2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

HelenPie

Hello everyone :wave:

I'm still lurking and trying to read the daily updates. It seems as though you're all doing so well. Certainly inspiring and motivating, so thank you all for that :T

I'm under my frugal budget so far this month by about £300 with only a week to go, which is great but I'm still £100 over for the year to date after the car bill last month That should balance out over the next few months though.

I've found that the second purse challenge has made a big difference to my spending this month so will keep up with that for a while and hopefully my frugal skills will gradually broaden along the way.

I am going to try and get to the butchers and see what's on offer at the weekend. OH's sister gave us her old slow cooker, so I'm pretty excited about that (it's only tiny but I'm usually only feeding 1-2 mouths)

efc: Firstly, big hugs to you :A seems that you've been through a lot. One can only hope to meet life's challenges with such strength and grace.
Secondly, I may have missed you mentioning in an older post, but where do you sell your marmalade? It sounds delicious but that's a lot to shift!! :cool:

Helen x

SAVVYJADE

Hi all

Money tighter than thought this month, had a text from bank today to say balance is low, still got a few bills to come out too so not sure what going to do.

I've been fairly good this month too, MOT didn't help but had to be done! As fairly new to this didn't have any money put aside for it which I've now learnt from! Pay day is another 2 weeks away so really need to think of some ways to put some money into my account!

Cupboards and freezer are stocked so no shopping needed luckily.

Hope everyone else in a better situation

SJ x

seriouslyfrugal

rubytuesday wrote: »

Seriouslyfrugal I'm feeling jealous of your swim - I haven't felt well enough to go for two months now and I'm really missing it.

Initially walking helped my mood so much but the swimming helps me even more.
!

Ruby : I feel like this exactly, I like the walking for the social aspect but the swimming makes me feel 10 times better I too hadn't been for a long time and yesterday I made a promise to me that this is a non Negotiable activity now I need to do this to keep me well mentally and physically ( great physio work out ) aparantly I would have worked off 310 cals yesterday ( 43 mins leisure swimming ) if I had done a walk it would have been 108 cals now I do have around 30lbs to loose just because I haven't been so good lately so this will help big time along with healthy eatig of course - I did managed to put the bread pudding that was made yesterday in the freezer although I did have one piece - well it would be rude not too :rotfl: :rotfl:right who's up for a cuppa :coffee: and a natter

catch up later

freedom2011

Feeling glum that I haven't done as well as predicted this month, need to do one of those fab motivating lists like kerfuffle to perk me up. As much as I seem to trim off my spends my outgoing seem to go up. Lists always make me feel better.
P.S I love this thread

rising_from_the_ashes

freedom2011 wrote: »

Feeling glum that I haven't done as well as predicted this month, need to do one of those fab motivating lists like kerfuffle to perk me up. As much as I seem to trim off my spends my outgoing seem to go up. Lists always make me feel better.
P.S I love this thread

I love lists too!:D

Don't feel down .... things happen and we just try our hardest to do what we can to keep things on track and save where we can.



I would say to anyone who's doing the challenge for the 1st time ... it's often an eye opener at the start as to how much we spend here and there - I know I certainly had my eyes opened last year:).

Although I set budgets last year, many were just a figure plucked out the air as I really had no idea what I spent on some things so, for me certainly, the first year was a big learning curve to find out what I did spend, where money was being wasted and seeing how to make savings.

The budgets I've set this year are much more realistic as I have last year to look back to and see what was being spent.

It doesn't mean that it's easy to stay within the budgets (I like a challenge and IMHO it would be a pointless to just set budgets that are ridiculously high just to stay within them) and we all have certain times of the year when big expenditure falls and puts that budget "out of sync", however, these should balance out over the year. HTH

enjoyfinancialchallenges

HelenPie wrote: »

Hello everyone :wave:

I'm still lurking and trying to read the daily updates. It seems as though you're all doing so well. Certainly inspiring and motivating, so thank you all for that :T

I'm under my frugal budget so far this month by about £300 with only a week to go, which is great but I'm still £100 over for the year to date after the car bill last month That should balance out over the next few months though.

I've found that the second purse challenge has made a big difference to my spending this month so will keep up with that for a while and hopefully my frugal skills will gradually broaden along the way.

I am going to try and get to the butchers and see what's on offer at the weekend. OH's sister gave us her old slow cooker, so I'm pretty excited about that (it's only tiny but I'm usually only feeding 1-2 mouths)

efc: Firstly, big hugs to you :A seems that you've been through a lot. One can only hope to meet life's challenges with such strength and grace.
Secondly, I may have missed you mentioning in an older post, but where do you sell your marmalade? It sounds delicious but that's a lot to shift!! :cool:

Helen x

Hi Helen thanks for your kind words and the big hug, I'm pleased to meet you on this fantastic forum. Sounds like you are doing well, I have no knowledge of keeping records apart from my own pencil and paper ones which I have kept for years and admire those who who keep there records online.

