Live on £4000 for a year - Part 2

Frugaldom

Charlies Angel - I'll appoint you as resident therapist for those with frugalitis on the brain, if that's ok? I'm not looking for a cure just yet, I need to buy a house first, sort out my pension and build a home-based business first. That part is just as difficult, as I don't have a permanent home. :rotfl:

Mah_Jong - I like to read everyones' posts because then I know I haven't scared everyone away with my extreme dose of frugalitis. Keep on posting so we know you are still 'one of us'

Lynda - well done on your cashback gamble :T Some folks on here have done really well to say we're all novices in the bookies!

Redglass - I have been searching the threads for discussions about running homebased businesses and don't seem to be able to find one that covers what I'm looking for; there are plenty for ideas, new starts, funding, tax, advertising, online auctions, starting a cottage style industry etc, etc, etc but I cannot find one specifically as a general support/discussion thread for people who have actually taken the plunge and started planning/working from home. It is, afterall, about upping your income, even if it's from nothing to something, and I know several of us on here want to become entirely self-reliant for the purposes of earning a living. I'd like to be part of a thread where we are all in the same boat, sharing the ups and downs of developing our cash generating skills at home-based business level. Maybe MSE isn't the place for that, though. Will keep looking and thank you for your interest.

Anyone - I made a pot of carrot and coriander soup in the slow cooker this afternoon and we had some at dinner time. Can I freeze what's left of it?

sophiesmum_2

Soup will be fine to freeze nyk. Just stir well when you defrost it:D

mumzyof2

This is my last post as i have to be up at 5am!!
Have fun all and take care

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

(Ive packed the kids ice lolly gift.. ) hehehe

MarkyMarkD

bails wrote: »

And while I was in the drawer I spotted a couple of unfranked stamps rescued from a recent letter...ah, how times have changed, and definitely for the better! :T

Re-using stamps that haven't been franked is fraud. I hope that wasn't what you meant, bails.

Sorry about FrugalMouse by the way. One of our (at one point) 5 guinea pigs had a stroke, and I held her for a whole evening while she was dying. I was in pieces at the end of it.

andromache_2

:wave: everyone!

Just came back from a lovely anniversary celebration :happyhear The damage: £9.60 on two Travelcards, £9.99 on half-price champagne, £1 on the hotel room, free chocolates which I saved from my Easter egg :rotfl:, and £15.75 on a delicious dinner at the hotel which we got discounted for eating before 7pm :T We then went and found the pub we ended up at on our first date where OH then paid for lunch, and gave me some lovely pearl drop-earrings which he proudly informed me were half-price But to echo FunBrum and the Mastercard ads... spending time and moments with your loved ones - priceless :A

Enough of the schmaltz... I've been catching up on all your posts! WOW and well done to all the Grand National winners! Had I been around I might have been tempted... ah well!

Bails, sorry about the mousette - well done for doing what you could. And :j about the India thoughts... when will you know about the dates for the job etc so you can decide whether you'll be able to do it? I have grand plans for travelling the world when I have an actual job and can afford it and India is definitely on my list!

Otherwise... well done on paying off the CC BlueFleur ; hope your dogs are OK Marru; and hope you and your DD are feeling better mumzy.

Time for a hot chocolate and bed methinks :rolleyes:

ETA: I do use the smilies somewhat excessively...

sophiesmum_2

mumzyof2 wrote: »

This is my last post as i have to be up at 5am!!
Have fun all and take care

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

(Ive packed the kids ice lolly gift.. ) hehehe

Have a good holiday and enjoy the time spent with your mum:D

andromache_2

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

Re-using stamps that haven't been franked is fraud. I hope that wasn't what you meant, bails.

