2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

enjoyfinancialchallenges

Just finished another 10 jars of marmalade, I am completely obsessed with making it now probably because I know the Seville orange season will be over very soon and I need to get enough in stock for the years selling ahead. I have just done a quick total up and so far since mid January have made 141 lbs of marmalade. All different flavours and with a variety of different size shreds. Woo Hoo!

I seem to have caused many of you to feel sad and am sorry for that, its my pain not yours. I do appreciate all the kind things many of you have written BUT... lets forget that for now and concentrate on why we are on this forum that is to live a frugal life and get rid of our debts so that we can manage reasonable well on our separate incomes.

Time I went to bed now. Goodnight all XX

Kerfuffle

Hi beanrua,

Welcome to the challenge. Co-incidently this afternoon I've been working on my list as I don't think I've had a tight enough hold on the reins as I should have, and so in an attempt to re-inspire myself and to ensure I don't fall off the wagon I've reworked my original list and have included some of the other Frugalistas' ideas. You're welcome to pinch any ideas that may be useful to you, I must stress though that this list is relevant to myself and so doesn't include things aren't feasible for me, because of where I live such as whoopsies, LETS etc.

Money

Set a proper budget for everything and account for every penny.
Spend within your means.
Make shopping lists.
Pay in cash.
Keep a spending diary.
Put any 'spare' change, roadkill (cash found on the street) in the sealed pot.
No impulse purchases, make a wish list instead.
Allocate $2.00 per person per day for food.
Paying down debt/savings with any spare money.

Groceries

Stockpile & bulk buy.
Make use of money-off coupons.
Price check comparing price per grammes and milli-litres

In the kitchen

Don’t waste food.
Batch cooking and cooking from scratch.
Rubber chicken.
Eating soup and a pudding at least once a week
Baking all homemade cookies/biscuits/cakes.
Preserving, lemon curd.
Make homemade yoghurt.
Bulk out stews and casseroles with extra pulses, vegetables or grains.

In the home

Make do and mend.
Card & gift making.
Use cotton hankerchiefs/cotton napkins/reusable cloths instead of disposable.
Monitoring my electric use and turning off things.
Learn more about foraging for the area where I live.
Re-gift anything I’m given that I don’t want.
DIY pedicures and manicures.
Make my own laundry cleaner/gloop
Totally restrict toiletries to the basics. No shower gels, just soap, then progress to homemade.
Learn a new skill (crocheting/butter making/soap making).
Use sewing machine more and make own dresses (already have the materials).
Re-use envelopes.

In the garden

Grow own herbs, fruit & vegetables
Compost everything that is compostable.

Out and about

Restrict journeys thereby incorporating more chores in one journey, then park and walk.
Make the most of charity shops
Always take a book/magazine when out and about.
Stop buying books + magazines (even charity shop ones) - use library more.
Take a flask and some homemade goodies when out and about so not tempted to go into coffee/tea shops.
Take a packed lunch when out for the day.

Declutter

I don't think I'll be buying any new clothes this year as I'm trying to whittle down the amount of stuff I already have.
Sell or swap books that I’ve read.
Ebay/Ebid

natnat13

Arrrh, everyone on here is so lovely!
I love call the midwife, Chummy is fantastic, I cried when they got married. The triplet birth was amazing too. That would prob never happen now, C section I reckon.

I managed to get about 40 items on ebay last night in 2 hours! I literally was racing along so I got finished by 8:30pm to watch Call the Midwife!

Already got bids on about 10 items but they're all from 0 rated bidders! Not that that is neccessarily a bad thing but we had someone buy about £80 worth of stuff the other day then just never pay, it's really annoying!

Anyway, I'm off to exercise then taking the DS's to our local play centre, we have a baker day today here. It will be a spendy day because they don't let you take food in, i.e we're buying lunch. I am taking drinks and snacks though and I don't mind because we had an incredibly cheap week last week.

The sun is shining today, everything always feel better with a few rays!!

Nat xx

seriouslyfrugal

Welcome, beanrua to the forum

I watched call the midwife last night I understand that they are make another series - not sure when it will be on though - but I did enjoy it

FRUGAL FUN: I don't remember who asked but i walk it has been known for me to park in the park n ride in winchester on a sunday( its free ) then walk into town about 10 mins or so and wander round this wonderful historic city

There has been a frost here this morning but think this will be the only morning this week I will have that problem - thinking I will swim tuesday & thursday this week with walking group on friday

have a good day everyone

beanrua

Morning and thanks for the welcome.
Great list kerfuffle - I intend to

• get my gift lists sorted better this year and try HM stuff for birthdays etc.
• I customise clothes out of charity shops but do not intend to buy any more clothes for a while.
• When present stock of cleaning stuff is finished I intend to stick to vinegar and soda crystals.

I bubble wrapped all my windows this year and it has made a big difference to heat loss. I don't get whoopsies or LETS here - but I do use the reduced shelf. Going to visit relatives to-day for a few days so it's been a quick hello here and will catch up at the weekend.

paidinchickens

SandraScarlett wrote: »

And me!

xx

rubytuesday wrote: »

Me too! xxx

Winchelsea wrote: »

EFC - I cried too. You are amazing, such a wonderful outlook on life.

