2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

paidinchickens

Sandra it is lovely to hear from you and I hope you are all well x

Everyone else I hope you had a fab Christmas

Mr PIC and I are comparing chest freezer prices at the moment in preparation for more meal planning, fruit picking and leftover savings and hope this will save us a few bob in the long run.

On a cheery note, I wonder if the energy companies are gutted we haven't had to put our heating on yet due to the exceptionally warm weather for this time of year. May our thoughts be with them :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Enjoy the rest of the holidays peeps and for those who have to work I hope your getting a least double time

PIC x

Munchin

Hi all

I've spent the last hour tweaking the spreadsheet of wonder and I'm going to aim for £14000 for 2012. This is everything that I hope to live on. I can't wait to the 1st January to get started:D. Managed to survive the sales madness by battening down the hatches and staying in the house:).

Plans -
- save £2 coins (did really well last year)
- keep a record of all spends
- stick with NSD challenge thread
- packed lunches all the way:)
- keep up to date with this thread:)

Good luck everyone.

LolaLemon

I'm just up!!! I awoke at 4.30 managed to get back to sleep around 7 and my wonderful 4, nearly 5 year old has let me sleep! He got some chocolate croissants and plain au chocolates, cartons of juice, and watched one if his dvds then played on my tab, watching different things on u tube. I am in shock at the time, but it means I'm saving money as I'm not going to have much time in the shops I have to take back the heater I bought in Nov as their is no heat coming out. I can't find my receipt, and I only just put the blimming box in the bin last week!!

Yesterday I worked out that if I can pay 3000 extra a year into my mortgage, I will have it completely paid off in under 7 years, I have 16 years left, it should be less, but due to losing job a few years ago, I couldn't get a better deal and shave off a few years . I was thinking of putting them into a new savings account to earn a little interest, but think its probably better to pay into mortgage to reduce the overall interest I'm paying, won't be much, but every penny counts!
I haven't accounted for interest rates going up or down, just at what I pay now, but I'm hoping to get a new deal this year once I claim ppi from my old store cards, and loan I had from my bank.
So my new aim is to be mortgage free by 2020, giving me 8 years and some scope to have a life as well.
whilst I was up this morning, I had a look on the dfw and mfw threads and seen the 'every penny is a prisoner thread' think I'm taking on this concept this year, so later tonight I'm going to register for online banking and round my account down n pay the pennies into the mortgage account.
I bought myself a craft book subscription, my first ever, also got my son one for national geographic for kids all through my club card points
Last night I took wee man to the pics to see Puss in boots , its good, not as great as shrek, but still good. Cost £10 for the both of us, I bought 2 large slushes, a medium popcorn, packet of crisp and a bag of maltesers cost me £10.80!
So much for a cheap treat!
Came home with intentions of watching home alone in bed and seen it was on telly, but still put it on the dvd player as the living room.was frozen. He loved it
Off now to make lunch b4 hitting the town .

So 2012 plan is;
*meal plan
*keep saving £5 notes(only a certain design)
*keep saving £1 notes, getting harder and harder now, even tho they are still in circulation
*put pennies onto mortgage every day/week
*use up what's in cupboards, fridge n freezer
*i don't buy many lotions n potions, but when I run out, put £1 in tin to cover next shop.
*record every spend on a daily basis
*try n get the other 2 magazines on subscription, saving me a few tenners for the year
*get crochetting lots and aim to make £100 from it over the year, I'm unsure if this is too high or too low, but it gives me something to aim for.
*no more buying books, even cheap books, til I have read and sold or given the house ful I currently have.
*buy no more wool until my mammoth stash is gone.
*use my sewing machine more, use up my fabric stash, hopefully make some money from them.

SandraScarlett

Hi Chickens! DSIL is off till next week, so he is looking after DGD. DD is still in hospital, came here for a few hours yesterday and today, and will do the same at the weekend.

But, for the next 3 days, it's just DH and me! I can't trust DH with the electric carving knife any more, so I tackled the turkey myself, and have 8 double portions in the freezer, for DH and I. Then I boiled the carcass, stripped the meat from the bones, added my veg, both leftover cooked, and raw, and I have 12 portions, also in the freezer.

I could weep when I hear people saying they bin their turkey after Boxing Day! :mad: Good luck to everybody who is getting ready for their Frugal 2012!

xx

hollysmum22

can i join again please xxxxx

Kerfuffle

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

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..

Hi COOLTRICKERCHICK,

I don't mind you saying at all, I appreciate all advice.

In my case, I don't live in the UK so my gift cards are good, but if I was in the UK I would be getting rid of them as soon as possible.

My daughter lives here with us and I noticed she had a gift card for La Senza so I'll be encouraging her to spend it as soon as possible as I'm not sure whether La Senza going into administation is for Europe only, or whether it's worldwide.

I really hope Thorntons gets over their troubles as it would be such a shame to lose another British company, especially as Cadburys have gone over to the dark side and are owned by Kraft

Thanks again for your concerns and thoughts.

seriouslyfrugal

SandraScarlett wrote: »

so I tackled the turkey myself, and have 8 double portions in the freezer, for DH and I. Then I boiled the carcass, stripped the meat from the bones, added my veg, both leftover cooked, and raw, and I have 12 portions, also in the freezer.

I could weep when I hear people saying they bin their turkey after Boxing Day! :mad: Good luck to everybody who is getting ready for their Frugal 2012!
xx

I know exactly what you mean here at frugal towers we have put some in the freezer ( turkey) and will have curry tonight :j:j & made stock in the slow cooker over night its just so wasteful what some people do - We are going to take down the xmas decs on thursday so that we are ready for the new year's fresh start ( i don't have kids) :T I have the spreadsheet for 2012 ready to go so will post in the next couple of days the other things i'm going to do !!

miss_empty_piggy

After my inspirational read last night, I have today begun my frugal journey. It started off with me finally getting the energysmart monitor out of the box, charged up and now running a dream, went online to put tariff price in. There is not a single electric item on in the house except the TV and the laptop! DD2 (age 7) has been wandering around switching things off to my amazement. She's really getting into it too. I have downloaded ispend app and British Gas app so that I can keep an eye on things more closely. I have not moved my body out of my onesie today, but have made Turkey curry (freezing left overs later) and have sorted out all of my kitchen cupboards and wrapping stuff ready for next year (also put some unwanted gifts in the gift cupboard ready for birthdays etc in the year.

Hope everyone's had a great day.

cw18

SandraScarlett wrote: »

I could weep when I hear people saying they bin their turkey after Boxing Day! :mad:

Bin it? I only bought mine this evening :rotfl:

I had steak on 25th (bought as a Whoopsie and put in the freezer until I fancied a 'treat'), and ate at my parents yesterday - when I helped them get through some of their turkey mountain.

But the Christmas to New Year period isn't right without turkey leftovers to me, so when I was 'on the spot' as a 2.27kg turkey crown was reduced from £19.31 to £4.99 within the last hour I grabbed it quickly - and I'm away into the kitchen to put it in the oven as soon as I post this

landregistrylass

Evening all. Spent a glorious couple of festive days with old pals - only downside is that I haven't got turkey leftovers, although I was allowed to bring home the carcass and have already got the stock done and in the freezer! DGS 11th birthday on 29th, so heading up to Yorkshire. Next year will be continuing to try and be as sensible as possible. Like many on here I have head several blips............. but they are certainly less than they were when I was in the "It doesnt matter what it costs, lets have one" state of mind.