Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

SandraScarlett

I think the sense of euphoria and excitement that we had 6 weeks ago is decreasing rapidly, and our get-up-and-go has got-up-and-gone!

I have kept a little notebook for about 20 years, and every year I write all the "extras" in it. I don't include food, heating bills, petrol or anything like that. Just the repairs, renewals, presents, holidays and outings etc, and it's amazing how much all these extras mount up. :eek:

I reckon that since we were married, if my DH and I hadn't needed to shell out for all these additional costs, and help the DC and DGC, we'd have several extra houses! But that's life, and though some costs can be trimmed, like holidays or presents, a lot of things are essential. The poster with the dodgy chimney, (sorry, forgotten your name, as usual!) that is going to probably cost serious money to put right - sweetie, you have all my sympathy, but your health and safety come first.

We've got a leak coming from somewhere in the loft, that is causing puddles outside, and DH said he'd "go and take a decko" - he's disabled, so that's all I need, him injuring himself - so we've "got to get a man in".

It's the unexpected things that throw our budgets into turmoil, but we've already got the tools for recognising how we can save, so let's all push on and just do the best we can. I am trying to economise, and I know there are other savings I could make, but I'm against introducing them all at once, and making myself miserable.

We're halfway through Feb tomorrow, so let's have the best Valentines day we can, and try to be as frugalish as possible for another couple of weeks. Can we do it? Yes we can! :T:T:T

Good luck all :beer:

xx

slowlyfading

I am currently in the midst of making bread for the first time - it is rising as we speak! Fingers crossed it works - I will be so impressed with myself if it works!

Spent more than normal this week though, oops will need to get back on the wagon this week....

enjoyfinancialchallenges

Yes SS we certainly can do it and no matter how small an amount we seem to save, every little counts. slap slap.:j

I'm making marmalade today from the ready prepared tinned oranges, really turns out nice but I'd like to buy some Seville oranges whilst they are in season and make more for my car boots, does anybody else prepare their fruit quickly by using a mincer or anything else, I have dodgy fingers that don't always do what they are told so if there is an easier way apart from using a sharp knife I would love to hear about it.

Erme ,good to hear you have looked after yourself by seeking help hope you are home soon.XX

Hugs to all who need it or just wants one.

Forgive me if I have the name wrong but saski are you still one person or two? Ive either missed the good news or you are still pregnant. Good luck with whatever is going on for you and look forward to hearing your wonderful news soon.

enjoyfinancialchallenges

twiglet98 wrote: »

This month is going so terribly wrong, spending FAR too much and had three days off last week (one day holiday, two sick after falling and cracking my head open, needing stitches, still have a huge bruise on my chin). I'm paid hourly and usually do a lot of overtime, so being paid only the basic 8 hours for a day off is very difficult. Week's wages were £70 down on the previous week.

Youngest DD won a car on eBay, £750, she has saved enough but couldn't withdraw that much from her ISA without giving notice, so I got the surplus £150 out of my account, and I'd paid a £100 deposit on it when the auction ended. She has to tax it. Sorted out the insurance online and I've paid that on my BCard, DD will pay me back over four months. I agreed to help her get a car when she had her birthday last month, but didn't suggest a figure. Ex has given her £100, but he bought the older kids' first vehicles AND paid for their lessons, neither of which he has done for youngest. I know his financial situation is worse now, but it's probably more hurtful for her than she lets on.

We used elder DD's car to go and collect the latest one, so I put £20 petrol in hers, then another £20 in the one we picked up, mine's almost on reserve and needs £30 diesel for the week, which I'll get when I go out to Mr T shortly. Shame we ran out of time to shop yesterday, we passed our nearest L!dl, 20 miles away, on the way to get DD's car, and they've some good offers this week. I'm never sure how much I'll save by shopping there, and if the saving will outweigh the cost of getting there. Probably not.

Also have to pay for 500 litres of oil, £298.75, and the broadband package has to be increased as DDs have now got iPhones and a laptop, so the internet use has increased since Christmas and we're going over the 10Gb allowed on the minimum package. They are earning enough to pay a fair amount for their keep, but they get paid (and pay me) monthly, and the end of the month seems a long way away.

I've done an inventory this morning of the freezer contents, found some surprises at the bottom, including a whole salmon from Mr T's whoopsies in December 2009. Anyone know if it will still be ok? I've got a whole lamb coming from the farm at the end of the month and needed to defrost and rearrange before then. Must work out what to do with the whole liver still in the freezer from the last one - pat! to "feed the five thousand"?

