2013 Frugal Living Challenge

LolaLemon

Different things i have picked up from mostly this challenge and old style living include:
payment a day - pay teh change from bank account into debt account - ive been putting this into a savings account instead. my only debt is old cc debt - no interest is being added on, so id rather pay my agreed amount each month and save my money to pay a lump when i choose, and hopefully get a few extra pennys from the interest on the saving account. .
I do a small jar in my bathroom, when i run out of something i put £1 in the jar, and then use one of the many half empty bottles that i have in the cupboard and use that til it is also finished. then when all my half empty - bought on offer shampoo etc is done, i should have more than enough to buy the good ones that i actually like.
add oats to my mince, after i have browned the mince but before i drain the fat off.
started buying meat from the butcher, i try and go for organic meat if possible, taste better and a little goes a long way. My freezer is full of this great meat just now as i check groupon and itison type pages regularly as thier is usualy a good quality butcher doing an offer that delivers. Last one i got was £40 for organic meat box that normally costs £92. i called them and asked if tehy could package it in smaller portions as its only me and 6 year old son. they were great and did this with most of teh stuff. I'll probably not need to buy much meat for a few montsh as we are not massve meat eaters.

Ive never made a meal plan, and always plan to, but im not an organised person something i have made an improvement on this past year. I do have a rough idea of what we are having.

i make my own washing powder - i got the recipe on here somewhere - this is what i do - 6 cups of soap flakes, 3 of soda crystals and 1.5 of borax. real bborax is available on amazon or ebay. we cant get it here, its substitie of borax taht is in my local iron mongers. keep it all in a glass jar, give a shake before using and use 1 tablespoon with full load or dirty laundry in the drum with the clothes, or 1 or 2 teaspoons with small/light load.

I use (glug of) vinegar and (upto 10 drops of) essential oils (mostly tea tree, lavendar, lemon) instead of fabric softner.

Christmas i think of most of the year. when sales are on i will buy if it is something i would be getting for christmas nearer the time, so may as well get it whilst it is cheaper and put it away.
Same with birthdays - my sons birthday is in spring, I have already started getting organised for the party... the earlier i start the better chance i have of making most of it thus saving me money instead of panicing and buying a load of cheap replica stuff from china via ebay.

[Deleted User]

Plans for a frugal weekend:
1. Walk on both days.

2. Make use of gym membership - Sat swim, steam, sauna, spa; Sun - Yoga class plus swim and spa.

3. Use up last of the tomatoes from neighbour.

4. Make a lovely big pot of soup - ideal weather for it here.

5. Food Plan and shop - aiming to spend £25 max. Food shop done. £12 spent. Mostly eating from freezer this week.

6. Some cooking and baking. May take some fruit out of the freezer to start on the Christmas Jams. Also planning fruit crumble. Fruit crumble done. Brambles almost defrosted. Jars looked out for Bramble jelly.

7. Getting pretty cold here so I have had the heating on. Try to keep this to a minimum this weekend - use of hot water bottles, being out of the house more!

8. Deposit to Credit Union of £20 (ish). Done.

9. Return unsuitable internet buy from M&Co for refund. Done


I am going out tonight with my Dad to see a tribute band at a local theatre. Dad offered to pay for my ticket too (I bought them for us initially and he paid me back) so I am having a rather nice free night out - all I have to do is drive us there.

Have a great weekend folks. I am hoping I will actually sleep over the weekend too as I am having trouble sleeping just now - stressed at work and can't switch off.

Kerry_Woman

Still plodding along. Have managed to reduce some of the food overspend compared to last year, which I am happy about. Going to start doing a menu plan again. Did not do this for the last 2 weeks as my Mum and I were not well. Thinking about what is needed for Christmas - food wise. Only going to get a few extras. Have been doing some surveys and managed to get some M&S vouchers. That will reduce the food bill. Going to do a list and cross off items when we get them. Going to keep popping into M&S to check the offer for the boxes of biscuits - for the last few years they were doing get one, get one free. Will be using the vouchers for them.

Hugs for those who need them.

Savvy_sewing

I haven't been on for a while. But have had such an expensive three weeks replacing my car and purchasing a motorbike for my son yesterday. I have waived good bye to nearly £6,000 Gulp! savings are now back at ground Zero. the money left in my accounts are just enough to cover the credit card on its due date. Rather concerned about juggling over the next few months to rebuild my emergency fund and pay the on going bills. So as the saying goes its time to focus, pull up my BGKs and get back on track.
i have one sale on the things I put up on EBay which is a start. Every penny will count. But I am so greatful for all the Frugal knowledge that MSE has given me for me to have made the money this year to have enabled me to have created the savings in the first place.

skintwellie

Hi everyone,

Lovely to read through all of your Posts and see how well you are all doing.

Have been struggling a bit myself lately, mostly due to increased food costs. I am trying not to put the heating on until the end of November but my son has just told me that he will be home at the end of October for several days, so will probably end up putting the heating on then! (He is sooo skinny he really feels the cold - there is an advantage to carrying a few extra pounds!)

Also I seem to have ended up with a houseful for Christmas (how did that happen?!) So am planning everything to last detail as I don't want to start 2014 in debt!