Someone wrote into the Times' letter page just a day or two ago saying that the Royal Mail could masisvely increase its profit margins if they ensured that all stamps were franked because they were regularly able to re-use about 50% of the stamps they received through the post. That's as may be, but I couldn't believe they were willing to broadcast the fact that they did this loud and clear for everyone to read next to their name in a major national newspaper! :eek:

Marru

nykmedia wrote: »

Redglass - I have been searching the threads for discussions about running homebased businesses and don't seem to be able to find one that covers what I'm looking for; there are plenty for ideas, new starts, funding, tax, advertising, online auctions, starting a cottage style industry etc, etc, etc but I cannot find one specifically as a general support/discussion thread for people who have actually taken the plunge and started planning/working from home. It is, afterall, about upping your income, even if it's from nothing to something, and I know several of us on here want to become entirely self-reliant for the purposes of earning a living. I'd like to be part of a thread where we are all in the same boat, sharing the ups and downs of developing our cash generating skills at home-based business level. Maybe MSE isn't the place for that, though. Will keep looking and thank you for your interest.

Count me in. I have now self employed who works from home a an accountant, I sell books in Amazon, I have advertised my dog walking and other pet care services (need to up my game and as soon as I can get my very cheap cards from Vista - of course through cash back site) I will start visiting my local vets. Also planning on training for animal reiki practitioner so another service to offer.

Now the interest beater has really been really tough. Everything I come up with is either daft or something I am already doing. But then I came up with the idea of selling natural, holistic pet food plus other tried and tested pet products using same methods as kleeneze. But then realised that this is a whole new business and not suitable for interest beater. I must thank you all thou. I don't think I would've had thought about it if it wasn't our mini challenge. I have found a head organisation and on Monday I will contact them in a hope to get a list of all the manufacturers approved by them and then just need to call around asking what are the minimum orders etc. So THANK YOU!!! :T

But this leaves the question what to do with the interest beater. I have decided that as I am an aspiring writer if I can get anything at all published this year the profits would go towards the interest beater. This gives me an extra initiative to get my finger out and start submitting my stories instead just sitting on them.

I still haven't updated my signature with my latest spending and sorted out my bingo winnings for the Olympic challenge that also affects my animal fund. I shall be a good girl and do it tomorrow afternoon if DD has her sleep. I gave her some tuna risotto today and she asked where are the mushrooms and that she wants some. I reminded her of what happened to the mushrooms and that cheeky thing told me to go and buy some. I think when she grows a bit more we need a firm chat about wasting food and that it is not that simple to just go and get some more.

Just one more thing. When I did my big shop on Friday at Mr T I found their own brand shampoo and conditioner that have not been tested with animals and 500ml conditioner cost me £0.57 and th 750ml shampoo £0.59. I was well chuffed!!! Haven't tried them yet but the shampoo has apple in it and it is one of my favourite smells.

Need to go and have my supper as it is now nice and quiet and finish that wine bottle. Dogs are very quiet as they are relieved that the tornado has been put to bed.

Night night,

Marru

PS thank you the dogs are fine there has been a bit odd smell but not to bad (so far), unfortunately the biggest culprit sleeps with me!!!!

BlueFleur

Thanks everyone! It still feels great. I went out with my OH this evening, ended up going to a restaurant that we both like. So that has boosted my spending a bit That was my mini celebration though, and I'm going to get back on track tomorrow.

I'm trying to work out if it would be better to venture into ebay selling to get rid of my clutter, or to go to a car boot Any suggestions?

I've also decided to start a piggy bank. I'll use that to help pay off my remaining credit card. Whenever I have cash I find that it burns a hole in my pocket, so hopefully that would help a bit!

MarkyMarkD

andromache wrote: »

Someone wrote into the Times' letter page just a day or two ago saying that the Royal Mail could masisvely increase its profit margins if they ensured that all stamps were franked because they were regularly able to re-use about 50% of the stamps they received through the post. That's as may be, but I couldn't believe they were willing to broadcast the fact that they did this loud and clear for everyone to read next to their name in a major national newspaper! :eek:

How stupid. It almost makes you want to report them to their local police. Muppet!