Urgent info needed: Does anyone know how to get a drop of old blood (nose bleed) out of a cream couch?
So, the move is well underway and it is the end of the norm as I’ve known it. As a professional in her late 20’s I’ve often felt like I should be able to afford to purchase a home, but my reality is I can’t. I’ve often felt like I then had a right to have my own place (renting) but my reality is that I don’t need to have that. Once the boxes leave, in just a few hours (eek) my reality is changing.
A month ago I looked at my goals, I added up the cost of renting here in London and had a bit of a eureka moment; the reason why I can’t get ahead as quickly as I want is the cost of living on 1 salary. The bare bones, including my £15 a week food allowance, comes to over £1400 a month, that is a lot of money! On top of that, I’m unhappy staring at concrete at the weekends, I want to be rambling on moors, running through leaves, reading the paper by the sea. There is something innate inside me that has opened up, I feel it calling me out of the city and into the country. So in my quest to listen to what my body tells me it needs, I’m changing my reality. I have a new work plan, I’m renting rooms, basic rooms, rather than flats during the week. I’m getting out of London at the weekends and spending it with nature – going to visit various family members and staying at rural hostels, camping when needed and sleeping under the stars! I have no clue how this no nomadic existence is going to work, but I’m treating it as a three month adventure! At the very least I’ll have saved more, had some time with nature and had a change of scenery and if it proves too much living like a gap year student while holding down a professional position, then I’ll simply go back to renting. Somehow, I think though, this will be a change for the better.
So if you see a woman running through the leaves here or here or here, don’t think she’s mad, just think “poor lass she’s been caged in by the corporate world for too long and is trying to re-discover the self her little inspirations helped her find”.
p.s. This should mean soon this blog will have lots of photographs!
Hi there-what a fantastic idea-I know this will work for you, best of luck with everything my dear!
By: sharon rose on October 20, 2008
at 9:10 am
Have you tried Hydrogen Peroxide? I have used it in the past on dried blood. Keep putting a new dab of HP on the cloth you use gently rubbing it out till it is gone.
By: Barbara on October 20, 2008
at 9:19 am
If you come up North (I see you’ve listed the Lake District), do drop in, won’t you? The peak district is beautiful too, y’know and not far from me at all.
I don’t blame you one bit for wanting to get out of the city and into nature. City’s are, in my opinion, soul destorying – they weren’t what we weren’t designed to live in, after all.
By: Sharon J on October 20, 2008
at 9:58 am
Thanks Sharon Rose, I think it will work for me!
By: Frugal Trenches on October 20, 2008
at 10:03 am
Barbara, thank you, I’ll try to find some!
By: Frugal Trenches on October 20, 2008
at 10:03 am
Sharon J -that would be fab!! Yes, I’m hoping to get to Lake D for a weekend in Jan and Feb!
By: Frugal Trenches on October 20, 2008
at 10:03 am
Oh what a fabulous idea. Being in the country will nourish your soul, and recharge your batteries. First comment here…I do love your blog. Go girl! And come to Cornwall – after nearly twenty years in London, I now live by the sea. Wild horses wouldn’t drag me back…. Good luck! And wave if you come my way!
By: Pebbledash on October 20, 2008
at 11:22 am
Good on you! The thing is, be careful not to lose sight of reality (of course), that you still need to pay bills, get things done in the ‘real world’, and not to neglect all that
I found that I had a tendency to put things off when I travelled…
By: Fabulously Broke on October 20, 2008
at 12:42 pm
Really hope it works out!! Can’t wait to see the photos!
x
By: Jade on October 20, 2008
at 12:57 pm
I envy your free spirit. What a perfect time in your life to do this, with no hubby or kids tying you down right now. You will find great things in yourself through this….good for you!
Kathy
By: Kathy on October 20, 2008
at 1:26 pm
That sounds fantastic. Mr Chiot’s and I love hiking & backpacking because you’re so free. It’s incredibly freeing know that you’re carrying everything you need to exist on your back.
Doing something like this is also a great way to pare down to the minimum needed for existence, no excess baggage allowed!
Mr Chiot’s and I are sort of doing the opposite. We’re working like crazy for a few years to save up & pay off so we can semi-retire early. But I think it makes a difference that we own the business and we love our work and we can be together. So working isn’t really working, and the harder we work, the more we make since we’re working for ourselves and not “for the man” as we say here in the U.S.
By: Susy on October 20, 2008
at 2:59 pm
What an adventure!!! I hope everything works out for you! I am looking forward to the stories & pictures!!
By: frugal dreamer on October 20, 2008
at 3:42 pm
I second the hydrogen peroxide suggestion – it even works on old blood stains.
I think your idea is great – I’ve rented rooms in the past and they really do end up saving a lot since utilities are normally included. Are you selling or storing your apartment “stuff”?
By: Anny on October 20, 2008
at 4:31 pm
Club soda when it first happens.
ps – great idea.
can’t wait for the pics
By: Money Funk on October 20, 2008
at 5:03 pm
WOW – can’t wait to hear all about it!
By: apieceofwood on October 20, 2008
at 5:56 pm
Hi, I am a new reader, and I really enjoy your blog. Great ideas and writing.
By: sonrie on October 20, 2008
at 6:19 pm
Sounds wonderful! That is an awful lot for monthly expenses, more than we spend here and we’re in DC for pete’s sake (pretty expensive area even in the ghetto). But as I understand it rents in London are closer to NYC.