You asked where I sell my Marmalade ....I sell a few on the roadside outside my house but I do live in a small village and I know that's not possible for everyone, also at a Sunday market during the summer months. This is why I'm really galloping along with getting enough Marmalade in stock to last the year ahead, if I did not live alone I don't think it would be possible to do it all. I have a few regulars who phone and order baking or jars of the orange nector. In the summer I also cook scones, shortbread, fruit cakes, banana bread, biscuits and whatever else I fancy doing but nothing that involves a long time with little income IYSWIM. I get chilblains so would not consider standing in a field during the winter months and I take advantage of being at home in the winter and cook Marmalade it doesn't need freezing or anything special to keep it for a while apart from a good standard of hygiene to ensure it keeps for months. One thing I have learnt about myself during the years is that if I really want to do something I put everything I can into it, depending on your stance in life that can be seen as good or bad, I don't seem to be able to anything else, its just part of being me, its all or nothing, probably something about being the best I can, yes thats it!

Some folk on the forum will remember that at the begining of last year I was still thinking about the idea and worrying about jars etc. now it seems as if it all has a mind of its own. Its hard work and I very rarely have a Sunday off, last year I did 30 markets that's one every week plus a village fete/fundraising market which I have been asked to do again this years, its fun but I get very tired and sometimes my home gets untidy which I hate but I just don't have the time to do it.. daily, I wont do more than one market a week though and am really strict with myself over that but considering I often make 200 scones on a Saturday to sell on Sunday you will understand why! there is just not enough time in my life and I get tired.

I took early retirement because of ill health 17 years ( was it really that long ago!! ) ago and feel better now than I ever have although over the last few years have had my share of operations and have two booked for this year sometime soon. I think I must be quite strong mentally and once I feel well again well, its time to get on with life, one thing my daughters death taught me was that life is for living, its not a rehearsal.

The whole reason behind my venture is to make extra money to help in my frugal retirement to keep myself comfortable and healthy, I try and keep all the money I make in one account but that's not always possible so if I need it I use it to keep myself out of debt, I must admit I do love seeing the pounds mounting up and as my name implys I do enjoy a frugal challenge. I dont live an expensive life but enjoy it the majority of the time.

Sorry about this very long post but hope it answers your question, I never was good at being brief. X

HelenPie

Thanks for that :beer:

I bake and would love to set up a part-time business and eventually make a move from my current career to that full time. Seems like there is so much red-tape from the council though but I must get moving :cool:

I'm a bit spreadsheet obsessed (mathematician so it's part of my life ) Keeping them is part of what keeps me on track :rotfl::o

freedom2011

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

I love lists too!:D

Don't feel down .... things happen and we just try our hardest to do what we can to keep things on track and save where we can.

Thanks for the chin up cheer!x I took the dog out for a walk & feel a bit better. This is my first proper year of doing it, I have been on/off doing it in secret up until now. I am also quite competitive (and hard on myself) so get annoyed with myself if I don't achieve what I want of myself.

I shall put the kettle on, get out my notebook & write a list that will make things better!

Blairweech

Ap. F00d currently has plain and self raising flour for 33p/kg - 1500g, 2 for £1

dizzy_lizzie

rubytuesday wrote: »

Next week I will be giving some training at an organisation based on the first presentation I gave so it's all go at the moment!

Well done Ruby. I'm not surprised though. I bet you impressed them Very happy to hear Marmalade came home. Honestly kids and pets, both a worry!

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

as you can probably tell, I'm a great believer in "sod's law"!:)

Yep me too Rising. Is there any other?
Hope you feel better soon chickie too.

Talking of all these lists and budgets I must get back into more of a routine. I've been a little naughty with my budget recently but for a good reason.
Time to share the news................
DD is having a baby at the end of June. They invited us to the second scan with them and we all saw 'him' waving away at us. Aw it was lovely. Me and OH and her boyfriends parents too. Was very moving and I think it was a lovely gesture on their behalf to let us share it with them.
Everyone is out and OH is off to work soon so I'll go and rustle up something for his tea.
Forgot all about enrolling on the watercolour course too. It started on Monday. Hopefully they'll run another one soon.
Keeping a track of spends again starting today to this time next month.
Warm hugs to everyone and extra special ones to those who are feeling peaky.
x