Have managed to get the £30 Pizza Express voucher from ordering (lot of Christmas stuff) through Tesco (I spent £64.04 inc delivery) and a £30 Amazon voucher by moving my home insurance to Direct Line. So that's a bit of a start!

I have been really shocked at how much money I am spending on petrol so am planning to walk and cycle more next year, especially for short distances - might even get fitter as well!

Happy frugalling everyone - lets hope that we all start 2014 better off! x

[Deleted User]

skintwellie wrote: »

I have been really shocked at how much money I am spending on petrol so am planning to walk and cycle more next year, especially for short distances - might even get fitter as well!

Happy frugalling everyone - lets hope that we all start 2014 better off! x

I totally agree on the petrol front. Running 2 cars is our biggest expense. I would love to try and get down to 1 car but OH works shifts and we really need both cars for getting to work. We spend roughly £3k - £4k on petrol annually. Our basic spend in getting to work is around £3360 and anything above that is us going on holiday as we tend to stay in the UK and drive to our destinations.

Once we add on Car Insurance, tax and servicing costs it is sooooo expensive.

We do try to minimise driving as much as possible - walk to the local shops, library, to visit family who live locally, doubling up journeys etc. If anyone has any ideas how we can reduce our Petrol bill I would be very glad to hear them.

joedenise

allie - we've just gone down from 2 cars to 1. I've retired now so only need the car a couple of days a week at the most.

DH has bought a small scooter to use to go to work but if the weather is particularly awful he takes the car and I change the day I have the car - except on a Thursday as I go to Slimming World that morning.

If he needs the car on a day I need it then I get up extra early - 5am! - and take him to work and then pick him up later in the day.

I don't know if a scooter would be an option for either of you but it certainly saves money. Our petrol bill has reduced from about £130 a fortnight to about £45.

Denise

[Deleted User]

Just logged on to see the depresing news that BG putting their prices up by over 11% in Scotland. Good grief have these companies no shame. Advice says switch but all of the main suppliers expected to put prices up sooner or later.

I know we can lock into a 'no rises' deal but the advice on the one from Npower states that the standing charges on the nor rise deal is more than on their standard tarrif. It makes it really hard to work out which option is best.

So I am aiming to use as little Gas and Electricity over the winter months than ever before (though not going as far as this guy http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/how-i-live-without-paying-a-penny-for-heating-or-hot-water-110918230.html )

My plans are:

Use blankets and hot water bottles both in and out of bed.
Batch cook
Shower at the gym (maximise the use of my membership to the full).
Use candles - this gives off a warm comforting glow - instead of the fire.
Hot water flasks so not boiling the kettle each time.
Ditch one fridge or at least switch if off (I have two!!)
Move more - get out for a walk - I always feel roasting after being out walking and the house seems warm compared to outside when I get home.

I am sure there are many more ideas out there but I can't think of any just now.

LolaLemon

[Deleted User] wrote:

Just logged on to see the depresing news that BG putting their prices up by over 11% in Scotland. Good grief have these companies no shame. Advice says switch but all of the main suppliers expected to put prices up sooner or later.

So I am aiming to use as little Gas and Electricity over the winter months than ever before (though not going as far as this guy http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/how-i-live-without-paying-a-penny-for-heating-or-hot-water-110918230.html )


I am sure there are many more ideas out there but I can't think of any just now.

11%!!! jeez! I dont really pay far too much attention to my electricity. I pay £45/m and that evens out my winter usage to low summer usage. I only have my fridge/freezer on all the time. everything else gets switched off.

I have also started getting out the candles, just makes a room feel soo much more cozy.


best soup ever i m making tonight.
Potato and Butternut Squash
1 onion chopped and fried in a little oil til tehy go 'clear'
add 3 chopped potatoes and chopped butternut squash (peel first). cook for a few mins then add 1 litre of veg stock. cook for abt 20-30 mins until both pots and squash are soft.
blend together
taste then add seasoning if u think it needs it. i dont add any.

almost finished christmas shopping. just stocking fillers for son now.

hunting out some yellow wool to crochet a minion hat for him.

charity shop find of the centuary (for me haha) on my lunch break today i went to the charity shops to see if i could get any Harry Potter books (just decided i am going to use them as prizes at the party ) and i found a juicer for £4!
£4 i tell you! :eek:
Ive been wanting a cheap one for at work so i can eat better at work.

Frugaldom

Lest we forget, BT have also just issued their email updates of impending price increases... line rental going up yet again! Pretty soon it's going to be a tenner a week just to have a phone and internet but I need to admit to the fact that Internet has been the biggest money saver I have ever encountered, so I won't be complaining about it too much.

Edited in - 11% increase in anything is absolutely outrageous, so it makes food price increases off the scale. Our local shop now charging £1.38 for a bag of sugar and over £2 for porridge oats! Managed to stock up on sugar at 85p/kilo from Home Bargains and oats at 75p/kilo from Aldi but without a car and with no public transport here, it's getting beyond a joke.

Heating costs are my main worry - no way could I afford to heat my house to room temperature throughout when coal costs £13.50 for the cheapest bag and the electricity meter eats cash like a horse eats grass!