2014 Frugal Living Challenge

Shortie

Good luck with the impro heated propergator CoolTrikerChick. I'm raring to get out in our garden and get started clearing up the kicthen garden (we let it go to pot last year as we were so busy) and getting stuff planted in our green house. The weather isn't very inspiring at the moment though!

So, yesterday we got a STONKING shop in Mr T's at last knock down. I suspect we'll be over out Grocery budget this month but it was definately worth it. We got home from my parents' late last night and I did the bear minimum and went to bed. Tonight I think I'll have a root around (I'm feeling bleurgh today for some reason so may just got to bed when I get home) and stock take what we have to stick it inside a cupboard door for ease when we menu plan

Tonight we have lasagne (batch cooked last week) and hm chips for dinner, and that will also cover Sunday night's dinner. Tomorrow we are out to a friend's house for dinner.

I'ev also finally got my bum into gear and paid in the money I got for my old car2 weeks ago and have transfered that online to my Dad as part payment for the car top-up loan. Then just £1k to pay off from Jan and again from Feb's pay packet and that will be that paid off so I can stay to save - woo hoo!

Am trying to work out at the moment a frugal but nice pressie for my neice who will be 9 soon. We don't talk to the parents but I still want to get her something. Problem is, I have no idea what to get her and I can't ask the parents, lol... I asked a guy in work today who has a 9 year old and I think I've cracked it (it has to be postable too) - a pair of ear-bud headphones, I'll see if I can get her a nice pen, and some obligatory girlie hairbands in a pencil case - thre were some lovely 'older girl' ones in Mr T on sale yesterday so I grabbed a couple. I think I might go out at lunchtime to see what I can find - it's soooooooo quiet in the office today

I picked up some bits for my sister's children too in the sales yesterday - a couple of board books with stickers for her yongest (she'll be 2 next year), a box set of Secret 7 books for her eldest (he'll be 5) , and a box set of Magic Faraway tree books for her middle one (she'll be 4). I can add a few bits to them but it's good to have a few bits in to start off

Editted to add: Just realised - I won't need to post my niece's pressie as the inlaws will be over to see her the day befroe her birthday so I can ask them to take the pressie. Result! That will save on the postage which will help

jackel

Hi All - I should like to join please. I will get my details together and post the amount I am aiming at when I sort it out. In the meantime I'm back to page 11 to finish reading all about you and your ideas. Many thanks for all the helpful ideas so far. I am pretty frugal already but welcome all your help to cut down some more (finacially essential) jac.xxx

Kantankrus_Mare

Well, our first bit of frugality last night. Normally, my husband prepares far too many veggies for the Christmas dinner and what doesn't get eaten goes in the bin. Without him knowing that I'm wanting to be more frugal this year, he saved all the left overs, whizzed them in the blender and made patties out of them which were then shallow fried! Was a hit and made me happy as I hate to see waste!
Guess its a kind of bubble and squeak which I have never had before.

Shortie

Hi KM! :wave: (wonders if I'm being random or if you remember me from GYO, lol)

Other than Mr Shortie's (mega) slip up of leaving a huge pile of shredded Chrimbo ham out yesterday for the cats to feast on while we were out, he's usually good at frugal food ... I used to think Bubble and squeak was awful when i was little but he makes it really well so I quite like it now. We sometimes cook extra veg on Sundays specifically for some bubble and squeak, lol

Kantankrus_Mare

Hi Shortie...........:D Thought the name rung a bell! Its years since I have been on that site! Prefer it on here. Hope you are well!
Nice to see you! You still growing stuff?

Gretchen2012

For those asking about spreadsheets, I think there is a link to a couple on the first post.

tokicat

Hi everyone

I definitely need to be doing this next year. Am going to go through this thread to get some good tips and will spend weekend going through the spreadsheet.

Made DH bubble and squeak with left overs before and am not going near shops so I cannot be tempted

Shortie

I don't go there either tbh KM, though I still talk to NTG but that's out outside of that forum

We moved last year and although there is a kicthen garden already here, we had no time to do anything with it last year - I plan to make good use of it next year though You?


So, I popped out at lunchime and got a reduced perfume set and a good array of hairbands for my neice. I checked with MiL first before buying perfume (you never know at what age parents agree with certain things so I thought it best to check) and I'll check out a pair of ear phones too in a mo.

Jeez.... work-wise today is really dragging - so glad to have a chance though to catch up on some threads I've not read for a while thought to be fair

DawnW

OK, £1 spent at the corner shop on washing up liquid for me today, though OH will be filling up his truck with fuel as well, which will cost considerably more :eek:

Popped over to the local garage to see if they were open to book my car in for its MOT test, but they aren't. They opened between Xmas and NY last year, but have obviously decided against it this year. Never mind, OH will have to take it when I go back to work on the 2nd

OH has gone to borrow chimney rods from a friend to investigate the problem with the chimney. If no blockage, we will need to have the liner looked at, and probably replaced. When it was installed (by the previous owner of the house) the numpty put it in upside down :mad: The company who installed our woodburner checked it over and said it was ok for the time being - which it was, seeing as this was more than 2 years ago. So, it may well be time to get it redone. We have the money to pay for it saved up. Pity it had to happen over Christmas though!

On other matters, leftover turkey from Christmas day, salads from yesterday and baked spuds for main meal today, plenty of leftover puds too The rest of the day will be spent cleaning up after our (literal) houseful of visitors yesterday. Just OH, myself and my brother, who turns up for periods of time when he has not job or money, here today. Wonder how long it will be before he drives OH bonkers this time :rotfl:Do others have relatives like this, or is it only me?

COOLTRIKERCHICK

JUST A QUICKY!!!


Right I am putting a packet of bread mix in the bread maker, but I am putting it on dough only.... once that is done, and I take it out of the bread maker. Will I need to leave it to rise????