Live on £4000 for a year - Part 2

MrDT

Put another tenner in the leccy meter today, but apart from that it should be a no spend day, maybe even a no spend weekend! :eek:

Was brave enough to use up one of my 'mystery tubs' from the freezer for lunch (I've now taken to labelling my frozen hm meals!!) whatever it was, it was good Turkey mince and veg and stuff, the gravy/juice/sauce/wodjamacallit tasted really good - but I made it a couple of months ago at least, have no recollection of making it, and absolutely no chance of reproducing it lol! :rotfl:

Apart from 4 more 'mystery tubs' I know exactly what I've got 'in stock', and have been sad enough to record in a spreadsheet what's in the fridge, freezer and cupboards. What a nerd lol :rolleyes: Should make it easier to sort a shopping list for May at least

Have totally re-arranged the freezer so it's easier to find stuff too. Now I just need to empty it instead of constantly topping it up, I WILL defrost it one day I swear Emptying and defrosting the freezer will be my minichallenge for May. Or maybe June :rotfl:

Annual target is gonna take a big hit next weekend as I should be booking and paying for my summer holiday. Oh and a return train fare to London - bagged a £1 hoxton hotel room and will pay for london dungeons using clubcard deals so not too expensive a trip I hope!

bails

Evening everyone, I'm back! Came home early as was going downhill, and friend I was meant to be seeing made other plans which would've left me twiddling my thumbs most of the weekend :mad: Any-hoo... had a lovely time with best mate and gorgeous wee daughter :T and am very happy to be home...to a pregnant cat!! :eek: At least, I think she is, she seems rather rotund! In our defence, she's a recently adopted stray, but that also means it'll be impossible to get her to the vets for a checkup. I'm thinking of seeing if the cats home will come out and help us (we don't want to burden them with yet another pregnant stray and are prepared to do it all ourselves, just another trip to the vets is scaring the life out of my spending diary :eek:). This'll be our first litter, I've read up loads this afternoon but anyone with advice do pipe up!

Anyway, great to be back (and yes I did spot the clothes spree Mini ). Sorry to hear about the slug in the propagator,Looby, eek! Will need to check on all my seedlings too, see if OH has killed them

Have a great night all, off to cuddle up to Lovely Boy for the evening :heartpuls

Marru

HI,

I am back from Dorset. It was good trip. DD saw her dad and had fantastic time. She was too excited to eat her lunch so I brought it home with me for her lunch tomorrow. Total damage: weeks worth of petrol and £20.- for food :eek: . He wants to do it again next week and I don't as it will definitely blow my budget. So any frugal meeting tips in and around Ferndown gratefully received. I might try to find a nice place to walk the dogs (dog as my foster boy might go into new home on Monday - snif) and take HM sandwiches for lunch. That would save a lot of money.

I shall not update my numbers untill Monday as I am so exhausted now (down with cold) and tomorrow I am working as I have reporting deadline on Monday morning. So as soon as my new boys have had their excersise and piggies are fed I will head to bed.

I was going to comment on other posts but please excuse me, my brain has already gone to sleep and that is completely beyond me at the moment.

Night night

Marru

Frugaldom

Good evening all

Sorry to hear about the slug-attack! We have a major problem with them in the garden, except it's the snails in big shells that you can't see at nights when walking on the footpath until they go crunch. Eugh! Shudder! But the eat all the plants! I tried using salt, which they hate, but it's difficult knowing where, exactly, to put the salt. If I surround the entire veggie patch, guaranteed they will all be hiding in there already and be scared to ever leave again!

On the topic of what's ok to grow outside without a greenhouse - Scotland isn't the warmest of climates but we had a lovely crop of courgettes growing when we moved in here. It's something I wouldn't normally buy, but they all got used up in stews, stir frys and any other meal I bulk out with chopped veggies. Even DGD ate them when she got to pick them herself

We do have a plumb tree in the garden (I think?) but didn't get any plumbs worth using off it last year, so maybe it's one of those trees that do best with 2 growing, rather than being alone. Our cherry tree is beginning to bloom, despite the icy blasts and gale force winds we've been having.

Update on the free entertainment - we now have 2 Ospreys back in the area and both are at the nest site spring cleaning and redecorating. Must try to get more photographs. 2 years ago, I got a really good one of the baby while he was still grey and fluffy No, I don't go abseiling or climbing, I sat watching the monitor on the CCTV and took piccies of the screen. :rotfl:

I used up my last free bet today on a horse that didn't even complete the course of the Scottish Grand National. Oh well, guess it'll need to be free bingo next Thursday, again, for another go at some tax free winnings.

