I have always enjoyed the challenge of being thrifty. I save everything. Food - I hate waste. Left over veg - into soup. Fruit - frozen to be used in smoothies, pies, sauces, cakes. I recycle t shirts - They become dusters and cloths. Other items of clothing recycled to charity shops or the fabulous enviro clothes who pay you for the weight of your items. From 11 bags of clothes (bin bags half full) I made £16. Every penny counts these days so off it went to lessen the debt. (The debt - yes I once had a plan with the end in sight now it is a distant dream, a tiny whoo ville like speck on the horizon. but keep chipping away I will. )
I free cycle, car boot, charity shop, scan sale rails for bargains and this includes the sale rail at primark! (Don't like to pay full price for their chat). Focus on frugality - where shall I start!
Kids clothes - I love hand me downs - who doesn't. Children play, Children get grubby, Play can be grubby.Clothes get grubby. Children grow alot faster than there clothes. Its really quite simple. The gorgeous one wears Next, has a Little Rocha coat, pumpkin patch and other silly labels. She looks ace. She has play clothes and going out clothes. One thing I do fork out for is shoes - Clarks. I do not begrudge the £30 they cost however they can be sourced form Brantano and ebay for much cheaper once the feet have been professionally measured. The only problem is the upset child who is expecting new shoes! Once the season has got warmer I will cut off the arms of sweatshirts to make t shirts - a simple hem using a sewing machine- takes all of two mins. Hey presto more wear out of an item that would have been destined for the recycling journey (profit making or for charity or the ;duster drawer) or has horribly stained cuffs!
Na na na na na - My carbon foot prints less than yours!
I would do this even if loaded for sheer self righteousness! Being skint - its a bit less virtuous but hey h
Na na na na na My carbon foot prints less than yours!!!! lol
I also buy in advance. At the moment I am working on the 4-5 yr old wardrobe. I buy from sale rails for a year in advance so the seasons don't really matter. I have a £2 rule for t shirts, long sleeve shirts, leggins etc Jeans, dresses and Coats obviously more. Today's bargains were long sleeved shirts for 75p - I bought 2. Woolen white polo neck 1.50. Woolen thick legging - pinkish colour £2 and a pink sweat shirt with butterfly pattern also for £2. All new all from Asda - £7 total. Bargain!!! Not preloved and not as eco friendly but its not very often we go new.
Cheers - speak soon
Love
Eeeek (as it eeking it out)
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Blog One!!!
Ho hum - first blog entry. I shall bring you up to speed! Read the about me bit!
OK you are nearly there. I am a single mum to the gorgeous girl the light of my life still a bit weeny and not at full time school yet. I work used to work full time till I was made redundant by the new condemning government and a bunch of toady management who crapped on front line workers to save their own and their other management friends skins - but this happens. We all know it does- they just didn't have to be so shitty and down right rude about it!
I now work part time and commute silly distances for the joy of work on a much lower salary than previously to do a job I find to be lacking in integrity. As a public sector type person in a helping type field I do not earn nice amounts.This I accept- it is my choice however I was getting by and doing quite well till Dave and his buddies decided to go for the slash and burn budget cuts impacting on the little chap IE me. Prior to this I had what I thought was a reasonably steady job - certainly I was appreciated by some lovely clients and agencies I worked in partnership with ( shpiel -I know but I need to remain anonymous). I bought a house invested the life savings on the deposit and was chipping away nicely at the debt one had accrued and was saving a tidy amount for a new car. The end was in sight! Financial freedom was within my grasp only 24 months left and the financial plan was coming together!!!! Then big slap in the mush from the government bye bye salary and the icing on the cake snotty up their own arses management dipping me in vinegar after the paper cuts that constitute redundancy - C'nuts that they are and bollocks!
Thought I would document via this blog either my descent into insolvency or my phoenix like ascent from the ashes or may be it will be both! ha ha hark at me with the flowery language. Its complicated by being a single parent and living in the country and having no family support close at hand. I am an exiled southerner. My life is also full of smiles and cheeky grins, and cuddles so I am rich really!
I was living within my means and paying my debt, eeking it out like you do when you discover a meagre last dollop of butter in the tub after you have made you morning toast! I was doing ok. Now I have bugger all and its necessity to be frugal in order to feed and clothe the gorgeous one and myself and keep the big bad form the door. The barricades are getting a little thin and I can hear the snarls!
