2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

twiglet98

Thanks Frugaldom for adding me, sorry I had seen lots of other requests (in pink!) and didn't realise everyone PMd you as well, despite reading the 1st post asking us to do so.

And huge thanks cw18 for sorting out whatever I had done to the 2011 SoW and getting me started with 2012. All up to date now, scary though.

natnat13 wrote: »

Mostly from the thread or beforeyoushop. It's my new addiction and a good one I reckon!!!

Ooh I haven't been on beforeishop for a while, I had LOADS of Ariel and Bold coupons last year but I'm out of them now apart from one for Persil non-bio - I thought Persil colour was non-bio but apparently not. Value powder not surprisingly bleached and ruined a hoodie DD got last birthday and I won't risk that again, coupons are the way to go.

My budget is terrifyingly high. Two grown-up DDs live at home, with their footballing BFs here too, they all work full time and pay a fair amount for rent, but we do get through a crazy amount of food, loo rolls and laundry stuff. I usually get Springforce loo rolls in Tesc0 as they are only 2-ply and don't block the septic tank the way thick paper does. I don't buy snacks or junk food, I bake cakes but nobody likes my HM bread except me so I buy 3 sliced loaves a week, usually whoopsied.. We make most meals from scratch, with lots of veg. Four of us take packed lunch, we eat a huge amount of fruit and veg, and I grow salad and soft fruit - work 50+ hours a week and no time or daylight to tend winter veg, but I am going to extend my veg patch and at least get leeks and onions on the go.

The cat and dog food costs too much, dog food is from the supermarket, but the cats' food comes from the pet shop at the garden centre. DD orders the kittens' food online from zooplus, must do that with the oldies too, and remember Quidco or TCB.

Expensive weekend, having run out of woodshavings for the hens and ponies, also needed a sack of layers meal, and sunflower hearts for the wild birds. Treated the robin to a bag of suet pellets from £land, they're much too expensive in the garden centre or farm shop..

As halfway there getting the animal stuff, I went on to Home Bargains and Poundland for oddments yesterday, then to Sainsburys, and I was pleased to get milk in £land cheaper than the supermarkets.

Sadly concluding that if I'm going to be really frugal I can't afford to feed the wild birds so much (but it delights me to see them), run my old Land Rover (but it has had tyres, brakes, exhaust, battery and cambelt two years ago, which will all outlast the car) and can't afford to keep ducks, who only lay for 6 months of the year and the egg sales in summer don't cover the cost of feeding them the other 6 months.

I need to grow more food but have not been very good at anything but blueberries and tomatoes, hardly enough for the year. I won't compromise on eating only free range, outdoor reared British meat, but we will have less of it. I stock up on mature cheddar when it's on offer, Tesc0 had Pilgrims Choice vintage on buy one, get two free, limited to 9 per person, and I went every evening for a week to get as much as I can store. The local Mr T is 8 miles away, Mr S and L1dl nearly 20 miles, so limited choice, and I hate that most of L1dl's food is imported.

Seems chilly but I have a rotten cough, fell asleep on the sofa earlier and have at least a 12 hour day at work tomorrow so hope for a better night's sleep. The thermostat is set at 16C but we didn't light a fire tonight so it's cool upstairs now. Must pay for the pre-Christmas delivery of oil, £315, no gas to the village so the oil companies are laughing.

Sandra Scarlett you are truly inspirational, I love your quote about building bricks, it does make it all sound more manageable.

'night everyone.







eep

SandraScarlett

Teacher2b wrote: »

Guys I must confesss.. I signed up to be frugal this year but so far it hasn't happened... I must confess my sins...

I have had a hair cut, bought a new ironing board and spent about £200 on new clothes for my placement in school. Eeek. BUT I am justifying this to myself by the fact that all the things I spent the money on are to help me look presentable on my placement therefore increasing chances of securing full time job if one comes up in this schoool..... anyone buying this excuse?!
Will try MUCH harder this week.

I plan to use the food I have in the cupboards this week so not spend any and plan a big shop carefully for next week so I can cook up big batches to use.

Sounds like you're all doing really well
Wish me luck! xxxx

Well, I wouldn't call it blatant spending, more like a case of speculating to accumulate! Is your placement a temporary contract, for a term, or is it an unpaid training contract?

If you can think of your spends over a period of time (like 3 months!), then it's not so bad, and you've promised faithfully to try harder!!!

xx

JayneC

Hi everyone, sorry not been about for a few days DD2 hogs the 'puter and I cant get on!

Brizzle - I don't have a paper log maker, but am considering one - I don't have much storage space to dry them and as I don't buy newspapers I don't have that much paper, tho DD1 called today with a load of old bills etc that she was going to shred, so that's fire lighters sorted for a couple of weeks.
Sandra - glad I gave you a giggle, honestly it's been nearly a tree at times, once I had to put the branch over my shoulder because it was so heavy, glad no-one saw me that time (I hope). Glad you had a lovely time with your friend in London.

Seems like everyone is doing really well.

News update - I got a load of wood from the guy who lives 2 doors down. I've had some fence panels outside my back gate for ages (from neighbour across the road) and he asked if I would like him to take them to the tip as he was having a clear out and taking some of his stuff. When I explained I was going to burn them he gave me an old gate and other bits of wood he had. He then offered me a TV he no longer wanted which is fab as ours had broken 2 days previous and... he told me he was planning to move and rent out his house, now DD2 is looking for somewhere to rent with her BF as they are expecting a baby in July. I told him she might be interested and looks like she may be able to rent it!!!

Went up to my Landshare garden on Friday and planted some hazel trees (well twigs, but will be trees eventually) and gathered some wood and sticks from there - need to get my saw out now. My garlic is coming up, still no broccoli on my sprouting broccoli tho which is a tad disappointing...

