Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 1

Puddleglum

Phew! I fell behind with the reading and have only just caught up!

A couple of reality checks have hit me today and I would really appreciate people's views on them.

1. The veg box has gone up by a pound, organic milk has gone up by 5p a litre and the free range eggs went up just before Christmas by 5p a half dozen.
2. Our friendly window cleaner who has not put his prices up in 10 years turned up today.

Now, on the grocery front, I want to support small, local shops and producers at all costs but I am only budgeting £30p/w and the entire budget is tight. This will leave me just over £4p/w for everything else.
At what point do we have to give up on our ideals? Should I set a price and say, "if it goes above that I stop", or should I keep going regardless because the greater good will be served by people being loyal?

The window cleaner is budgeted for but he is one expense which is on my ditch list if things get too tough. However, he has a child and is probably on a few people's ditch list. How can we square our consciences if we put him out of a job?

Sorry if I have gone too off topic with this - it's bothering me.:o

lynzpower

Hi puddleglum

Honestly I dont know the answer to it really.

All i do know is that supermarkets have ALSO gone up , although at the mo the prices in market is staying about the same.... ( stal holder was shouting EVERYTHING ON OLD VAT I was thinking dont mess, theres no vat on this stuff! Though i will be looking to see how much is now in the "bowls")

Prices are shooting up everywhere, so what I mean is, you could cull your veg box, then find that alternatives are not much cheaper....

I was staggered to find a pack of bog standard potatoes were 1.60 in tesco yest. NOTHING CHEAPER!

I never buy fruit and veg in supermarkets anymore but then i do have a great market that has everything and is a lot cheaper, the only F&V i get from supermarkets is frozen stuff (eg peas/Sweetcorn frozen berries now and then) and mushrooms. My dad works in F&V import ( boo hiss) and he told me there was a lot of waste this year due to snow so I think everyone has to make up for this ....

I would do a run through and work out what your milk etc would really cost you in supermarkets close to you,

As an aside, the sainsburys where I usually go nr uni hasput its cans of diet coke from 55, to 69p
OH says shop has no more 1.85 cokes and the new ones are branded 1.99 - it is definitely being cut out its getting silly now.

play about on my supermarket and see what would be in your box and se if you can get cheaper, wont be organic tho,unless you have a local farm...

itsallinthemind

Puddleglum wrote: »

Sorry if I have gone too off topic with this - it's bothering me.:o

I do not think anyone can make the choices for you or even really advise you.

I dislike the fact that I have given up my veg box and buying organic foods and milk, but my new budget does not allow for it. Once the safe space is bought, I will go back to them though.

I have not been able to give up free range eggs though, I do not use much, bar baking for the children, but I would rather we went without than had the alternatives.

Window cleaner is tricky, do you think you could have him less, or have him just do upstairs? I'm afraid I am soft and would keep him

cw18

Puddleglum wrote: »

A couple of reality checks have hit me today and I would really appreciate people's views on them.

1. The veg box has gone up by a pound, organic milk has gone up by 5p a litre and the free range eggs went up just before Christmas by 5p a half dozen.
2. Our friendly window cleaner who has not put his prices up in 10 years turned up today.

Hard pressed to pass judgement on either.....

My grocery bills, like yours, has to be kept as low as possible - so it really would depend on how easily I could absorb the increases. I don't use much milk or many eggs, so could probably absorb those increases... not so sure about the veg increase though

As to the window cleaner - I'm expecting an increase from mine soon, as he didn't apply one last year (and not so sure he did the year before either). But this isn't something I'd ditch too quickly as I won't go up ladders, and as such couldn't do them myself anyway. That being said, my bill (£4.20 a fortnight) always seems to be low when comparing with other people anyway. But if I did need to ditch it in order to balance my own books, then I wouldn't feel guilty about doing so.

lynzpower

I have not been able to give up free range eggs though, I do not use much, bar baking for the children, but I would rather we went without than had the alternatives.

Me either, although I usually get sainsburys barn for 99p( freedom food) value eggs or free range from lidl for 85p

never_too_old

rubbish day today, loads of horrible letters in the post:eek:
really need this being frugal to work so i can plough more money into paying things off.
spreadsheet shows its achievable .

just pray for nice weather and work to come in for my self employed dh

not spent too much though so thats a good thing
£ 2.50 for drinks and value bread for gds to feed ducks and drinks
note to myself take them with you next time.
£7.44 for dd for foundation.:(

Kerry_Woman

HelenPie - Wishing you all the best in setting up your business. Hope all goes well.

alec_eiffel

Hi everyone,

I know what you mean about food prices. We shop at a supermarket that's a local chain - they sell lots of local produce and things like that (plus it's a really relaxing shopping experience) but I nearly cried when we went last week and saw the price of things! Luckily fruit, veg, dairy and their bakery items were still reasonable but everything else, yikes! I think I'm going to stick with it for fresh stuff - both price and quality are better than the alternatives but shop around for other things. Some things we'll just do without until they're on offer.

At the other end of the spectrum I have had the most lovely day. It is my birthday and everyone has given me cash or gift vouchers so I have been to the town and had a peep in the shops. There are lots of little, non chain, shops and the sales were great. I ended up with a couple of cushion covers reduced from £15 to £2 and a few other bits and bobs. I did buy something stupidly expensive, a napkin that cost £8 but I can make it into a cushion and won't cost the £52 pounds a ready made cushion in the same fabric would be. Plus it's all free cash as gift money isn't counted in the challenge. DH had to reign me in though as I was on the verge of buying something sensible! Hope that's not too o/t but I am super excited as it means my spare bedroom is virtually sorted now *yay*

Hope everyone else has something to smile about today.

lynzpower

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEC EIFFEL :beer: :j

Oh sounds like you have had a lovely day, sounds idyllic where you live, where are you ( if you dont mind saying

Kerry_Woman

alec eiffel - Wishin you a Happy Birthday. Glad that you had a lovely time.