2021 Frugal Living Challenge

willow_loulou

Bala, I am tempted by salt - I use it on my path. I have a bindweed issue - my neighbours have filled the alley with junk and the weeds just grow over! It’s a bit of a large area to salt and I don’t think I can the worms 😱 it’s such a dilemma!  

balabooberlies

Oh yes............forgot about the worms.  Sorry.  I just couldn't stand those weeds anymore and thanfully it was just a small area against the fence.

bala

MazzieD

@willow_loulou

Not sure whether you are looking for frugal weed killer or some form of heavy duty membrane to suppress the weeds  I

MazzieD

apologies my cat keeps sitting on my laptop so I'll try and post later or you'll get garbled half of a post!

willow_loulou

@MazzieD a bit of both really I think. Mostly suppressing membrane I think but if there is something else I’ll consider it. 

[Deleted User]

tryingtodobetter said:

Thank you for all your kind words. Dh and I had a good chat last night, we realise we need some time to work on our relationship. We have been together for over 20 years and worked in the NHS for as long, in that time we have always had down time and been able to meet up with friends and family, go on holiday etc to relieve stress and build resilience, but of course over the past 12 months that hasn't been possible. During this past 12 months we have seen so much sadness and despair in patients and our colleagues that it has taken its toll on both of us and that has been reflected in the way that we have been treating each other. I think we both need a good dose of sunshine and fresh air today so we are heading out for a walk before DH starts his shift tonight. Thank you again for listening.

@tryingtodobetter huge thanks to you and your OH for the selfless service this year. I can't imagine how hard it's been especially with both of you working in the NHS. I'm glad you have had a good chat and are taking some time to take care of yourselves and each other.  Take care x

StrawberrySuze

Evening all, where did that weekend go?! I have spent much of it on the settee covered in dogs 🥰

Had a busy day doing Grand National offers yesterday, quite a lucrative day, I celebrated with a bottle of wine! Am hoping to finish paying off my debt in the next two months so can't go mad. I have bought a second hand stereo, I know very old school......! it is the same as the one I have but the cd player on mine doesn't work and it would cost too much to repair, I am looking forward to playing my cds again, hoping the new to me stereo keeps going for a while. 

Apart from that I have not done much at all, frugal or otherwise. I did collect a load of plant pots from someone last week, still haven't planted my seeds...! it has been too cold and the snow was quite a shock, the only day I took salad for lunch to work and it was freezing 🤣

@tryingtodobetter love and good wishes to you, it has never been as hard a time to work in the NHS, relationships are going to suffer but you must have a lot to have been together 20 years and you must be resilient to work in the NHS, believe me I know! The light at the end of the tunnel is starting to glimmer slightly, keep looking at the light in your relationship and be kind to yourself, you deserve it 🙂

@willow_loulou I get quite a bit for the garden and house from G**tree and Nextdoor, there is a freebie section and things in the garden section on G**mtree are often really cheap.
I don't use a weed membrane, the weeds often appear in the top of gravel anyway. I use a thick layer of type 1, this is crushed granite and is quite heavy and compacts but water can still get through it, I stamp that down with my feet or the end of a club hammer and then put gravel on top of that. I too have bind weed but my worst is that weed that looks like purple clover leaves with yellow flowers, it appears on my brickweave drive but hardly ever in my gravel.

@Frugaldom Good to hear from you, we know how busy you are. I would love to come and volunteer at some point, if I can sort out two of my dogs, would I be able to bring the most well behaved one?

Have a good week all 😊

Frugaldom

StrawberrySuze said:
@Frugaldom Good to hear from you, we know how busy you are. I would love to come and volunteer at some point, if I can sort out two of my dogs, would I be able to bring the most well behaved one?

Of course you can bring the well behaved one, as long as it's on a lead and can't chase the wildlife

[Deleted User]

Morning all

I had to spend yesterday! The blade on my reciprocating saw is totally blunt, rendering it useless at chopping the free wood I have gathered. I bought a pack of 5 blades for £7, so whilst it has spoilt my run of NSDs, it is necessary in the grand scheme of burning wood rather than gas and keeping energy costs as low as possible!

Other than that, nothing has been spent and we are day 11 now. We are moving onto tinned fruit and frozen veg, which is fine, and still have plenty in the cupboards and freezer. Take care all xx

MazzieD

I agree with @StrawberrySuze about the membrane and was going to write something similar.


I make my own weed killer, I'm sure some of you have come across this but I'll share it anyway:-



Home made weed killer

1 cup vinegar
1/2 cup washing up liquid

Put in a spray bottle and top up with water.


That's it, nice and simple and I use the cheapest washing up liquid and vinegar I can find!.  Just spray it on the leaves and it's surprisingly effective, takes a few days to work like other weed killers.  Not sure what the worms and other wildlife or pets think of it though