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Put away your purse & become debt-averse
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@teapot2 & @Baileys_Babe - You're welcome.
@Deni_debt-free_dreamer - Still enjoying 'Spiral'. We are undecided about resuming our Netflix subscription this Winter. We'd like to watch the new series of 'Borgen' but don't want to pay a full subs for 1 series. We've been looking at all the world drama boxsets on All4 & reckon there's loads on there atm to keep us going for free. We'll see how it goes.
F2026's challenges: 1) To rebuild our Emergency Fund to at least £5k.
2) To read 50 books (12/50) 3) The Re-Shrinking of Foxgloves 8.1kg/30kg
Remember....if you have to put it on a credit card, extend your overdraft or take out a loan to buy whatever it is, you probably can't afford it, as that's not your money, it's somebody else's!5 -
Another productive day. Hello Frugal Diary Friends, I've just waved off the tree man & am having a few minutes outside with Soot. They've been very wasteful with their meat today & I've given up & jettisoned it out of the door for the magpies, who show more gratitude than cats!
Today's efforts: I've baked a sourdough & put in 3 solid hours in the veggie garden. I've weeded the remaining spring onion trough, taken down the spent bean plants plus all the home-made bird scarers (old CDs) & rejuvenated the chard bed. This turned into a longer job than I'd hoped, as I couldn't access the back of the bed until I'd taken my secateurs to a buddleja & a load of errant privet. I cut the bigger leaves off, watered the tidied plants with some worm tea solution & re-netted against naughty beaks. The plants won't put much growth on below a certain temperature, but usually spring back into action in March to provide us with leafy greens until May. Shredded, blanched & froze the leaves I removed.
Have progressed a project this afternoon while waiting for our tame tree man to come & assess the casualty. Yes, it's definitely toppling, but he says it isn't about to come down completely in the next few months. He can fit us in next month. I hardly dare ask about cost. He said one of his customers has just been quoted £600 for felling & removal of a similar sized tree & he thought that was over-charging. He has been doing tree & hedge work for us for 20 years so we do have a good working relationship & he is charging us £450. My task on next Big Budget Day (next week) will be whether I can just squeak this from our House & Garden Pot or if it will have to be an Emergency Fund' raid as anticipated. I don't know until I've crunched the numbers.
Such a still, peaceful Autumn evening. Virtually no effort required on the catering front as there is sufficient of yesterday's sausage casserole & soda bread left to feed us tonight.
Enjoy your evenings m'dears,
F x
2026's challenges: 1) To rebuild our Emergency Fund to at least £5k.
2) To read 50 books (12/50) 3) The Re-Shrinking of Foxgloves 8.1kg/30kg
Remember....if you have to put it on a credit card, extend your overdraft or take out a loan to buy whatever it is, you probably can't afford it, as that's not your money, it's somebody else's!9 -
It sounds as if you’ve got a good deal. My ds paid a lot for the removal of 3 trees from his back garden a couple of years ago. I can’t remember how much but it had 3 zeros…..January spends - £587.585
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Phew - finally caught up! I’m thoroughly envious of your tomato harvest - mine grew like the clappers this year but I got almost no fruit at all - not sure why but the only thing that was different to two years ago when the plants fruited prolifically is that this year they’ve been on a pallet “platform” system that I thought would likely help with pollination - but actually seems to have done the opposite. Ironically the “runt” plants we popped into the soil directly are now flowering… 🙄😂🎉 MORTGAGE FREE (First time!) 30/09/2016 🎉 And now we go again…New mortgage taken 01/09/23 🏡
Balance as at 01/09/23 = £115,000.00 Balance as at 31/12/23 = £112,000.00
Balance as at 31/08/24 = £105,400.00 Balance as at 31/12/24 = £102,500.00
£100k barrier broken 1/4/25
Balance as at 31/08/25 = £ 95,450.00. Balance as at 31/12/25 = £ 91,100.00
SOA CALCULATOR (for DFW newbies): SOA Calculatorshe/her4 -
Oh, they can be annoying things, @EssexHebridean. The reason we have so many tomatoes is that some of my young plants looked so completely dreadful, I assumed I would lose at least half a dozen. I bought 6 assorted plants from village garden centre for back-up. Then of course, all my sick ones rallied (thanks to the magic of seaweed solution) & I ended up with 19 plants!! I grew poached-egg plants around the beds containing our beans, courgettes & outdoor tomatoes this year - this probably helped with pollination as they were covered in hoverflies, etc.
