Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

WonderfulLife

It was interesting to see that I am not alone in being hooked on diet coke. I managed to escape Tesco's my teeth and bowels intact ... that is I did manage to resist buying any pop or gum.:j

It took a great deal of strength of character to get to the checkout without making myself look the other way while a dis - embodied hand dumped a couple of 4 x 2 litre packs of coke in the trolley. But I did keep the hand at bay and live to fight another day. I won't say it was easy because it wasn't I was concocting all sorts of reasons for justifying buying pop given the thread on using it to clean dishwashers, toilets etc. But i know in my heart of hearts that it would be destined only for one place ..... down my throat!!!

As shopping trips go it was quite sucessful. I spent £33.58 and kept close to my list. The only extras were some reduced beef and some veg. By shopping in the reduced aisle I saved £17 on the full prices. I even managed to bag one of those multi-buy reductions. I bought 2 reduced priced salads @ 8p each and discovered on the till receipt that I also had another 74p taken off because i'd bought 2. That means they paid me 66p to take them away. I'm happy to oblige.:rotfl:

Well, it wasn't a no spend day today. As well as the grocery shop this evening i also spent another £3.18 and £7.20 on a prescription.

My spending so far this year is £751.83/£17,500 budget for year

:A

WonderfulLife on her way to a Wonderful Life

Tixy

Hi Frugal posters (frugal folk, frugalettes? is there a correct term i should use?:o)

I don't usually post on here but I was browsing the last few pages tonight and noticed a few of you talking about pop and diet coke - just thought it might be worth mentioning that moneypenny has started a challenge today on DFW if anyone is interested - The giving up/cutting down on diet coke or caffeine challange (if this has already been mentioned but I didn't read back far enough then sorry)

I've also picked up some interesting tips on this frugal thread, so whilst I don't think I'm ready for officially signing up I think I'll be lurking and popping in occasionally if thats okay. Hopefully I'll get some inspiration to be less materialistic.

itsallinthemind

WonderfulLife wrote: »

If I could be moderate and buy one pack of gum and a bottle of pop as a treat then that would be OK but I know I can't.

SandraScarlett wrote: »

Did you say 500g of coffee a week! :eek: Blimey!
Not surprised you had bad headaches, when you first stopped. Hope they improve and well done again.

xx

SandraScarlett wrote: »

Then I add to The Fodder mushrooms, courgettes, peppers and bean sprouts, and stir fry this with the weeniest amount of oil

I used to buy a big lump of cheese and grate it, till I grated my finger as well, so now I get a big bag of ready grated, and split it into smaller bags, then freeze it.

I know it's not the most economical way of living, but it's the safest!

Yes, 500g! The big tin! Lasted 8 days on average. I used 2 heaped teaspoons in each cup! I was making it constantly in order to give me fake energy. Then eating cheese as a form of comfort food, a lot of cheese! Due to tiredness mainly. When I split with my partner I finished up the open tin and open block of cheese and did not buy any more. I was left with not a lot of cash as I had to start claiming again. So it solved 2 things! I would not have got through the time I waited for my Income Support with the cash I had if I would have bought those. Well I would have, but the childrens fruit and veg intake had to come first.

I have decided to give up coke next month, but I want to try introduce coffee back sensibly first. I would love to be able to even have one at 5, 9, 1,4, 6, 9 for instance! Also, I am holding coffee mornings in Feb, so I need to ne NORMAL by then

I always seem to use food or drink as a crutch to energy, which is understandable in my house, but it is no good! I've always made sure I do not drink within the home, I'm sure it would be a disaster, I think some of us just have incredibly addictive personalities!

Porridge and homemade cereal bars eally helped me through the recent financial/energy issue

Cheese wise, Often it is exactally the same price or a few pence cheaper. I buy it for the childrens sandwiches as there is no temptation to slice a huge bit off of a block

I did come on to say something but have no idea what now :rotfl:so I am going to sleep as it is QUIET and looks to stay that way:D

rubytuesday

SandraScarlett wrote: »

Yes but taking a year and a half to lose it, means you have a greater chance of keeping it off. Look at all these "stars" who lose 3 stone in a fortnight, produce a Keep Fit DVD, and then put it all back on. Well done, that's a brilliant weight loss. :T :T

xx

Thank You. Actually a year and three months to be precise and I was a stone heavier before that. It is definitely the best way to do it. I sometimes look at some of the diet threads on here and people sound like they are going through torture! I have never felt deprived, eat delicious food cooked from scratch and go out to eat. Used to be every week but will be once a month now I'm frugaling!:rotfl:
And a little bit (those being the operative words) of what you fancy does you good!

rubytuesday

I used to be addicted to tea probably drinking at least 12 or more a day. It wasn't doing my bladder any good so I was ordered to cut down. My Consultant recommended boiled water and I thought 'don't be so bloomin' ridiculous' but I gave it a go and actually liked it! It is strangely soothing and I prefer it to herbal tea, even my daughter drinks it sometimes now.

enjoyfinancialchallenges

I'm still thoroughly enjoying my de-clutter my house challenge by eating up the contents of my freezers and larder, lots of NSD except for D/Ds of course which have to be paid. I'm just recording everything in my diary and paying off the bills as they come in. My menu has become very interesting of late that is since I came across all the pulses I have stored for years. I cooked a whole load of chick peas on Tuesday BBD of 2003 :eek: and made two dishes of one of my favourite meals, aubergines, onions, chick peas and tomatoes casserole. I wanted to use the aubergines I had in my fridge but when I sliced them they were brown inside and I had to throw them into my compost bin, then I had to think fast but remembered I had a bag full of sliced cooked aubergines in the freezer from when I had a glut the year before last AND I found a bag full of tomatoes from last year so my freezer is slowly starting to have a bit of empty space in it and I'm eating well. My lunch was pea and mint soup from dried peas and tasted good and enough for tomorrow in the fridge. What I'm finding so exciting is that I'm eating well and emptying the freezer and larder.

