Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

[Deleted User]

redofromstart said:

If you are genuinely free of anything approaching skill like me then hooked wool stuff is good. Soothing making a rug for the last ten years or so, although I know I will never finish it.

I remember my Mum making a hooked wool rug, it was really nice.  Didn't realise it's still possible to get the materials for that craft.  I made a few rag rugs after seeing someone making one at a craft fair.  Nice cheap hobby, all you need is some hessian backing and then any old fabric to cut into strips, from worn out clothes etc.  I used to buy clothes from jumble sales and charity shops just for the fabric to use in the rugs LOL.  My Mum gave me the hook, one of my Granny's. Gran  also used to use an adapted wooden clothes peg for pushing the strips through so you don't even need a proper hook.  Rag rugs were very popular in the 30s and 40s when people had to make do and mend 

HairyHandofDartmoor

Delichon said:

Lots of lovely pastime ideas posted already.  Just wanted to second Milann's comment that scrapbooking can be addictive.  It can also be expensive!  The Americans seem to be very big on it and  I know from an American friend that she spends a small fortune on various embellishments, embossing materials, stencils and templates, patterned  and textured papers, coloured mounts and all sorts of weird and wonderful bits and bobs.  A bit like card making really, it can end up being a very pricey hobby. No reason why you can't do a pared down version though.

DH is a big jigsaw fan.  He can't just sit watching TV but likes it on in the background while he does a jigsaw.  If anything interesting sounds like it's happening in the programme he looks up and watches for a bit. Just the opposite of me , I can't seem to multi-task where TV or radio are concerned. He's always got a jigsaw on the go and he was really chuffed when he  found a brilliant board for it in a charity shop last year.  It isn't one of those roll-up ones, it's more like a base with compartments all round for the sorted pieces and then a lid that can by closed which keeps everything in place.  He used to just leave it partly done on the dining room table (only used at Christmas!) but the cat has a habit of taking a flying leap and demolishing it!  DH even joined a Jigsaw Club LOL.   Only costs £5 a year to join and no extra charge to borrow the puzzles. Members are allowed to take out up to 6 puzzles at a time and keep them for up to a month.  He says there are hundreds of them there, all donated.  He gave them a lot of his when we had a declutter.

The thing with starting a new hobby is any potential outlay in case you find it's not your cup of tea.  My Mum was an avid cross-stitcher but I just couldn't get on with it myself.  I bought a kit at a charity shop so I could give it a go and at least it wasn't too much wasted money but I know some of the kits are really expensive.

Why not have a go at crochet?  I'm sure there are plenty of tutorials etc online.  All you need is a crochet hook and a ball of wool so it won't cost you much to have a go.  I used to do a lot of it at one time, It was really therapeutic, didn't need much space to do it in, was easily transportable and easier than knitting to get the hang of.  I've made scarves, hats, squares for blankets that I gave to charity, all sorts of things. I made a lacy shawl once to wear at a special event but it took me so long  that the event had been and gone before I got it finished!  All this talk of hobbies has reminded me how much I used to enjoy it even though I haven't done any for a few years now.  Now, where are my crochet hooks????  

Thanks for the ideas Delichon . Expensive hobbies are out for obvious reasons. So far I've printed out some free colouring sheets and I'm going to borrow DS1's crayons 😂.

Finding things in charity shops would be good but not an option at the moment sadly. I'm not sure crochet would occupy my mind very much so I think I'd get bored while I was doing it. I'll have to look around and weigh up options versus cost.

Seasidegal58

Belated congrats on your niece's new baby and I hope your other niece is recovering. 

Re hobbies - the adult colouring seemed to have quite a moment a couple of years ago and was very popular - one of my colleagues started doing it - she said she found it very soothing and therapeutic.

DD sent me details of a free language learning app because I said I quite fancy learning Italian - the only thing is I've found is that I don't have so much time as I thought I had since this WFH started!😡

HairyHandofDartmoor

Seasidegal58 said:

Belated congrats on your niece's new baby and I hope your other niece is recovering. 

Re hobbies - the adult colouring seemed to have quite a moment a couple of years ago and was very popular - one of my colleagues started doing it - she said she found it very soothing and therapeutic.

DD sent me details of a free language learning app because I said I quite fancy learning Italian - the only thing is I've found is that I don't have so much time as I thought I had since this WFH started!😡

Thanks SSG . My niece came home from the hospital today and mother and baby are doing well. Also my other niece is on the mend .

I think I'll find colouring quite soothing as I'll have to concentrate on it. I'm willing to give it a go anyway.

milann

Happy colouring 👍

elizabethhull

I do jigsaws in bursts of enthusiasm, which generally last a few months, during which time I often buy a couple.  The result was that I had a pile stored- many still shrink-wrapped !
So I had plenty to get on with.

For exercise , we have an exercise bike in our integral garage. I can't walk for cardio exercise, but doing 25mins hard cycling daily has been great. The only trouble was I got saddle sores, so much so that I was actually bleeding ! Anyway, I contacted my brother who has cycled for decades and on his advice changed the angle of the saddle. I'm still a bit sore but I'm pretty sure I'll soon toughen up !!!

I'm also using a Facebook Messenger facility to video 'phone' people.  Last night I shared a call with both daughters and DSIL. We can spend as long as we like as it's free.

