2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

georgiasmum

Hello all frugallers, just GM checking in. Keeping to budget better this month even though it is holidays. Stocked up on nice bogoff treats for kids and friends so I am happy. They are swimming, playing, bouncing on trampoline and going to the park (all free!!) We are having a free day at centerparcs on thurs but will treat ourselves to a lunch as we have all agreed to save this month.

You may recall my earlier post where my husband had been very, very bad and upset me. Well, news on this front is that he is seeking help for his gambling problem before it gets too out of hand and he is determined to change. It will be hard as all addictions are hard to shake but I hope we can make it. I will do my best to support him.

I am having a major personal crisis that cannot be divulged here on this public forum for legal reasons but I have to say that DH has come up trumps. Even though he is ill and difficult at times he has really tried to help, be supportive and do household chores without being asked. I cry all the time and he is patient so just a little thanks to him. Men are from Mars but he is making daily trips to Venus and I am grateful.

Keep frugalling folks!

bails

Keren, just say to him, instead of throwing it out, can heleave anything he doesn't want in an agreed place and you can take it when you collect the dog. Much better than it going in the bin (and not even the compost!). It's not weird if it works for you, Keren, I think it's great if people can still get on when they're no longer together.
Georgiasmum, that's great news about your OH, and making daily trips to Venus, I like it! Sorry to hear about your other problems, I hope they can be resolved as painlessly as possible x

Burlesque_Babe

If I can be confident enough, I might cheekily say tomorrow 'ooh, whatever you are going to chuck out, leave it out and I'll see what I can make use of - save you space in your bin!' He always has loads of potatoes that just sit there and do nothing until they go green and shoots appear and then disappear - into the bin I guess!!

Frugaldom

I'm back with my masterplan for a high proportion of no spend days. Having checked dates of direct debits and standing orders, I don't see it as impossible to co-ordinate all my spending into just those few days per month. Insurance and TV license are paid up front, it's just electricity (quarterly), telephone (quarterly), National Insurance (quarterly), Internet (monthly) and credit card (monthly). Can anyone think of anything else?

By doing a big, main shop on the same day as my first DD of the month and then top-up shops only on bill paying dates, I could, theoretically, smash my number of household spending days to about 3 or 4 per month. And as all you lovely people have said - full fat milk can be frozen I need a spending SCHEDULE as well as a spending diary and guess what I now have here? An annual wall chart! I just need a wall to hang it on and then colour in the days I am allowed to spend so that EVERYONE in the household knows what to expect.

Today is a lovely day, I'm trying to make the most of it. It's crisp and sunny outside, washing's hanging out, it's day 50 of the year (nice round number), and it's also made a lovely round £64 total for my quit smoking fund. This has been set aside in a brand new (high interest) account and nicknamed the GAL fund (Garden And Livestock). One day, this will pay for my new veggie patch, fruit trees, fruit bushes and some hens

Back again... each time I post, there are another 3 there before I finish, apologies for my slow typing.

Would just like to wish GeorgiasMum luck and hope all goes well. It'll all work out for the best in the long run, I'm sure it will. Take care

catshark88

Congratulations to you all for making it to day 50!:beer:

Not just do you show fabulous willpower but lurkers cannot fail to be inspired by the humour and sense of fun you all show.

I CRINGE looking back on the amount I have wasted before my LBM but am slowly improving. Now when I roast a chicken, I am far more excited about what I can do with the leftovers than I am about the roast meal.:rotfl:

Enjoy the sun everyone.:D

poorandindenial

catshark88 wrote: »

I CRINGE looking back on the amount I have wasted before my LBM but am slowly improving. Now when I roast a chicken, I am far more excited about what I can do with the leftovers than I am about the roast meal.:rotfl:

Ditto - in fact am roasting a chicken as I type and am excited about the soup, stock, stir fry and curry/casserole that I will make as well as the late lunch/early dinner of roast chicken and mash - yummmmmm. Good job I enjoy cooking.

Sorry to tresapass from time to time - hope you don't mind, I am not technically doing this challenge but am sort of challenging myself to see how close I can get.