I am not a hippy. I do not smell of patchouli oil. I wash. I wash my clothes and make sure they do not smell of foost! I do not have greasy hair.... often. I despise consumerism. I do not and never have leched after silly shoes, leather sofas, cream carpets or other such must have home decor or gadgets the stuff credit card bills are made of. I am unimpressed by large wads of cash ( good for you if you have it but it doesn't mean you are a better or more worthy person), designer labels, tony and guy haircuts, beaverbrooks jewelery, - you name it I really don't care about it! I yawn loudly when the scs or dfs advert comes on the tv.
I am a functional person with green leanings. I recycle, I free cycle. I attempt to tread as lightly as I can upon this old planet of ours. I do not participate needlessly in the economy - I try to buy non vat items - privately sold cars, essential food and make my own goodies, second hand, preloved! I am unimpressed by expensive cars, flash suits or clothes and as such it has never been a hardship for me not to have them. I am stubbornly independant-
What do I value - food and freedom, fresh air, the moment, experience, peace and tranquility, a good book and a cup of tea. My daughter telling me I am her best friend. Security and a good nights kip.
So here goes I shall document my sadly enforced frugality. ( I felt so much more smug and virtuous when it was a choice ).
OK you are nearly there. I am a single mum to the gorgeous girl the light of my life still a bit weeny and not at full time school yet. I work used to work full time till I was made redundant by the new condemning government and a bunch of toady management who crapped on front line workers to save their own and their other management friends skins - but this happens. We all know it does- they just didn't have to be so shitty and down right rude about it!
I now work part time and commute silly distances for the joy of work on a much lower salary than previously to do a job I find to be lacking in integrity. As a public sector type person in a helping type field I do not earn nice amounts.This I accept- it is my choice however I was getting by and doing quite well till Dave and his buddies decided to go for the slash and burn budget cuts impacting on the little chap IE me. Prior to this I had what I thought was a reasonably steady job - certainly I was appreciated by some lovely clients and agencies I worked in partnership with ( shpiel -I know but I need to remain anonymous). I bought a house invested the life savings on the deposit and was chipping away nicely at the debt one had accrued and was saving a tidy amount for a new car. The end was in sight! Financial freedom was within my grasp only 24 months left and the financial plan was coming together!!!! Then big slap in the mush from the government bye bye salary and the icing on the cake snotty up their own arses management dipping me in vinegar after the paper cuts that constitute redundancy - C'nuts that they are and bollocks!
Thought I would document via this blog either my descent into insolvency or my phoenix like ascent from the ashes or may be it will be both! ha ha hark at me with the flowery language. Its complicated by being a single parent and living in the country and having no family support close at hand. I am an exiled southerner. My life is also full of smiles and cheeky grins, and cuddles so I am rich really!
I was living within my means and paying my debt, eeking it out like you do when you discover a meagre last dollop of butter in the tub after you have made you morning toast! I was doing ok. Now I have bugger all and its necessity to be frugal in order to feed and clothe the gorgeous one and myself and keep the big bad form the door. The barricades are getting a little thin and I can hear the snarls!
I am not a hippy. I do not smell of patchouli oil. I wash. I wash my clothes and make sure they do not smell of foost! I do not have greasy hair.... often. I despise consumerism. I do not and never have leched after silly shoes, leather sofas, cream carpets or other such must have home decor or gadgets the stuff credit card bills are made of. I am unimpressed by large wads of cash ( good for you if you have it but it doesn't mean you are a better or more worthy person), designer labels, tony and guy haircuts, beaverbrooks jewelery, - you name it I really don't care about it! I yawn loudly when the scs or dfs advert comes on the tv.
I am a functional person with green leanings. I recycle, I free cycle. I attempt to tread as lightly as I can upon this old planet of ours. I do not participate needlessly in the economy - I try to buy non vat items - privately sold cars, essential food and make my own goodies, second hand, preloved! I am unimpressed by expensive cars, flash suits or clothes and as such it has never been a hardship for me not to have them. I am stubbornly independant-
What do I value - food and freedom, fresh air, the moment, experience, peace and tranquility, a good book and a cup of tea. My daughter telling me I am her best friend. Security and a good nights kip.
So here goes I shall document my sadly enforced frugality. ( I felt so much more smug and virtuous when it was a choice ).
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