Live on £4000 for a year - Part 2

redglass_2

What a pain about the horseriding, Bails! Better luck next time you get a chance. And welcome, Brassic! Nyk, could you (ahem) borrow the plates and bowls or would that be a saving too far?

All you frugallers out there will no doubt be delighted to know that the topic of the English GCSE paper I'm going to mark is recycling/ frugality, and in particular how the young could learn a thing or two from the way people managed in the 40s and 50s. (Not any young people on this thread, obviously. ). Haven't marked any scripts yet - am just about to start - and it'll be interesting to see how the candidates respond to that idea.

Can I be a pain and ask about the free bingo? I know everyone else got to grips with it ages ago but I never joined in because I always had to work Thursday night. Besides, I'm an online bingo virgin (though I do have impressive bingo wings). Is it G*la or is it one of the other sites? And can I set it up so that it's automated and I can just leave the computer? (I know, that's SO lazy, but there are other things to be getting on with....)

whitewing

Nyk, before you get too carried away on the plastic stuff, it may be worth thinking about the overall effect of the tables laid out. There are cheap 'value' crockery and plastic stuff that looks like china etc.

I wanted 'party' food for our buffet, but it's quite important to me that we can take photos of the set up, and that it looks weddingified. I wasn't actually that bothered but have seen a few reception venues where the places are set and the overall effect looks lovely. Although we aren't having a sit down meal, we do want to achieve a 'wow' effect when people see the food laid out. And the eating implements are part of that.

whitewing

Just had a thought actually. As you have plenty of time, it may be worth seeing if you could come to an arrangement with a local church or group or school even to borrow/hire their stuff (and replace any that gets broken; it's never that much). Churches always have loads of crockery and cutlery.

slowlyfading

:hello: and good afternoon to everyone This is my 2nd NSD in a row, so all is going well :j I've decided to put an I.O.U in my dad's fathers day card, so that when I see him next, I can buy him something he really wants. I hope this is okay what do you think? This also means that I don't have to worry about finding something I can post, and he can choose something that he actually wants, rather than something I find. Also, I've got some stamps already, so there's no extra cost in posting! To me, it seems like an ideal situation, but I'm worried my dad will not like it he's a pretty laid back guy, so hopefully it'll be okay.

I've worked out now, that if I plan my meals carefully, I don't need to spend anything all week :j I'm going to Leeds on Friday to see an old friend, someone who I've not seen in about a year and a half, so obviously I'll have to pay for my train ticket and lunch somewhere. I don't think I'll buy anything, I shouldn't! But I'm looking forward to it as well

I asked yesterday about any ideas on how to use some broccoli stalks, and so I made them into a soup this morning, and do you know what? It actually tastes pretty good! I'm not the best cook and this was NOT a hard recipe, but I was impressed with myself :rotfl:so that's another meal sorted as well!! I'm loving this not spending anything, also obviously I know I will need to at some point!

Okay, I've rambled on for long enough! x

bails

SlowlyFading, that's so great, and the I.O.U sounds great to me - perhaps you could make some suggestions on the IOU of what he might like? I so wish I had discovered MSE and all these frugal ideas when I was at uni (although MSE wasn't around then!). Well done you!
Redglass, thanks. The bingo is indeed Ga*a, sign up through a cashback site for most benefit (Quidco offered £30 when I did it) and then free bingo is now Monday and Thursday.

shaz_mum_of__2

nykmedia wrote: »

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I'm searching for frugal party supplies - I am loath to spend a fortune on disposable paper plates and bowls! There must be cheap washable, reuseable ones somewhere, surely? I already bought plastic cutlery but may have been cheaper buying real stuff! However, I'm sure there will be health and safety issues concerning a stand up buffet, metal cutlery, alcohol and children in attendance, so settled for plastic! At least I'll can wash and reuse whatever doesn't get broken. :rolleyes: Must search for serving plates and bowls, as we are catering for over 100 now! :eek: Gone to count up spends so far and wishing, wishing, wishing for a financial windfall of some description.

Hi Nyk

you can hire them check your yellow pages some even include washing up(you scrape them and take back dirty )most do cloths etc too

Whitewings suggestion is a good one when i was a caterer i used to hire from a local church if people wanted real crockery i used to give them £20 they were happy too as they didnt get used and i washed them which saved a job for them (if you hire the church hall/ community centre it would be included)

Have you thought about what your going to feed them yet,for that amount of people i would suggest cold cuts and hot buttered new potatoes with all different kinds of salad (rice pasta couscous potato coleslaw ) for a sit down meal or adapt for a fork buffet

soup pate and melon make good starters as you can prep in advance

when buying cakes especially gateau think about fridge space cream cakes need chilling/defrosting and take up lots of room ,other cakes dont


need any more tips let me know

Shaz

Ploddy

slowlyfading wrote: »

I've decided to put an I.O.U in my dad's fathers day card, so that when I see him next, I can buy him something he really wants. I hope this is okay

The OIU sounds like a good idea, however if my daughter put one in my card my reaction would be based on what the IOU looked liked.

I imagine you dad knows you're currently trying to spend as little as possible, if my daughter wrote "IOU 1 present" on a piece of A4 lined paper which was folded in half and shoved in a card, I wouldn't appreciate it that much. :rolleyes:

However if it was the same card, but inside was an IOU with a short personal message written by her, on nice paper with sticky on detailing then it would look better, mean more because time and emotion has been put in to it, and I wouldn't need a present after this.:D

HTH Ploddy

Ploddy

Personally, I would find it beneficial to see how big each of the the challenger's households are.

£4K per year for one person is much easier than..

£4K per year for a family of 5 or 6.

whitewing

Hello Ploddy, where do you spring from? I had to investigate as I don't think I've seen you here before (no offence intended).

When I started the challenge there were 3 of us on £5300. Now I don't know how much I've spent (will tot it up when I'm brave enough) and there are 4 as us as MIL is stopping for a bit.

slowlyfading

bails wrote: »

SlowlyFading, that's so great, and the I.O.U sounds great to me - perhaps you could make some suggestions on the IOU of what he might like? I so wish I had discovered MSE and all these frugal ideas when I was at uni (although MSE wasn't around then!). Well done you!

Thanks! I've written it on a piece of paper cut into the size of a credit card, Put 'I.O.U one hand picked, special present' on the front and 'Please keep until redeemed' on the back, with a heart and a kiss I've also written a message in the card to say why I've done that, and that I hope he doesn't mind. I love this site, I honestly do. Before I joined, I was fairly careful with my money, and now I am so careful, I think its bordering on obsessive! But, the way I see it, if I know where and how my money is going, I can see where I need to cut back, and hopefully learn some skills for the future, when money might be equally as tight.