I LOVE this thread, it keeps me going and always makes me chuckle. Thank you one and all.:T

Mollymop5

keren29 wrote: »

I have to say, to most people, my 'relationship' with my ex must seem odd, but he is still single so there is no 'other woman' in his life and I go around because of Charlie. It doesn't feel odd having a key to my old house, although his food waste does make me go 'ggrrr'......I saw a whole Tesco Finest sliced multigrain loaf sit on the worktop unopened for about a week a while back - and then the next day it was in the bin on the worktop, unopened, not a slice eaten. It was soooooooo tempting to pinch it out of the bin as there was nothing else in there, but he would have noticed I think and, could I (and should I!) really have taken a loaf of bread from a bin??!!!!

my relationship with my ex is similar.We're good friend and he pops in most days.We decided this should be the way as we have 2 children.If I make soup he takes some and vice versa.He often makes roast dinners and they're a waste for just 1 so I go with the kids to eat at his.Saves us both money :)My ds stayed over with him last night and I text earlier to day if he timed it right in bringing him home he'd make it just in time for soup and fresh rolls lol.They were here in time

dfw844

Hi everyone,

Sorry to hear you've been having a tough time lately Georgiasmum. Hope things get better soon. Nyk you are so dedicated - I've only just caught on to managing one NSD and you're trying to make virtually the whole month a NSD, in fact, you could have whole NSWeeks, that would be impressive!!

I was very good today and didn't buy a takeaway coffee even though I really wanted one. I'd brought my lunch into work as usual, but I am going out tonight to see a friend so I will have to pay bus fare. Other than that not a penny!

Feeling more confident that I can come in on budget this month. If I do the same in March then I have worked out that on 1st April I will owe just (and I mean JUST) under half of my original debt at it's worst! How exciting is that? I can't wait, and that info alone is sure to keep me out of Starbucks!!!

Oh, and I'm with you all on the roast chicken, so many meals out of one bird, and so easy too!

Frugaldom

Everyone is always welcome here, even if they end up leaving with a flea in their ear. :rotfl: I like reading the 'member by proxy' posts and lurker posts - we all know you're frugalites in disguise but want to shift the debts or up the savings before you commit to this challenge officially.
Oooh... someone could always set up another thread alongside this for the "dummyrunners" (no offence meant) ... like a training camp for the 4k frugalites. :T

To other readers, I don't recommend anyone takes part in this challenge if they smoke 40 cigs a day and go to the pub at weekends, as that costs more than we have to live on for the full year. :eek:

:j :j :j Isn't this exciting? They are starting to talk about THE Budget! Wonder what the Chancellor is going to hit us with this time... anyone want to start guessing? (Cigs and Alcohol not available options as they are foregone conclusions).

Now, when is the Budget and WHO IS THE CHANCELLOR??
I didn't claim to actually KNOW anything about government and politics, only how THE budget affects MY budget. :rotfl:

Poorandindenial & DFW844 - I am WELL impressed by your debt clearances! :T :T

mama67

nykmedia wrote: »

I'm back with my masterplan for a high proportion of no spend days. Having checked dates of direct debits and standing orders, I don't see it as impossible to co-ordinate all my spending into just those few days per month. Insurance and TV license are paid up front, it's just electricity (quarterly), telephone (quarterly), National Insurance (quarterly), Internet (monthly) and credit card (monthly). Can anyone think of anything else?

By doing a big, main shop on the same day as my first DD of the month and then top-up shops only on bill paying dates, I could, theoretically, smash my number of household spending days to about 3 or 4 per month. And as all you lovely people have said - full fat milk can be frozen I need a spending SCHEDULE as well as a spending diary and guess what I now have here? An annual wall chart! I just need a wall to hang it on and then colour in the days I am allowed to spend so that EVERYONE in the household knows what to expect.

Today is a lovely day, I'm trying to make the most of it. It's crisp and sunny outside, washing's hanging out, it's day 50 of the year (nice round number), and it's also made a lovely round £64 total for my quit smoking fund. This has been set aside in a brand new (high interest) account and nicknamed the GAL fund (Garden And Livestock). One day, this will pay for my new veggie patch, fruit trees, fruit bushes and some hens

Back again... each time I post, there are another 3 there before I finish, apologies for my slow typing.

Would just like to wish GeorgiasMum luck and hope all goes well. It'll all work out for the best in the long run, I'm sure it will. Take care

I freeze semi - skim, we don't use full fat.

Never had a problem once defrosted. just shake bottle up to reincorporate the cream.