2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

rising_from_the_ashes

Ohhhhh Thrifty (((hugs))) ..... there is always "the one" - no matter how many come before & after and are all loved and special .....

dizzy_lizzie

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Have spent the 3 hours finishing a job application (4 yesterday) - is it me or are they much harder nowadays?

Fingers crossed for you Rising that it will have been worth it,

LolaLemon wrote: »

Yesterday was a busy wee day, we made 2 batches of play dough, and I tried scenting them (I know u don't want to eat them, but I used baking oils, just in case anyone does eat them, then they are not harmful) so we have a pale yellow smelling of lemons and blue batch smelling of peppermint.
Then we made jelly, poured into individual molds. Sons drama class, then we came home and made yogurt to freeze in lolly molds so son has 'ice cream' , for them I posted it on my blog (that I always forget I have!) ... included a few picture.

Lola that all sounds like great fun. What a lovely idea to add those sweet smells to the play dough.
x

tylersbabe

Well the wedding was more frugal than I thought it would be LOL

We left early, all my immediate family aunties, uncles cousins and father and his partner all eight of them were sat at a ten person table together.

Mum and I were sat at another table with strangers, now I know I am the family "problem" and if table had been full would have understood, but to not even to be allowed to sit with my own father and immediate family HURT for some stupid reason.

So I came home dragging poor mother with me (Gosh I really am pathetic!)

On the plus side I spent no money and did see what was a beautiful bride and her new husband get married.

There is always one isn't there but why always me "sigh" and I do know how stupid I am being about this.

rising_from_the_ashes

dizzy_lizzie wrote: »

Fingers crossed for you Rising that it will have been worth it,

Have a huge problem ..... IF (being the important word), I do get an interview, I really have nothing suitable to wear. Previous job was quite high powered & involved lots of suit wearing but where I am, it's smart but that's it. Old suits in storage bags but I've put on 3 stone :eek: since wearing them, so there's no way they'd fit (I am talking a while ago, been in current job 7 years so ...... I know, excuses!:o)

Really can't afford to buy a suit "just in case" I get one, but if I do get one, it's unlikely I'd get to town in time to find one (why is nothing simple!;))

tylersbabe wrote: »

We left early, all my immediate family aunties, uncles cousins and father and his partner all eight of them were sat at a ten person table together.

Mum and I were sat at another table with strangers, now I know I am the family "problem" and if table had been full would have understood, but to not even to be allowed to sit with my own father and immediate family HURT for some stupid reason.

Ohhhhh tyler (((hugs))) how awful, I would've been hurt too.


Finally got the peas sorted last night, so hoping for a bumper crop this year (have space in the planter to put a few more in:T so will get them done today).

Not sure what else to get up to - very off having a Tues off (we were in yesterday) ..... debating going to town to try to find a suit but .....

Thrifty_Sister

Thanks for the ((hugs)) Rising and the kind words. Yes, I agree that all our pets are special but Maisie was so special because she had come through so much. She was chucked out by some moron and left to starve, got hit by a car and suffered a broken hip and leg and because nobody wanted her she was wandereing around for ages before being caught by local dog warden. She was so scared poor lamb that it took lots of tlc to get her sorted and once she decided 'I would do' she couldn't do enough to please me. Why is life so unfair?

Thrifty_Sister

Mooloo wrote: »

At least I havent been anywhere to spend any money over the weekend. But we do need to go out today and buy the stuff for the street party tomorrow. As there are now only 3 of us, it will not be so expensive. I dont feel up to making things which I know would have been cheaper but for once it will just have to be purchased in.

The rain has stopped. I may have a lot of bunting to repair today, it devistated the majority of it up the street. But I didnt go out to see if it was the tape that they had given me to make it with, or the way they had fixed it up. I presume that the weight of the water absorbed into the fabric, along with the winds didnt do it much good.
I am wondering if I should be buying DGD's new school uniform now, or leave it till much later. She is so tall already for her age, I know that the age related stuff is not going to be any good. Saw one of the women with the green checked dresses from Debenhams on her buggy, and thought absolutely no way that was going to fit my 4 year old! Did think about making her a dress, but then worry that she would be the odd one out in the school, and as she is already the only one Fostered, and "in care" with me, then she already has a lot of things to adapt too. Like why she doesnt live with mummy, or have a daddy, and she wasnt allowed to peoples or have people over unless they had been CRB checked.
Anyway I am off the topic again, sorry my mind wonders.
Frugal. Time to use up as much of the fruit and veg as I can before it goes off. Pity I dont have freezer space to keep it.

Mooloo - don't blame you one bit if you don't quite feel up to being as frugal as you might like. You have been through a lot over the last few years and we can only deal with so much. its not worth beating yourself up about - you will soon get back on track. You are a very strong person so take it one day at a time and you WILL get ther. Take care x

Thrifty_Sister

Rising - re the work prospect and not wanting to fork out for clothes just in case. Have you a clothes agency near to you that might have something that would help you get by for the time being? What about a Prim**k cheapy mixed with something a bit more decent quality? Or buying something off eb*y? If you have got lots of stuff that don't fit could you sell them (eb*y again - its still free listing today and use the proceeds to buy something)? Or can any of your stuff be re used? HTH

rising_from_the_ashes

Thrifty_Sister wrote: »

Rising - re the work prospect and not wanting to fork out for clothes just in case. Have you a clothes agency near to you that might have something that would help you get by for the time being? What about a Prim**k cheapy mixed with something a bit more decent quality? Or buying something off eb*y? If you have got lots of stuff that don't fit could you sell them (eb*y again - its still free listing today and use the proceeds to buy something)? Or can any of your stuff be re used? HTH

I'm a bit reluctant to try to sell them - really as I did sell some in the past and got a fraction of what I paid for / what it costs to replace them (I now it can be handy if you desperately need cash but ....) - they are good quality suits (bought before the LMB hit IYKWIM:o:rotfl:) and still have a lot of wear left in them .... providing I can lose a bit of weight!:o

I popped up to town this morning - spur of the moment decision - and managed to find one for a reasonable sum .... the trousers were £18 and will wear for work regardless of whether I get an interview or not (and really needed as I'm down to 2 pairs :eek:) so can count that as a "normal spend" IYSWIM. Jacket was £38 which is better than I thought I'd be able to find and I'm reasonably happy with that - TBH I do have to go to the odd even that I really need a suit for anyway so that will probably get used regardless at some point too.

rising_from_the_ashes

Well, I've had to rework the budget and up the overall total

Reasons why:

• Additional dog costs - have added an extra £500 to the budget:eek: (just from now to the end of the year:eek:)
• Fuel budget - was already showing overspent - before having to add an extra £7.50 / week to come home at lunch times (another new dog cost!) and still really tight even with the increase
• Gas & elec - being unrealistically raided to prop the fuel budget
• Mobile - moving to a contract from PAYG
• Clothes - new budget this year & didn't have a clue what to set it at - was down to £13 for the rest of the year already (& it's honestly not that I've spent a huge amount on clothes!)

Bit disappointed that I've had to do this but seems better to do it now, rather than having unrealistic budgets set and having huge overspends.... (?)

tylersbabe

Thank you for the hug Rising from the ashes; just hope I have not done too much damage by leaving "sigh"

Hey Ho onwards and upwards

Well stage one has begun have joined slimming world...................................just need to understand this extra easy malarky now LOL

For some reason the smilies are not working for me today, well am off to review my budget to add in slimming world costs, it will be all worth it when I am two stones lighter though