2022 Frugal Living Challenge

kiloranbay

I've also had success with the big name brand machine dyes and enjoyed the contrasting coloured threads. Me ma dyes all the dog towels dark green (mostly her towels and linens are ex service - hotel laundry - so white originally) so that they don't get mistaken for guest towels.

Or perhaps @Debsnewbudget you could find someone willing to swap? I write from under a blue blanket, but with burgundy curtains... 

The heavy burgundy curtains have gone up onto the plasterboard with a bit of planed and sanded architrave and some proper plasterboard anchors from the hardware shop. I've filled over the screws and painted it so that it doesn't look like lots of holes in the wall. Will leave the batten there when I move out.

I'd really hoped not to buy the various curtain assembly bits but it was getting too chilly in the evenings for my guests and waiting until I found the perfect free plank of wood or scrabbled together enough second-hand screws and anchors would have been ok for me personally but too heavy on my conscience as a host! 

FrugalThymes

More winter proofing today; my husband put down a carpet over the laminate in the lounge. Underlay was left over from years ago, carpet was given to us on Freecycle so all we had to buy today was £7 worth of gripper rods!

I had a day of batch cooking; bacon and potato hotpot, oaty nutty bars, jacket potatoes, big pan of roast carrots and parsnips, pizza rolls, chicken wings from oli0. I organised it so the oven was completely full and only had to be on for an hour for everything.

As well as the huge pack of chicken wings (now cooked, stripped ready for meals and the bones in the freezer for my first attempt at stock sometime soon!) we were gifted a pack of cocktail sausages, big tub of vanilla yoghurt and a mixed salad pack.

Sat down and worked out all of our bills and exactly what's left over and we have a plan for getting out if the overdraft by the end of November which will save us a lot of fees.

MazzieD

Just checked my energy account, the £66 October payment for the Energy Price guarantee grant (or whatever it's called) arrived yesterday so you might wish to check your on-line accounts if you have one, should be arriving any day now if you haven't.  Just waiting for September bill to arrive. 

Have already started keeping a closer watch on my energy consumption (so glad I have a smart meter with an In House Display, have to walk past it on the way to the kitchen so an ideal location).  Just hope it doesn't become an obsession  

gill5blue

Floss said:

gill5blue said:

Floss said:

I use Nancy Birtwhistle's Pure Magic https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChSRfnsKDhZ/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

the looks great-i may even buy her books-or look on freebie sites for them
gill5blue

You will be very lucky to find her books on any free sites!

hi Floss,
yes, had a look and nothing but WH Smith have them so I will buy them instead.
gill5blue

Auti

gill5blue said:

Floss said:

gill5blue said:

Floss said:

I use Nancy Birtwhistle's Pure Magic https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChSRfnsKDhZ/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

the looks great-i may even buy her books-or look on freebie sites for them
gill5blue

You will be very lucky to find her books on any free sites!

hi Floss,
yes, had a look and nothing but WH Smith have them so I will buy them instead.
gill5blue

Have you tried Wob (world of books) they do second hand books and often have hard to get ones too. Also bonus as recycling

London_1

I have two throws in my sitting room, one is grey with butterflies on my youngest DD bought for me, and one is mustard coloured that one of my grandsons bought for me ,neither of which match anything in my sitting room, but the love that bought them for me matters more than the colour

My grandson Jack's was bought when he was a fairly hard up student a couple of Christmas's ago when mustard was the 'fashionable' colour, bless him he worries that I may be feeling the cold, and I dare say although he could probably ill afford it.
 I appreciated the thought behind it.I actually have it around my knees at the moment. He's such a softie that boy, and has a heart of pure gold. He never has a great deal of spare cash but will always treat either his Mum or me, usually for me with something to keep me warm.

My DD's throw was bought because it had butterflies on it, and to her if she see's anything for me with a butterfly on it she will buy it as for some reason she says it reminds her of her late Dad, and said having a butterfly throw will be a warm hug from him

 She's as soft as her lovely son Jack bless her, they are very alike.
 So to me they are more about their love than whether they thought about my decor I wouldn't part with them for anything .They keep me cosy and warm and I always feel happy wrapped in them 

JackieO xx

Beshki

I have to admit that I would probably be keen for my throws to match my living room too. What I would likely do is buy a new (inexpensive) one that did match and keep my none matching ones in a cupboard or similar still to use but not be seen. Not very frugal perhaps but I want my home to be somewhere I love to be.

I’ve purchased a couple of other gifts this week that has really stretched me financially but I saw perfect gifts and didn’t want them selling out so i snapped them up. Something im miffed about is I went to buy one of the £40 electric throws from 4sda, and they’ve sold out. Of course now I can’t find any around that price and that was my budget for those gifts Not really sure what to do as they were perfect for who we needed them for, but I can’t justify spending any more ££ on them.

dreaming

Beshki said:

I have to admit that I would probably be keen for my throws to match my living room too. What I would likely do is buy a new (inexpensive) one that did match and keep my none matching ones in a cupboard or similar still to use but not be seen. Not very frugal perhaps but I want my home to be somewhere I love to be.

I’ve purchased a couple of other gifts this week that has really stretched me financially but I saw perfect gifts and didn’t want them selling out so i snapped them up. Something im miffed about is I went to buy one of the £40 electric throws from 4sda, and they’ve sold out. Of course now I can’t find any around that price and that was my budget for those gifts Not really sure what to do as they were perfect for who we needed them for, but I can’t justify spending any more ££ on them.

If you can stretch a few pounds more Robert Dyas has some nice looking ones at £47.99 Glamhaus Heated Throw Electric Fleece Over Blanket Sofa Bed Large 160 X 130Cm Brown | Robert Dyas

mumtoomany

For anyone looking for thermals, just noticed B&M have them. Long johns and long sleeved tops, both in two packs at £10 per pack. HTH. Hugs, mumtoomany.xx

cw18

Auti said:

Have you tried Wob (world of books) they do second hand books and often have hard to get ones too. Also bonus as recycling

Or MusicMagpie - I've had a lot from there as well.