2016 Frugal Living Challenge

DawnW

Shortie wrote: »

A question about flower seed mixes...

At the weekend I deweeded the front garden beds and have been nosing through my (slightly out of date, whoops) seed packets as to what flowers I have to grow..

I have a couple of seed mixes - a 'wild flower' mix and a 'scented' mix but I'm worried that instead of a mildly organised array of flowers, I'll end up with a mess of flowers for all to see

Has anyone used anything like this isna front garden and how did it turn out?

I rather like the idea of 'a mess of flowers' - beats a lot of other types of mess :rotfl:

mumtoomany

Well, we have collected DD4 from her friends house. She had a brilliant time learning to dance at the workshop. OH checked friends mum's car for her. It needs a new belt. OH can't fix it without putting it on a ramp. The car might not make it as far as ours for that. So friend's mum will take it to the garage. Gave us a joint of their rare breed beef for our trouble. Picked up milk, bread, fruit and veg while we were out. Should not need much else this month, maybe milk again! Pigs are now back outside, we brought them in when it was so wet. Clean the barn out tomorrow ready for lambing. M2m.

Shortie

Oh yum M2M, a lovely sounding beef joint for trying to help a friend out. I think things like that sounds great. I'm aware of Time Banking which is similar and probably the closest I'd manage to find here. I do keep meaning to check it out though

I found the bag of seeds that I bought last year last night finally (woo hoo!) Much more viable seed in there than the stuff I was nosing through from the greenhouse. I bought lots of seed last year when it was reduced to 50p a packet.

If it's not too cold this weekend, I'll pop in the back garden and get some spring onion and carrot seed out, plus plant out the garlic and onion that's currently growing in troughs while we waited for the veg beds to be made.

Oh! And I found that I'd bought some flower seeds too so may not need to make he front garden into a unorganised flower jungle :rotfl:. I may see though if I can persuade Mr Shortie to make me a flower bed in the back garden and pop them in there instead

Also last year we lost our chooks But after the building work and loosing bits of the garden during it, making access to feed them a pain in the rear, it has made us think we won't get them again. I'm considering turning the space into more veg beds but am undecided as I keep seeing BHWT birds needing homes and I feel a twinge of guilt at not getting more birds... As of yesterday we have proper (ie safe!) steps again into the back garden. Maybe see how I feel getting in and out of the garden before I make any rash decisions.

We'd also love to keep bees. Omg, I'm refilling my already busy life with more 'stuff' to look after aren't I'? I always do this to us :rotfl::o

FunBrum

Hi frugalites!:wave:

The weather was beautiful yesterday so I put my walking shoes on and hiked to a local shopping centre 4 miles away!
I met my DS2 as his clippers had given up the ghost and we had to get new ones.
First after my walk I needed a coffee so we popped into Sainsbobs cafe. I had to laugh as I think he has inherited my frugal ways. He found a table by plug sockets and charged his phone! There is free Wi-Fi there and the staff didn't seem to mind, so it must be an everyday thing!:rotfl:
I had to get a battery for my watch and spent less than £5 for a few bits to last me the rest of the week.
On the way back I popped into my DD2 and picked up a jigsaw puzzle which I started last night. A cheap entertainment for me!;)
Tomorrow my last direct debit which is £100.42, leaves the bank, so hopefully that's all my out goings for this month.:D

sheba

Hello fellow Frugal Ears :hello:

just checking in to wish you all a productive and frugal weekend, I am still working to a meal plan which is very satisfying, both financially and practically, and have started to venture into Lidls which is benefitting me, but there's been some off-plan spending, which continues into next month, that seriously threatens my February aims- this month some tickets to events later in the year, those blasted tyres I've already mentioned, a local authority garden bin subscription and also some social events with the family. Then the lovely hubster tells me that the van needs a routine cam belt change and full service at a whopping £660!! I've outlined before that the van is of many uses to us but yowzer that stung!! This is booked in for March so trying to frugal my way to get that in advance but cannot see that now I'll be able to increase my savings, or the buffer (in fact I foresee that being wiped out completely) and I am fervently hoping that this expense does not see me having to dip into the emergency fund at all but that remains to be seen. :question:

Well hope all you guys are doing better than me this month but in regard to my 'off plan spending' - a lot of it was foreseeable so a salutary lesson to me to build up the buffer in front of the savings!! I'm afraid I let my excitement of getting an extension turn my head but have now admonished myself and will review my aims for March after the scores on the doors are in on the 2nd.

Also, btw, thanks to Fun Brum for the heads up about the Dave Ramsey show clips on YouTube - I have been avidly watching these the last few evenings and really enjoy the debt free screams even though I'm not actually in debt, but I know the relief when loan/credit card/furniture payments et al, are done!!

Anyhoo, it's stupid o'clock as usual so I'd better clock off and try to start winding down for bed- unfortunately I'm a night owl and sleeper in-er (left to own devices I awake at 10 which is a bit late really, however the better weather does reset my timer so can't blinking wait for summer -up early, outdoors all day= early bed!) nan-night all x x x x

squeezedmillennial

Hello!

I've read through this forum and found some really amazing inspiration to help guide my new frugal life would love to join the challenge for 2016.

Myself and DH both have unsecured education loans for postgrad study, we're saving up for a house deposit, and because of DH's new job we're going to have an 18 month tax bill (self assessment, paying on account) in Jan 2017 so need to put away money to prepare. Live in London where our industry is majority based, so rent is high. Meeting our savings and spending targets feels precarious, and I want to feel in control / on top of things.

Both naturally frugal- environmentalists with a passion for energy saving. I shop at charity shops full time, but probably buy more than I need. Trying to transition to a more minimalist lifestyle. Biggest immediate challenges = sticking to NSD's when I get an urge to buy things, encouraging DH off of expensive ready meals which bump our shopping over the £200/pcm current target.

Targets = 15 NSDs a month, keeping food shop under £200/pcm and hopefully lowering that target, cutting out food waste, purchasing only based on need. Also starting a blog (can't link atm as new user) as well as joining MSE forums to help keep me on track. I'm hoping social pressure will stop me straying!

[Deleted User]

Welcome to the thread squeezedmillenial. Best of luck with your initial targets. I'm sure you will find lots of support and inspiration on here.

Frugaldom

Welcome to a life of frugaldom, squeezedmillennial, good luck with your challenge and here's to your long term savings and saving-for-a-house plans. I'm somehow blocked from using the smilies but if I could use them, I'd insert a big :cheers: sign

BettyBoof

Welcome squeezedmillennial! I'm a relative newbie to all this but am learning so much - I'm sure you will too! We are saving for a house too so I know your pain ;-)

Frugaldom you can't access smilies when using "quick reply", it only works when you "go advanced" (that's my experience anyway) so that might explain it.

We've had a lovely frugal weekend - we had a film day at home yesterday using my free 14 day trial with NOW TV, complete with homemade popcorn and today we went for a long walk by the river then home for an indoor picnic on a rug in the living room - the kids had a ball!

jess444_2

Welcome squeezedmillennial :T

Keeping to the budget - just

This week have had a day out with DD1 and her OH and a lunch with friends. Have also just bought Mothers Day present for MIL. If we don't spend anything from now to Thurs we will be on track.

All this talk of seeds and vegetable patches reminds me that I really need to order my seeds and clean out the greenhouse. Every year I leave it too late and end up rushing out to buy tomato plants

Had 1 sale on Ebay today, better than nothing but had quite a lot of things listed so I was hoping for a few more sales. It seems to take so long to list things and when they don't sell I find it a bit disheartening.

Off to check out Dave Ramsey as I have never heard of him before.