Spends this weekend are just £6.09 in butchers for a chicken and some mince and £4.48 in grocers for some fruit and veg (didn't need much this week). Will go to Sainsbugs tomorrow for cupboard stuff as have a £4 off £20 shop. Have cancelled OJ from the milkman but will still get milk ( it's more expensive but I do like support the local business and also I end up buying more if I go to the shop for milk) I only get 1 pint a day. Also spent £1.50 on Vaseline for DS as he has an addiction (he gets chapped lips and so smothers them in Vaseline almost constantly) and gave DGS 20p for his money box.

Off to bed now, smelly work in the morning. Back soon.

J x

SandraScarlett

I'm so glad my "brick building" suggestion has hit a happy chord! I think the trouble is, people who know how to do a certain thing, don't always realise how frightening it can be to those who can't. I, for instance, can compose a letter of complaint, with no problems at all, but gave up trying to learn how to crochet, after numerous attempts, as the wool and I were never going to get along together!

If you've been used to spending, without a first thought, let alone a second, then January is definitely the worst month. All of a sudden, you have to do things like stick to a list, prepare a menu for the week, batch cook, walk past attractive shop windows, plastered with the words "SALE!" or "FANTASTIC BARGAINS!"

Somebody said they felt bad about going to a supermarket, instead of supporting their local shops, but, in this year especially, the 100th anniversary of the Titanic, it is a case of every man, or woman, for themselves. It might sound selfish, but if you've already pulled in your belts to strangulation point, your first loyalty has to be about giving food, heat and shelter to yourself and your own family.

These things are far more important than me learning how to crochet, and if you've managed to master a spreadsheet, and a budget, then you need to give yourself a massive pat on the back! :T Well done to all novice budgeters, and keep building those bricks! :beer:

xx

dizzy_lizzie

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Oh kindly went food shopping yesterday so I could stay at home and work. He diligently stuck to the list (except a bag of nuts that I found under the bed today!)

Bless him determined, the little squirrel. Well done on your spends so far Hope your dd is okay. I had tonsilitis over Christmas and the antibiotics did nothing to help. Have heard a few others have had it too recently. Maybe a particulary virulent strain is going round.

SandraScarlett wrote: »

These things are far more important than me learning how to crochet, and if you've managed to master a spreadsheet, and a budget, then you need to give yourself a massive pat on the back! :T Well done to all novice budgeters, and keep building those bricks! :beer:
xx

Sandra you are a love you know :A

Day 7 of my challenge and managed to succeed with money to spare :j
Back at work tomorrow so must be off to bed now but hoping getting back in a routine will help. Will sit down tomorrow and plan my weeks menu from what we have in already and buy the odd bit.
Week 2 here we come...
Hugs to everyone
x

zafiro1984

We always have my OH's trainer (horse trainer) here for lunch every Tuesday. It usually costs several pounds to provide lunch, however, seeing as I am suposed to be living out of the freezer I had to use lateral thought. I know he likes cold meat and pickles, the sort you have from left over from Christmas dinner. So, by cooking a spare gammon joint from the freezer and using the pickles and a large pk of crisps left over from Christmas I should not only be able to provide lunch but have enough for several meals/flans etc. All I have had to buy was a lettuce and celery (Wardolf salad) The result of all this, is that, I probably don't need to go out shopping until the end of the week, hopefully spending less this week than my budget allowance

patentgirl

Morning fellow frugallers

Not been on here for few days my how this thread grows!
Had a NSD yesterday had a nice walk with DH along seafront normally we are tempted to call in local pub but both resisted then had a lovely afternoon at a friends house
So far budget going well need milk and bread so will have to pop out later but going to walk to town only about mile and half a way but trying not to use the car and need to lose some weight plus knowing I have got to carry whatever I buy home wont be tempted by anything else!

Have agood day everyone

natnat13

Morning all
Everyone sounds like you're all doing great, thank you Sandra for keeping us motivated.
Well diet starts today (again) and I'm off to a free trial of an exercise class called fit mum!
Will let you know how it goes later, if I can still walk and get to the computer :rotfl:

Savvy_sewing

sorry guys, so many pages and I just have to be honest and say I dont have the time to catch up. I wish everyone well though.
My finances are rather scarey still, but at least I managed to have a no spend day yesterday. A rarety. The cupboards are getting a bit barer but the stocks of odd things still remain. I shall have to start thinking outside the box again, and re visit the recipes and the £100 month website.

I have a long way to go to trim the basics, but am determind to do it. Bit annoyed that I didnt get organised enough to have done the free entry on Ebay. But at least I know there will be other times. But who is buying at the moment? Most are surely pulling in thier horns after christmas?
So there is time in the year yet to make the slush funds.
On the sewing side, I have been rather lazy, but I hope that now DGD is back at Nursery I can start with earnest to sew in the mornings.
I can at least get to my work desk again. So perhaps the starting will drag me through the rest of it.
I havent been to a supermarket since before the newyear, so thats quite good, but we are on the UHT milk, which I dont mind but that others frown at. I am having a veg, and meat delivery tomorrow from the Vegbox people, but that also has the milk, eggs, and juice. So it keeps me out of the supermarkets. Which saves me in the long run!
Happy frugalling everyone.

System

I feel as though i'm living on a tightrope at the moment. Firstly there was Christmas i had to pay for (or most of it anyway). Then i needed some new clothes (only bought a few but i was desperate for them). I took a look at my bank account last night and scared myself. Still, with the interest and the bids i have on ebay i should be straight again in a week or two.

On the downside to that, i think i need to go to the dentist.