2008 - Live on £4000 for a full year.

DdraigGoch

Whitewing, please don't go. I didn't read the freegan hoohah, and I too feel that it's stealing but am prepared to ignore it on here as this thread is far too precious to me and mine to have it binned.

Nyk, you put it very nicely when you stated the aims and objectives of this thread - thank you.

Hoping that all stays as happy and supportive as it has proved to be over the past weeks. You're all doing a wonderful job, and helping lots of other people into the bargain - now that really is MSE DFW at its best.

On the note of being DF or not, I'm debt free, apart from a mortgage, which will be paid off some time this year - circumstances and promises being kept hopefully - but I fully intend to remain DF and can only do that with your help and support. Please don't ask me to leave.

DG

tryingtodobetter

Whitewing please don't go I always enjoy reading your posts and your tails about MIL. I too am not a fan of taking food that doesn't belong to you without permission. Perhaps another thread should be started if others wish to discuss it, as I would hate for this thread to be locked or deleted if the debate turned nasty like the last.

elantan

white wing i am sorry if i brought the freegans into this thread it certainly wasnt my intention to upset anyone....i was just referring to what had already been mentioned i apologise if i have upset you in anyway ..please dont go you are a huge influence on this thread and we really need you

bails

Hey guys, please don't go anywhere! I think of you all as my (virtual) friends and this thread gives me a lot of fun and support each day. Let's just stay focused on what we're doing and each feel comfortable with for our challenge.
What have people got planned for the weekend? I'm making the most of OH's absence by batch baking and have free use of a local gym - anything to stay away from the shops!:D

tryingtodobetter

Good idea bails. As i'm still recovering from having my tonsils out we are going to go for a gentle walk around a local national trust property.DH is then going to take DS1 and DS2 swimming while I refill the freezer with some batch cooking. Have a good weekend everyone.

Janey51

whitewing I never read the "Freegan" posts either and I'm pleased by what I have read. My DIL and DS actually distribute the surplus food from supermarkets to the homeless in Glasgow which I think is a good use of excess.
Although I don't feel a twinge of guilt about re-locating the newspapers of a re-cycling bin or a friend's cast offs, I don't think my image goes with bin diving. One must appear to have standards even if one is a closet serial chicken carcase scraper or a stealer of other people's toilet paper.:D

I went to have my hair done today and will not be able to afford to eat for a week as it cost me £69.95. I did get 3 free coffees and a mint. Plus DH got his free haircut. :T

I rescued 2 trays of chicken breasts from Mum's freezer as she will never cook them. I will turn them into meals for her and a few for us as there is about 3lbs weight.

DH was gagging for a cake tonight but I found a couple of pieces of frozen sponge so he had to make do with those.;)

He has invited SIL and her husband for supper on Sunday so I'm raking through the cupboards for nibbley things. I have threatened a painful and slow demise if he dares to buy any more booze as we have loads left from Christmas. He is going to make things on Sunday while I am visiting. There is quiche in the freezer and some Parmesan so he will make cheese straws. I will get some plain yogurt so he can make dips so I'll have a look for some not too wrinkly carrots and cucumber in Mr T's reduced bit tomorrow. Its great being married to a cook. :j

Had hoped to not spend but, as DH has found a source of free wood and is going to pick it up tomorrow morning, he can drop me off early to do the shopping. There is less chance of luxuries appearing in the trolley if I am on my own.

Jay1_2

Just logged on to catch up and say NSD!!!!:j And I've cancelled lunch with my friend on Monday in an attempt to get back on track.

Whitewing thanks for mentioning that the thrown out food goes to livestock - I had never thought of that. Totally different view of it now. Reminds me of when I was at uni in a catered hall, we had bins to scrape our plates into, one for food waste and one for paper, yoghurt pots etc, we didn't know how to count tea-bags (I don't drink tea but they were the individual ones with string on). It was eventally pointed out to us that they should go with the paper coz the pigs didn't like the staples .

