Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

LauraM65 · 2 April 2011 at 8:07AM

LauraM65 wrote: »

Well here's to day one, have got up early as my chest was tight from my chest infection, so not feeling too great anyway, good job I got organised with food yesterday for today. Have decided to send letters out to credit card companies to try and claim charges back, this will then hopefully go to paying off a bit of my debt. Been looking at other ways on here of raising some cash, especially been looking at raising £11,000 Challenge thread for some inspiration and tips. Also going to apply for a Cashbuilder card in order to try and budget more for my shopping which may leave me with a little bit more cash in the bank at the end of the month. It will also help me build my credit scoring as mine is pretty bad.

So any advice, tips or help would be most welcome, thanks to a couple of people already who have welcomed me and given me a great recipe to try to use up all my beans that I have in my storecupboard. (Done a storecupboard inventory yesterday so amazed at what I had, no expensive shop this week).

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::T

Well quite a successful day, no spend not even anything going out of the bank. Did not do my allotted goal like applying for the cashbuilder card and writing to credit card companies to get my charges back, will have to settle down tomorrow and do this. Although I did my freezer inventory and entered a couple of cash for free sites on quidco which should total up to £2.14. So all in all really please with myself after day one.:T

LauraM65 · 2 April 2011 at 8:11AM

Day Two - Hubby just gone to buy milk for porridge, spending money already but it has to be done today, will be shopping later for essentials and mothers day presents. Chest infection feeling better today although did not get a great deal of sleep again.

mooomin · 2 April 2011 at 8:19AM

Hi Laura,

We have a new thread every quarter so come and join us in thread 2:

Here!

LauraM65 · 2 April 2011 at 7:20PM

LauraM65 wrote: »

Day Two - Hubby just gone to buy milk for porridge, spending money already but it has to be done today, will be shopping later for essentials and mothers day presents. Chest infection feeling better today although did not get a great deal of sleep again.

Shopped today supposedly for essentials ended up spending too much of course although I did have to buy mothers day presents.

Total spend
Home Bargains 11.99
Tesco 27.92
Wilkinsons 11.38
Asda 52.56
Farm Foods 14.00
Owed Son 40.00
Local Garage 2.75

Total 160.60

So too much money spend will have to tighten belt for the rest of the week and the week after, need to be more savy when shopping for fruit and veg. Never mind had a lovely afternoon digging in the garden on the second veg patch, so will soon be eating my own veg saving money.

minnie2 · 2 April 2011 at 8:14PM

23rdspiral wrote: »

:T wow minnie! you're doing amazingly. health issues and a broken foot but still working so much! paying off debts, working overtime to do so. i'm so very impressed with your efforts and attitude. thank you for the inspiration.

thanks for the heads up. i'll go look in co-op when i can. also for the idea of putting loo roll in the attic, the new house's upstairs showerroom thing is very small and i wondered where on earth to keep such things. we havent braved the attic yet but fingers crossed it's dry!

woop! woop! bravo on keeping your OD below your target!! :T good luck with hopefully keeping it there and lowering it as you can.

Hi Laura, welcome to the thread. you've certainly been putting being ill to good use! good luck with your personal challenge, it sounds like you're heading in the right direction to make the changes you want to make.
~ i pride myself in getting all the meat off the chicken, even bits it didnt know it had! :rotfl: personally, i add these little bits after i've blitzed the soup as i prefer the texture that way, and so my OH knows there is at least a bit of meat in there!;)

ceridwen wrote: »

MINNIE

You make me feel positively exhausted just looking at your timetable:eek: - but you deserve a medal for putting in so much - and with health problems to contend with too.

Re NMW (ie National Minimum Wage) you might find it useful to have a read of this:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/TheNationalMinimumWage/DG_10027201

Well sometimes I have trouble keeping track!!!! Had a review and the specialist is very pleased with my progress and the drugs are obviously working their magic on the tumour - so positive there.Nice to have a clearer head!! With all my brains I was surprised there was enough room for a tumour in there in the first place!!! hehe!!

Just hoping all the work will be worth it!!!! it nice to now see progress and our money changing!! what i still struggle with is not to spend money when we have it!!! its ok whe we are short and get paid late as then we are frugal but we both get paid for main job at same time which is not good - i struggle to remmber that that money has already been spent on bills when its sitting there!!

Hey ho!!! i am currently working on ways to get round this - such as not carrying cards and just having a set amount of cash etc.I dont know it seems to be my big downfall - its affecting us this month as weve had money and i cant spend it but i have eek!!!

tumptyteapot · 7 April 2011 at 7:41PM

Trallwm_Farm wrote: »

Lady Lesley Superscrimpers

Im a little unsure if I am too frugal and therefore off putting or own too much land and how dare I so I thought Id come and ask.

To be fair I run an animal sanctuary which is something Channel 4 didnt really put in despite two whole days of filming us so I have the land but I truly do have to be a Dougal Frugal to survive.
I cant put the link as Im new here but its Trallwm Farm Sanctuary

Im just strating to put all my recipes and home made stuff on a blog

Lady Lesley at word press

Im doing it bit by bit as some recipes will be on Channel 4 still.
I do a mean line in japanese knot weed wine for the lady who has an interest in wine making. Most of my recipes go back a good 100 years and are frugal as life was then.
I look forward to chatting with you all.
Lesley

we've all moved to the next quarter of this thread now -http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3146548&page=10 be good to see you there

123budget · 7 May 2011 at 1:49PM

Hi, not sure if this is the right place to post but wonder if anyone can help me with some ideas??
It is my big sis's 50th birthday soon and I have been trying to rack my brains as to what to get her to make it a bit special.
I have come up with the idea of getting a box and decorating it and then wrapping 50 individual items in the box - they don't have to be mega expensive - just wondering if anyone has any ideas if they were getting a box like this what they would want in it??

rising_from_the_ashes · 7 May 2011 at 5:25PM

Hi 123, a new thread was started at the beginning of April (new ones every quarter to keep the number of posts from getting to big).

Pop in and join us, you'll be more than welcome and I'm sure you'll get some tips.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3146548&page=32

Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free