Firstly, Hello and Welcome to my new follower - Mrs M. Thank you so much for visiting and your supportive comment. x
I did a shopping trip late last week which I forgot to photograph, but I thought you might be interested in how much I managed to get for £13.76. This list will cover me for 8 evening meals, 2 weeks of work lunches, and breakfast.
Tesco Every Day Value = TEDV
2 x 2L bottle of own brand diet cola 78p
2x peach barley squash 1.59 bogof
TEDV Antibac surface cleaner 25p
TEDV Bleach 29p
TEDV Value Instant Mash 20p
2x loaf 20p (reduced)
12x baps 10p (reduced)
TEDV 2 x cottage cheese 1.18
TEDV Kitchen Towel 1.10
tin of mushrooms 41p
TEDV Cornflakes 31p
TEDV Caramel wafers 40p
TEDV 2x chicken kiev 88p
TEDV 2x Baked beans 52p
Beef mince 2.00
2x milk 1.10
I x cabbage 76p
reggea sauce 1.00
Tom puree 29p
3 x mushrooms 25p
Total - £13.76
I am really pleased with the frugality of this shop. The mince lasts me 3 meals, I do not buy the TEDV mince as £2 is cheap enough for mince.
By changing and buying the low cost alternatives that Tesco have I was able to reduce my shop by quite a considerable amount.
For example in Tesco the Daisy Kitchen antibac in a spray bottle which is their cheap range is about 89p. By buying the TEDV Antibac which comes in a screw top bottle I reduced the cost by approx 50p, and only need to decant it into a spray to use. Plus it is larger than a spray bottle.
I am nervous about 2 chicken kievs for 88p, but I suppose the taste test will let me know if it is worth purchasing again.
The TEDV Cornflakes at 31p a box are indistinguishable from Kelloggs, and the TEDV cottage cheese is....um... well as nice as cottage cheese can be, but again no difference from more expensive brands.
I also then over the weekend popped into Iceland for a freezer fill up.
3 x Sweet Chili Chicken Pizza £4.50 (for those days when you cannot be bothered)
1 bag of chips £1
1 bag of mixed frozen veg £1
1 box of Mr Brains faggotts £1
Total £7.50
So for about £21 I think I should have the majority of the month's food covered, with maybe a trip for some milk later on in August.
A convert to the frugal brands at Tesco? Time will tell and I think next month I might try similar frugal own brands at Morrisons.
Any recommendations on TEDV products to try?
Frugally yours
Abigail
x
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
Monday, 6 August 2012
Ahh Heck!
You know that feeling when you think finally you are ahead of the game?
That was how I was on Thursday when it was Pay Day. I was finally beginning to get my savings to some sort of respectability.
Then Friday happened.
I had a meeting in the late afternoon for work. As, I got back into the car , I happened to glance at my front wheel as I had gone into the space at an angle and the wheels were turned out.
Oh Dear!.... Oh Sh*t!
That front driver side wheel did not look good..... neither for that matter does the the passenger side.
I had thought the car was being a little odd, but with an MOT booked for September I had decided it could wait.
Apparently not.
I stopped at the first available garage on my way home, and got them to check the tread. Yup, both tyres needed changing on my little VW POLO. Cost?
£130 plus another £45 to check the balance.
Umm, I don't think so!
So the drive back to W Towers was interspersed with 4 stops at garages for quotes.
I managed to get the price down to £50 per tyre.... actually they wanted £51 per tyre, but I gave then my winning smile and they knocked £2 off.
Saturday then saw me at this tyre specialist, getting them replaced.
I could have REALLY done without this additional cost, but the reality is tyres save lives and if I had been in an accident my insurance would have not have covered me.
Plus the POLO has it's first MOT next month, so I suppose I am just spreading the cost.
Lesson.... never accept the first price on car repairs. Get quotes, I saved £30 from the first garage.
Frugally yours.
Abigail
x
That was how I was on Thursday when it was Pay Day. I was finally beginning to get my savings to some sort of respectability.
Then Friday happened.
I had a meeting in the late afternoon for work. As, I got back into the car , I happened to glance at my front wheel as I had gone into the space at an angle and the wheels were turned out.
Oh Dear!.... Oh Sh*t!
That front driver side wheel did not look good..... neither for that matter does the the passenger side.
I had thought the car was being a little odd, but with an MOT booked for September I had decided it could wait.
Apparently not.
I stopped at the first available garage on my way home, and got them to check the tread. Yup, both tyres needed changing on my little VW POLO. Cost?
£130 plus another £45 to check the balance.
Umm, I don't think so!