Glad your all doing your bit for the water shortage I may have shed couple myself

PIC x

mcculloch29

Hello folks, I can't think how I missed this lovely, supportive thread before now. I've read through what I can - please do add me!

I'm now disabled (arthritis on top of mild cerebral palsy) but I am lucky enough to work from home as an e-tutor in Maths, the income is a bit up and down, so frugality is familiar. My mum wrote the book on frugal living - thankfully as circumstances have dictated I've had to be frugal too through my life. I brought up two children on my own from the age of 13 and 8 and spent years working from home as a registered childminder (pre-arthritis), then re-trained as an adult education tutor. I've taught ICT, English, Maths, and home based childcare over the years.

Most of my work was term time only and hourly paid; the current job is paid on enrolments and test passes, but I do love it. It's enabled me to be considered for a re-mortgage, as I had an interest only mortgage due to be paid up at the end of next year.

Last year I did all I could to reduce the mortgage and paid off a third of it, so now I have a repayment only mortgage set to go that will be at least £70 less a month than it would have been.

I'm a member of the No Buying Toiletries thread to encourage me to pamper myself appropriately.

I've cooked cheaply and healthily for years - I have all Jocasta Innes' 'Pauper's Cookbooks' and Shirley Goode's too, from the Eighties.

I discovered Laundry Gloop thanks to MSE. I've greatly enhanced my life with competition wins for years and I'm a freebie hunter too (but only if I can use it!)

I'm a member of Amazon Vine too (Amazon send me free stuff to review. You have to submit reviews to them then hope that they spot you and like your style. They then invite you to become a member. I didn't know they existed but just wrote as I like writing.)

I missed Call the Midwife as I was busy catching up with work ... must set aside some iPlayer time. I read the book (from the library) about a year ago. Brilliant!

That's enough about me... back to work!

SandraScarlett

Welcome to our new Frugalistas! You'll find there's always a virtual cuppa ready for you, whenever you visit.:) Tomorrow week is the last day of February. :j I made some good savings on some things, but the vet bills for my poorly dog's paw has put paid to that, but then, that's life, all swings and roundabouts.

I always have to buy milk, fruit and veg, but that's all I'll need for a week, so not too much more to spend. :j And, even with the cold snap, I am thrilled with the numbers on the gas and electricty meters!! :T:T

xx

Winchelsea

Just popped in for a quick virtual cuppa!

Have had 3 (or maybe 4) NSDs in a row - I've lost count - and am only going out today to take my hi-fi amp in for repair. (Mind you, they might need a deposit!)

Oh, I will have to spend anyway - my DGD3 (I mean my 3rd DGD - I know some use the age, in which case she's DGD19!) - got a couple of days off from uni to come to her grandad's funeral (had to come from York to Bath). Now they're saying they want a death certificate, so I'll have to go to the P.O. and send that off this afternoon. (Similar happened to DGS1 - his uni wanted an Order of Service.)

Anyway, must dash! Bye for now all - a quick hug all round whether you need it or not!

enjoyfinancialchallenges

Wow Kerfuffle you certainly have thought of everything, I have never listed what I do but I did go through yours to compare and I think I do the majority on your list, it becomes part of life eventually. I think many of my friends think I'm mad but well that is their thoughts they can think what they like.
I have not felt very well all week but I'm beginning to improve, I dont think it was anything physical but I just try a rest as much as possible and then suddenly I realise what a dirty house I have and get out the hoover and start cleaning and that's all I need to get myself going again. I do love having my cat but she seems to shed hairs permanently and they get everywhere so do need to vacuum frequently. Can't think of a frugal way to do that to be honest apart from make my cat stay outside which isn't what I had a cat for, I love it when I sit down and put my feet up she climbs on my lap and starts purring.

I made one big decision last week I can't go on the bus and come back with as much shopping as I did without my body rebelling, last week was bad I was ready to pass out by the time I got to the stop on the way back home, I think I will go on the bus on a Thursday which is the local market day and the day I buy my citrus fruit for the weeks marmalade making and go another time to buy sugar. I try and get the 5kg packets because with all the marmalade I make I need three packets a week but I can't carry it and even when using a shopping trolley its not very successful. I'm lucky because the bus stops outside my house but it's the getting it to the bus at the other end I find difficult. By the time you count up all the odd things I need for cooking. I end up with a bag full so I think I shall have to take the car once a week and the bus once a week just for the fun of it, if time is short one week I shall go in my car and get everything I need. We call it the jolly bus as we all know each other, a bit like on here really and its good to get out occasionally a meet people, unlike on here.

Hello to all our new members, you are very welcome to join us, SS I will be round for a cuppa soon and Winchelsea thanks for the promise of a hug will come round for that after the cuppa at SS. unless you want a cuppa also then how about joining me at SS's I'm sure she will be pleased to see you also she seems to be a lovely person. X