2014 Frugal Living Challenge

Skinnylatte

skintygerlinky wrote: »

Evening Frugalites xx

Had a quite a low day today to be honest

Few personal bits and bobs going on which are making me sad and although I'm not in any flooded areas (and my thoughts are worth anyone that is) I think this weather is getting to me! Sick of winter now.

But! Is Feb and that's our short month. Been to work this eve and as always the lovely teenagers I work with have been fab, they're a great bunch and always cheer me up.

Also had a NSD!! Made a pot of soup earlier with onions, garlic, peppers, sweet potato and tin toms topped up with stock. Had a vacuum pack of lentils in so I've put half in and blended it and then added the offer half for a bit more texture. Lunch for tomorrow and freezing the rest for next week. It's lovely!

Have got a jar of dried Puy lentils which are in a clear jar and have been sat on my kitchen windowsill for about a million years. Well, around 18months I reckon! Do you think they'll still be OK or do I need to get them valued on Antiques Roadshow?

Sorry you're feeling sad skintygerlinky I hope you perk up real soon.
Your lentils will be just fine, pulses last eons

My heatings set at 18oC most of the time, although I will turn it up if I'm cold, but only after I've put on my beloved dressing gown over my clothes. I also find having a bath great for warming up, but I'm not sure if that costs more than turning up the heating :undecided

lovefullshelves

Am I the only one who doesn't have central heating? I just light the fire when the thermometer on the leccy usage device goes below 15 degrees!
Today I was naughty..an ald1 plum tree and blackcurrant bushes, £6.48. But I figure at least they'll give something back, eventually And a general Ald1 shop of £30 for the week, ooh and I got meat!
Tea was leftover beef, the last 3 portions that were filled out with tvp. And cooked enough mash to make 2 cheese and potato pies for lunch for the next 2 days and potato cakes which have gone in the freezer for next week. While the oven was on used the last of the frozen rhubarb to make amish rhubarb pie, and made double pasrty so theres now some in freezer for next pie fix!
And on top of that OH paid me back some money he owed me and I put it in the emergency tin, joy!
Tomorrow night is baked (homegrown)pots, homemade, homegrown coleslaw, and beans! i love homegrown nights! So cheap!
Hope everyone is keeping out of the wind and rain x

Skinnylatte

lovefullshelves wrote: »

Am I the only one who doesn't have central heating? I just light the fire when the thermometer on the leccy usage device goes below 15 degrees!

That's hardcore lovefullshelves :eek:

nat21luv

used a few coupons in my teeny shop today to get £6 of free food picked up 4 bags of parsnips and a big bag of carrots and tonight ive just chopped it all up and put it in the freezer.


Ive been emailed a code for £15 off a £50 spend so ill use that later on in the week.

mum2one

his_missus wrote: »

Put in a meter reading last night and am pleased to say we're still credit and we have used less gas and electric than this time last year. In fact our electricity usage has dropped quite a bit.

I was reading online that the average thermostat is set at 23C. Mine is set to 16C though I set it to 20C for a few hours if I have washing to dry on the radiators. I think 23C seems quite high.

What do you all have your temperature set at? Is your decision affected by how long you're at home during the day or if you have children? We're out of the house from 8.30am till 6pm and there's just us two and the cats.

def agree re heating...

Ours is in 16C as standard cut in, thou if it gets colder up it to 17C,
5.30am/7.30am 15C - just kicks in to warm radiators up
12.00/12.10 17c - just to give it a chance of going on
5.30pm/6.30pm - 15.5C

Theres 3 generations although DD at school, theres mainly me and parents in all day, the main radiator is in hall, - the bathroom we leave on 4, my bedroom on 2, as cold facing room, DD's bedroom radiator on 3, dining rm and front rm on 2, - parents room they dont bother with the radiator.

The gas boiler was serviced last week and the man altered all the temps to 23C - thought it was hot.... back to my normal temp.... most of the time I am still wearing a tshirt..

The washing machine ends up on twice a day and tumbke drier once a day,,,

sparrer

Saw an ad on fb, an apprentice hairdresser was looking for models. I applied and have a free cut and colour in 2 weeks time
Bought a treadmill recently but there was no handbook with it. I tracked down the dsistributors who are sending me a copy free of charge
Needed cheese, popped into the sm and they had my favourite on bogof
They do say things come in frees - sorry, threes

mum2one

Apologies can't remember who mentioned about budgeting for children, but I think it is a really good idea, I'm a 70s child and I remember that we have a savings bank book through school think you could put 50p a month in there,

Children don't see the perspective on money... one of the conversations I was having with my friend sat ngt was about the amount of stuff that children have now.
She works in a college, but the 16/17/18 yrs old have the top phones, laptops etc..

Then on the other side of the coin a lot of the children dont or can't have the freedom that we had as children, partly society.. so its electronics etc.

In a way I am lucky with DD she will save her birthday money, Xmas money etc till she wants something, or if I have sold something on eBay and its her items I give her the money back (if it came from clothes, then its gets reinvested in clothes) been DS games etc then it is hers.

Bless her heart when we went out for lunch on Sunday, me, DD, friend and her hubby, we went halves on lunch, DD offered me her debit card as she had £10 on it (goodwill gesture from her bank for an error they made) she wanted me to have it towards lunch... I couldn't take it off her... I do confess I had a tear xx

patentgirl

Had 3 NSDs this week but unfortunately will have to have few spends today, putting in collection for someone leaving at work, raffle tickets again work which is for the charity I work at so feel have to have some and my weekly treat local paper.
We have ours set at 18 but I am always turning it down much to dh's annoyance as I am always having a hot flush!!!!!

Have good day every one

LolaLemon

been a bit M.I.A. lately, still frugalling away, managing to put some extra money on the mortgage twice soo far this year, - twice more tahn past few years.
got my crochet bug on, and made a few cakes for a little girls tea party birthday, just got the border to finish on my baby wavy blanket

I have a £3 pork loin joint in the slow cooker with apples and cinnamon and some onions, put on high last night and then low today, so will be delicious when i get home, just going to have with salad and pasta. was goingto do mashed potatoes (as the apples mashed in make it scrum-didily-uptious!) but son wants pasta.
Off to dentist, 2nd part of root treatment today.

Completely agree regarding kids have no concept of money, but a lot of that is down to many parents have no concept of money now. worst thing we as a collection of countries ever did was grasp the credit/debit card with both hands and 'take take take' . kids no longer see parents earn a wage, no longer see them hand over the money for the house, the electricity and even for the food. money is just There. in the bank.and gone with a swipe, back in the day, money in the bank was savings, if you could.
Ive just set son up with a credit union account, and he is excited as he gets to see it grow. he doesnt understand why i wont let him take it out, he thinks its free money, he is only 6, so has time to learn.

afoolwithmoney

Morning
Working my way slowly thro the old stuff in the food cupboard trying to disguise things that OH swears he would never eat no way ever! LOL
Can anyone recommend a food flask that keeps soup hot longer than about 3hrs please
Renting a house that is all electric no way can we afford to turn on radiators (not economy 7 but some oil filled affair) Have a portable gas fire that gets turned on for a couple of hours evenings but our house is also open & the landing at the top of the stairs is the warmest place. Unfortunately not enough room for settee etc