So the drive back to W Towers was interspersed with 4 stops at garages for quotes.
I managed to get the price down to £50 per tyre.... actually they wanted £51 per tyre, but I gave then my winning smile and they knocked £2 off.
Saturday then saw me at this tyre specialist, getting them replaced.
I could have REALLY done without this additional cost, but the reality is tyres save lives and if I had been in an accident my insurance would have not have covered me.
Plus the POLO has it's first MOT next month, so I suppose I am just spreading the cost.
Lesson.... never accept the first price on car repairs. Get quotes, I saved £30 from the first garage.
Frugally yours.
Abigail
x
Food Waste Friday.
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So 1 or 4 things to report today, depending on how you look at it.
Spuds, or potatoes for our international friends.
These were left over from a bag I bought about 3 months ago. I kept them cool and not touching, but still they are now the consistency of of a sponge.
Wonder if I can re purpose them for my showers??
I did mange to save 3 last week by making homemade chips, but these babies were left..
So off they went to the great fridge tray in the sky. Farewell!
Better luck this week i suppose.
Frugally yours
Abigail
x
Thursday, 2 August 2012
August's Debt Repayment
Firstly - Hello and Welcome to my new follower - Mabel and Maisy. I am so delighted to meet you!
Well that time of the month again today, Pay Day.
Normally I get really excited about Pay Day, not today. I seems like I have 5 fishes to feed 5000. Mind you I suppose we do know how that turned out! :o)
Salary was waiting for me first thing this morning and I started as I normally do by putting £300 into savings ready for my holiday next month, the car MOT and the next bloody utility bill. Savings are still dangerously low and i do not like it.
I then transferred £68 to my mother. Partly to pay for the window cleaners and partly to repay some cash I owed from earlier in July (mum's interest rate of 0% is always appreciated).
After then paying my flat service charge, allowing for petrol and a few other adhoc expenses. It leaves me £122 for August. To cover food and any fun I want to have..... what bloody fun could I have with £122 less food??? Answers on a postcard.
:o(
DEBT REPAYMENT
Credit Card 1 Was: £0.00 Paid: £0.00 New Balance: £0.00
Credit Card 2 Was: £232.71 Paid:£32.00 New Balance: £200.71
Overdraft Was: £300.00 Paid: £0.00 New Balance: £300.00
Car Loan Was: £0.00 Paid: £0.00 New Balance: £0.00
Starting Debt in January - £1990.80
Debt By the End of July - £532.71
Debt Paid This Month - £32.00
New Total Debt - £500.71
Percentage of Debt Paid August – 1.6%
Percentage Paid to Date – 74.84%
Still a long way to go, but for a time this month I did think I would have to use my credit card again after about 3 years to make ends meet. So I suppose I am paying it off little by little.
Frugally yours
Abigail
x
Well that time of the month again today, Pay Day.
Normally I get really excited about Pay Day, not today. I seems like I have 5 fishes to feed 5000. Mind you I suppose we do know how that turned out! :o)
Salary was waiting for me first thing this morning and I started as I normally do by putting £300 into savings ready for my holiday next month, the car MOT and the next bloody utility bill. Savings are still dangerously low and i do not like it.
I then transferred £68 to my mother. Partly to pay for the window cleaners and partly to repay some cash I owed from earlier in July (mum's interest rate of 0% is always appreciated).
After then paying my flat service charge, allowing for petrol and a few other adhoc expenses. It leaves me £122 for August. To cover food and any fun I want to have..... what bloody fun could I have with £122 less food??? Answers on a postcard.
:o(
DEBT REPAYMENT
Credit Card 1 Was: £0.00 Paid: £0.00 New Balance: £0.00
Credit Card 2 Was: £232.71 Paid:£32.00 New Balance: £200.71
Overdraft Was: £300.00 Paid: £0.00 New Balance: £300.00
Car Loan Was: £0.00 Paid: £0.00 New Balance: £0.00
Starting Debt in January - £1990.80
Debt By the End of July - £532.71
Debt Paid This Month - £32.00
New Total Debt - £500.71
Percentage of Debt Paid August – 1.6%
Percentage Paid to Date – 74.84%
Still a long way to go, but for a time this month I did think I would have to use my credit card again after about 3 years to make ends meet. So I suppose I am paying it off little by little.
Frugally yours
Abigail
x
Repair / Replace?
My shower broke about 2 weeks ago.
I was in the middle of trying out a new system, turning off the hot water and only using the shower for my daily ablutions.
Of course 3 days in, the shower broke.
In the middle of me having a shower.
Covered in shampoo.
With no hot water left in the tank to rinse my hair.
