2021 Frugal Living Challenge

balabooberlies

Scottiedog_3 said:

Frugaldom said:

@balabooberlies Dross is like the little bits f coal that fall through the riddles when it is being graded - they bag it and sell it as dross here. 

My granny was entitled to a certain number of bags of coal every two months as the widow of a coalminer. She used to go out and supervise the proceedings as the coal was being emptied into the coal bunker. "Dross!" she would roar, "You're giving me nothing but dross!" She could be a very scary lady....I can never hear the word without thinking of her.🙂

Youmade me smile.  From what I can remember my grandmother was like that.....

Frugaldom

@Scottiedog_3 I actually prefer the dross to the huge chnks of coal but the word also maks me think of cash - 'dross' was always the word used for the spare change and when I was young, I liked nothing more than a handful of dross to add to the piggy bank It became a standing joke in our family and right up until the year my dad died, I would save my 'dross' to wrap up in ever more inventive ways to give to him as a Christmas present jus so he could count how much fitted into whichever container I had cme up with that year. Pennies, 5p pieces or 20p pieces all fitted inside the old Smartie tubes.

balabooberlies

Okay, just sneaking in here 'cos cannot sleep.

Another haul today (and this will be my last until January/Feb).  It takes hard work and patience, I have waited an hour before for reduced items.  I visit supermarket almost everyday to look for discarded coupons.  This has only been recent and I  know it's partly to distract myself from my bereavement. It  includes a walk there and back so is good for me regardless of dodgy hip and sciatica. The Security Guard that used to follow me around, now saves coupons for me as he has witnessed me sharing them.

Today I wasn't going to buy any meat but once again there were no takers and another bargain hunter that I am on chatting terms with convinced me to take them.  Having remembered that I am going to Mum's for family dinner next weekend I bought what was there and will be taking it with me when I go.

So, if I have added it up correctly...................Full price £58.00...............I paid £24.00 (approx).

I won't be buying anymore for some time (what am I going to do instead) because we have enough.  Abundance.

Just am thrilled that it can be done, and I was the one that did it !

Hope you're all having sweet dreams......

bala

x

Frugaldom

Dear @balabooberlies, I, too, am still awake, so don't feel bad about sneaking on in the wee small hours. There's always someone around to catch us. I have been trying to access the funeral recording of a very dear friend who was a long-standing member of this challenge. She was one of several who grew from being a frugal living challenge virtual friend to becoming a real life friend, visiting Frugaldom several times over the past few years. Wonderful lady, who sadly passed away on the 15th of November. Her funeral was on Thursday but Ive had to wait until now to have sufficient, uninterrupted internet to enable me to log in. Good memories, happy times and lots of frugal fun over the years - all things that we have in common as followers of this lifestyle. You made me laugh when you said about the security guard saving the coupons for you!  
Hope you get some sleep now.
Good night

FrankieM

That's the plan @Frugaldom, just need to get myself back in the right mindset.

-taff

Frugaldom said:

 The slowburn briquettes are 'Night Briquettes' from a company called Lekto Woodfuel, who usually offer 10% discount on first order but I also found them listed on topcashback, so got 6% cash back from there and then the extra 0.5% cashback from my CC. I haven't tried the Lekto logs yet as I'm waiting for the stove to be cemented into the new flue.

I've tried them. They do last, but they kind of end up as a clump of glowing coal type thing,and they make loads and loads of ash. Last year I tried Bord na Morna peat logs, not terribly environmentally friendly, but much better than the Lekto ones, one or two of those on the fire produced very little ash and smelled a whole lot nicer than the lekto ones.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend anything else...

Poppy_Golightly

Frugaldom said:

@balabooberlies Dross is like the little bits f coal that fall through the riddles when it is being graded - they bag it and sell it as dross here.

Growing up in Northern Ireland, we used to call it "Slack".

dreaming

@balabooberlies - re Remoskas. I was watching Frugal Jo on YouTube yesterday and she was showing the kitchen items she likes most and she seems able to do loads in her Remoska, Here is the link if yo are interested https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V2XAGUdGDw

balabooberlies

Thank you so much Dreaming

seeing things always clarifies the nagging lack of confidence I have some times.  Especially when it comes to cooking !

 

x 

balabooberlies

Frugaldom said:

Dear @balabooberlies, I, too, am still awake, so don't feel bad about sneaking on in the wee small hours. There's always someone around to catch us. I have been trying to access the funeral recording of a very dear friend who was a long-standing member of this challenge. She was one of several who grew from being a frugal living challenge virtual friend to becoming a real life friend, visiting Frugaldom several times over the past few years. Wonderful lady, who sadly passed away on the 15th of November. Her funeral was on Thursday but Ive had to wait until now to have sufficient, uninterrupted internet to enable me to log in. Good memories, happy times and lots of frugal fun over the years - all things that we have in common as followers of this lifestyle. You made me laugh when you said about the security guard saving the coupons for you!  
Hope you get some sleep now.
Good night

I am so pleased that you have such happy memories and that you had the time to sit and reflect quietIy. 

An amazing and warming way to make a friend.


Would love to visit one day.............(and I almost did......)

One day.

love

bala

x