2021 Frugal Living Challenge

Ellie79

Evening all. Been keeping up but not much time to post.  Retired to bed for the evening with some crochet, a hot water bottle and a herbal tea. Had a lovely chat with a work colleague. Not very frugal but considering saving up for a particular machine for crafting. The conversation was very helpful but the best part was just how lovely it was to have a chat with someone friendly and helpful, instead of it being stressful (work related) and convoluted. Also we sorted out the work issue. Win win. 

Another storm on it's way, storm Barra I believe, it is certainly cold enough here tonight to validate the predictions of rather vicious weather on the way. I hope everyone keeps warm and well. 

Frugaldom

@balabooberlies - "almost did"? Do tell! I'm intrigued - or have I forgotten? It would be great to meet up at some point as I've met a few of my fellow frugal living challengers over the years. Most have remained good friends, a couple weren't quite prepared for the reality of such a rural frugal lifestyle when it came to mealtimes, shopping and social life (or lack of).

Storm is forecast to arrive here just after lunchtime tomorrow, around the time our windows are being delivered. Sigh... But on a brighter note, I managed to get another free sink unit, this one for fitting into the hut. A friend collected it for me. We've no running water o plumbing at Frugaldom so I'll just take a container of tap water with me and put a similar sized empty container beneath the sink I've got a couple of plastic beer-making barrels that were donated so those should do the job nicely. Frugal water use in 2022. 

balabooberlies

Frugaldom said:

@balabooberlies - "almost did"? Do tell! I'm intrigued - or have I forgotten? It would be great to meet up at some point as I've met a few of my fellow frugal living challengers over the years. Most have remained good friends, a couple weren't quite prepared for the reality of such a rural frugal lifestyle when it came to mealtimes, shopping and social life (or lack of).

Storm is forecast to arrive here just after lunchtime tomorrow, around the time our windows are being delivered. Sigh... But on a brighter note, I managed to get another free sink unit, this one for fitting into the hut. A friend collected it for me. We've no running water o plumbing at Frugaldom so I'll just take a container of tap water with me and put a similar sized empty container beneath the sink I've got a couple of plastic beer-making barrels that were donated so those should do the job nicely. Frugal water use in 2022. 

Oh dear, sorry to those that remember this bit....

My Dad died just over a month ago. I had been with him for the last 6 months of his life helping to take care of him.  For which I am beyond grateful.  But on the day he died (3 in the morning) I was punch drunk with fatigue and later some alcohol.  I think I was very angry.  I am not sure.  I haven't worked out the emotions yet.

To cut a long story short, I caused a problem with my Mum and sister.  Absolutely ALL my fault.  So as family had arrived I picked up my handbag (left 6 months of clothing and 'life' stuff) and got the train home.  Slept most of the 2 hour journey.

When I stood in Victoria station I wanted to raid all of my cards/accounts, to buy a ticket to you and the life you created.  Wanted just to be with nature and hard work.  Wanted to run away from my feelings.

That's how I almost visited because I am perfectly capable of doing something like that.  But I stopped and thought..........

I will never forget that day.  Learnt something about myself.

I thanked you in an earlier post because everyone needs an escape plan, even if it's only in your head.  It's a place to go when despair is the tsunami of emotion.

So, once again, and with sincerity, thank you.

bala

x

2Scratters

Well happy with that piece of Frugal Living Christmas pressie for DH. Purchased a lovely cashmere coat from FB mkt place and got it dry cleaned all together cost for £20. We have been trying to cut back for a few years but have failed miserably. I feel Christmas is complete already I get so much satisfaction from gifting cost effectively. 
2 Scratters x

C_J

@Frugaldom - Thank you for the heads-up about the coffee logs, I bought four bags yesterday (with the 5% discount) as the Amzn reviews seemed good. The only people leaving terrible reviews appeared to be those who were trying to use them on barbecues or chimineas, but folk using them properly with woodburners seemed to rate them highly. We shall see.  When I placed the order, the delivery time was bizarrely given as being 8 weeks, but I have had an email this morning to say they will be delivered today.

I think they would be quite a pricey way to run the woodburner if used solely and frequently, but as an occasional addition to the wood we already have I think they may work well as most reviews say they burn hot and slow.

Yesterday we tried burning one of the Firelogs (£1 from Poundland) which promised it would last for two hours.  We used it to start the woodburner off with other small logs around it, and it lasted about 30 minutes.

Effician

C_J said:

I think they would be quite a pricey way to run the woodburner if used solely and frequently, but as an occasional addition to the wood we already have I think they may work well as most reviews say they burn hot and slow.

Yesterday we tried burning one of the Firelogs (£1 from Poundland) which promised it would last for two hours.  We used it to start the woodburner off with other small logs around it, and it lasted about 30 minutes.

Have often looked at the compressed wood logs & wonderered if i should try  but the frugal conscience on my shoulder always says no, i begrudge paying for stuff to set fire to in the stove.