Hoping for a dry day tomorrow so I can get the new herb seeds planted. My lettuces are sprouting but still no signs of the carrots, garlic chives or onions.

Until tomorrow, keep on frugalling. I'm off for frugal night of entertainment with a book. Might even switch on the telly!

shaz_mum_of__2

Hi everyone

Marru - Dorset is lovely we spent 2 weeks there for our summer hol and found it stunning although parking is a rip off but isn't it everwhere now

We particularly liked Chesil beach

Anyway back to post topic

What frugal hobbies and leisure activities do you do

I knit(freecycled wool)

sew (freecycled fabric or charity shop finds,quilt covers make nice pyjamas)

Country walks(the DEFRA website has maps for local walks to print off)

reading(library,charity shop swap with family and friends)

our biggest expense is just under a fiver a month for a family membership for RSPB (free access and parking to all bird reserves we love nature and birdsIwould love too see the Ospreys Nyk )

Holidays are taken in our caravan its fully equipped so cooking is the same as home i usually save clubcard vouchers for tickets to attractions to use whilst away


What do you do

Shazx

lyndasharp

I've been slightly naughty as I haven't worked out my expenses this week... my excuse is I've been fairly busy, except for yesterday when I was fairly hung over... at least the pub trip was only £10, for 3 pints and a glass of wine!

I've had my day working in London, so that's an extra £130 ish when I get the money through. Left the house at 7am, got in at 8pm, wouldn't want to do that too often!

The house is starting to turn into an animal sanctuary. I share with the owner, she already has a horse and a cat, and Barney the rabbit is now arriving from her sister. Rabbit spent a week at the vets last week, and now that he's back all his rabbit 'friends' have attacked him, so it was either us or the RSPCA would have to take him. Then of course we've had to get a guinea pig to keep the rabbit company...

My £16.50 a week on groceries challenge is going OK. Overspent by 54p last week, but I did have to buy teabags for work. Only at £8 so far this week, so I should be under budget. However the plan to eat the contents of my cupboard before I move isn't quite so relevant, as I've got a 4 month extension on my contract! Still, if I eat everything this month I can start restocking again...

Prudent

Lyndasharp - I love the sound of the house with all the animals. I have two cats, but can't afford any more. would love a horse.

Its a really sunny, but bitterly cold and windy day here. Off to Aldi after church to get the rose arch and obelisk they have in today (well hoping its in). Going to try and see if I can get some keep pots for veggies too. Does anyone grow veggies in their front garden? I do have some space there, but not sure if it woudl go down too well with neighbours. I live in a semi and next door have really done the house up. They have an immactulate garden and I am not sure if they would appreciate me growing a veggie plot. I do have enough spece in the front though, so its tempting.

sophiesmum_2

morning fellow frugalites:D

new greenhouse base is now installed from the recycled paving flags, greenhouse to follow once it is repaired. My plants are currently being spoiled in a heated storage room on the court and doing very well, all seedlings have now sprouted ,but have some more to sow today which were free with my magazine subscription.

Shaz - regarding frugal hobbies, mine tend to revolve around frugalising food:rolleyes: batch cooking , preserving, baking,bread making, sausage making, yoghurt making and this week have started with kefir. I also like to forage when stuff is in season, and grow my own fruits and veggies.
Mmmm..... could explain why i am a "little" chubby:o :rotfl:

I can sew but tend to be quite lazy with that as my mum is a professional seamstress and can do stuff much more quickly so things usually get passed to her.
Knitting is not my forte:o The only thing i have ever knitted successfully was a scarf when I was about 15.

DIY on the other hand i am quite handy all round, had to learn as ex hubby was absolutely useless so had 15 years of doing everything around house, have all my own power tools and can do most things:D

My other passion is books, i usually have three or four books on the go, and I love reference books, my remaining library is stuffed with cook books, gardening books, maintenance books, self sufficiency type stuff, all sorts of stuff. I am a very practical/ creative person.

Prudent

Ah Sophiesmum, you are doing everything I aspire to. The biggest problem I find is being absolutely muscle aching exhausted, as I work long hours and have a long commute.

I am just curious what you forage for? I love nettle tea and am considering collecting nettles and learning how to make my own nettle tea.

sophiesmum_2

Foraging - blackberries I get tonnes of these every year, have also found a damson tree nearby , elderberries and elderflowers, crabapples (good for getting jam to set) have also found some wild garlic, and a water cress bed:D and wild mint.
Have never tried nettle tea/soup, but willing to give anything a try once. have also added dandelion greens to salads occasionally.;)