[Deleted User]

elizabethhull said:

For exercise , we have an exercise bike in our integral garage. I can't walk for cardio exercise, but doing 25mins hard cycling daily has been great. The only trouble was I got saddle sores, so much so that I was actually bleeding ! Anyway, I contacted my brother who has cycled for decades and on his advice changed the angle of the saddle. I'm still a bit sore but I'm pretty sure I'll soon toughen up !!!

Ouch to the saddle sores!  I hope your brother's saddle tip works and you'll soon be able to pedal to your heart's content.

We're very lucky (except when everything starts shooting up especially weeds) in having an enormous garden with lots of trees.  I saw a man on TV who 'ran' a marathon/half marathon in his tiny garden, back and forth for what must have been hundreds of times.  He'd planned to run a real one before the virus scuppered his plans and I think he had sponsors all lined up so decided to do it his own way anyway.  Respect to him!.  I think I'm a bit past 'running' that far, being a running 'virgin' LOL but was thinking I could measure out some sort of interesting 'course' and try to keep improving on  my distance and time over the next few weeks of lockdown.  Maybe half jog, half fast walk to start, graduating to full jog if I ever improve enough.

DH and I are playing a sort of Badminton over one of the washing lines. On Monday he came across a  couple of children's plastic tennis racquets that we'd had in the shed for donkey's years.  We hadn't a shuttlecock but have a very lightweight small ball (well, it's the cat's actually, but he doesn't mind us borrowing it LOL) that we bat to and fro.  We don't play it as a game, just bat the ball to and fro to each other for the exercise. We try to make each other have to run to get it!  It's good fun, involves running, jumping and stretching and we try to do half an hour each day.

I've also started skipping on the patio using a cut down piece of rope washing line.  I used to love skipping as a child, I was never without my skipping rope.  I'm going to try to incorporate a bit of fancy footwork, like boxers do.  I probably look a real sight at my age but as there's no one around to see (except DH and he already knows I'm bonkers) I don't care LOL

HairyHandofDartmoor

milann said:

Happy colouring 👍

Thanks Milann .

HairyHandofDartmoor

elizabethhull said:

I do jigsaws in bursts of enthusiasm, which generally last a few months, during which time I often buy a couple.  The result was that I had a pile stored- many still shrink-wrapped !
So I had plenty to get on with.

For exercise , we have an exercise bike in our integral garage. I can't walk for cardio exercise, but doing 25mins hard cycling daily has been great. The only trouble was I got saddle sores, so much so that I was actually bleeding ! Anyway, I contacted my brother who has cycled for decades and on his advice changed the angle of the saddle. I'm still a bit sore but I'm pretty sure I'll soon toughen up !!!

I'm also using a Facebook Messenger facility to video 'phone' people.  Last night I shared a call with both daughters and DSIL. We can spend as long as we like as it's free.

I expect you're glad you have all those jigsaws now Elizabeth. Where do you normally buy them?

Ouch to the saddle sores, you must have been very determined, I would would have stopped long before I bled 😱.

FB Messenger is good for video calls. I use it to talk to DS3 sometimes . I'm glad you've been about to talk to your relatives via it .

HairyHandofDartmoor

Delichon said:

elizabethhull said:

For exercise , we have an exercise bike in our integral garage. I can't walk for cardio exercise, but doing 25mins hard cycling daily has been great. The only trouble was I got saddle sores, so much so that I was actually bleeding ! Anyway, I contacted my brother who has cycled for decades and on his advice changed the angle of the saddle. I'm still a bit sore but I'm pretty sure I'll soon toughen up !!!

Ouch to the saddle sores!  I hope your brother's saddle tip works and you'll soon be able to pedal to your heart's content.

We're very lucky (except when everything starts shooting up especially weeds) in having an enormous garden with lots of trees.  I saw a man on TV who 'ran' a marathon/half marathon in his tiny garden, back and forth for what must have been hundreds of times.  He'd planned to run a real one before the virus scuppered his plans and I think he had sponsors all lined up so decided to do it his own way anyway.  Respect to him!.  I think I'm a bit past 'running' that far, being a running 'virgin' LOL but was thinking I could measure out some sort of interesting 'course' and try to keep improving on  my distance and time over the next few weeks of lockdown.  Maybe half jog, half fast walk to start, graduating to full jog if I ever improve enough.

DH and I are playing a sort of Badminton over one of the washing lines. On Monday he came across a  couple of children's plastic tennis racquets that we'd had in the shed for donkey's years.  We hadn't a shuttlecock but have a very lightweight small ball (well, it's the cat's actually, but he doesn't mind us borrowing it LOL) that we bat to and fro.  We don't play it as a game, just bat the ball to and fro to each other for the exercise. We try to make each other have to run to get it!  It's good fun, involves running, jumping and stretching and we try to do half an hour each day.

I've also started skipping on the patio using a cut down piece of rope washing line.  I used to love skipping as a child, I was never without my skipping rope.  I'm going to try to incorporate a bit of fancy footwork, like boxers do.  I probably look a real sight at my age but as there's no one around to see (except DH and he already knows I'm bonkers) I don't care LOL

I'm very jealous of your big garden. We have a biggish house and a tiny back yard garden. If I could afford it I'd like a slightly bigger house and a much bigger garden, but I dont' think that will ever happen 😥.

You must be much fitter than I am Delichon. The children at school had a skippathon this week and I was very impressed at their scores, over forty was the highest number of skips (they're only little ). It made me tired just watching them.