The other part of my challenge is to declutter my home and on Tuesday I took a 45 min trip on the local bus, it passes through some lovely villages and made a good afternoon out. The bus stayed in town for 30 mins during which time I went to the Charity shop then hopped back on the same bus and home again not even spending one penny, well I did spend a penny but didn't IYKWIM and I use my bus pass-no not to spend a penny Oh! I give up. The bus goes from outside my house to practically on the cs doorstep and I got rid of a shoulder bag, about eight books and 6 sundae glasses given to me by ex-Live out Lover, yes ,I'm slowly de-cluttering him from my life also but thats another story and the hardest part of my self imposed challlenge. tell you what though in a few months time I shall have so much space in my house and my head. One thing Iv'e realised that I am unable to do is eat up the contents of my freezers etc and do WW, Iv'e tried and its just not working so I think I will leave WW for a while because I'm just wasting money and am feeling so energised about this challenge. The more I do the more I want to do.

Iv'e just done my road tax online and realised there is another thing Iv'e forgotten, I changed my name in Oct by Deed Poll and so far haven't told the DVLC, the Pensions office or Benefits agency. My passport also needs to be changed but it expires in June so thats not too many months I will loose. Anyway better get on and write at least one letter they will all need to see my Deed Poll so have to enclose a copy with each letter. I may not have bothered had I realized all the people I would have to notify but after being divorced in 1995 it was about time I did.

youngmummy

NSD for me yesterday (12th) yeahhy !!! also OH has phoned sky and cut our bill right down woopwoop!! so far so good. i spend £42 in total the other day but £32 was LO's birthday present ...
i also have had too re write our budget for this year as our previous one wasnt very realistic really as its our first time dooing it so i its sligtly higher as i didnt want too put lots of presssure on us else i would start stressing
so here is my new a final budget hope you dont mind -

budget for the year already spent
Outgoings
Electricity£780 £30
Gas £520 £20
Water £469.60 £18
Tv Licence £155 £11
Loan £600 £140 (pay off by 4th july 2011)
Bacci £470 £82
Garage Rent £288.60 £11.10
Food ect £2800 £96.40 Including PetFood,Toiletries,Nappies realisticly £3600
Xmas and Birthdays ect £2000 £30 (got saved- £0)
Mobiles £600 £0
Sky £560 £0
Petrol £1560 £40
Bike Insurace,MOT and Tax £400 £0
littlewoods £60.00 £0 pay off by june 2011
other £700 £0
New Total £12,903.20p:eek:
aim for savings - £2000:A

apple_mint

Another NSD yesterday. Motivation is still strong, mainly because of this thread. Everyone is so positive

Today and tomorrow will be spend days. I'm calling into one supermarket tonight on the way home and tomorrow night into the other. It's monthly shop time. Restocking etc. I have lists ready for each one and I'm going to try and stick to them. I'm saving money by combining my work travel with my supermarket shop.

I've stretched my haircut cycle (I have short hair and need regular cuts) so that I haven't paid for a haircut this month. I've just transferred that money into the savings account. I feel a bit shaggy but I can hang on until next week.

OH is constructing a HM pizza tonight while I shop. He makes up batches of pizza dough and freezes them for me. I've just taken one out to thaw ready for tonight. He'll prepare a topping ready for the remoska. I'll ring him as I leave the supermarket and it should be ready when I get home

mooomin

My budget so far for the month is looking quite red, due to spending nearly £200 on an ipod, but I think I'm going to pull it back in next month...

Last year, I won a posh blu-ray/DVD player thing in a competition and have been trying to sell it ever since. It's worth £400 and I would be happy to get half of that for it as I wouldn't use it myself. I tried to sell it on Gumtree but got timewasters and scammers and had resigned myself to taking it to the local Cash Convertors and getting £100 for it (Bah!)

We had a friend round for dinner on Monday and he had asked about it. He has then said, assuming he gets his quarterly bonus in February, that he will not only give me £200 cash for it, but give me his "old" telly as well as he wants to buy a massive flatscreen to make up the difference between what he's paying and the RRP. This "old" telly is a really nice flatscreen job that must be less than two years old.

So, when I get that money that will take me from £200 over budget to back on track :j :j :j

Frugal plans for today:

Borrow a stamp from someone as I only have a tenner in my purse until payday next Friday and don't want to splash out on a whole book of them. :rotfl:

mooomin

A tub of tomato and basil pasta sauce that I found lurking in the freezer last night has now been used to make lunch for today and tomorrow. As the sauce was whoopsied to 12p at the time of purchase, I reckon I have two days of lunches for about 15p per time. :money: