Frugal Living Challenge 2011 - part 2

redglass_2

cloud_cuckoo_land wrote: »

Hi guys,

I'm going to post my point of view from a newbie to the thread, you say you seem to be suffering from the "mid way blues" and can't think of anything you're doing "except the normal stuff". When you think about it though, 4/5 months ago - would those things have been normal?? I doubt it. So you are and will continue to do things in a frugal living way without even realising. It would definately benefit me if you were to give me a little run down of the things you are doing on a daily basis that have become habit for you now. It may help you guys to realise how far you've come and how much you're doing to get it written down too.

Maybe just write down everything you did yesterday to help with frugal living, for my benefit - and you may be surprised at how much you are actually doing (or not doing!! lol).

Cuckoo. xx

Thanks, Cuckoo, I think you are probably right. Here's the stuff I do most days:

1. Keep the house cool. It's pretty cold where I am now considering it's nearly June, but I keep telling myself that if I'd had these temperatures in December I'd have been delighted, and that it's all a question of what you're used to.
2. Almost never buy papers or magazines. Not only do you save the cost of the mag, but you're not tempted by all the goodies advertised in there.
3. Have a store cupboard (well, nooks and crannies all over the house, really)that I fill up when things are cheap. The only problem with this is that sometimes I get so carried away with stockpiling that I forget you're supposed to use the stuff as well as stash it.
4. Have an allotment (as well as stuff growing in the garden - both garden and allotment are tiny). I sometimes see claims on threads that allotments aren't really economic when you count in the cost of everything. In my experience that drops sharply after the first year when you've bought most of your tools, fleece, etc, but even if it wasn't all that frugal I'd still do it because it's great therapy for someone like me who's mostly indoors.
5. Drive without constantly revving and braking.

You're right, I feel quite pleased with myself now.

Puddleglum

I second all of the above Redglass, especially the driving. I can currently get almost an extra days worth out of £25 of petrol on a 40 mile a day habit 5 day a week. Something I do miss right this minute, with petrol prices this high, is the freedom to just go for a drive out. It is really mucky weather here and the garden centre is beckoning. Now, I could go to the local one a couple of miles away but the drive to the bigger one seems really appealing atm.

Something which has helped the purse strings is weaning the family off of breakfast cereals and on to porridge most mornings. We have boiled eggs one day with toast and then a cooked breakfast of somekind at the weekend.

Weston-Hospice-Cario, our local fashion house has saved me loads over the past couple of years with some fantastic work clothes to be had.

Oh, I take turning the lights out even more serriously than Her Maj - too serriously it has been argued.

Hope the sun comes out for everyone soon.

Puddleglum.

rubytuesday

Hi Erme

No I am perfectly well thanks - just felt like treating myself to a few things but so far have only spent half my sales money so that's not bad.

I think we probably all need a treat now'n again!

I have treated myself to a beautiful silver serving spoon, an applique beaded jacket for a wedding and some swimwear so not bad for fifteen quid all in.

Do need to get up to date with my spending diary again though - I keep slacking!

paidinchickens

DS has just spent the last week at his dads. Picked him up last night. Here are his list of complaints

He finds it annoying when he has to go round the house switching the lights off that no one is using.

He does not like the way the TV, XBOX, and computer are all on at the same time "and for gods sake you can only do one at once can't ya mum" :rotfl:

"why does my dad spend so much on takeaways and then moans he has no money?"

"he always wastes money on everything and then moans he always has to work overtime as he has no money! I had to tell him if he changed his ways he would have more money to spend on the things he wants, it just takes some effort"

Just when I thought I had a :A son he said

"if he did the things you do mum he could buy me more games":rotfl::rotfl:

cw18

paidinchickens - that's priceless (especially the last comment )

Aril

Hello fellow frugallers:j
I think it's a great idea to write down what we do frugally on a daily basis as I certainly find I'm always finding new ways to do things or a new idea to try.

It won't be the cheapest day here today at Gnat Bottomed Towers as it's the small person's 13th birthday. Having said that I haven't spent mega bucks on his presents [he only asked for small things like a compass and a whistle for Scout Camp] so we can afford to buy him a Chinese Takeaway tonight [along with my parents as a thankyou for having him so we could get away on holiday during term time] and a trip to Chatham Dock next month with his best friend. I made good use of CEX and bought him 2 2nd hand Blackadder DVDs. He chose to go geocaching this morning as his birthday treat for today which cost nowt and I've made him a birthday cake. His gifts were chosen carefully to suit him.

Other than that we've had homegrown lettuce for lunch and we've got a bottle of homebrewed Elderflower wine from last year chilling for tonight. I also have a little bit of mending to do later.

Aril

tumptyteapot

I am fed up! I am fed up with working very hard and not earning any money. I set up a business from home 7 years ago and it is sucking my life away. I am still not drawing a wage from it and today, bank holiday is spent packing things up, stock taking etc. It's a NSD unless I get really fed up and go and buy a bottle of wine which will make me feel worse.

paidinchickens

Tumpty I understand how you feel. I only put a few things on Ebay for a clear out and it takes over your life and house! people think they own you and you should be sat next to your computer 24/7. I am glad I do not do this as a living.

Doom_and_Gloom

doom_and_gloom wrote: »

• gas = £0,300
• electricity = £0,300
• water = £0,120
• internet = £0,180
• contents insurance = £0,150
• bike insurance = £0,390
• road tax = £0,015
• petrol = £0,300
• vets = £0,240
• mobiles = £0,500
• yule = £0,334 (gifts, all food, treats, drink etc)
• birthdays = £0,180
• dentist = £0,120
• optical = £0,120
• entertainment = £0,180
• tv licence = £0,145.50
• bike maintanance = £0,120
• mot = £0,030

I forgot to change this a bit since we moved. We are now in an electricity only place so the 'gas' budget that was reamaining when we moved will be added to the electricity budget. I will work this out later. Our contents insurance on the new place is more than the £150 we budgeted at £168 for a year :eek:. It will be nice if we can claw that £18 over budget back from somewhere else by the end of the year .

Spent so far --> £1,867.51/£5,000 - 37.35%
We are 41.09% of the way through the year but basically 8% of the year budget is my partners Bike insurance that goes out later in the year. Looking at it that way I believe we are basically on target budget wise.

Lesley_Gaye

tumptyteapot wrote: »

I am fed up! I am fed up with working very hard and not earning any money. I set up a business from home 7 years ago and it is sucking my life away. I am still not drawing a wage from it and today, bank holiday is spent packing things up, stock taking etc. It's a NSD unless I get really fed up and go and buy a bottle of wine which will make me feel worse.

what is your business Tumpty, maybe we could brainstorm you some ideas to get you earning more from it