2014 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugalsod

pm2326 wrote: »

Hi

My cat's back to normal now it's as though nothing was wrong, I think I just worry because he cant tell me whats wrong and according to my vet, cats are well known for hiding serious injuries/illnesses as they're still relatively wild and its the natural thing for them to do.

My other cat was ill last year and I only realised when she stopped eating that she had a tumour on the side of her tongue and she ended up needing an operation...the tumour turned out to be non-cancerous but sadly she was hit by a car at xmas and didn't survive.

On a lighter note only one more day at work then I get some time off, really need it now, struggling to get up in the mornings which is normally not an issue and constantly yawning at work

Dont fancy going shopping this weekend as it'll probably be busy, dont understand why people go mad and buy huge amounts of food for easter, the shops are shut one day, surely no-one needs to double or treble the amount of food they would normally buy. I'm going to continue using up stores so had a tin of chicken soup out of cupboard and a crusty bread roll out of freezer for tea....yum!

Sorry to hear about the problems with your cats. I hope the cat makes a full recovery.

DawnW

Mrs_Cheshire wrote: »

natnat have you thought about the OU (open university) I started in February with them, you don't need any formal qualifications just need to do some basic reading things to check you have a grasp of basic english. They've been very helpful and supportive as I have other issues which could affect me studying. If you want to know any more just shout!

I would second that - I used to work for them and they are fab!

Huge car repair bill today, so must watch spends for the rest of the month. Went out for a while (well, I am on holiday :rotfl:) cheap date though, shared a bag of chips in a park

But then we went and spent £20 on books and cards in a second hand bookshop

cydney65

Lots of love to any cat owners with poorly babies.

Well what a month it has been...on top of everything, Cydney, Dad back in hospital, baby granddaughter being ill etc., now DD2 had a lump removed from her breast so fingers crossed.

Not on the same level, but my bedroom furniture finally gave up the ghost, so have had to spend some of my savings. My grand savings total so far this month is nearly £68 lol! Hey ho.

Will get back on track next month hopefully as I'm starting YNAB but on my own spreadsheet (with thanks to FireWyrm). Unfortunately I have realised that I'm saving too much!!! Getting a bit obsessed so may have to downgrade my savings goal, but we will see.

Good luck everyone x

ginnyknit

Real life has been in the way of me posting lately but have continued my frugal ways. Fleabay is going well and sold my lawn mower today to a friend - we had the front paved for the car by Ll so dont need it for the 3 foot by 2 foot 'lawn' in the back.

Greenhouse is heaving with pots of seeds and have just rigged up a vertical growing station using plastic milk bottles suspended on canes - from Frugaldoms 'vertical challenge' on her forum. Strawberries are going in that freeing up a bed for shallots and beans.

Nipped to Wilkies, £world/land and B&M for some gardening necessities but only spent £20 all together and got lots of things including 2 bags of compost from wilkies :j

Freezers still quite full as I have been topping up the bargains so not much spent lately. On track with my pot so am happy. Even got Dgs 's birthday present half price last month so am sorted for gifts till July....phew!

Coulddobetter

Had small spends today,spent the day on the train or in London at meetings, good news is work pick up my spends so should get the money back.
They also pick up my dinner costs so a meal deal is now in the freezer for bank holiday monday:j we had a shepherd pie that I make at the weekend with enough for my lunch tomorrow. I love this forum it focuses the mind.

Coulddobetter xx

sparrer

Today was not a good day for savings, went shopping with DD and DGD2 (17), did the cs's and bought a £3 dress for DGD2, then to the farm shop and spent a small fortune on the dog and the garden, then a pub lunch, my turn to pay.
Did manage to transfer £500 from one bank account to another which pays 3% so some progress was made

Shortie

Morning all, apologies for not posting, I havr been reading every day but not had much to say recently. I'll start posting more again, I love this thread for it's motivation and friendship xx

So, I've been pretty unfrugal since the weekend but I've been productive as a result. On Saturday I bought a new hoe, some weed killer spray and some thick gloves and got most of the front garden deweeded and zapped the stumps of the nettles that have made an appearance. Also cut the grass out the back

I had another day off in the week and took the grass cuttings to the tip along with prunings from last year that were sat on the patio in the corner. Took us two tip runs, a cheeky mcds and a trip to the garden centre to get a tougher weed killer for a huuuge area of nettles in the back garden, and also a lawn rake. The chooks spent the day out with free roam of the garden which they loved

Am hoping the weather holds out this weekend so that I can weed killer the nettle patch and crack on with an area around a man hole cover that has tonnes of shrubs round it

So as you can see, not very frugal. Whoops

But, I get paid today so will take the food money out today for Mr Shortie and mu contribution to the month's petrol money. I'm not sure if I will be saving this month as I need to squirrel away money for Paris next month, money for our friend who willl be looking after our pets in August when we're away and whike I'm at it, money for when we go away in October half term. I have said to Mr Shortie that we'll have to be more sensible with hokiday's next year - becoming debt free was super liberating but we seem to be having a potty rush for holiday's suddenly

But, I'm not in debt and I have ths ability to save for theae things, which I am super greatful for

natnat13

Morning, I just wrote this once then my wifi dropped!!


Florenceem I love my steam mop, its easier, more hygienic and no chemicals.


I will have a look at the OU, my problem is motivation to study! But I'm sure there's still deadlines.


I am working a lot this week, have made soup to take, got my Tesco delivery yesterday, pleased with that saving.


I have a lots of birthdays this month, my dad is quite materialistic and expects a nice gift, well all he is getting is a bottle of wine and an explanation that I am saving to buy a house for me and my boys. His partner got a re-gifted Cath Kidson smellies set that my ex-husband gave me for Christmas!! My friend's 5 year old is getting a book from my gift box and everyone else is just getting a card. Presents can cost so much money!!

DawnW

Cydney - I hope your family are ok

Don't worry too much about your DD, most of these lumps turn out to be nothing serious - I went through a phase of having them removed when I was in my 30s, I must have had at least 4 operations. All were benign thankfully, but I was very worried the first time. I remember on one occasion there was a very young girl, only about 17, in the next bed, who had the same thing. She was very scared and tearful, poor little scrap, but hers turned out to be ok too

Kantankrus_Mare

On the downside............my rental property that we have put up for sale is not attracting a buyer and costing us a fortune in the meantime. Going to give it till the end of this month......drop the price to the minimum we feel we can accept, and if still no offers after another month we will have to get it back on the rental market. Just cant go on affording paying mortgage and council tax on an empty property.

On the plus side....I have managed to suspend my gym membership for the summer months saving me £32.50 a month. Have too much going on in the summer to make use of it.
Also have discovered Clixsense......another survey/click site which looks like it could get me another £20 a month pin money (minimum)