Sounds like this month is horrendously expensive for you but if you hang on in am sure you will eventually sort yourselves out. Some months everything seem to go pear shaped and you are getting yours out of the way early in the year.:eek:

Re, the salmon, it probably wont taste as good buy if its been frozen all this time but wont do you any harm I'm sure.

redglass_2

NualaBuala wrote: »

I get the impression charity shops are much better in the UK than here.

It depends where you are. The ones round here (rural area, mostly low income) are a bit of a mixed bag but charity shops in posh towns sometimes have rich pickings. Last year I visited another part of the UK and found lovely clothes in the charity shops but unfortunately I can't see myself going there very often.

After a disastrous start to the year I seem to be doing better this month. The storecupboard and freezer are starting to empty out - TBH I'm amazed at what's in there. And I've just sold a dehumidifier I no longer need (to a local person, so no need to faff about with postage, etc). I think it took me a long time to get into the mindset, because I've had lots of other stuff to think about, but I'm hitting my stride now.

I got myself some of the veg saver bags from £1 Land. Does anybody know if they can be re-used? It says nothing about that on the box.

What else? My local Co-op is giving away end-of-line toiletries if you spend over £10. There wasn't much left in our branch but I had the choice of deodorant or wipes. Might be worth checking out if you have a branch nearby.

chika

Thanks Nuala my sister has lost almost 2 stones in six weeks. Anything she can do I can do better and all that! I had one of the younger children at work ask me if I had a baby in my tummy and another outright called my fat - I was mortified but they are children and speak as they see so I couldn't be cross.

SF let us know what your bread turns out like, making bread is addictive. HM tastes so much nicer than shop stuff. While I'm thinking about bread, Mr A have own brand, strong bread flour for 50p a 1.5kg bag. I'm not sure how this compares to other supermarkets but I keep hearing about how the costs of flour is rising and I paid almost a pound for the same in Mr T recently.

Minnie I hope you manage to sort out the car insurance. Is it worth asking them if you can pay 200 one month and 300 the next to avoid the fees? If you find any amazing money making ideas please do let me know. I would really love to have a car at the moment. Its not a total necessity but I feel a bit isoloated without one. I just can't pop over to see people without planning. I'm restricted to one rubbish supermarket and the vastly overpriced corner shop. I hope to be able to save enough for a small banger soonish. Definatly before the summer - My fave frugal getaway is camping but I have no hope of doing that with no car.

Apart from that I've had an ok month. I've managed to pay off the horrendous payday loan that I foolishly took out a while ago. I've worked out that I've paid about £1300 in interest and fees on top of the 400 I originally borrowed. Never ever again!

never_too_old

Fairly frugal day so far today, went to cinema to see free advance screening of Animal Kingdom, bit grim but good. carparking was free as well, which was a bonus. Went to Mr TS spent £ 21 managed to get the 3 for 2 dog food and the 3 for 2 cereal, 2 big bags of porridge and 1 box of cereal that dd likes ,also 3 for 2 on soft drink as dd and her db were buying pizza,which was done with a code of spent £30 and get 50% off.
managed to get another 2 cinema tickets for next weekend which dd and her db are going to use , love the cinema but now actually hate paying for it.Also managed to pick up a lovely lot of postcards at the cinema so am going to spend an hour this afternoon entering postcard comps.



also got one of the receipts from Mr t with a clubcard bonus , spend £ 40 and get £6 off at next visit

seriouslyfrugal

Hi Everyone,

Erme : I'm sorry your felling rough right now hopefully you well feel a bit better soon :grouphug:

Redglass : the veggie bags we have here we do reuse but turn them inside out ( they were not from £ land ) but can be used serveral times


I . m .Hart : we have had a Mr T voucher like that for the last 2 weeks :T


Weather really naff down here in hampshire today so have stayed in and caught up on the housework

All though I did venture into town yesterday it's a NSD weekend but will need petrol & other bits tomorrow


Hugs to anyone who needs one

have a frugal monday everyone

Laushappy

Minnie2: Just read that you are trying to think up some money making ideas. How about selling fancy olive oil? I watched folks on TV a while back selling bottles of olive oil with chilli's, peppercorns and fresh herbs added to make the bottles look pretty and to give to give the oil different flavours. They look great on display in kitchens too. Maybe could sell at carboots and farmers markets?
Just an idea

slowlyfading

It worked!

Have posted a pic on my diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2396863