2018 Frugal Living Challenge

DawnW

parsniphead wrote: »

Hello everyone

I've just been catching up with the thread after a few months away. I started the year well but have recently been diagnosed with a serious illness. After a few months of panic I need to get on top of this once and for all. I need to cut costs and get rid of all the debt. My mind has been well and try focused on the fact that having debt leaves you in such a precarious position. My sick pay will be cut to half my salary next month and I'm not eligible for any help. I'm glad I've worked my backside off since being 14.:mad:

I will be looking at finances, stocks and debts in the next few days and sort out how I can deal with this.

It's going to be hard but I have to deal with it while dealing with treatment.

So sorry to hear this The important thing is to take care of yourself - if need be get help from one of the debt charities to deal with the debts. Wishing you all the best xx

Kerry_Woman

parsniphead - Sorry to hear your news. Take good care of yourself. DawnW has given good advise about one of the debt charities. Hopefully they will be able to advise/help you in some way.

Frugaldom

parsniphead wrote: »

...I will be looking at finances, stocks and debts in the next few days and sort out how I can deal with this.

It's going to be hard but I have to deal with it while dealing with treatment.

Sorry to read that your health news was bad. If there is anything I can do to help with your budget planning (or anything else), please don't be scared to ask. Depending on location, if at all possible, you are welcome to come visit Frugaldom for a few days if you need to clear your head and/or crunch some numbers. You are welcome anytime.

Frugaldom

Soup season is definitely upon us here in Scotland, with the frst ground frosts and daytime temperatures dropping into single digits.

Nannygladys, your garden sounds very productive! Well done

whmf00001, I agree, you could use the liquid to cook rice or noodles to flavour them, or as a stock for veggies in a curry or chilli dish.

DawnW

We had a hard frost here in SW England this morning, earliest one I think for a few years now.

FrankieM

So sorry to hear your news parsniphead xx

I got back from my few days away (work related) on Thursday evening and I've been getting myself and the house organised since.

I've bought all the items I need to 'winter proof' the house and awaiting their arrival. So once it all gets here, I'll have curtains to line and curtain poles to put up. An electric blanket to get on the bed. I've also bought throws for the sofa and my bed and a hot water bottle to keep me cozy.

I bought myself some winter boots, a dressing gown, a handbag and a phone case with some birthday money that I was given.

Today has been spent cooking up the meat from the freezer so that I can clean out the freezer. I'm refreezing everything once it's cooked and portioned. And giving the central heating a good blast.

I haven't had it on so far this year but I tried giving the radiators a bleed and wanted to see if I'd made a difference. It seems all radiators work to different degrees once they've been on for a while. I'm not sure what that will mean once the heating is on timer so I may still need to contact the landlord, I'll just see.

I'm still focused on not spending on 'extras' this month and I'm doing very well. I've usually succumbed to a takeaway by now!

I cam across a meme on facebook (I love a good meme) 'Does it support the life I'm trying to create'

Certainly food for thought...have a good rest of the day xx

Moll

parsniphead sorry to hear your diagnosis , but as everyone else has said , if i can help in any way , give me a shout