Typical.
I then had to do a dash to the kitchenn, boil the kettle mix it with some cold water and rinse my hair.
I thought I was going to have to buy a new shower at well over a £100 plus fitting. I have been in a right decline over the thought.
However, on Friday, Ian my saviour of an odd job came round and had a look. He declared it was the Solenoid valve which had broken. 20 minutes later he had ordered a new part via the glorious internet for £19.
Last night he came round and fitted it for £20.
A huge "Hurray!" for Ian methinks.
Repair v replace is a thorny issue. A new shower costs anywhere between £90 (cheap naff shower) to £100s.
I had to have the shower repaired about 6 months ago when another part broke - flux capacitor or some other technical term. Again part plus labour was about £40.
So far I have spent £80 on repairing a shower that cost about £150 plus labour to fit about 8 years ago. I am aware that such machinery only has a limited working life. And if it does break again, I will have to think about whether it is prudent to repair it again.
However, today I am glad to get it repaired, and hope perhaps to get another 6-12months out of it before having to face the repair v replace issue again.
Frugally yours
Abigail
x
Of course 3 days in, the shower broke.
In the middle of me having a shower.
Covered in shampoo.
With no hot water left in the tank to rinse my hair.
Typical.
I then had to do a dash to the kitchenn, boil the kettle mix it with some cold water and rinse my hair.
I thought I was going to have to buy a new shower at well over a £100 plus fitting. I have been in a right decline over the thought.
However, on Friday, Ian my saviour of an odd job came round and had a look. He declared it was the Solenoid valve which had broken. 20 minutes later he had ordered a new part via the glorious internet for £19.
Last night he came round and fitted it for £20.
A huge "Hurray!" for Ian methinks.
Repair v replace is a thorny issue. A new shower costs anywhere between £90 (cheap naff shower) to £100s.
I had to have the shower repaired about 6 months ago when another part broke - flux capacitor or some other technical term. Again part plus labour was about £40.
So far I have spent £80 on repairing a shower that cost about £150 plus labour to fit about 8 years ago. I am aware that such machinery only has a limited working life. And if it does break again, I will have to think about whether it is prudent to repair it again.
However, today I am glad to get it repaired, and hope perhaps to get another 6-12months out of it before having to face the repair v replace issue again.
Frugally yours
Abigail
x
Tuesday, 31 July 2012
It's Amazing What Can Be Picked Up For Free
I tend to walk eyes down, not a very confident pose I suppose. But, today at lunchtime it meant I saw a 2p coin.
I am really funny about small denomination coins I see, I always pick them up and stuff it it my bag. Who knows when the change could be useful? And, hell it is money after all.
When I went out again to take the post later, I saw another. As I did not have my bag with me I kept it in my hand.
It was not until I was back in the office I looked at it closer.
It is actually a 1955 Half Penny. It looks exactly the same as a 2p coin.
And minted 2 years after our Queen's coronation.
I have checked and unfortunately, it is not worth enough to pay off the mortgage or even buy a stamp. But, I was fascinated.
A 57 years old coin just lying there on the pavement!
What's the best thing you have found?
Who knows what I may find tomorrow.
Frugally yours
Abigail
x
I am really funny about small denomination coins I see, I always pick them up and stuff it it my bag. Who knows when the change could be useful? And, hell it is money after all.
When I went out again to take the post later, I saw another. As I did not have my bag with me I kept it in my hand.
It was not until I was back in the office I looked at it closer.
It is actually a 1955 Half Penny. It looks exactly the same as a 2p coin.
And minted 2 years after our Queen's coronation.
I have checked and unfortunately, it is not worth enough to pay off the mortgage or even buy a stamp. But, I was fascinated.
A 57 years old coin just lying there on the pavement!
What's the best thing you have found?
Who knows what I may find tomorrow.
Frugally yours
Abigail
x
Monday, 30 July 2012
This Weekend
Cake ingredients cost me £21. So I will not be entering this show again demonstrating my culinary skills.
Disappointingly I was not placed in the show. But the comments from friends at work this morning more than made up for that as both cakes did a very convincing disappearing act at lunchtime.
I am trying to comfort myself with the thought that it was full of industrious skilled professional bakers, but sadly I think we all know the truth!
Ah well back to sewing, more fulfilling!
Frugally yours
Abigail
x
Disappointingly I was not placed in the show. But the comments from friends at work this morning more than made up for that as both cakes did a very convincing disappearing act at lunchtime.
 |
| Death By Chocolate Cake |
 |
| Double orange cake |
Ah well back to sewing, more fulfilling!
Frugally yours
Abigail
x
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