2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

Teacher2b

Could you please add me to the list!


I am a student teacher living alone in a flat, my aim is to be entirely financially independent. I have my student loan (the last three years have seen me in about £22,000 worth of student debt ) @I also work 1 day a week in a department store which fits in ok around my studies. My worry is that my course load is about to up significantly, everyone is telling me I will struggle to keep up my part time job and be prepared to quit. Now I love my job and love being busy so I'm hoping 'they' are wrong but in the case of me giving up my job I will be VERY Strapped. My parents are comfortably off and often help me out they won't take no for an answer as they hate seeing me struggle when they can afford to help me but I want to stand on my own two feet knowing I am looking after myself. Don't get me wrong I am eternally grateful but the purse strings will have to be cut sometime!

Really excited to join in the challenge

brizzledfw

Hi, very keen to be part of this. Can you add my name in please?

Thanks

Now off to set some new goals..:D

Happy Christmas everyone

LolaLemon

can I b added please?

Can't see my name on list, so thought now that I have something other than my mobile, I should go to advance post n enlarge a little lol

I downloaded I spend from the android market the other day when I couldn't download the sow, and Google app is pants. Ispend is great! Has different categories to add ur spends to, a statistic section, where u can see ur catagory spends in percentages, amount, and a pie chart (gotta love a pie chart!) .

Tesco was crazy today, people making sure u where in a queue for the till queue! I managed to find the smallest one, and the couple next to me had enough food in their trolly, on the conveyor AND bags packed that I could probably buy over at least an 18 month period! Including my sons birthday that I do go a little crazy over. Was just shocking, I mentioned to the young till worker (18-22 approx) about the couple behind me n he said it was nothing, he had someone in spend over £500 on mostly food! Its crazy, people in buying 6 loaves 'just for Christmas!' Seriously people, the shops open on Monday as normal!
I know a lot of people who are heading to tesco now, at 00:30 as we have 24 hour opening, and they want to 'miss the crowds!!!!

Just gotta go get my lidl shop out the car (hate shopping in there, I am a sucker for their non food stuff) and input the details of my receipt into Ispend then I'm off to bed.

Merry Christmas everyone!

If ur looking for a last min gift, here is a shortbread mix from a kids book that I've used for over 3 years, can't remember the book tho lol
150g plain flour
100g butter
50g sugar.
Rub to make breadcrumbs (add flavour/sweets/etc now)
Role into big ball, either roll out n cut shapes or pinch small amounts, roll into ball place on baking tray, squish with thumb or back of fork and bake for 10-12mins.

seriouslyfrugal

I hope everyone has a peaceful and happy christmas

:xmassign::xmastree:

[Deleted User]

Happy Christmas everyone.

septemberblues

I've been working out my budget for 2012, I was allowing myself £5 a week for eating out and £3.50 a week for chocolate, that works out at £442 a year :eek: and my budget was showing a minus, so I've scrapped that! I can't believe I was going to spend £442 a year on rubbish, I can't afford it anyway (and I need to lose weight):o

It's a bit of a shock when you do a proper budget, I can't believe gas, water and leccy all cost as much as they do, and I'm seriously tight in using these, I thought I had cut my use down to the bone but looks like I will have to be more careful.

It's ironic, when I think I have gone as low as is possible in expenses and I can't tighten my belt anymore, I have to tighten it even more.

Merry Christmas

quintwins

LolaLemon wrote: »

!Its crazy, people in buying 6 loaves 'just for Christmas!' Seriously people, the shops open on Monday as normal!

i've got 4 loaves in my freezer, not because it's xmas but because shops will be mental over the next week or 2 and i'm going no where near them :rotfl:

Erme

I've got this book on window box allotments or something.. I only have my windowsills to grow stuff on (and then only one) unless I can rustle up a pot of tatties (meant to last year and that was as far as I got)...

Think I got my window boxes last summer from Mr L for a few pounds self watering...

I've grown cherry tomatoes (grow bag) and like cabbage (hydroponic) in the past in my sills.....amazing what you can grow....Even in a small space..

So anyone want to come out with me to Mr S for a frugal cup of tap water and a cheers to small allotments this year?

E

paidinchickens

Erme wrote: »

I've got this book on window box allotments or something.. I only have my windowsills to grow stuff on (and then only one) unless I can rustle up a pot of tatties (meant to last year and that was as far as I got)...

Think I got my window boxes last summer from Mr L for a few pounds self watering...

I've grown cherry tomatoes (grow bag) and like cabbage (hydroponic) in the past in my sills.....amazing what you can grow....Even in a small space..

So anyone want to come out with me to Mr S for a frugal cup of tap water and a cheers to small allotments this year?

E

One of my "changes to be made" is to grow my own stuff as cheaply as poss. I have never managed to grow anything but tomatoes so I will be learning as I [STRIKE]grow[/STRIKE] go. We do not have much of a garden as what bit we do have has a greenhouse, shed and newly erected cat pen for fostering cats. The plan is to get all the seeds up and coming and then at the corner of our street is a plot of land the does not belong to anyone so we will plant stuff in there. We planted a load of daff bulbs last year and tidied and fenced it off. The neighbours were pleased as it stopped it becoming a dumping ground and we have made a couple of new friends

Going to drag the boys out to help next year as they have been warned no more spending their lives glued to games and they will have to work for their supper :rotfl::rotfl: at least 2 hours a week helping I think is fair.

I just want tomorrow out of the way and then get back to my plans of a debt free and healthier life ;).

paidinchickens

forgot to say

please add me