2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

icontinuetodream

have been looking at my cupboards today as next week I will need to sort my next load of menu plans....realised that I have a lot of unidentified things in my freezer so intend to have the days between saturday 17th and solstice as 'who knows what we may be eating today???' days :rotfl:could end up either interesting or disasterous.....but I'm sure it will be fun....and frugal!! :T

Have also decided to cut my challenge budget to 17k _pale_ :eek:...scares me senseless but will make me have to really work for it!!!

quintwins

yesterday i lifted pork chops out of my freezer and ended up with phesant breasts lol i really need to start labeling things, on the plus side i'd been fancying something different and that really hit the spot

phoenix_dragon

Hi all! I don't think we will be setting an exact amount to stick to next year, as it will be the first year that we live differently, and I have no idea how it will turn out. I want it to be a permanent lifestyle change.

I'll state the changes I want to make now, so that I can shame myself into actually putting them into action.

1) Learn to cook properly, from scratch. There are enough cookbooks around the house, so I have no excuse not to do so. It's just that the idea of cooking something and messing it up scares me. I know that sounds a bit pathetic
2) Mend clothes etc, rather than buying new ones. I haven't bought new clothes in a while, and I'd rather mend or alter the ones I already have, once I've lost some baby weight.
3) Ban takeaways. I have no idea if we can actually manage this, but I want to give it a good shot.
4) If things need to be bought, get them as cheaply as possible. I've not been brought up to be thrifty, and my habit of buying things from the most convenient place, rather than the cheapest, led to quite a high level of debt not that long ago.
5) Stop buying books, and instead read the ones that I already have, and use the library.
6) Don't waste food!

RobinandMarian

Please count me in for the 2012 Challenge.

dizzy_lizzie

phoenix_dragon wrote: »

Hi all! I don't think we will be setting an exact amount to stick to next year, as it will be the first year that we live differently, and I have no idea how it will turn out. I want it to be a permanent lifestyle I'll state the changes I want to make now, so that I can shame myself into actually putting them into action.

phoenix I didn't set an amount last year and I'm not this year. My aim once again is to be very mindful of what I'm spending and thinking twice before I buy anything. Small changes can make a huge difference over the year. I would buy homestyle magazines at £3.50 a time, now when I want some ideas or just want to gaze at shabby chic ideas and homes I just google images which then takes me to some lovely blogs and I get my fix of shabby chic for free, well you know what I mean! Same for when I was buying crochet patterns and magazines, no need to, there are thousands free on the internet and of course in the library.
I'd buy those celebrity magazines now and again to pass the time at work at lunch but now I either take in a library book or my knitting/crochet and I wonder why I ever did waste my money on reading mindless drivel!
I take my lunch into work more often and I try and plan as often as I can our weekly menu and shop accordingly. And I pay for most things cash now. It's making a big difference for me because I'm still amazed at how much I still have in the bank when payday comes round again so I know the small changes I'm making are definately working and I'm not really doing anything major. So like you, it's more of a lifestyle change too.
And I know that joining the Frugal Living thread last year gave me the motivation and determination to do it.:j
x

Cherryjack

Ive only been doing MSE for the last month and the peace of mind i now have and the lovely sleep im getting is amazing! me and OH are getting on so so well as being in control with the money is really helping. We now have money left for after xmas (usually we are so skint, we have nothing until the end of jan).. i have full cuboards of food, petrol.. we are going to the cinema on sunday to see arthur with my son for the first time (using clubcard vouchers)... and life is feeling so much better .. my bank balance has a C after it instead of D's
We are off to OH mums this eve for a big family meal.. now usually i wouldnt think anything of this.. now im thinking im very gratefull for us all to be fed for nothing and will appreciate it so much more than we ever did.
Frugal all the way for 2012..

FrankieM

I'm a little jealous of those who have partners who are on the same page as them financially. My DH is a financial disaster.
We have just started top separate out our accounts because he just spends and I like being in control enough to have some savings.
Since we've done this, I've had savings from my personal each month and money accruing from the house account, with nothing being put onto a credit card.I've even been able to start overpaying the credit cards!
As far as I can tell, he has been in his overdraft every month....frustrated just does not begin to describe it....

Cherryjack

FrankieM wrote: »

I'm a little jealous of those who have partners who are on the same page as them financially. My DH is a financial disaster.
We have just started top separate out our accounts because he just spends and I like being in control enough to have some savings.
Since we've done this, I've had savings from my personal each month and money accruing from the house account, with nothing being put onto a credit card.I've even been able to start overpaying the credit cards!
As far as I can tell, he has been in his overdraft every month....frustrated just does not begin to describe it....

Sorry to hear this xx things havent always been good.. in fact it came to breaking point last year.. OH had credit cards and payment we could not meet.. and his OD.. and after the most awful year of living on nothing arguing.. and having the general stress of a very bad money situation.. we called CCCS and its changed our family. Absolutely amazing.. he opened another account.. we set this up for online banking and hes happy for me to transfer it to my account each month.. take control and its really worked out well.. we can see what we have left and it stops all the awful overdrawn charges. then until about a month ago i found this website and its taken us even further forward.. the coupon pages are fab if you get a chance to read xx Maybe have a sit down for 2012 and see if you can work together.. it will make those lovely holidays together come quicker without gettin in a any debt :j:rudolf:

FrankieM

Thanks Cherryjack but unfortunately I've tried the sitting down talking and the me being in control. Neither have worked.
Me being in control just meant that he spent and I had to figure out how to pay for it...

At least this way, his overdraft and his credit card are his problem...

Cherryjack

FrankieM wrote: »

Thanks Cherryjack but unfortunately I've tried the sitting down talking and the me being in control. Neither have worked.
Me being in control just meant that he spent and I had to figure out how to pay for it...

At least this way, his overdraft and his credit card are his problem...

sorry to hear FrankieM and im glad you are sorting yours so atleast yr in control of some part..can always chat to us on the boards for tips etc xx