2014 Frugal Living Challenge

mummy2threeboys

Kazla with baby wipes just do enough for 3 days..by the time you have washed them its ready for a new load. Old fleece blankets work fab for wipes..you caould have different coloured ones say white for bums and i dont know yellow for hands and faces? i just use the hands and faces ones now and once used go right in the wash, (babys nearly toilet trained so uses toilet tissue now) only go through a pack of disposables a month i guess for all 5 of us lol.

in day..we are recovered from whole s and d bug..have caught up (mostly) on housework, nsd , yesterday was naughty and went into town and spent £50..on?? a secondhand dvd , a seondhand sklnader, macdonalds for 5, (do feel good as bought homeless lady one as well) £10 on a secondhand dress , skirt and waistcoat..but did save money and walk both to and from home to town saving £8 in bus fare..baby walked all the way there and back and fell asleep the minute we got in he refused to get in the buggy!
Have a good week all xx

Frugalsod

Penny2myName wrote: »

Been doing my imeasure readings again, and decided yesterday to do a daily one for this week, so yesterday I had used 5 units gas and 5 units Electric, I shall do another reading at midnight tonight so then it is a clear 24hr reading, yesterdays was more a 15hr reading. I want to go about my normal daily to day living and see what it is actually costing.

There is an iOS App called Meters that does all that. SO if you have an iPhone or iPad then you should be able to use that to work out your usage.

Goldiegirl

Regarding slicing bread - we use an electric knife. My husband is the main bread slicer, as he is far neater than me. He manages to do fairly thin, uniform sized slices.

The first frugal month is drawing to an end.

My husbands salary goes in on the 20th plus my pension, so today is the start of my next month.

I started keeping records from last payday. I've totted up everything we've spent in the 'general spending' category, and I'm very pleased to report that the expenditure is at 75% of my 'post retirement' budget. This is very encouraging, especially as a visit to the January sales and the purchase of a bread maker was included in that expenditure.

My end of month process drags on a bit - my husbands pension will go in around the 23rd, and I get paid on 27th.

I pay for all my groceries by credit card and pay it off at the end of the month. I like to wait for the statements to come in before I finalize the amount spent on groceries, as you never know if a purchase near the statement date will be on that months statement or the next. I suspect my expenditure will be similar to my previous average, but I have bought a lot more this month, as I've been establishing the foundations of my store cupboard.

Once all our money has come in, and the credit card statements are here, I pay off the credit cards, and any surplus money goes to savings. All should be done and dusted by the month end!

I was pleased with the eBay sales this weekend- 15 in all.

I'm spending the afternoon doing photos for eBay and writing up descriptions

Got haddock for dinner - I like a nice bit of fish from time to time.

KazLA

After the encouragement here, I have been exploring Swagbucks again. Thought the main page was just offers for buying stuff, but after someone mentioned ''surveys/videos on home page" I hv looked further and found a survey for 70 SB. Just completed it. As it says points will be added in 3-5 days, does that mean it doesn't add to my daily total/goal? Or will it suddenly appear there in a few days and give me a head start one day?

Understanding it a little more I think. Put video page on, and although 3 SB isn't much for 10 videos, I found I could do it while making/eating lunch easier than necar ads, as you didn't have to keep clicking the screen while watching.

I also found the health and fitness section, and ran a few yoga videos, so did 10 mins of exercise at the same time!

[Deleted User]

KazLA wrote: »

Feeling the Frugal vibes today!

Had a fab free day out yesterday at local woodland park, childrens activities & free lunch for 4 of us!

I know it's only a month in, but I really hope I can keep up this way of life, I am loving it sooo much, enjoying more time doing things at home and with the children, is such an unexpected side effect of what I expected to be a 'grey' month of no spending. I'm getting such a buzz from it.

Whenever we go away on our caravan, I always come home feeling that my house is too big and that I hv too much stuff, having managed with so much less, and actually finding it so much simpler and more relaxing, and I think I am starting to live closer to my ideal life. Suddenly quite emotional, in a happy way! A long way to go, but currently loving the journey.

What a lovely, uplifting post. Well done on your frugal journey so far.

I am looking forward to the end of the month and finalisng my emergency fund. It is through living frugally and simply that I have even decided to set asdie money in an emergency fund.

I feel my whole mindset has changed over the past couple of years of working towards a frugal lifestyle. Where before if I wanted to do something to the house I would just take out a loan or put in on a CC. I do want to redo my bathroom and kitchen over the next few years but plan to save towards this instead.

In Feb one of my planned purchases will be 2 of those cup/flask things so that OH and I can take these when we go on long walks to drink in the car after. This will work better for us than using the big flasks we have as we will just take enough for a cup each and he can take coffee in his and I will have tea in mine. Anyone know where to get them for a good bargain price?

Frugalsod

[Deleted User] wrote:

In Feb one of my planned purchases will be 2 of those cup/flask things so that OH and I can take these when we go on long walks to drink in the car after. This will work better for us than using the big flasks we have as we will just take enough for a cup each and he can take coffee in his and I will have tea in mine. Anyone know where to get them for a good bargain price?

I would look on eBay or Amazon. Though you might find them in a big supermarket or outdoors store. Personally I would opt for the steel ones as they are more rugged than glass ones. Also if you have a large flask have you considered just filling it with hot water and taking the tea coffee milk and sugars in small containers. The advantages are that the flask remains clean and you have the flexibility to change drinks if necessary. Sugar can be sourced at any takeaway where you see the sachets, just grab some extra when you need them.

ginnyknit

KazLA well done with the swagbucks. I play a couple of gamGot "es here and there for points, daily poll, and do a search putting in the headlines from bbc news. Takes me about 20 minutes a day but am not in a rush so just accumulate points slowly but surely. Made £15 in a couple of months last year but could probably do more.

Sold some silver jewellry that I wasnt attached to today. Online it was worth £20 but thought I would ask at the local jewellers and he gave me £25 as a couple of pieces would sell on - at least he admits it

Went and got a few basics but stuck rigidly to my list apart from 20p on some ys wrapping paper at Tosco's. Budget is going well far more days with money in my purse than without :j

littleskintdragon

Nsd day here! Took a toy back to a shop for dd as it was broken when we opened it, resisted the urge to walk around and go to the huge 4sda next door, despite the baby event being on. Then i was hungry but drove straight home and made myself lunch, resisting the 3 fastfood places i passed on the way home felt good to beat it!!

KazLA

ginnyknit wrote: »

KazLA well done with the swagbucks. I play a couple of gamGot "es here and there for points, daily poll, and do a search putting in the headlines from bbc news. Takes me about 20 minutes a day but am not in a rush so just accumulate points slowly but surely. Made £15 in a couple of months last year but could probably do more.

Thanks... Does it make a difference as to what you search for then? :think:

KazLA

KazLA wrote: »

After the encouragement here, I have been exploring Swagbucks again. Thought the main page was just offers for buying stuff, but after someone mentioned ''surveys/videos on home page" I hv looked further and found a survey for 70 SB. Just completed it. As it says points will be added in 3-5 days, does that mean it doesn't add to my daily total/goal? Or will it suddenly appear there in a few days and give me a head start one day?

Oo ooo oooh!! :j My 70 points is now showing, just got 10 for searching, and with other bits up to 89 for today! Bit of a break through! Only managed 259 in the last year! Thanks everyone, will leave you alone now!