Have much fun running across moors and through leaves. There’s a part of me that can’t wait until someday we’re living in the countryside…maybe Pennsylvania and have woods and fields and hills.
By: Mrs. Micah on October 20, 2008
at 7:11 pm
don’t blame you,I lived downtown madrid for 9 months and I much prefer to live close to the mountians. I’m lucky that unlike London Madrid is a small city. So it’s easy to reach the city center from the burbs.
Looking forward to more interesting posts
By: Rob in Madrid on October 20, 2008
at 8:06 pm
How wonderfully exciting, only one problem, you may never want to go back to London again. Mind you, that might be a good thing.
By: fiona fry on October 20, 2008
at 9:51 pm
You are such an inspiration. I have now completely caught up on all your blog writings and you just amaze me. I have now lived two, yes TWO spend-free days. I didn’t think it was possible but I can confess I’m alive and it worked (he he he).
Good luck with your new living arrangements. Please say hello to the sea for me as I live in Canada (where the snow can appear at any time) and am a 12 hour drive away from the ocean.
By: Amanda on October 20, 2008
at 10:29 pm
What a fabulous idea. I once knew someone who worked part of the year as a deep-sea diver and part of the year as a solicitor. One year he decided to camp Mon. – Fri. on Salisbury Plain to save on paying lodging costs whilst he was working in a local solicitors office. It seemed to work fine – and this was in the depths of winter!! Anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
By: Elizabeth on October 20, 2008
at 10:42 pm
Too cool! I can’t wait to read about your adventures
By: CanadianSaver on October 20, 2008
at 11:03 pm
Gosh – how exciting! I read your blog, but not sure where you’ve decided to move to apart from “the country”, though really that is enough really. Clean, fresh air; hills & dales; slower pace of life…wonderful!
Congrats – I look forward to following your new adventures!
By: Annie on October 20, 2008
at 11:51 pm
wow. amazing. where will you be keeping all your stuff? and how does it work over there in england, renting rooms by the week? here … we have an apartment for at least a year contract (I’m in the U.S.) ……
By: Karen on October 21, 2008
at 12:34 am
if its your own blood, your saliva is the best way of getting it off. If its not your own blood no idea…..
Gill in Canada
By: Gill on October 21, 2008
at 12:45 am
OMG!!
I found this thread yesterday and read every single post on here last night!!!
You seem to make so much sense and i just nodded through everything you said. I can’t wait to read your future posts!
Stacey
By: Stacey W on October 21, 2008
at 5:38 pm
sounds very exciting. can’t wait for pictures.
By: deepali on October 21, 2008
at 7:30 pm
Not really the time of year for sleeping out under the stars. But it is possible I guess for the very brave.
I spend one night a week in London and the rest in the Surrey countryside – so love the city break but enjoy wondering around the village for the rest of the time.
By: Lisa Clark on October 21, 2008
at 10:26 pm
how wonderful!!! i can’t wait to see all your photos.
By: neimanmarxist on October 21, 2008
at 10:38 pm
Sounds like an exciting idea. You do come alive in the countryside, cities are sterile in my opinion and I could never live there. I like a blend of countryside and town so that you get the best of both worlds
By: sharie on October 21, 2008
at 10:59 pm
Just found your blog, love it ! Great idea to get out of the city every weekend. Chilly time of year for camping though. I camped in the UK last weekend, but I have a woodburner in my tent. Wouldn’t fancy it otherwise ! Good luck with your adventures.
By: catherine on October 22, 2008
at 10:45 am
sounds wonderfully free-ing! can’t wait to read about it all
By: louise on October 22, 2008
at 9:37 pm
I love your plan! Sounds wonderful and I can’t wait to hear all about it. As for blood, hydrogen peroxide works wonders. Just keep putting it on every few hours until the stain is gone. My dad is on dialysis, and invariably blood gets on his clothes when the needles come out – my mother swears by hydrogen peroxide to get the stains out.
By: Frugal Babe on October 23, 2008
at 6:14 am
[...] I also read this post from Frugal Trenches, and was cheered by her determination and spirit. She’s living in [...]
By: Frugal Babe » Archive » Frugal Friends and Straw Bale Houses on October 23, 2008
at 6:29 am
I also second the hydrogen peroxide. It works well on lots of stains. Use a cotton bud to apply it, and once the stain has gone sponge it with a damp cloth. So that it doesn’t bleach the cloth from cream to white.
I really enjoy your blog, good luck with the new living arrangements I may do something similar down her in NZ.
By: Adrienne on October 23, 2008
at 7:10 am
This sounds like a wonderful plan. We can all break our patterns and enjoy nature more. I’ve been a way from blogs and blogging for awhile because my husband has been sick. Looking forward to keeping up with your new adventure.
By: nichole3 on October 24, 2008
at 2:23 pm
Is that blood yours? Because if so, all you need do is lick it! A mouth-dampened q-tip works, too. Your saliva will take out your blood. (Something about the enzymes.) I know this sounds disgusting, but it works, especially if the blood is fresh. (I’ve seen it work on old blood, too.) Even if it’s someone else’s emission (ahem), try it.
This is an old folk remedy, but I’ve used it many times on quilts and fabric with success.
By: Cindy Brick on October 24, 2008
at 6:39 pm
been away so haven’t seen this till now. I love the idea and really hope it works well for you. Good luck with it all
By: Kirsty on October 28, 2008
at 12:12 am