F2026's challenges: 1) To rebuild our Emergency Fund to at least £5k.
2) To read 50 books (12/50) 3) The Re-Shrinking of Foxgloves 8.1kg/30kg
Remember....if you have to put it on a credit card, extend your overdraft or take out a loan to buy whatever it is, you probably can't afford it, as that's not your money, it's somebody else's!4 -
That’s a very reasonable price indeed for the tree work.I get knocked down but I get up again (Chumbawamba, Tubthumping)5
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I'm expecting my tree to be more like £200, but that will be me, working with him. He's a friend and when he was made redundant I made sure I and several others locally, kept him going with things I could have done myself. I think that is why he fits us in and is very reasonable.
My Mum used to make so-called Dutch Apple Pie but it was basically apple pie with no sugar, but sprinkled with sultanas. One of my late Dad's favourites. Apple and fruit batter was another favourite too, when she wanted something quick. Basic YP recipe with apples or dried fruit sprinkled then served with a sprinkle of caster sugar. It is to these things that I owe my un-sylph-like figure. What can I say!?Save £12k in 2026 #2 I have banked £2870.61 so far, against a £10k target The 2026 Save £12k in 2026 thread is here
OS Grocery Challenge in 2026 I am sticking with a £3000 annual budget for 2026 - currently £568.34 and most of my March purchasing made
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the grow your own in 2026 discussion thread
My keep within our budget diary is here7 -
@Suffolk_lass, Lol, most definitely no sylphs in this house either! We learned fruit batter puddings in school cookery lessons. I think the French call it 'clafoutis' & often use cherries. I'm.not fussed what it's called as it sounds nom! I used to make a 1970s apple dessert called 'Peasant girl in a veil', which was layers of apple puree & breadcrumbs fried with butter & sugar, topped with whipped cream. I haven't made that since about 1982, so at least I can say that particular pud is not to blame for the current state of my womanly hips!
F2026's challenges: 1) To rebuild our Emergency Fund to at least £5k.
2) To read 50 books (12/50) 3) The Re-Shrinking of Foxgloves 8.1kg/30kg
Remember....if you have to put it on a credit card, extend your overdraft or take out a loan to buy whatever it is, you probably can't afford it, as that's not your money, it's somebody else's!5 -
Hello Campers,
Very little to report today.....except maybe a reminder of why it's so important to research prices before making a purchase.Today, I ordered pipette flea treatment for cats. I don't usually buy pet stuff online as I like to support a local indie pet shop in town. They don't have our preferred brand, however, so I bought online. I paid £9.03 per box. The same box was priced at £21.50 on the website of a large national pet warehouse. I double-checked in case this box contained more doses, but it didn't. I know prices can differ between the various purveyors, but that's just ridiculous! I shall remember this because if I was going to buy this treatment in-store, that's the only outlet local to us which sells it.
First mouse trapped this morning. Mr F checked for the warning light while he was making coffee & cheese on toast first thing. Nothing. By the time he'd left for work, barely 40 mins later, I went in to fetch a bag of cat biscuits & the red light was flashing. So I had to perform a burial. Big mouse. Hope he was the advance party & the others will think 'Oh dear, Squeaky hasn't come back - let's not bother going in there".....but on past experience, I'm not holding my breath!
Dentist tomorrow. Already feeling nervous.
Talk to you if I survive.
F x2026's challenges: 1) To rebuild our Emergency Fund to at least £5k.
2) To read 50 books (12/50) 3) The Re-Shrinking of Foxgloves 8.1kg/30kg
Remember....if you have to put it on a credit card, extend your overdraft or take out a loan to buy whatever it is, you probably can't afford it, as that's not your money, it's somebody else's!6 -
Hope it’s nothing too drastic at the dentist.
I’m imagining lots of little mice sending the message out not to bother with Foxglove Manor…the trap of doom lies within 😳January spends - £587.585
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