sorry ive been AWAL for a bit , but stayed on plan and been frugal ,
Health worries here too , but i "Think " we are finally coming out the other side , DD is expecting her 2nd baby in about 4 weeks , and its been a rough ride all the way through with a few scares , they didnt think she'd go to full term , but shes getting there now . Me,,,,,,,, would you believe ive got to be over 60 ,,and now they tell me ive got to have Grommits put in both ears !!!! i thought only kids had that done , in fact my 6 year old grandaughter has got to have the same op the following month , so i hope they dont hurt me or ill panic for her if you know what i mean , Unfortunately , i have an exsisiting heart problem ( Been fixed ) so a lot better , but because of that ive got to have a general anesthetic for the Grommits ,cos im on blood thinners i suppose , i go in hospital on the 15th , but ive got FIVE hospital appointments in the last 3 weeks to do with it , ??
anyway onto nicer things ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, me and DH have been away for a few days holiday , didnt plan ,just took off with the dog, and had a lovely time ,, i boobed on one thing , as id packed everything we needed so not to buy much ( Caravan holiday) and then realised id left the sugar. sauces etc ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, so a quick trip to the nearest Mc Donalds for a Mc Flurry ( We was at the sea side so ice cream was allowed lol ) and i stocked up on the freebie sugar, salt/ pepper etc so we was sorted,
The days have turned colder, we hadnt put the heating on till 2 days ago , and the grandchildren came so it went on for them , and have to admit its made us feel nesh now , and we need it on at night , will try and be frugal with it though , and TRY and learn DH to keep the doors to the rooms closed, Got heavy curtains up so thats ok . still getting tomatoes off my garden plants , i have one of those plastic greenhouses and have to admit i did a LOT better with the surplus ones i had OUTSIDE the greenhouse , We arnt keen on tomatoe based foods and soups unfortunately , but theyve kept us going all summer so far with sandwiches, salads etc, Is everyone preparing for Christmas? Ive got about £40 in vouchers that ive collected through the year for surveys etc so will use them for gifts, My christmas present list used to be huge when i was working , but not so big these days , Postage is my biggest cost, as my hobby is penpalling , and parcels cost a lot so i have to budget mainly for that , Hope everyone is ok , and ill catch up on everyones posts now im back

nannygladys

Hi everyone

Back from a few days away and I have been very careful to get back home within the budget I allowed myself.

So soup making is continuing, mainly with courgette/marrow in but I don't mind too much, as I keep adding different things/herbs/spices into them to make them all a bit different, and mostly its free.

I have pulled my winter stuff out, and I have plenty of woollies, boots etc to wear and last years boots (which I bought the year before) are still fine. I will wear my old walking boots if the weather gets really bad and wellies/trainers down the lottie.

My winter coat from last year will do …. so I don't need to buy much at all - hooray!!!!

I need to go through my cupboards to see if I need any tins, dried foods just incase we have a hard winter as I live at the top of a steep hill and nobody can get cars out when it starts icing up and snow is a definite no go. Thinking on it I must see if I have cold and flu stuff etc in just in case as well, preparing for the worst!!!! To help pay for this I have a load to Tosco vouchers to use, so I will take a list and keep to it.
Anyway going to get some supper.
Nannyg
PS I have been really productive on the lottie this year and neighbours as well as dds all get a share!

Frugaldom

It's good to see that so many people had productive years on their allotments - I really do hope we can get ours set up and running for next year as it's been a long time in coming. Unfortunately, we seem to have gratuated from slugs & moles to rabbits and deer, so the prospect of growing veg is looking ever distant, unless we make serious moves to keep everything out the growing space.

I now have another 3 large boxes of windfalls and already have 2 buckets of apple cider vinegar on the go. This is without picking any apples from the trees, so once the new orchards have grown up enough to produce fruit we will need to be at a stage that we can have open days for fruit picking. Who knows, maybe ine day we'll be able to do the fruit processing at Frugaldom, too.

The year is passing far too quickly for my liking - shorter days mean it's still quite dark in the mornings when starting and evenings are drawing in so much that it's dark before Im finished feeding ponies etc. About 4 of the hens are still laying, so eggs aplenty and still managing to sell a couple of dozen each week to balance the books in that department. If only people would buy pony poop then we'd be wealthy. :rotfl:

Moll

Had a good frugal day .. almost had a Nsd , apart from one bottle of milk which was needed, but im in the habit of only buying what i need, and am never tempted,,,,,,unless the G,kids are with me ,
We went to a friends house yesterday he kindly gave me 2 HUGE pumpkins grown in the allotment. and he showed us around thier house , They moved in with thier daughter / son in law and family , 2 years ago , and all had the house altered and extended to accomodate them all wow it was amazing what they had achieved , The house had been planned and really thought out well , so they all had thier own space, made me come home and have a serious look at my own house , and the potential it held , if we moved rooms around
, food for thought