2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

slowlyfading

nykmedia wrote: »

Good to know as I'd love to have my own energy supply and will certainly be wanting to live somewhere I can have a woodburner. I hate relying on the power supply companies for everything and having nothing during winter power cuts!

At home (not uni) we have solar panels that heat our water (i think? they could do other things as well, i just don't know!) and I think they're a great idea I'm all for using the environment as an energy resource without killing it. we don't have radiators in our house either - its quite old and so has a fireplace in each room! We only use the one in the living room and the dining room

slowlyfading

nykmedia wrote: »

Swimming three times per week = almost £10. If you allow for inflation (and for extra transport when they close local pools!) I think you should aim for total swimming frugality and own your own swimming pool! Think what you'd save over a lifetime and you could go swimming every day with no travel expenses That was my excuse for quitting pony trekking and riding lessons and buying my first horse :rotfl:

Lol I wish! :rolleyes: is £10 a week too much? I don't really spend anything else - I'm not one for going out drinking or whatever. I hope I stick to the swimming top, could do to lose a few lbs!

hopeless_spendthrift

Janey51 wrote: »

Hi GemGems :T
This challenge really makes you think about every penny.
I wrestled with myself in Wilkinsons yesterday as I wanted a small notebook to carry to keep a record of all my purchases. I really, really wanted one with a cute picture of kittens on which was £1.29 but came out with a Value one for 29p which is pictureless:D

:TVery proud of you Janey and I have found that I also tend to actually think more b4 I spend. The 'little' spends, like your potential £1 above are the ones which used to add up to bigger totals b4 being ( i feel a new word coming on...!) frugalconscious aren't they?

Hope you are all well. Welcome to all our new recruits :hello: and very best of luck to you all on this challenge.

Congrats Whitewing on your comp wins!!! :j Fantastic news! So glad your day is going so well.

I admire your swimming plan Slowlyfading - tis a very good form of exercise. I have joined up to the February Frugal Fitness Challenge but must be honest and say that I haven't done a thing! Not been feeling well, in my defence, but really hope I don't end up measuring more than I did at the start of the month!

L ve the sound of the eco-power systems Nyk - and grant funded too?! Perfick!

6 chickens ajjh??? Fab! :j and at such a frugalicious price too! I am very jealous mind u! lol.

Having a pretty frugal week so far here with 2 NSD's this week and not much going on in between. Will update properly at the end of the week. What am I saying? It IS the end of the week isn't it? D'oh! Will add up sometime soon then.

Next week will be a bigger spend, starting 2morrow with a £50ish order from Mr A, which will, I am hoping, last me at least a couple of weeks, with small top up shops. Also organic fruit n veg payment due, plus I am getting milk, yoghurt, bread and some peanut butter delivered tomorrow! I am very excited (sad?), and yes, I know it sounds a very extravagant thing to do, but am finding it increasingly difficult to get out nowadays with my (and children's intermittent...)ailing health and it was Free delivery with orders over £8. Plus organic milk etc which not only helps me and my kids but also the wonderful farmers who produce them. The dairy produce from Abel&Cole, from whom I have ordered, comes from a couple who keep guernsey cows so lovingly it is beautiful. They are so fond of their herd and treat them like members of the family. Apparently if the cows become sick, the wife treats them homeopathically! So weighing everything up, I feel amply justified in allowing myself this luxury! Also feel it is a little luxury I can now afford, since am saving so much since being frugal
Wishing you all a wonderful evening. Thanks, as ever, for your unfailing inspiration. x x x

Frugaldom

stefejb wrote: »

oh dear me no - dd11 is 11, I have a dd18 and a dd22 as well as a dgs3 - guess how old they are only dd11 lives with me.

Thank you for explaining that :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: I was reading all the D numbers as being the number of children in the family, so I thought I had DD1, DS1 and DGD1. No wonder I was getting confused!

Congratulations Whitewing! I haven't really started the comping yet but I keep doing the free draws.

Slowlyfading - no, £10 is not too much to spend per week on yourself for swimming! It just made me think of the riding lessons and how my horse-buying problem began. I rented grazing and bought the children a pony when they were little, as well, as it was cheaper than travelling back and forth to nearest riding school and paying for the two of them to have lessons. My mind just leaps into overdrive at frugal alternatives and if someone likes swimming then they deserve to be able to afford their own pool one day. I know people with pools and they hardly ever use them.
Now, what about people who like dining out on a regular basis - I also know that instead of dining out with the entire family (costly for a large, extended family are several grandchildren) they simply hired in a chef and cleaners for the weekend :T I know loads of people's "secrets" and was amazed at seeing how many 'rich' folks play these frugal games Don't worry, if any of you are actually reading this, I won't reveal your identities but I, too, shall be that rich one day - even if it is just for the ONE DAY :rotfl:

Forgot to say, great news on getting your chickens AZ! You'll probably find that they'll stop laying whilst moulting and once they realise there's no 14 hours a day electric light but, if you got 6 of them, then you could easily get half a dozen eggs a day come the longer days. Can't help but laugh when thinking of them looking out the wendy house windows, though

lilac_lady

There are times when you have to break the frugality rules. I collected my DGS from nursery today and took him to a nice cafe for juice and a bun because he's been so good when his mum isn't well. New brother/sister expected next month and DIL not too good at the moment. BTW, I only had a coffee even though I fancied a doughnut too so I suppose I was a little bit frugal!

bails

Hi everyone, oh god the chickens have been mentioned again! And I did spot that they were bought just over yonder - now which farm was it please AZ? As in the city farm? Must control myself and not buy 50p chickens...:D

karren

nykmedia, does that mean if i install a wood burning stove i can claim the cost back?

princess_h

Im just bout to move in wid the boys which means i need to budget, iv worked out £3600 to last me after iv paid rent, phone bill, credit card, savings and all the other crap that we have to pay out every month which means the £3600 has to do me for petrol food and a lil bit of fun every week.. works out £4000 a year, i think i can do it so im going to join in the challenge too!!! its much easier i know other people are doing it too!! :j

CRANKY40

Yay, thanks to a payment from quidco for changing buildings/contents insurance, my spend so far is less than it was last month, even though I've paid a few more bills.

OK, I know this won't last long, but it's still given me a bit of a boost.

I hope you're all keeping well.

skintwellie

Congratulations :beer: whitewing on your win. I bet you're inspired to enter a lot more comps now.

Today started brilliantly. Our home delivery Mr T's has been closed for a refit, I have been sent a voucher for £15.00 off my next shop (no minimum order!). I decided to stock up on the basics plus any useful BOGOFs, which came to £35.00 (with the £15.00 off). I will spread this over my weekly allowance for the month. I got my breadmaker (my lovely bloke bought it for me) and did the £10.00 challenge at L**l, coming out with 8p change. I managed to get 5 dining room chairs from freecycle (the dog chewed all of the seats on ours), which I plan to cover - will buy fabric from market using money earned from some of the survey sites. I made the potato, bacon and onion hotpot (using frugal cheese and bacon bits) for tea plus a veggie version for my daughter. All made favourable comments - so a real winner! (Thank you whoever recommended it). Popped out to see a friend, but when I got back the dog had managed to drop the deadlock on the door. I ended up having to smash the window (very small 8" x8"). I have been told by the glazier that they can't fix it until tomorrow and it will cost a whopping £86.00 plus VAT!!!!!:eek: :eek: :eek: So already staying in budget this month looks a bit iffy!:mad: