2013 Frugal Living Challenge

elfina_2

Does anyone know how I can get hold of Cottagers Kale? I live in the North East of England and saw this on a TV program yesterday. Apparently it does not produce seed and therefore can only be propagated by cuttings. I can't find it anywhere on line. Thanks for any advice

Frugaldom

Latest names added to challenger list - hpe everyone is doing as well as expected and apologies for not keeping up with this thread.

Vernal Equinox today - hope it's brought spring with it.

Savvy_sewing

I am really struggling at the moment. The car has set me back a further £620 in the last three weeks.
I am not sure that I can afford to keep a car much longer, and thats before the funding is dropped for DGD next year.
I have overspent on my Food budget already and we are nearly two more weeks to go.
I seem to be on those one step forward and two steps back.
Life is really a bit tough, so sorry that i am not on here much at the moment. I hope that I will get back on form soon.

Becky_2

Mooloo, hope the situation improves soon.

January & February was really tough for us, the freezer literally got raided. March has been so much better. On Monday I was offered a fixed term contract for 12 months on a grade higher than I am currently getting. Also, will be getting holiday and sick pay which as a temp I don't currently get so overall my income will go up so things looks so much brighter for 2013 compared to last year.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

Frugaldom

Challenger list updated, welcome to all the newcomers to the challenge.

*Robin*

Thank you for adding me to the Frugal Living Challenge, Frugaldom.

Listening to the washing machine churning away, prompts me to offer this frugal tip:
I use a pair of Ecob@lls in the machine. They're supposed to replace detergent, but must say don't produce a perfect wash alone.
However, results are fantastic with the addition of a very miserly half cap of washing liquid (a German supermarket brand - the continentals have been designing washing products to work effectively in a cold :money: wash for a long time ).

So far the Ecob@lls have been going for at least three years (they are sold with a bag of replacement 'nuts' but I've not yet had to top them up). A bottle of washing liquid lasts for at least 50+ washes (claims 28 on the pack) and doesn't require softener/conditioner.

Ok, I'll admit to putting nappies through a hot wash when Tiny DGC are visiting, but that's more for hygiene than stain removal. Oily jeans and dog bedding also comes out better at 30' - but apart from those exceptions, everything seems to get clean in a cold wash.

Am looking forward to reading about more frugal ideas to make my pension go further!

quintwins

*Robin* wrote: »

Thank you for adding me to the Frugal Living Challenge, Frugaldom.

Listening to the washing machine churning away, prompts me to offer this frugal tip:
I use a pair of Ecob@lls in the machine. They're supposed to replace detergent, but must say don't produce a perfect wash alone.
However, results are fantastic with the addition of a very miserly half cap of washing liquid (a German supermarket brand - the continentals have been designing washing products to work effectively in a cold :money: wash for a long time ).

So far the Ecob@lls have been going for at least three years (they are sold with a bag of replacement 'nuts' but I've not yet had to top them up). A bottle of washing liquid lasts for at least 50+ washes (claims 28 on the pack) and doesn't require softener/conditioner.

Ok, I'll admit to putting nappies through a hot wash when Tiny DGC are visiting, but that's more for hygiene than stain removal. Oily jeans and dog bedding also comes out better at 30' - but apart from those exceptions, everything seems to get clean in a cold wash.

Am looking forward to reading about more frugal ideas to make my pension go further!

That is a good tip but you can easy get away with half the amount recommended anyway with eco balls i'd prob only use a 1/4 cup

You can cut dishwasher tablets in half aswell

[Deleted User]

I am going to have a bit of a frugal and finances focus this month:

1. Going to re-read some of my books such as Alvin Hall's 'Your Money or Your Life', Tightwad Gazette and the Martin Lewis Thrifty Ways book for inspiration.
2. Plan a frugal Easter holiday with minimum spending - plan activities that are free or low cost - wlaking, picnics (weather depending!) etc.
3. Going to take some time to sort out my financial paperwork during my holidays and get everything organised into folders for easy access and review. Check my credit reports and OHs.
4. Write my annual financial review - this is an idea from the Alvin hall book which I have done for a few years now to review the good bits and bad bits from the previous year and to plan for the coming year.

natnat13

Great post allie. I need to go back to basics, I'm losing one of my three jobs but it's the only regular one. I already have a couple of other things in the pipeline but really need to rein it in in case they don't come off.

I have a quiet, kiddy free weekend this weekend, will hopefully get some work but I also intend to Spring clean, ebay, sell and organise.

Whats everyone else doing for Easter? Lets all commit to do one frugal thing?.......

LolaLemon

Im clearing out for easter, was doing great til December hit and then i lost my clearig out mojo!
I can feel it stirring in my bones, woop woop! I will be selling everything i can... just need a camera for pictures
My oven bust on christmas eve, my shower very rarely gives hot water, last night it stopped giving any water up the spout, just falls right out the bottom, and its freezing... my toilet wont flush in the bowl, but it does in the cistern... so i need to make some money to pay for these (not including the things i had wanted to get done, like redo the bathroom and actually get a bath put in!) oh yeah, nearly forgot, my washing machine drum is no longer going around!!!
I cant even say its all happened at once as it hasnt, ive known the shower is on its way out for a while now, but i dont want to buy a new one until i had the money to get the bathroom redone, i have a really small bathroom, that the previous owner took the bath out and put in a shower unit, i was hoping to spend very little in chnaging this around,will need to take out a pipe or two to get the bath to fit, was hoping for a maximum of £500 (including tile/paneling, lighting flooring too) but now it looks like i am going to be doing a patch job for thier and teh kitchen, due to needingto get essentials fixed.
Its been really annoying me not having a working oven, cant do big pasta bakes, make cakes, roasts etc and its severly restricting what we eat, as i am being lazy and not thinking outside the box, althoughi did boil some ribs and then fried them to make them yummy (and made delicious soup with the water left).

Washed my clothes in a basin and then in the shower to rinse them out... not looking forward to doing the jeans and stuff, will most likely take the bedding and towels to the laundrette, but dont fancy that as we are allergic to most washing powders that others use, and the resudue is still in the machines so we will end up itchy for ages ;(

oh well, its nearly Easter (and i dont have any eggs in for son yet!) hopeing tospend a lovely few days out playing and exploring with him.

(couldnt get a venue for his party! )