2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

elly68

can i join tried last year and faded lol will try harder this year

miss_empty_piggy

Hello
I loved this thread last year but then I disappeared from July due to various personal circumstances. I fell off the wagon also but really want to get back into frugal shape again and was wondering if you'd have me back?

So, please may I join? I am planning on spending the day doing budgets etc tomorrow when DD1 is going shopping with her xmas money, DD2 will play with all her xmas pressies in her room so I'll be able to get everything organised. Is it weird that I'm actually looking forward to doing it?

buffster_2

[Deleted User] wrote:

Was shocked at the cost of our mobile phones over the year. Mine is £8 per month and OH is £15 - mainly because he insists on having a new phone with his contract, I don't bother so get a discout. We are with '3'. Occasionally we send a photo or something and are charged extra for this so I have budgeted above the basic cost. Any ideas how we could reduce this cost would be welcome.

Depending on if you can use apps with your handset, Whatsapp will let you send pics & messages free of charge. A colleague of mine uses it to send pics of his son to relatives in Ireland.

Kerfuffle

determined new ms - thanks for sharing your plans, I always enjoy reading these lists

natnat13 - thanks for sharing your plans too. I also feel like I've had a more frugal Christmas this year, homemade cookies instead of buying a tin of biscuits, and keeping portion controls better so less waste. The only thing I've thrown away was some frozen green beans which I offered as an alternative for those who don't like sprouts but it turned out that everybody did like sprouts. The leftover mashed carrots and swede has gone in the freezer with the leftover turkey.

Hubby and I got given quite a few sweets and chocolates and these are being spread over the coming months, and both kids gave us gift cards, one for the local supermarket and one for the local chocolate shop so now we can have guilt-free treats throughout the year. :T

Welcome to elly68, miss empty piggy and buffster :hello:

Kerfuffle

Kerfuffle wrote: »

Hubby and I got given quite a few sweets and chocolates and these are being spread over the coming months, and both kids gave us gift cards, one for the local supermarket and one for the local chocolate shop so now we can have guilt-free treats throughout the year. :T

I've just realised, if I choose some sweets that have a cheaper option price per 100g, I can get 100g of sweets per week and the card will last until Christmas 2012. :T:rotfl:

wornoutmumoftwo

I'd like to join the challenge please, I try every year, maybe thi year I'll do it...

cuddlymarm

Hi

Can I join this year please.
We haven't got any debt to clear but we finally finish paying the OR in January I want to have a good family holiday (circumstances have meant that our grown up but single kids live at the other end of the country from us so family time is precious) and then it is time to start rebuilding so we will be working on a house deposit or towards our retirement :eek::eek: (Whichever way this works out either is positive rather than just allowing ourselves to coast and then getting a nasty shock when we retire)
So I plan on
Menu planning
Saving £2 coins
As many NSDs as I can every month
Stick to a budget
Take all overtime on offer and put it in the saving account I have already opened (but has only managed odd bits of money so far)
Make do and mend (I have plenty of clothes and as we are both aiming to lose weight this year will alter rather than buy new as needed)
Cut down on heating as much as possible
Stock up on bargains when I see them
Walk everywhere rather than taking the bus
Cutting down on my coffee and muffin fix when I go into town

This my start anyway
I will probably think of more
Good luck to everyone
This is going to be a good year
Cuddles:):):)

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Kerfuffle wrote: »

I've just realised, if I choose some sweets that have a cheaper option price per 100g, I can get 100g of sweets per week and the card will last until Christmas 2012. :T:rotfl:

I really dont want to be a party pooper, We were talking about shop vouchers on another thread, and another forum.... regardless of what shop it is, well known high street, or small independant, we all came to agree in this current economic times it may be best to use store vouchers/gift cards etc as soon as possible.. as no one knows which ones are going to be going under....

Some big names are going to be tumbling over the next few months....

It is widely known that Thortons are struggling... and who would have thought a few years back that our high street fairthfull woolworths would have been a victim of the recession..

Hope you didnt mind me saying....but I would hate for you ( or anyone else on the frugal thread with gift vouchers) to lose out..

Thriftkitten

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

What software do you run?

Is this what you're getting? https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B1I951_iaqs0NDI3OTAxMmMtNzNjNi00OWQxLWFiMWYtNTlmZTc0MjAyNDQw&hl=en
or will it still not let you save/make changes after hitting the "download" button at the top right hand side?

Hi Rising yes, thats what im getting, it lets me download the spreadsheet, but because i dont have a key code to imput it only lets me read it and not imput any numbers or info xx Im also using windows vista

Erme

Blossom123 wrote: »

Good morning everybody, I've been reading through this thread and the 2011 thread.

please sign me up for the challenge.

I was made redundant last year and I'm still struggling to make my lifestyle fit the reduced income. Just reading everything on here has helped me realise I can do it.

Och sounds rotten...:(..Hugs..yes you can do it and any questions and we'll help...

More4Less wrote: »

Good luck with that! We managed it a couple of years back - feels wonderful! My next challenge is to learn to live on the basic state pension and have a life as well, did not think it possible, but this site gives one hope!

Obviously costs of 'general living' vary from area to area.....But still....sure you can do it

Welcome to new frugalistas ...and frugalites...

Holiday budget not going well having spent £9+ on tights (as mine were too small and embarrassing) and another £12. something on a new suitcase as I knew mine wouldn't last the journey home. Okay so the tights were cheaper than I'd normally pay (got 4 pairs of undies.....and 4 pairs of tights ...and one pair were 100 Denier for the cold snap we're forecast so quite pleased as if we do get the cold snap there's no way I'll be able to cycle and get cheap tights :T)....

So yeah....I have £10 till Friday...Praying I can get some food bargains tomorrow night :A...got some on the way down but like left them on a train :eek:

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