2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

mcculloch29

Hello again. Pottering on as per usual.
Lola, good luck. Much better to end what is not right than live with it. But it is hard.
Erme, I live 5 miles from Darlington, in the nearest town northwards on the A167. Darlington certainly is a proper working class town - though it does have a few nice posh shops.
My town does less well for good shops as the town centre is privately owned with a history of high rents. Ald* are due to arrive later this year, I love seeing how progress is being made with building the store.

It's on a brownfield site, replacing nasty eyesore buildings that made for a scary environment. I used to pedal through there at high speed on dark evenings and happily ignore the no riding in the precinct rules as personal safety was far more important. I've since been given permission to ride my trike in the precinct, incidentally.
I fancy another trip to the cheapo greengrocers, I loved what I got last time... No more clothes though.. won't be able to fit them in the wardrobes! A trip to Southport is scheduled soon, I mentioned this to a friend and her response was "Oooh, great charity shops there, everyone's loaded.." I kinda wish she hadn't told me that, though as the X Catalogue shop is cheaper than most charity shops I'll probably be OK.

SandraScarlett

I came on here, expecting to have to wade through dozens of pages of post ........ where is everybody? Anyway, I thought I would just give an update on things with DH.

I spent weeks sending emails, making phone calls, and having Home Visits, and I'm now pleased to say I can see some light at the end of the tunnel.:)

DH is now going to Playgroup, or Nursery (;)) for people in his situation, a couple of times a week, for a few hours, and it is wonderful for him, and for me. :T I've met friends for coffee, or lunch, or just sat at home and rested, exhausted, but it gives me a much needed break. :j

Everyone I've had to deal with has been helpful, and very concerned about me as well as DH, and this Adult Day Centre is ideal. He's played bowls, snooker, dominoes, had sing-songs, done some painting and craft work, and I just hope it continues.

It's only 6 hours out of 168 each week, but it's a blessing. I'll pop in from time to time, and I hope everyone's well.

xx

slowlyfading

Sandra - thanks so much for updating us on your situation - I had been wondering how you were getting on. Glad to see that DH is going out and that you have a break from dealing with it all, even if it's only a short amount of time the thread has sadly become very quiet and I never know what to post anymore... I hope things continue to work in your favour, and hope that you will come back and let us know again soon xx

Kerry_Woman

Still plodding along. Managing to do some decluttering every so often. Finished my temp job today.

Sandra- Great to hear how things are going. Take care.

rising_from_the_ashes

Lola sorry to hear things didn't work out (((hugs))) and Sandra lovely to hear from you and so pleased to hear DH has a group to go to a) for him to get out and about a bit and b) so you have a little "me" time every week, take care xx

slowlyfading wrote: »

the thread has sadly become very quiet and I never know what to post anymore...

It's really odd - I was also expecting to have loads to catch up on.

I must go back and have a look at last years' threads and see what we wrote about all the time - not sure if it's because a few of us have been trying the FLC for a while, we've "got the basics" IYKWIM or if things are just extra tight / difficult this year and everyone is just plodding along as best we can.

Me .... well, I'll join the plodders:) - most of the annual bills are now paid (and have made some good savings as posted earlier) and trying to cut back on groceries / pet stuff.

It looks like I'll need to change the car :eek: (had been planning to keep it another 2 1/2 years until the warranty runs out) as I unfortunately need an automatic - some may remember that I had surgery on my foot last year and I'm sorry to say it was only partially successful (one of the 2 sites is great, the other isn't) and it's making clutch work difficult. I've been hanging off in the hope there may be a solution but saw my consultant a couple of weeks ago and further surgery isn't really an option (could just as easily make it worse as better:() and it's unlikely to get any better. So ... that's a big unexpected (and unbudgeted for) expense which will take a bit of juggling / hunting around.

OK ... I'm rambling again!:o

Frugaldom

Hi fruguys, keeping a challenge thread going is hard work, as I;'m sure many of you realise. I've been AWOL for some time but am still as busy as ever with the original frugal living (Living on £4,000) challenge but I never seem to get around to catching up on here. I'll make the effort to squeeze in a good old browse to catch up with all the regular posters and hope everyo9ne is still frugaling away in an attempt to make life better.

debbiedeejay

Morning all,

Just a fly past to say am trying still to live as frugally as ever the best way I can.

Have been given 5 several half pots of emulsion paint (in several similar cream colours) and one in a lavendar grey from a colleague.She likes to redecorate her house on a fairly regular basis and these were left overs from recent paint overs. Intention is to mix the lot and go with whatever turns out as a feature colour on a wall I need to do in my house.

But before tht I have to re-plaster a old chimney breast- am not intending top have a fire put back in so no fancy replastering mixes neede but am putting a false fire place etc against. Got the pine surrond off freegle some time ago.

Picking up a bag of "browning" for the re-plastering base from another kind freegler this afternoon and have been watching videos of how to plaster walls as yes am going to give it a go at some point.:o

Off to go and tame the garden now and have words with the blackberry bush as it keeps taking over the path,whiich is ok if it hads loads of flowers on it but it hasn't this year for some reason.

Take care everyone and happy frugaling

rising_from_the_ashes

Just a thought - anyone thinking of trying making paper logs for fires this year, now is a great time to do them as they should dry a lot quicker than later in the year!

natnat13

Hi all
I am off to do a car boot tomorrow, car's all loaded.
Finally got my tax credits form after going into the local office and demanding they give me one, they usually have to post them out but I explained I had been waiting a month and they felt sorry for me!
Going to start writing down all my spending tomorrow too.
Off camping with the children for a few days next week. Going to spend a few days on the beach hopefully if the weatehr is ok! So it should be a cheap little break. I hoping the money I make tomorrow will pay for it!

[Deleted User]

Hi folks. I am still trying to live as frugally as possible too, although not always successful. I bought the Tightwad Gazette from Amazon (used one so it was cheaper!) and really like some of the tips in the book.

This week I am going to aim to drive my car as little as possible - I know I have to use it on Tuesday and then again at the weekend but I am aiming for NCDs on the other days.

It is payday for OH on Wednesday and usually we do a grocery shop. I am going to challenge myself to get creative and aim to not shop until I really have to, using up stuff in the cupboards and freezer first.