Black Friday - Did you survive?

So yesterday was a bit of a shopping frenzy, a recently adopted annual tradition that we have to thank our American cousins for.  Stories peppered the papers of people queuing in what was sub zero temperatures at 3am in the morning waiting for stores to open so they will hopefully get the gadget or goody they have their eye one.

I suppose it is quite frugal in one respect, if there is something that you need and you can get it at a hugely discounted price then it makes sense.  I do wonder however how many in the queue fell into the really "need" category as opposed to the “want” category and just got caught up in the consumerist madness.

I have to say I very nearly embarked on my own online Black Friday journey.  I don’t like shopping, and if I have to its normally online.  My lovely microwave is in a perilous state.  The internal white enamel paint has flaked away and it has gone rusty underneath; courtesy of advice via google this is a potential danger.  It can create hot spots and even fires, yikes.

I do use my Microwave daily, I heat up milk in it for Dads daily lattes and nightly hot chocolate and I also heat up left overs frequently, so whilst I don’t cook in it per se, it is well used.

Now the old me would have just ordered whatever I wanted online and despite the Microwave working perfectly fine apart from this, it would have gone into the bin.  So I perused through online shops to see their Black Friday deals and I couldn’t find a microwave that I liked or was willing to pay for.  All my white goods are integrated in my kitchen, all hidden away and those on show have a vintage / retro feel.  My microwave wasn’t on sale and online it ranges from £70 - £75 depending upon where you shop.  Yikes tis a bit steep.

So again thanks to google I found a step by step guide on how to sand down and repaint the interior and I found some specialist paint made for the inside of microwaves for £10. 

So instead of £70 I should end up with a “new” Microwave for a tenner, I can live with that.

Once I get the paint and I do my little bit of DIY I'll share to see if it works.  

Hello - I'm Back !!!

So where have I been, now that is a story and a half which I won't bore you with now, but one of the biggest changes is that I have "retired".  I say retired as I'm only 47 years old, can you retire that young?  But the reality is that I no longer work for "The Man" anymore and I don't get any state benefits, I live off (like a 1950's housewife) my husband and no we didn't win the lottery. 

It wasn't an easy decision but one that was necessitated by family circumstances and my darling dad who has many health issues coming to live with us full time.  He's a full time job in the nicest way.

So with a considerable drop in our income how do we survive?  I'm happy to say we are surviving and thriving and we really couldn't have done it without embracing frugal living.

I budget within an inch of my life, I have lots of time to make home cooked meals daily, so not having to rely upon any expensive convenience food.  I make do and I mend and we are debt free.

So I'm back to sharing what I have learned, the mistakes as well as the triumphs, lots of recipes, frugal tips and bits.  I will be throwing in a bit of crafting tomfoolery when I can, along with odds and sods as it comes to mind.