Today i will be  mostly burning seasoned root balls of conifer/ budldeia/rose bush & willow, suprising the heat & longevity these clumps give.

balabooberlies

Effician said:

C_J said:

I think they would be quite a pricey way to run the woodburner if used solely and frequently, but as an occasional addition to the wood we already have I think they may work well as most reviews say they burn hot and slow.

Yesterday we tried burning one of the Firelogs (£1 from Poundland) which promised it would last for two hours.  We used it to start the woodburner off with other small logs around it, and it lasted about 30 minutes.

Have often looked at the compressed wood logs & wonderered if i should try  but the frugal conscience on my shoulder always says no, i begrudge paying for stuff to set fire to in the stove.

Today i will be  mostly burning seasoned root balls of conifer/ budldeia/rose bush & willow, suprising the heat & longevity these clumps give.

Effician, can you expand on that please if you have the time.  How do you make/acquire them.......

From someone who really doesn't know.

bala

x

Effician

balabooberlies said:

Effician said:

C_J said:

I think they would be quite a pricey way to run the woodburner if used solely and frequently, but as an occasional addition to the wood we already have I think they may work well as most reviews say they burn hot and slow.

Yesterday we tried burning one of the Firelogs (£1 from Poundland) which promised it would last for two hours.  We used it to start the woodburner off with other small logs around it, and it lasted about 30 minutes.

Have often looked at the compressed wood logs & wonderered if i should try  but the frugal conscience on my shoulder always says no, i begrudge paying for stuff to set fire to in the stove.

Today i will be  mostly burning seasoned root balls of conifer/ budldeia/rose bush & willow, suprising the heat & longevity these clumps give.

Effician, can you expand on that please if you have the time.  How do you make/acquire them.......

From someone who really doesn't know.

bala

x

Rootballs are below ground at the bottom of the trunk where the roots stem from

The shrub/small tree rootballs i have aquired are from friends & family who have either cleared their gardens or just dug up shrubs, i often lend out my basic garden shredder to folks who want to clear out old shrubs & vegetation on the understanding that the waste comes to me in the form of shredded branches/leaves for composting  & logs/rootballs for burning.

I find by saving others the cost of disposal they are more than happy to basically supply what i need .

For bigger jobs i'll turn up with a chainsaw & help them dispose of their unwanted trees .

I do have a good supply of seasoned logs  but i always work through the pallet wood /scaffold boards/rootballs & small branches first.

Jellytotts

I managed to get a good few baskets of logs chopped this morning from the wood stores and some previously chopped ones are now in the garage as even though they were undercover, they're still quite damp.  We have enough wood for this year and next and then there's a pile of uncut trunks and smaller trees that we cut down when we moved in.  I will deal with those after Christmas and get them chopped and undercover to season off for another year.

Had lots of luck on Olio lately, 60 odd tomatoes got dehydrated and stored in oil and garlic/chilli flakes.  They were a lovely addition to meals.  Loads of salad has been collected too which I'm always able to jazz up with a grated carrot/sweet corn/sliced onions or even pickled beetroot.  Last week I asked for a few packs of apples from one lovely lady but she'd had no other takers so asked if I wanted the lot....72 apples! They're not a variety I particularly like to eat raw but some got dehydrated for apple chips which I've snacked on and the rest got chopped, boiled and strained, half the juice made 11 jars of apple chilli jam and I've got the rest to do tomorrow when I find some more jam sugar.  Yesterday gave us some gluten free bread and rolls, 9 avacados! 8 monster parsnips and 7 courgettes.  I shall be roasting some veg up when the oven goes on tonight and 2 of the squishiest avacados were chopped and spread on toast for lunch (on the free bread).  We couldn't afford to eat avacados often normally so this is a lovely treat.

I've ebayed loads of old clothes (just basic supermarket stuff, no designer labels here) some wool and some odds and ends from around the house and loft and in 90 days I've made £871.  It's amazing what people will buy.

Frugaldom

@balabooberlies thank you for sharing and my sincerest apologies for missing previous similar posts I can't always get online long enough to keep up and often miss things. I'm pleased you thought of escaping to Frugaldom. It really is a great little place to get away from stuff.

@C_J I'm going to use the coffee logs as a special treat when our Frugaldom visitors are popping in for a cuppa. The aroma from the logs combined with the new wood of the hut is fantastic. Best in small burners, I think, plus any ash should be ok for putting around the trees.

@Effician, I wish I was as confident and able to wield a chainsaw. We will need to get someone in to fell trees if they get too big for us to manage with handsaws.

We have no.power today, storm Bara seems to have claimed it, so I'm heating water on the gas and filling hit water bottles. I think the sto has now passed us by, although it's still raining. I can see a blue patch of sky and a glimmer of sunshine on the horizon. Just need my mobile to stay charged for a bit longer!