Hello sunshine!

Its lovely here Im sat outside in the sunshine writing this, you have to make the most of the good weather whilst its here.

Last week I managed to spend under £10 and I put the leftover amount into a pot, because Im saving for a rainy day, well next years holiday actually.  I think I did rather well as I had my daughter then SiL to stay a few days and I managed more or less to feed us out of the freezer.  I dont eat meat and only fish when there is nothing about that I fancy.  I live on the outskirts of a small town/village that has a Mr T and an Ald* but I mainly shop where I can get the cheapest.  I look for bargains, hence my fullish cupboards and freezer and I think it has over taken my spending on useful useless things, ha ha. Anyway I have allowed myself a sum of £10 a week on food this month, each week starts on a Friday and since Friday just gone I have spent a grand total of £1.80  on 8 pints of milk! I am concocting meals out of my cupboards and freezer and some of them leave a lot to be desired but hey ho needs must and its the only area or expenditure I can control. So some of the meals this week have been:
couscous and burgers
lentil loaf, pots and veg
beans on toast
breaded plaice, chips and mushy peas (very nice it was to)
pasta and cheese
So you see its not very exciting but adequate, I think I really miss the incidentals like crisps and biscuits. I make cakes when my DGD is visiting but not on a regular basis.

I heard earlier on that a holiday Im going on with a friend next May has now been booked, so we are off to Scotland (Isle of Skye), I went to Scotland for the first time ever earlier this year and really enjoyed it, we went to Wester Ross (Aultbea) and it was so relaxing, plenty of walking, photography and doing not a lot!!! so Im really looking forwards to it and it gives me a focus for any spare cash

Anyway must go and wash up and have a shower (saving all the water of course to flush the toilet) bye bye

Jxx

Hello blog land
Im just watchingThe Good Life, what a lovely program and I still love it.  I can remember watching it in the 70's and me and the old man started growing veggies in the small garden we had and that interest has lasted until the present day.  Im on my own now and the garden is mostly gravel as its easier to manage but I still grow veggies in a very small raised bed and various pots! Ive eaten loads of spinach beet and salad leaves and Im waiting for beans, tomatoes, beetroot, more spinach and salad leaves, potatoes, peas and courgette,

I have found over the years that I cant grow carrots in the garden and next year Im going to branch out into soft fruit and rhubarb, but it will have to be in pots as I have no garden left to plant in.  In true frugalling tradition I have been using old containers from work that were going to be thrown away (jam etc comes in them) and although they dont hold alot, one tom plant goes in fine, I really need some stakes and when walking my daughters dog I noticed twigs lying around so I reckon I will pick them up next time I walk down there.  The compost I have been using is bought, and I like to buy the decent stuff and the it seems to work better than the cheap stuff. 

I also save water and put it into another huge barrel to use when its not raining!!!  so I am trying to be eco friendly and frugal

Anyway more tomorrow
Jxx

Been absent a few days

I have been absent the last few days, I have had my daughter to stay whilst her husband is abroad working and she has been on the computer quite a bit and I dont know why but I dont feel I can post honestly whilst she is here, I havent told her that I have created this blog, I cant explain why -  its not that the content is a great secret if it was I wouldnt be doing it!!

As it is all still very new to me Im never sure what to write about, cos I dont want it to be just about my frugalling along but about lots of things in my life, I dont particularly lead an exciting life and most of it is family based, even though I live on my own!!! My daughters are always around and my little grandaughter is a joy at 7 years and keep me company on some weekends when Im not working.

Anyway in my next post I will start to explain about my reasons for frugalling and what I have started to do
Jxx

A nice quiet day

Hiya
Didnt post yesterday as not much happened, but then again I suppose it did.  I was working until 2pm so after that I headed off to my daughters house to pick up her dog that Im dogsitting overnight whilst she is out, then back home. I was so tired I didnt fancy cooking anything so just had a couple of rounds of toast - I know its not healthy but I really couldnt be bothered!!

Anyway a little later I decided I would have to take said mutt out for a walk and I must say I really enjoyed it and it blew the cobwebs away.  We went over fields and along the canal, where I slipped over and felt a proper wally, luckily there was only me and the dog so there was nobody to laugh at me!! and came home refreshed.

So really nothing frugal being done except not spending any money and being careful with the usual.  Im on another early shift today and tomorrow, so hopefully I can feel more alive on Tuesday-my day off ha, ha

Jxx

A good start

Well day two and its been OK. Been paid today, not as much as I thought but I did have some time off sick and dont get paid for it, so have to be extra careful now.

Anyway my youngest daughter and SIL have come over for the night and like a true frugaler I made dinner for us all out of the freezer so really proud of myself, the only thing wrong is that they dont save water, elec etc like I do but hey I love seeing them!

Went shopping today and spent under £5 so I hope I wont have to fork out on much more this week but I will keep updating as the week progresses.

Not done much interesting as I have been at work today, but have finished another pair of socks, I have enough cone wool that was given me never to have to buy another pair of socks, as long as I keep knitting them, its a pity the rest of the family dont appreciate them, cos I could knit a few pairs for Christmas - perhaps I should anyway just to see their faces on Christmas day ha, ha

Jxx

Hello new blog Im getting quite excited now I have finally created one, but I must admit I have no idea how to put on photos or the suchlike, and Ive already lost one post!!!!

Anyway, I retire in about two years time and my wish that I would like to come true is to travel around this beautiful country of ours in an old campervan and see all its beauty. So to achieve this I will have to be very frugal and pay off my CC and OD and save-save-save!!!

To this end I will record as much as I can, triumphs and failures and Im expecting there to be a few failures.  I work part time in a well known supermarket and its not very well paid but its my choice to cut my hours and have a job I dont have to think so much about, as I used to work in a job that kept me awake at night and stressed me out. So - my first aim is to live on £40 for the next 4 weeks (I am paid tomorrow and then every 4 weeks) so I will be making a menu plan when I get home tomorrow. Just for the record there is only me and Doris the goldfish at home now, children have fledged although they do turn up for meals and lodgings quite regularly anyway off to bed now as Im in early tomorrow

Bye for now
Jane