2013 Frugal Living Challenge

natnat13

Lola I've got an S3 and love it and that's a good price for your contract x

Savvy_sewing

Tha everyone for your concerns, much appreciated. I have suffered with SAD for years and years but was lucky enough as a buzzagent to get my hands on a Philips Golite a few years ago and at the time found that it worked really well but must admit it is too easy to put off sitting infront of it at a regular time and then in march when we moved rooms etc the charger went one way and the light the other so i hadnt used it this winter and boy do i feel the difference. it will take a few sessions for me to start to feel the difference.
I went to councilling for ten months last year and went into the winter positively on the whole but it is now obvious to me that the light works best if i keep using it all through the winter.

Frugaldom

mummy2threeboys wrote: »

Oh whilst im here can someone explain stoozing to me? i tried to undertstand it from the stuff on here but think im beng a bit ditzy! does it mean basically when you are in credit in your well credit card they pay you the interest at whatever the rate is?

No, this is NOT stoozing. I did it for years, before it even became know as stoozing but in my opinion, it is best avoided at the moment. There's no money to be made from it for anyone with debts and it is very easy to accrue more debt. My advice would be to steer well clear. Hope this helps.

mummy2threeboys

miss empty piggy..do you get the whole ooh you had another child because you had 2 daughters? or ooh another daughter what a shame are you going to try again? Rarrr!

mooloo, i feel your pain hunni i have s.a.d too x Vitamin D tablets, valerian and light therapy really helps, mines worse when it rains for more than 3 days, I saw some buds of primrose and daffodils the other day which cheered me up no end, brighter days are just around the corner! ((hugs))

frugeldom..thanks ive had a re read and understand it now..your right its not for me at all, thanks will work at debt busting then saving in my isa..im actually looking forward to having savings , thanks for your help xx

Today is busy post office (have to pick up 3 parcels..they wait until i do the literally 10 min school run to deliver!) Registar office , and nurse for female things (allways fun hey?) Then must come back pay a bill online and check banking, was hoping my new 0% credit card whould have billed me by now so i can make an overpayment but not yet and i cant pay until they request apparently!? lol . Have a good week x

Katzen

I suffer from SAD too and bought a 'sunrise' alarm clock. Didn't think it did much until the bulb broke last winter and I found myself unable to get motivated for anything and in permanent tears! Bought new bulbs and 'hey presto' I felt much better. I also have a light box but struggle to get time to sit in front of it and now feel I need it less anyway- although not brave enough to let it go in my current ebay frenzy, never know when a bad winter might come and I need a little extra help!

miss_empty_piggy

mummy2threeboys wrote: »

miss empty piggy..do you get the whole ooh you had another child because you had 2 daughters? or ooh another daughter what a shame are you going to try again? Rarrr!

It has been suggested by some people, however one of them is my step-daughter so not too often as most of my friends already know. I'm assuming that you get these kind of comments and I can imagine it is very frustrating. I am the youngest of three girls and there is a gap between me and my two older sisters, as people assume that I was the last (failed) attempt to get a boy as my mum got that kind of remark quite often. x;)

Savvy_sewing

Thanks for the comments re the SAD. I sometimes feel that people think I am nuts when i say I sit infront of the lamp.! My BF especially doesnt understand it, so when with him I dont tend to use it. I must just over come his reactions and get on with things. He is only around on the odd days anyway. We have a relationship that is rather off then on really. Mostly Text messages a few a day, and a meet up on the weekends. When I feel this low, I tend to think that its really not worth it. But then I feel that about everything at this time of year. Dispite trying hard to be positive.
I have been on to the internet banking, and moved my money around. Means that the funds in the Co-op have been transfered to the Santander accounts, and that there is little left in them. The main Savings account has been reduced this last few weeks, so I want to build it up. There is only around £345 now. I should have around £750 saved. Oh dear well behind my Goals.
I really should be Ebaying, Etsy, Folksy etc selling my stuff. I have enough of it. Its getting the will power together to photograph things, write the descriptions and get it on the web! Why am I so scared of the actions involved in doing these things.?
Mind you the state of the house is rather behind these days and so I would need to tidy up before any photographs were taken! Another sign of the depression.
At least I am not overddrawn in any of the accounts.
I even have a Nationwide account that I forgot about, and there is about £190 in there I think. Cannot remember my pin number, so its just sitting there at the moment. I usually use that account to pay in any cheques that I get. So these days as cheques are few and far between its not used.
DGD is still ill, so only nipping out to the post office later, when Molly's daughter comes over to help out. I shall miss her when she goes to University in the autumn.
I spent a good deal of time writing down some different recipies to try out, as I am getting stuck in a rut. Followed Shirley Goode once but have got out of the habit really.
My other main recipies are from Bernadine Lawrence's books about feeding the family on £4 a day. I have had the book since my children were tiny. So over 20 years maybe more. Its all in pieces now, as is my Shirley Goode book, but they have been well worth thier weight in gold thats for sure.
I am trying to remember to use up the veg from the Organic delivery faster, as its getting old before I use it! Not so good. May make a soup today, as there are a lot of onions, and turnips, that sort of thing. We tend to eat the carrots, as DGD eats them raw. I hate it when i end up having to throw things out. This is due to my depressed state- the cannot be bothered. Its a hard fight. Its so much easier to be frugal further on into the spring for me.
But I must not let it get a grip any further. I must fight it, and get on and use up the veg, and the store cupboard stuff. Especially all the stuff I got from App Fd, as its been months since I bought from them and I still have lots of weird and wonderful things lurking that I bought to try.
What do I do with Mung Beans??

[Deleted User]

Hi All, my usual planned weekly shop has been stalled tonight by the snow. Will try and go tomorrow, but I usually prefer to get it done on a Friday night to have the weekend to myself.

Going to focus on healthy eating this week but on a budget. Soup for lunches, fruit for snacks, eating more veg/salad with main meals. Will see how I get on trying to keep it below £20. I think Lidl had Kiwi on half price this weekend so that could be a good start.

*Jellie*

It's been really interesting to read about the SAD lamps. I think they would probably make everyone in the UK feel better and for those with SAD are essential.
I do find using the light alarm and one based on movement to wake you at the optimal time help me feel better. Some things are woth paying for IMHO

peashell

how do I join and what happens??? When I was a student I used to live off of £30 a week - why cant I do that know? I now spend £150 a week could I really live off of £30 a week again after bills and rent?!