Live on £4000 for a year - Part 2

Frugaldom

Hi Prudent, my current lease runs until 1st July and there's been no further indications (or contact) from LL regarding his future plans. Got heaps going on in late June, so can't possibly move house at that time.

Got distracted in Wikipedia reading about Serfs! Doesn't sound half bad when you think of it in the context of a roof over your head and job security!:rotfl:

bails

Woohoo on the BM Jumble! :T Interesting thoughts about the the world we live in Nyk :rolleyes:
We caught one of the strays this afternoon, now temporarily named Smokey Joe as he has a slight cataract in one eye. He's the tamest of the lot so I expect a lot more distressed cats to pass through in the next few days (I'll be putting a few notices up locally just in case any of them do belong to someone).

MrDT

Hello all, i'm posting to fess up about my very unfrugal few days...

I spent a fair bit last night on beer, but I don't feel too bad as my last nightout was three weeks ago - there was a time not too long ago I was out every friday and saturday night, so one blowout every few weeks is fine

I've also paid for my train ticket to London in May, 8 nights in an apartment in Magaluf in September, and the return flights to Magaluf. I'm overbudget, but it's skewed by the holiday payments so in all I reckon I'm doing ok and it'll level out. :beer:

I'm not gonna spend ANY money now til May, so gonna declare my total spends for the month:

£20.52 - Groceries - (no I'm not a frugal genius, I just did a huge shop in March so this is a bit misleading!)
£6.99 - Toiletries
£2.29 - Household
£1.50 - Lunch/Snack
£88.15 - Nights out
£315.51 - Holiday/Trip - (paid for train ticket, flights, apartment all in advance)
£9.99 - Gift
£1.00 - Misc - (grand national sweepstake at work)
£30.00 - Electric - (put in the meter)
£11.61 - TV License

What's really amazing is that I've paid for a holiday this month, and still spent less than HALF what I used to spend every month on god knows what!!!! :eek: Thanks everyone, this thread, forum, and all the people posting here helps SO much :T

redglass_2

nykmedia wrote: »

Got distracted in Wikipedia reading about Serfs! Doesn't sound half bad when you think of it in the context of a roof over your head and job security!:rotfl:

Hi Nyk, that's not as funny as you might think - it's been claimed that what with time off for bad weather, saints' days and so on, mediaeval peasants worked shorter hours each year than office workers do now! :eek: :eek: :eek: Re the renewed interest in growing your own veg, I saw a newspaper report yesterday that sales of veggie seeds are up 60% this year owing to rocketing food prices. Hmm, wish I had more garden....

sophiesmum_2

Well I feel like a bit of a modern day serf now;)

My accomodation, electricity,water, and land for my veggie garden are provided by my employer as part of my salary, which is why my pay is absolutely crud.:rolleyes: This may seem a good deal but it's actually quite worrying as you are always aware that if for any reason you under perform on your job you may find yourself without a job and a home at the same time:eek: . I suppose it is a good motivational tool for the employers though

Prudent

Sophiesmum - sometimes these 'all in' deals are not as good as they look. One of my friends worked at for an outdoor centre that provided a lovely huge bungalow with a really big garden in the countryside. It seemed idyllic, but not much money.


MRDT - don't worry about the skewed month. I spent more in April than the previous three months because I paid for a holiday for myself and dd and bought a mattress. That's why budgets should always be done over a year. Infact mine is even skewed over the year, because I usually win my holidays. I only paid for this one as it will probably be my last with dd (16) for some time as she will want to be off with friends. I wanted to choose somewhere we both wanted to go. Its my 16th birthday pressie to her

NYK - we had a guy in church a few weeks ago talking about the long working hours, exhaustion, lack of leisure time etc of slaves today in some areas of the world. I was sitting next to a friend who like me is a single mum in a demanding job (we both have been in this situtaion for years) and we were trying hard to keep a straight face as he could have been describing our lives at times.;)

sophiesmum_2

Morning folks:D
Well so much for having a lie in today:rolleyes: , why is it that the day you "can" have a lie in you wake up at the crack of dawn full of beans ?

It's persisting down here so no chance of getting any work done in the garden. Plans for today are to clean through the house, then sort out wardrobes and see what summer clothes we have for holiday in a fortnight and what(if anything) we need to buy. Need to do the same with toiletries etc but have a huge stock of stuff in bathroom so don't think we need much at all.
Got a massive gammon joint cooking for oldies in oven so will be eating roast for tea with them and then utilising any spare veg for soup etc for lunches.
Also need to make another loaf before DD comes home tonight, and find time to pop round to visit my parents and drop off some stuff for charity shop where mum helps out.

What's everyone up to today???

Mollymop5

I'm off to an egg show run by my mum! It's usually at Easter time but with Easter being early this year the members of her group decided this is the weekend to do it.
Felt very strange to be decorating eggs with the kids yesterday and making Easter bonnets lol.
Grown ups show their chickens and eggs and other home made items
Usually a good day and the kids enjoy it.Shame it's raining though!

bails

Morning all, I was up early too this morning at half 4 - silly, silly body

I'm about to go nettle picking, inspired (of course) by Weezl. I've wanted to go but was told I was too late; apparently not though :T I'm going to have a go at making some nettle gnocchi and nettle tea as I love the stuff! Cat Man is coming round at lunchtime for any strays I've managed to catch and my mum is coming up to finish weeding the garden etc. Not a gorgeous day here but certainly okay enough to get out in the gaden at the mo. Hope it clears up for others later x

Janey51

Mollymop what's an eye show? Or is it meant to be egg :rotfl:

MrDT.did you still feel not too bad about your beer spend when you had sobered up

sophiesmum its amazing how many excess seedlings there are about at this time of year when the gardeners realise they were a little over-enthusiastic with their sowing in the spring which is all good for us frugallers :j

bails please stop reminding me how much I want another kitten :rolleyes: We have 3 cats, all moggies and wonderful, but I have a yen for another one. Always wanted a Norwegian Forest Cat because of their laid back personalities but it will take an awful lot of frugalling to afford one. And, can I be bothered with the responsibilities of a pedigree when there are so many unloved little kits looking for a home in cat heaven which is what our house has been called. Loads of knees to sit on, wildlife to snack on and a warm Aga to warm your little tum on.
Of course, I could settle for a Jumble-bee.

The observations on renting are interesting. We live in a rented house and have been here for 10 yrs. Part of our rent is that DH works for the LL at times so I suppose we are serfs Not a bad life really..and all the pheasants and wood you want :rotfl: