Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

Barros

well i did my sums last night and realised that i saved £1104.37 in January! I just need to keep my spending tight for the next 2 weeks and thats it definitely saved...so very happy.

i thought i had went below £1k as i switched some money near the end of january for a treat so was quite surprised. my sig says that im hoping to save £9.5 K this year so thats a good start

thanks everyone for all the tips and help so far - ive got to say that i really miss logging in each day and checking the posts is so encouraging and when im tempted to buy something i think of my goal and the MSE site and it sees me through

mooomin

Just spent a non-frugal £10.35 on an eyeshadow

In my defence....(!)

It's the one I wear every day for work.
It's MAC so lasts for ages.
It's normally £11.50 so I did get a discount.
I also got free delivery.
If it tracks, I'll get 41p Quidco.

I'll go and write my lines now.

I'm a bad frugalista.

I'm a bad frugalista.

I'm a bad frugalista.

I'm a bad frugalista.

I'm a bad frugalista.

I'm a bad frugalista.

JayneC

Helen, your cakes look yummy:T

Art yes it is the Scarborough Shearling Group are we famous? LOL:rotfl: Unfortunately my kids like McDonalds despite me telling them they're evil

Tonight I was such an idiot:o my washing machine did not empty properly the other day so deduced something must be stuck in the filter but couldn't unscrew it - got all the kids to try but no joy. Ex OH came to pick up DS this eve for tea so asked him - anyway he got it to loosen a bit but it wouldn't unscrew completely so he got some pliers and broke the bit you grip onto!! Well he disappeared saying I could use his machine if I needed to do some washing, but I decided to have a fidget about with it - turned the machine on it's side and must've loosened the thing that was stuck as I managed to unscrew it - it was a paper clip (also found £1.50 and 2 cigarette lighters in the door seal :eek:). So feelin all smug I put the machine back the right way pushed it back under the counter and put a load on only to find I was standing in a puddle - I hadn't put the cap back on the filter - Doh!!!!:o

Well off out to rehearsals in a bit so see you later, hope everyone is ok xx

slowlyfading

Helen - your cakes look amazing!

minnie2

have not been keeping much of an eye on whats happening - so am going to check my bank and receipts definately not doing aswell as last month!!

SandraScarlett

Helen, everyone is saying your cakes look amazing, but I don't belong to Facebook, so can't see them. But I'm sure if I could, they would look lovely!

xx

23rdspiral

sorry forgot to say earlier that those cakes are beautiful helen! if i went the trad route and had a real wedding cake i'd have one with buttons!!

Laushappy

Evening all

Been reading all the posts daily and the tips/stories/poems are all very inspiring and keep me on the frugal path. Thankyou everyone:beer:
keep meaning to post to update, but by the time i've read all the posts its time for bed! :rotfl:
I have to say Artichoke i am inspired by the way you live, was lovely to read your story.

Well a NSD today and yesturday, really pleased as managing to build my savings up with the money that i would of been spending on non essentials, such as buying clothes just because i "like them" rather than because i "need them".

I'm so determined to build our savings up to a healthy amount (enough to fall back on should we need it) that its really motivating me to really think before i spend "do i really need this?".

SandraScarlett What a lovely person you are, always taking the time out to encourage and reassure people, you seem very kind hearted, loving your poems too:T

Have ordered a meat box to be delivered with my veg box next tuesday, it does work out more expensive than supermarket meat, but the quality is non-comparable. The aim is to buy higher quality meat and eat less of it, so it shouldnt work out any more expensive in the long run, but we shall see! To be honest i'm starting to become really resentful about buying anything from supermarkets, they just seem to suck up your money without us even being aware of it, they put prices up in a very sneaky way :mad:

Chow for now :cool:

NualaBuala

Laushappy wrote: »

SandraScarlett What a lovely person you are, always taking the time out to encourage and reassure people, you seem very kind hearted, loving your poems too:T

I agree 100% :T ... you said it so much better than I could!

Edit: was just thinking what a lovely bunch of people we have here in general!

midwinter

saorsie wrote: »

Hi ruby ~ I use my credit card for all purchases {it's a cashback jobbie} and then pay it off in full by direct debit each month.

I do exactly the same, 1% cashback, pay off in full each month, and the cashback is applied to the january statement

But still aiming this year, to spend less!

23rdspiral wrote: »

midwinter - i hope the curtains are there for you on friday, with things like that i take the view that if its meant to be they will be.

I rang them, the answer was that there was nowhere to store them for me until Friday (when I know there is a thrid floor, that I'm sure they could be kept in!) But que sera sera. Friday will reveal all!

flying_fresian wrote: »

Just spent a non-frugal £10.35 on an eyeshadow

In my defence....(!)

It's the one I wear every day for work.
It's MAC so lasts for ages.
It's normally £11.50 so I did get a discount.
I also got free delivery.
If it tracks, I'll get 41p Quidco.

I'll go and write my lines now.

I'm a bad frugalista.

I'm a bad frugalista.

I'm a bad frugalista.

I'm a bad frugalista.

I'm a bad frugalista.

I'm a bad frugalista.

You're not a bad frugalista at all! You saved money, and treats dont need to be out of the equation!