Frugaldom

Sashacat, as you're already preparing your allotment, does that mean I should be preparing the veggie patch? I've dug it over a couple of times but haven't got a clue about when to start planting and haven't got anything to plant in it yet. Hope I'm not leaving my research too late? I'll be happy just with onions and potatoes and, as I can't guarantee how long I'll be living here (depends on whether landlord decides to sell or not), I'm thinking perhaps that's enough in case we need to move house.

Marru - CHARDONNAY? :eek: I'm so frugalistic I won't even buy Lambrusco :rotfl: Good luck with everything and have fun trying to sort it all out - make the most of your final bottle of wine for now.

Whitewing - Come baaaack... we need to hear your tales of how to fruagalize an expanding family and how your MIL gets on with her job-seeking and frugal English lessons etc. I promise that I will do my best to help keep this thread on topic - we have too much to lose. We each have our own thoughts, morals, values and beliefs, just like we each have our own reasons for being here but we all have one thing in common - our willingness to support one another here whilst trying to save money. :T

Elantan - I don't mind the freegans or any other 'labelled' members of society being here, so you should not need to apologise. Nobody 'brought' anybody here, it's a public forum with an open invite to all.

I'm going to read back through the posts and see what's been said. I'll apologise for the 'eBid' remark I made earlier, as that could be seen as blatant advertising (for the charity week) and then this frugal 'broody hen' will be back to make sure the frugal chicks are all settled. :A

EDITED IN: OK, I'm back again and can't see anything too off topic apart from Casey asking questions about the Freegan thread that got deleted. I think if we all agree that the thread got pulled because management decided to pull it then that answers the question. As a participant there, I can honestly say that it did veer off the topic of moneysaving and freeganism. Casey.... tut, tut, no more off topic questions here, please. We literally can't afford to lose our thread . Your co-operation in this would be much appreciated, but feel free to post your moneysaving, budget-busting hints and tips.
Jay / Whitewing - the food shouldn't be fed to the animals, as far as I'm aware, that was banned in the wake of the BSE disaster. Besides, they would need to pay processing agencies for that as most things are now packaged. I can't vouch for the fresh, loose veg, though, but can't imagine the stores all having seperate bins - the fruit would forment. I'm pretty sure they pay to have it all collected and dumped, as I remember there was a huge hullabaloo about landfill tax. Ooops.... heading off topic, sorry. I'll just ask the manager of Co-op tomorrow instead :cool:

bails

I'm settled and I aint going anywhere Nyk, hope noone else is either! Cluck cluck, this little chick is off to bed, night all x

LollopyBear

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry I've been MIA this week. This week, following half term, has been quite tough as the work has increased threefold, and will again next week. I've been too exhausted to try and work out my spendings until now. I have just caught up on all the posts though and it is great to see everyone doing so well.

I also feel as someone else mentioned (can't remember who, I'm sorry) that there is a correlation between spending and posting on here! If you look at my budget you will see that I am already quite a bit over for this month. However, I have now bought a months season ticket on the train at a cost of £86.20 which I have estimated will save me £23 minimum per month. This ticket expires on 18th March where it will be nearly Easter hols, and not much train use. So, hopefully March will be my catch up month, especially without my big travel expense!

I notice such a big difference between my standard of living being at home over half term and working all waking hours during the week. My dh, although he has been at home 3 days this week and has cooked the meals, has not cooked from scratch and included healthier items. Due to me being so tired/stressed I haven't been in control of the mealplans and supermarket shops so we are spending more than we need to and not cooking once, eating twice. Also, today I went to make my sandwich and realised I had nothing to put in it! I ended up buying a rubbery sandwich that I didn't enjoy at all.

I really want to get to a stage where we are totally self-sufficient, though if we were still using amenities such as bin collection (hopefully we wouldn't have any waste), schools, hospitals and all the other bits and pieces that we would find a way to pay the council tax. For me, personally, I wouldn't feel right not paying that unless there was a medical reason. I do agree that there are many other ways you can benefit your community without money and I try to do as much as possible, I just lack the energy at the moment to do more than my PGCE and girl guides.