Day 4

This can't last.  My £10 is still intact within the rules of Penny Golightly.  I've bought no food nor done any personal shopping, I've not paid to go out.  I've spent nothing on hobbies, clothes or any similar goodies.

I've had to have my sewing machine serviced but that's household maintenance and apart from that I have spent nothing.

In fact although this started on Monday so I've done only four days of the challenge so far, I spent nothing on the preceding Friday, Saturday or Sunday. My direct debits have been leaving my account but that's it.

I went out today but didn't have lunch out.

This can't last.

I don't believe it!

No, I am not doing a Victor Meldrew.  I am not a Grumpy Old Woman even.  I am just amazed.

It is day three of my tenner week and Liz and Charlie are still safe in my purse.

I had intended going out this morning but for various reasons that didn't happen.  This afternoon I've had to take both my sewing machines to the sewing machine hospital and I didn't even call in at Coffee Costa.  Do you think that at the ripe old age of 63 I may be growing up?  I do hope not!

Tenner week - day 2

Not spending has proved quite easy!  The moths are having an uninterrupted sojourn in my purse because quite simply I haven't been anywhere to spend anything (but that will change tomorrow),  At the moment I still have Elizabeth Regina sitting in there, backed by Charles Darwin.  They are both models of dignity and restraint, inspiring me to keep them safe and cosy.

The more difficult part of tenner week as advocated by Penny Golightly, is the activities and once again I have to say I am an abject failure.  Today I was supposed to declutter and find three things to sell.  All I can say is that the spirit was willing but the flesh succumbed to the lure of the sunniest day of the year so far in these parts.  And I make no apologies!

Tenner week

This week I am joining with Sam Sam at A New Frame of Reference who is doing a tenner week as suggested by Penny Golightly.  Penny's week was actually last week but neither Sam nor I could manage that so we've decided to have a go this week.

So, I've got a crisp tenner in my purse today.  And it's supposed to last all week.

I hit pretty lucky today.  I went to a women's group that I belong to and it would usually have  cost me £2 but I had offered to teach the other members how to make a tote bag so for me today was a freebie!  It feels good to offer one's time/skill/ideas instead of spending cash.  Morning out, no spend day!

Allergic to free lunches

I'm not one of nature's ranters.  For the most part I'm happy with my lot but two companies with which I deal regularly cause me to have an occasional mutter.

The first is British Telecom.  I use them for telephone and broadband and for the most part I'm quite happy with them. However, I can't just have broadband, I have to have BT Sports.  The chances of me watching BT Sports are zero for two reasons.  The first is I have no interest in any sports whatsoever.  And the second is that I would have to buy (or subscribe to) things I haven't got in order to get BT Sports.  I realise there is no such thing as a free lunch but I feel I am being charged for a lunch which I can't have and which I'd be allergic to if it were served!

And then there's Amazon.  For years I have subscribed to Amazon Prime.  I find it very convenient as I to buy a lot of stuff on line rather than making a twenty five mile round trip to a shopping area so buying a "free" posting package made sense.  However, shortly after I paid my subscription last year Amazon announced that Prime would include "free" Amazon Prime Instant Video.  I have really struggled to find something I want to watch and in a whole year I have watched two videos!  Although this service is "free" my subscription has gone up from £49 to £79 - or it would if I renewed it.  I've decided to forget it for a while and see whether it would be worthwhile.  That may have the even better effect of stopping me shopping with them so much!

Hmmm.  Maybe I am glad about the changes to Amazon Prime!

The best sort of frugality

Remember this?  

It arrived on February 18th.  See http://frugallychallenged.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/look-what-arrived-today.html







This is what it looks like now.


And as it was for consumer testing I even got paid £10 for emptying it.  I like this frugality malarkey when it's like that!

Bottom-Of-The-Fridge-Soup

We’ve all been there.  “There” is in front of the fridge, standing in the spotlight which always comes on when the fridge door is opened, wondering what on earth can be made with the odds and ends.  You know, the half onion, last Sundays leftovers, those few courgettes which someone gave you and you haven’t got a clue what to do with them – add your own variation.  I’m sure you’ve got a few.

“Bottom-Of-The-Fridge-Soup” features in my diet fairly frequently.  You won’t find it in any recipe book because it’s different every time it is made.  And, let’s be honest, it sounds pretty awful.

Well, not any more.  From now on, in this household at least, it will be known as Cheeky Bottom Soup.  Much more inviting.