2013 Frugal Living Challenge

skintwellie

Wow! Taken ages to catch up on what everyone has been doing.
I too am looking at ways to get ready for Winter (last year the amount that I spent on heating was really scary!!). Bought a few 'snugglies' in the Sales so we will be using those!

I have been very lucky and managed to win lots of stuff recently - some things I have put away for Christmas pressies and other things I have sold and have put the money away to pay for the festivities. Also had a couple of lovely weekends away all gratis apart from getting there and leaving tips. - Bliss!

I noticed today that the blackberries are out so that will be a job for the coming week. No sloes to be seen but rosehips (for marmalade) are abundant and huge! I am also planning to make some preserves to give as gifts. Delia does an amazing 'Pickled Pear' and also a 'Winter Chutney' - both fantastic with cold meats.

Still (just!!) about keeping to budget of £100 per month for food but feel this will go up now that the kitchen garden produce is coming to an end.

Have managed to revamp bedroom with the aid of freecycle and charity shops - really pleased with myself as the total cost was £32!
Today lovely friend gave me huge bag of clothes which I will go through tomorrow - any I don't like or don't fit I can use the fabric for either sewing projects or rag rugs (have sold a few in past at Boot Sale and on ebay - only cost me my time as got roll backing mesh from freecycle).

Here's to a frugal Autumn for everyone. x

mummy-of-2-boys

Had a bad Start to the Week ... hopefully onky other spends this week will be getting LO's haircut and essentials.
My spends broken down
1st Sept
£6.50 - milk, 10 fags and cans of pop (DP)
Total £6.50
2nd Sept
£12 Takeaway
£3 Milk
£20 Provident loan
£4 fishing licence (DP)
£10 fishing (DP)
Total £49

overall total £55.50p

skintwellie

Went to wholesalers to get sack of dog food today and was desperate for a wee on the way home. Called into Co-Op (it is a large store) to use the loo and noticed loads of Offers including lots of 'buy one, get two free' items! :j

I did stock up which will blow the budget for this month (and its only the 3rd!!!) but will be able to catch up during October and November,

My haul -:
3 x packs of 2 kitchen rolls £1.75
1 x Poppodums £1.00 (I wouldn't normally buy these, but will add interest to yet another veg curry!)
3 x Imperial Leather shower gels £2.20
1 x PG Tips (half price) £2.09
3 x Aquafresh mouthwash/toothpaste £1.00
1 x Ariel (half price) £2.99
1 x lg Onken Bio pot yogurt £1.00 (lovely to serve with blackberry crumble I made today - blackberries very abundant in the South just now).

Hope that you have all had a lovely money saving day in the sunshine! x

Frugaldom

Would posters in here please note that this thread is not part of the Frugaldom September challenge, it is completely separate. Just thought I'd mention to help avoid any confusion.

Kerry_Woman

Still plodding along.

I am very disappointed in my food spending. It is up by £100 to what I have spent this time last year. I was doing alright to begin with. Now I must seriously keep a closer eye on the food bill. Still trying to use vouchers when I can.

The electric is slightly up. Both the phone and water bill have been up and down. So going to monitor them. If we have a cold winter I have to have the heating on for my Mum. She does help with the electric bill with the cold weather money that she gets. I have to put more money into my bills account as I do not have enough money to cover the bills. All the bills came at once.

Have gone a few days out with my Mum over the summer which were nice. We have another day out in October.

Just_be_2

Wow! Inspired for 2014

LolaLemon

Frugaldom wrote: »

Would posters in here please note that this thread is not part of the Frugaldom September challenge, it is completely separate. Just thought I'd mention to help avoid any confusion.

Can u link to it? I tried searching but my fone is rubbish unless I have already subscribed to a thread.

Mrs_Ramotswe

Can I join please. My challenge for the next six weeks is to spend as little as possible on food and use up the surplus I have in the freezer so I can stop spending my very small amount of savings. I have £315 in savings and I've been flying through them this past 10 days. Had got £550 but have been doing the spends Wendy dance too much, lol. On a plus note I made Weezls home made lentil pate night before last. Delish and very mse! So today spent £1.01 in tescos on yellow sticker end grub. All very cheap between 10 and 20 p per item.

Upsidedown_Bear

LolaLemon wrote: »

Can u link to it? I tried searching but my fone is rubbish unless I have already subscribed to a thread.

A bit late but I assume Frugaldom means this:
http://frugaldom.myfreeforum.org/SEPTIMUS_FRUGALUS_CHALLENGE_about1347.html

[Deleted User]

Morning All, I haven't been on the forum for ages and I have been less that frugal recently.

Dug out my Tightwad gazette last night for inspiration - I loved the article in Vol 2 called 'I'm dreaming of a tight Christmas'. I too am planning to cut back this year.

Its payday next Thursday and I am already dipping into savings to cover food for the next week. Not good!!

I am really struggling at work just now - only been back for about 5 weeks but I feel utterly exhausted already and am counting down the days until the next holiday. My goal now is to go part time. I will have to work the rest of this year full time so my plan is to save as much as I can and then ask to go part time next year (next August). This will really motivate me to be as frugal as I can to save as much as I can to be able to afford this.