Frugal, thrifty, make do, mend! Let this debt come to an end!

Elisheba

Morning, thrifty frugalettes,

Sounds like you are doing really well @Florafauna. At the end of the day the absolutely best way to save money is to not spend it, so making stuff from home sounds like a brilliant plan.

Happy Monday, everyone! Elisheba Cottage and all who sail on her appear to have survived Storm Isha intact, thankfully. I hope everyone else has been so lucky. I did end up driving home in the start of it about 5pm last night - the main issue was the start of flooding on the roads and not being able to see it due to the dark. I was very relieved to get in when I did and not to have left it later.

I had a lovely day out in my old town yesterday, with brunch in the morning with friends, then A!di where I picked up a new hot water bottle for under a fiver but not a stove fan sadly (which was what I was actually looking for). After that I went through a couple of charity shops, and picked up a rather nice haul - 2 long sleeved tops, a roll neck jumper, black leggings, some denim shorts, and a self cooling mat for silly dog come the summer. With the self cooling mat there is a high chance silly dog will decide it's a toy and rip it apart, but this house is so much warmer than my old one I thought it was worth giving it a go for a fiver.

My new challenge when I'm driving is to get my mpg as high as possible. Was averaging over 50 at one point on my way to old town yesterday although I think the final average when I got there was about 49. Driving home seemed to be more fuel heavy, and I was at about 46 or 47 when I got home. Not bad for cross country though.

This week my plans are to spend nothing until Friday, when I'm going to try getting the train to work so will need to reimburse the train company for the pleasure. I think the only thing I'm low in stock of is biscuits, so might make some buns. I'll make some mushroom soup for lunch today, which should last until Wednesday, and then lentil soup for the rest of the week. Dinner plans are 2 nights of bangers and mash with peas, 2 nights of cheese burger and chips with beans, 2 nights of wraps, and nachos on Friday when I'll be super tired.

Took my energy readings again last night and averaged 5kwh a day this week. Considering I did two loads of washing, ran the dishwasher a few times, have had the TV on a fair bit, and left the boiler on continuous but with the heating down to below 10 (just to prevent the pipes freezing in the cold weather) most of the week that's not too bad at all. Will have to see if I can get it a bit lower this week though.

Hope every one has an amazing week. The G@urdian crosswords appear to be free on the app just now (you previously had to pay) so I think I'm going to have a stab at today's before I get up and start the day.

Cheery_Daff

Good charity shop haul there! Glad you have survived the storm intact. I haven't got out of bed yet but can't see any immediate damage here (not that I can see much of outside 😂😂). Is this the first time you've been to work on the train? Sorry, I can't remember, I know you were going to experiment with it! Hope it goes well 😊

Elisheba

Evening, frugal fighters,

Urgh, what a day. Due to the rather inclement weather we are having just now I drove to a nearby common for my lunchtime dogwalk, and on the way back did a 3 point turn and my car got grounded on a barely visible ridge about half a metre from the road. The wheels went round but not an inch would it move 🙄. I tried putting things under the wheels, googled driving techniques, a neighbour saw a FB post and came to try and help, and not one jot of difference did it make. In end I had to wait 3 hours for the RAC to come, and they pulled me out is about 3 seconds 🙄.

Anyway it has left me rather discombobulated, and I'm currently curled up on front of the fire to try and restore some bobulations. I think I'll make some cocoa soon. Thank goodness I paid for the absolutely everything RAC level of cover with my car insurance. My neighbour called some locals with tractors but they were all busy or sick. I mean, I could have gotten home by walking but no idea how or when I would have moved the car.

And, in all the trials of trying to get the car moving I appear to have snapped my brand new glasses! I called Sp£csavers but they aren't under any sort of guarantee. They said to bring them in, but if it isn't a fault of the glasses there isn't much they can do. Think I'll probably end up buying some from the online company from Martin's last email if I can find my prescription. I know I put it somewhere but I was still unpacking so can not for the life of me remember where.

In MSE news it was a NSD so that's good. I've realised I'll need to drive to my local Coop before Friday to get some packed lunch food for my office day. Probably some bread I can make sandwiches with, and some crisps and biscuits. As I'll be eating breakfast, lunch and dinner out I need to have a nice selection so I'm not tempted to buy food from cafes.

I picked up a smaller dining table for £10 from FBMP yesterday. It's still in the car so at some point I'll move the current dining table to the back hall and move the new one in. The back hall has become a bit of a dumping ground as I don't use it at all, but the old table will be fine there until I get some waterproof paint and a nice day, and then it and 2 extra chairs I'll no longer be able to fit round the new table, can start their new lives in the garden.

I tried various eco methods of getting some stains out of a couple of T shirts yesterday, but neither green bleach or washing soda have worked sadly.  Will probably use them as PJ tops so as not to waste what are otherwise serviceable clothes.

The clothes washing has been done for the week. There wasn't much so I chucked a dressing gown and a fleece hoodie in as well. Then when washing the stained t shirts I threw all the throws in to fill the machine, so pretty much up to date washing wise.

One good thing from the ridiculous car situation was I had time to make some good inroads into The Gu@rdian crossword. Still not finished it but I'm further than I normally get. I don't know why they are now free but I'm very appreciative!

Anyway, I'm off to make cocoa. I hope Storm Jocelyn doesn't affect anyone too badly, and your all safe and warm tonight.

beanielou

Hope tomorrow is better. 

Elisheba

Cheery_Daff said:

Good charity shop haul there! Glad you have survived the storm intact. I haven't got out of bed yet but can't see any immediate damage here (not that I can see much of outside 😂😂). Is this the first time you've been to work on the train? Sorry, I can't remember, I know you were going to experiment with it! Hope it goes well 😊

Yep, this Friday will be the first train experiment. Last office day was cancelled. So fingers crossed it ends up nice and easy, and I won't have to drive in very often anymore.

SuzeQStan

Agh what a nitemare - so glad you had the roadside cover in place.  Shame it took them 3hrs tho!!  

Am pretty sure that opticians have to
give you your prescription if you ask for it

Let us know how you get on on Friday xx

Elisheba

Woo hoo! I got the crossword finished. Result 😁. Only the quick one mind you, but even so 🎉🎊🎉🎊

Moorviews

Thank goodness for roadside cover! That sounded quite a trauma but it is lovely that your new neighbour was trying to help. 

Well done on finishing the crossword, I will have to have a look for that while it is still free. I find that particular opticians very helpful so I imagine they could supply you with a copy of your prescription if you can’t find the original. 

Storm Jocelyn is much noisier down here than I was expecting. The slates have been rattling and the wind roaring in the trees all night. 

I hope you have a peaceful day ahead today. 

foxgloves

What a day! Wishing you a much better one today.
F

Slowdown

Hi. Sorry to hear about your misadventure with a ridge/dip/ditch. What an absolute pain. Someone managed to get stuck in a very deep pothole on my back lanes route to work last week. Back tyre off the ground would you believe, with opposite front in the hole! It’s not just the ditches out to get you! 

Everything in your house seems cosy and coming together well. A fire, a book, a silly dog and cocoa sounded like the perfect way to put your bobulations back together. Well done you 🙂