all is not lost ..... yet!

I'm a couple of days early but a) am going on my crochet course today :j - already paid for :j so won't need money and b) don't need any groceries this weekend! (that doesn't happen often & will be very hard to stay out the sm!)



COMMENTS

Groceries
mmmm struggling with this - the overspend isn't actually as bad as it looks (;) honest) as I'm now trying to have a "stock up" month in Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct so they have bigger budgets (and the other months have been reduced accordingly).
Will this work? Oh I do hope so!:o I do now have all toiletries stocked for 3 months, many staples for up to 6 months and things like wm stuff etc for the rest of the year ....... so .....
Landline - This is a mess atm ..... switched to a new provider & took an advance line rental option (£129) but it went a bit errrr wrong & am now back with my original provider so ..... refund of £129 due
I will be moving to a new supplier in May (also got an advance payment discount) so this will show as overspent for the rest of the year.
Overall budget reduced from £265 to £220 (part moved to mobile)
Mobile - increased from £120 to £150 to help with new contract (saving from landline)
Broadband - increased from £140 to £160 (new provider that didn't happen!) but then decreased to £110 as offered 1/2 price for 12 months to stay with current provider :j(savings moved to fuel)
Gas & Elec - decreased by £80 (moved to fuel)
House insurance - due May so this will be showing an overspend soon too!
Fuel - increased: £50 from broadband & £80 from G&E = £130 but still struggling with this

slowlyfading

rising - that doesn't look so bad! I'm ashamed to say I've totally lost track on my spreadsheet, I need to spend some time going over receipts and things, but I keep putting it off

Erme

HappyTorty wrote: »

Well my two Rats are the naughtiest little things! Definitely full of character and are trainable if you have the patience.

Will defo have to try, but OH is vegetarian so will have to find a substitute - or he can starve :rotfl:

Does anyone know of any cooking books that have frugal like recipes in them?

dizzy_lizzie wrote: »

Here's a great site for budget meals HappyTorty, lots of dietary needs catered for including vegetarian. The founder of the thread is also an mse member
Here it is http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/
x

I love my ratties...perfect pets. I adopted mine 15 months ago...they are fab. Always upto mischief. What do you feed them on? I have tried pellets (boring according to my boys) and also the complete muesli....a frugal rat food is Mr. S basics muesli...they love it but you need to add vits etc in and at £1 per kg you can't go wrong. Not so suitable for elderly rats but I got a copy of the scuttling gourmet which is like a fab rat nutrition book and am now making my own food (they have so much - it'll last yonks. I went a bit ape on buying rat food the other week...no wonder the vet has put them on a detox LOL).....

also poorly rats like baby food - low sugar (less than 4% sugar) which is worth keeping in.... and baby crisps.... Just no beefburger or pancake or porridge LOL

e

HappyTorty

Erme wrote: »

I love my ratties...perfect pets. I adopted mine 15 months ago...they are fab. Always upto mischief. What do you feed them on? I have tried pellets (boring according to my boys) and also the complete muesli....a frugal rat food is Mr. S basics muesli...they love it but you need to add vits etc in and at £1 per kg you can't go wrong. Not so suitable for elderly rats but I got a copy of the scuttling gourmet which is like a fab rat nutrition book and am now making my own food (they have so much - it'll last yonks. I went a bit ape on buying rat food the other week...no wonder the vet has put them on a detox LOL).....

also poorly rats like baby food - low sugar (less than 4% sugar) which is worth keeping in.... and baby crisps.... Just no beefburger or pancake or porridge LOL

e

I got my boys last august, and I the last few weeks they have been extremely naughty. I think it's because they havent been out the cage as much because the rooms are a tip 'cos am moving house this weekend. Normally they are out of the cage for most of the day running freely around one of the bedrooms! My Boyf calls them free range rats :rotfl:

I feed them on Pets at Home pellet rat nuggets. They are quite happy with them to be honest. they are getting a bit fat (nothing to do with the treats they get, honest! :rotfl:). Think we have felt guilty for them being in the cage too much!:o

What's the home made stuff? If it's cheaper I may give it a go, but I have just replenished their food with a 5kg bag(i think thats the weight)and it lasts for ages.

Savvy_sewing

My ESA finishes on Monday.
My Tax Credits finish on the 22nd May.
Waiting for the Child benefit and child tax credits claims to be assessed.
Written to ESA to argue the fact that I should get the Income related ESA now that my contributions element has been exhausted.
Not that hopeful the way the DWP are going of late.
Not sure what money I have left to live on now.? DGD's fostering allowance will be all that we have coming in if the DWP take their time working things out.

DS is moving back home, he cannot stay with the twins anylonger, so another mouth to feed. Alas he is also having trouble with the benefits and they sent him a letter today to say that they have stopped his Jobseekers as he missed an appointment. This is totally not true. I have taken him to his appointments everytime!. I go to councilling, so I take him at the same time.
So we will have to appeal that on Monday. Meanwhile he has ZERO to live on!. What is this government playing at?
So I will have to be FRUGAL beyond, FRUGAL!.
No more dipping in and out. I will have to be consistant, and get sorted out once and for all, on the minimum that we can live on.
NOt were I thought I was going to be. But been there before, so I suppose at least I know what I have to do to survive.
But boy i am not looking forward to things. Thank god I have a slushfund! I think I will have used it up by the end of the month if I am not careful.

silvasava

SandraScarlett wrote: »

Hi. I've had my suite for 12 years or so, and the colour is ......... cream chenille! On the sofa, the cushions themselves aren't over-grubby, but the bits where the backs of your knees go are filthy.

This huuuuuuge bolt of material arrived today. It is virtually identical to the clean parts of my sofa! :j I'm planning to leave the original covers on the cushions, and sew round them with the new material.

I'll make new arm caps as well, and then staple a long piece along the back, that I can flap over, like a continuous chair back. Then when I've done that, I'll have a go at an armchair.

xx

I like the sound of the 'continuous chair back' Sandra - what a good idea. Many years ago I recovered a chair & 2 seater settee with the fabric from an old Studio couch (if anyone remembers them!!) I didn't have quite enough so I used a plain toning colour for the backs - perked the room up for a good few years too!

Igamogam

seriouslyfrugal wrote: »

I really enjoyed it the fishing is more in the background its more about the people involved in the project and thier lives it is actually quite a laugh to especially the press officer for the government I would recommend a watch & its a brit film - thats not even mentioning its got ewan mcgregor in it :rotfl: :rotfl:

The book is a good read - it was the inaugural book of the book group I belong to. We all enjoyed it