2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

LolaLemon

I don't have the room for it, nor the time, altho they do pay a company that sends them loads of coupons n all they have to do is cut them down to size.

I am sitting here with complete hoarder envy, stock pile jealousy and anything else that shows how much I want to be able to do that. Yet the reality is very different for us as i doubt our shops would let us walk out with more than a certain amount of one product/per coupon etc

I need to get my printer sorted so I can start printing those that I find and will use.

One guy just rung up over 5000 dollors and paid only 200odd!

I just txted Mr Florida, who is currently in Cuba, (for those who don't know, he lived in a village not far from me, moved out to USA 7 years ago, was back in march for his grans funeral, we got together on the advice of my friend who died 3 days after telling me to 'go for it!', he went back to Florida at end of April, due to come back in October for a wedding in Greece, he called me all through may and June and came home at start of July, and we've been together ever since, well till he went to Cuba before Christmas - we don't live together, but have talked about it, and most likely will be living together before March.) Anyways I just sent him a txt saying '' can we move to America, I soo need to be an extreme couponer!'' That was in response to his 'I miss u, can't wait to come home... etc etc '' lol

Squinky_McFeet

I've just been watching it wow!

You could open a corner shop here with what these guys have hoarded away, its impressive:eek: I shall not be throwing any coupons away from now on!

gien

Happy New Year Frugal folk, let's hope that 2012 is a great one (or at least not as bad as 2011).
I'm still away from home at the moment so haven't sorted out the budget yet - I'll do it this week once we're back and I've sorted out all the washing!
Our first challenge is just getting through January without using the CC - We have a load of insurance thing that go out this month and so things are very tight. Never mind, only 25 days to pay day!

COOLTRIKERCHICK

I havent watched the extreme couponing.... if i did i would going green with envy:rotfl:

I hold my hands up and admit..I AM A HOARDER!!!!!...

a few years back... back in the day where a certain supermarket used to take any moc only criteria was that they stocked it....also they used to have health and beauty money off and points coupons...boy did i have a field day....but its the same with every good loophole or money saving scheme etc they stopped it:o:o

I still have the 'dreg' ends of the health and beauty items...

and dont start on the R & R policy:rotfl:



I an doing the frugal challenge not to clear debt, as i have no debts as such, only mortgage, my american express cc is paid off every month, I use this as i get approx 1% cashback paid every year. last year i had homebase gift cards....

I am trying to save money to buy a smallholding .or at least buy a few acres of land locally...where we live now there is an Asda being built within spitting distance of our houses and i mean spitting distance....building/clearing work is due to start any time now.... so I know my depression/stress/mood will be all over the place...

sorry for waffling.....lol... I am doing the frugal challenge to try and get me back on track with saving/earning more money to go towards my daydream fund...as lately with the ever increasing prices etc i just cant seem to save any extra money..

Had a nsd yesturday.....

bramble1

My last day before i go back to work and am hoping for another NSD. Entertainment will be in the form of a long dog walk (to commence in about 30mins of i think dog will explode with excitement) followed by catch up tv and a long bubble bath with some of the lotions and potions i received for Christmas.

I'm going to make a cottage pie later for tomorrow's dinner so i don't need to cook when I get in from work tomorrow and I'm going to make my packed lunch too, I have L/o rice so will make a rice salad.

I'm trying to save £1 a day in my piggy bank, so will need to put another one in there. At the end of each quarter i will put it towards a debt repayment.


OH and I discussed the idea of getting some chickens yesterday, we've had them before on the family yard but we'd like a couple of our own in the garden, will do some research into this tonight. I've so far decided to grown carrots, peas, onions, beans, chillis, lettuce and potatoes.oh and some more strawberries. I am lucky that OH's family own a garden centre, so setting this up is going to cost near to nothing and will help with our food bills this year.

Have a lovely day all x

wornoutmumoftwo

Off to the shops today - the dvd in the tv/dvd combi we bought the boys after christmas (that is only three days old) has broken, so going to go get a replacement today, on top of that our six month puppy has hurt his leg so if he's no better by tomorrow it'll be a trip down the vets (he's a collie and very energetic usually). I think he must have hurt himself in the mud chasing his ball.

Also decided to do a few competitions after reading a thread on here where someone earned £27k worth of goodies https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3703431 I won't be entering as many as that but will have a go, I have as much chance as anyone else.

Dinner tonight will be left over steak pie and mash and will have a look around the sales for some pressie stashing.

Welsh_Poppy

Morning Happy New Year

I bit late I know but 2 NSD since New year and a tight month for us with bills out.But only need fresh food as the cupboards are full and freezers as I batch cook when ever possible.
Started my sealed pot
Make all my own cards
going to make my own wreaths for next year(5 graves and one for us)
I am also going to make candles well tart up plain ones from Poundland

Last year was an expensive year for us with 4 mini breaks courtesy of the Daily mail and a wedding without car problems and when I added up i was shocked at our total which excludes bills we came in at 8,000 so the aim is to reduce this to 6,000 if possible.

Coupons we dont seem to get many or if we do not on things we use,I must try harder to find them.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

welsh-poppy i live around the swansea area too...I live in the swansea valley.....what part of swansea are you from?

I dont know if you would be interested, but i was thinking of strting a thread on the local board, for like local bargins...grabbit....frugal finds etc...what do you think?

this would be for things you find in local independant shops ...markets etc, basically area specific... As i know i would love to know the prices of things in the enthic shops down by joes ice cream parlour...

Erme

ASG wrote: »

Hi, please may I join? My budget for the year is 15300 at the moment - I'm trying to shave some off that!! I've tried to do this several times before, but tend to lose the plot around the middle of March, so I'm hoping you can help me stay on track. I'm very good at setting budgets, just not very good at sticking to them lol

Och join the club :rotfl: - no matter how hard I try I rarely stick to budget :eek:

flying_fresian wrote: »

Not sure that Mr F would take well to that Kerfuffle - he already thinks I'm a little keen to protect the pennies :rotfl:

I had the last laugh today though - he wanted to order pizza for dinner but I dredged up some breaded chicken/waffles from the freezer to keep us from spending money we didn't need to. I'm going to keep an eye out for good frozen pizza whoopsies in case he gets that kind of urge again!

Can't you just make up some dough and freeze it? Then when he wants pizza you just have to defrost it and da dah - you have pizza ...Or make him frying pan pizza

Anyhow before everyone gets on the freegan band wagon - please note it is illegal north of the border.....

However there is http://www.fareshare.org.uk/ which might be worth signing up to?

E

Greying_Pilgrim

I just want to say a HUGE thank you to CW18 for the SOW. I completed it yesterday, and even a luddite techno - no no like me managed it!

I particularly value the 'whoopsie' section in the grocery page. I have only bought a few items as yet, but already I've paid less than half for the goods I have bought. :T

Whilst I could of worked this out with pen and paper, the truth is, I never did. It's given me a little boost to know that I am saving money and shopping frugally to buy things that we do actually use/need.

Greying