2018 Frugal Living Challenge

gien · 4 January 2018 at 2:16PM

I’ve not had a very frugal start to the year because I had to by food, Petrol to take my son back to uni and also work trousers. Talking of work, I have a start date of the 15th! Two days of induction and then 3 days training. All are a good drive from here but I get paid for my mileage. I’m looking forward to it I can say!

simplelivingislandlife · 4 January 2018 at 3:01PM

So, I have spent the first of my money, and quite a bit in the scheme of things. I've spent the following from my personal budget £32.25, £7.25 was on a lovely 2 litre Kilner jar for my sourdough starter which I'm going to do this weekend (very excited) and if it doesn't work I have more than enough things to go into it. The next payment was £25 of which was two tickets to go and see Ronald Hutton for a talk on Megalithic Man, I paid for my sister to go for her birthday. He's one of our favourite speakers and we've already seen him on different talks over 5 times now! We'll be going for Vegan pizza (again a birthday treat) prior to going and I will sit with my knitting while listening along. We are both super super excited!!!

So that's £32.25/£3,000

I'll update my signature now

.

I've also started on my menu plan for next week and I don't think I'll need to go shopping at all and if I do it will only be bread and milk! Maybe a tin of tomatoes, so that makes me super happy. If we end up not going shopping I'm going to mentally put the money aside and then at the end of the week put it into savings.

Buffythedebtslayer · 4 January 2018 at 6:09PM

Today's spends were parking at the station (£5.50) and discovering the dentist is going to be 147 pounds more than I planned and I need two fillings. Also going to cost a lot.

Hmm. Best go figure that out.

simplelivingislandlife · 4 January 2018 at 6:15PM

Right well, I've just done that big long trifle of a post and then looked at my budgets we still have "Christmas" payments coming out so it probably wont be wise for us to start this till the 25th when I get paid, that way we are starting with a clean slate. With this in mind I can actually move our spending around and put my yearly down at £4,500! Well it's coming out at £4,040 but I would like the buffer just encase. This makes me VERY excited as I'm getting lower. I think we could probably get it even lower as we don't by wood, coal or things for the fire during the summer as we don't need the heating on.

Anyhow I do hope this is ok, I'll still be following along as I really don't want to spend what's in my account unless I have to, so this will keep me on track.

Savvy_sewing · 4 January 2018 at 6:59PM

Managed a no Spends day. Daughter and I had cuppa soups and crackers at work instead of buying Baguettes next door.
£2.30 each usually.

debtaghh · 4 January 2018 at 8:13PM

I got invited out to a coffee shop but said no and my friend came to my house instead. I’ve had 2 nsd so far.

igaveupnowimback · 4 January 2018 at 8:57PM

Hi,
I'd like to join please, have only included expenses not bills/payments is that ok ? Aiming for £6000

Frugaldom · 4 January 2018 at 9:19PM

igaveupnowimback wrote: »

Hi,
I'd like to join please, have only included expenses not bills/payments is that ok ? Aiming for £6000

Nice username! Welcome back! :T:beer:

igaveupnowimback · 4 January 2018 at 9:26PM

Thanks - it's a mouthful and they wouldn't let me change it lol !
Do I just post target/spend in signature? Think I'd better read up a bit : )

Frugaldom · 4 January 2018 at 9:50PM

CheshireCat wrote: »

Hi,
Can I join the thread, please? ... As soon as the mortgage is gone, we are both going part time at work and getting a camper van. The plan is to spend as much time as we can on beaches or up mountains....living life purposefully and slowly...

Welcome to the challenge! When you get your campervan, you'll need to come and visit Frugaldom!

Kerreh wrote: »

May I join? I probably won't post all that regularly but I've been following along daily for over a week... it's like a mental check and measure for myself!

Welcome! Don't worry about how often you post - when it gets past the worst of the weather, I become almost invisible because I spend all my time out chasing pennies. :rotfl:

igaveupnowimback wrote: »

Hi,
I'd like to join please, have only included expenses not bills/payments is that ok ? Aiming for £6000

Everyone has their own budget and their own way of taking this challenge so you are more than welcome to join us.

Day 4 gone and no spends. I'm going to try not to buy food this month while I work through what's in stock here. I need to do a proper declutter and that includes freezer food and cupboard stores. I have so much needing done here just now that I;ve actually advertised for help who will work in exchange for board and lodgings. Winter in Scotland isn't always the best time to advertise but who knows? Maybe there will be gap year students heading further south from the freezing Highlands.

2018 Frugal Living Challenge

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