Meet the frugal's, 365 day challenge of buying nothing.

lauren_1

I know but their are always peoples comments about fair trade and child labour that goes in to making those clothes in primark that really gets my goat up BUT

Dp generally reply with "If we dont buy them where are the workers going to get money from? surely buying only fairtrade and from charity shops is going to make their lives worse and more impoverished?"

Mrs_Dawn

You are an inspiration to us all. Well done, I went charity shop hunting in Yeovil this week and picked DD2 a lovely outfit for only£3.25 for a skirt and top. We're off to check out the shops in Taunton today as the kids have an inset day and DS has gone to work with Daddy.
Keep up the good work.:j

lauren_1

Thank you, has anyone checked out sky's free broadband offer to see if it can be of benefit to them, like is said before we have opted for the base package as all we use the net for is browsing, banking and posting on here really so rather get it free than pay tiscali £16 for a appaulingly slow service

JET34

I was thinking of switching to sky once my contract is up with BT.. Is the service good!

Janeryan

lauren_1 wrote: »

I have lost another 5lbs so a total loss of 16lbs since the challenge began and even my size 12's are getting a bit loose so i feel another shopping trip coming up, i might even break a rule and go to primark as a treat:j :

Hi Lauren I am inspired by your weight loss

Could you possibly post a weeks meal plan so we can see how are you doing it please?

lauren_1

was thinking of switching to sky once my contract is up with BT.. Is the service good

I dont know, we have passd on the MAC code to sky so just waiting for them to do their bit, i really dont care if its as slow as tiscali it will save us £192 a year.

pigpen

All 8 of my children have/had clarks or Startrite shoes until they out grew their ranges.. DS1 is now in mens size 11!!! They aren't cheap BUT when you consider the mangled messes parents left on the ends of their childrens legs from ill fitting shoes it is worth the money, (my hubby's are dreadful £2.99 supermarket trainers!!).. they only get one pair of feet and have a good many years walking around on them so they HAVE to be looked after. Clothes don't matter they are only to cover the flesh but shoes are to protect not damage.. there you go.. justified in spending £30+ on a pair of shoes which will last 8 weeks!

Mind you if you look after the shoes they have a great resale value on ebay!!

lauren_1

Yes we have got a few pairs for our daughter on there, a couple were never worn. Not a bad saving of £25.

For those who asked for my meal planner i will just post each day our menu, rather than one huge list...it can get a bit boring

Today we had porrige for breakfast, that goes for baby too.

Chicken (left from yesterday, this goes in to the lunch boxes too) sandwiches and coleslaw for lunch (i roasted 2 chickens yesterday)
* our coleslaw
grate 3 carrots
chop 2 celery stcks
half a handfull of grapes
dice an apple
few peanuts
diced cuecumber
mixed with 1/2 jar of mayo- usually lasts 2 days

tonight we are having chicken and veg soup using yesterdays leftovers, we tend to have this every monday too

After removing most of the meat from both chickens, remove all traces of the skin as this will make the soup fatty. Put the carcases along with the thigh and wing bones in a slow cooker and cover with boiling water, cook on high for about 3 hours, pass the stock through a seive so all the bones and stuff is removed then in the slow cooker add anything you want or what ever is left over form your roast like chicken, peas, celery, carrots, parsnip, some sweet potato, new potatoes, some lentils ..... the list is endless

lauren_1

ARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH:mad: FREAKING CSA:mad: :mad: :mad:

I HATE THE BLINKING CSA!!!!

My daughters biological @!%& er has so far avoided paying any maintainance since she was born and has been job hopping ever since and playing the benefits system, so he only has to pay £5 per week yet moves arund so much the csa system cannot keep up (we he just says he moves house but never does and they still believe every word after 5 years) he got caught working a few times and his lovely employer sent the csa 23mts of wage slips so they re assessed him at £42 a week and added that to arrears to bump his final arrears total up to £4000+ but they are going to wipe it all off as they have not been able to collect anything more than £90 and the case is not financially viable to persue.

As he is claiming incapcity and dla they are not allowed to send in the bailifs as that will breach disibility laws :mad:

pigpen

Lauren.. my friends mantra with her sons biological *£^$!%*..

I DID IT ALL ON MY OWN!!!! and be proud!!! You don't 'need' his money (I know it would be very helpful!!) but you are doing fabulously.. also if he isn't paying anything it makes a damn lot easier when a new partner wants to adopt the child or you want to change their surname to yours

The children don't know the difference but they will when they are older.. keep ALL these letters to show them.