2014 Frugal Living Challenge

TM6

:j I am REALLY pleased with how January has gone :j

It has all been about changing my mindset of saving rather than spending and I think the penny has finally dropped :rotfl:

I have been stocking up in the sales and I have just placed my first 'Approved Foods' order.

I now need to do a major stock take and start meal planning.

My goal for February is to use up stock and only have one or two deliveries on 'home delivery'


I love being a 'frugalite' and sharing our stories...so here is to us all :beer:

peony40

Can I join you all?

Been reviewing my expenditure for January and it is not pretty! I have spent far too much on books for myself so i have just removed my card details from amazon. Hopefully, if i have to type my card details in it will make me stop and think.

I am cross with myself as I am old enough to know better, and as i no longer work due to ill health i really don't have the money to spend it so lightly. Oh well, i am feeling positive for february.

Awaiting a grocery delivery this morning, and then I will work on an inventory and meal plan.

Will catch up with all the posts over the weekend.

Peony.

his_missus

calleyw wrote: »

Is it a combi boiler? If so look at the manual or on-line. Or take a photo of the boiler and post it on the DIY board someone will be able to help you

I know where my filling loop is and on the very odd occasion have to top it up

Yours

Calley

Looked at the manual and online. The guy who fitted the boiler kind of boarded up the pipes to make it look more attractive so I'm assuming it's behind there. I could just reach what looked like the filling loop screw with my fingers but no manouevre for a screwdriver.
Hubby looked online and someone had suggested turning it all off and on again.
However, when we got home from work the heating was on and the pressure has increased to just 1.

Thanks for suggesting DIY board, will bear that in mind if it drops again.

lovefullshelves

peony40 - thats my biggest problem too, amazon. And cookery books. So, I've removed my card details too and am looking online for recipes instead!
Decided only one asda delivery this month, its nearly all pet food and smart price, but its still cheaper than getting in the car and driving there! Worst thing about being rural, fuel costs mean any shopping starts at a fiver for fuel!
abby - my OH puts things in the trolley too, storage boxes and a torch, biscuits and cakes (even though I bake from scratch). He hasn't done it for two weeks as when he put the storage boxes in and said 'I'll give you the money for those when we get home' I reminded him and he grudgingly handed over a fiver!!
Roll on feb!
x

kb_soma

abby1234519 wrote: »

Its difficult for us because our only expenditure should be food, we have bills etc but I don't budget for entertainment and so forth. My mother in law to be has a thing about family birthdays where she makes us go out for EVERY family members birthday and it always ends up costing us £40 a pop because there is a large amount of people, birthday person goes free and they split the bill equally. So oh and I have a small meal each, we share our food with our son as he doesn't eat much and we have a couple of cokes. Meanwhile people get a few beers, there are two people who drink like a fish which makes our bill rocket. Now mother in law did take on board what I said and she always pays about a tenner of ours because I did make a fuss. I'm not being mean spirited but I've told her I don't want to go if we split the bill like that. In fact I don't see it necessary to go for everyones birthday. In fact this year I am making a point of not doing anything for mine, not that we ever do I think they all forget its my birthday. My other half isn't buying me a present because I don't want one and it comes out of our money. I've told him he can get me a card and a small bunch of flowers. I really really don't care that its my birthday, I'm only going to be 25!
I earn 19k and he earns 16k so we don't earn that much anyway. Most of our money is ploughed into debt, I then have £22 water bill £90ish energy (although I wish I could reduce that) and then Tivo phones etc. Once all that and childcare is done with we don't have anything left.

Now, thinking about this going out for dinner for everyone's birthday, yes, this is nice but as you say, it ends up costing £40 a pop. Maybe for your birthday you could set an example by having a BYO party, everyone brings one dish, drinks they would like to drink, there being everyone saves a bit of cash and all you are left to do is the washing up? Or even better, get someone else to host and they can do the washing up.

I love eating out, our family have always socialised with food, but I do find that it does taste so much better at home. xx

cw18

I'm baaaaack

I sat down last night and processed all my receipts since 1st Jan, and adapted my spreadsheet for a year with an extra 'one-off' category.

The extra is 'Camino', as I'm planning to head off to France around 10th September, and spend 8 weeks walking from there into Spain (on day 1) and then the remainder of 6-8 weeks walking 625-800 miles to Santiago, the coast, and back to Santiago. The 'basic' route is 625 in 6 weeks, but I'm hoping to explore off the beaten track at some points, which would potentially take me up to 800 in 8

So I've added in an extra category for that which I hope will cover the equipment I still need to get (backpack's the main one, sorted boots last summer and bought a spare pair once I knew they worked for me!), passport (haven't had one since late Aug 2002), travel to France and home from Spain, and food and accommodation whilst I'm out there.... but I'm not holding my breath.

Having this in does mean I've (hopefully) over estimated some of my others - such as groceries for home as I won't be here for 8 weeks. My groceries budget is also a fair bit up on last year (which I lost track of, along with everything else) as OH seems to be here for 2 meals on 2 weekends out of 3, whereas I've always only allowed for 1.

My budget could also go haywire after I return from Spain, as I'm planning on applying to become a foster parent. If that gets the go-ahead then my budgets are always going to be subject to review as children come and go - but there's not a lot I can do about that


As for the last 9 months since I was last here.....

• I'm still dating the same chap (2 years 2 months and counting now)
• DS1 is still living with me - almost 2 years after moving in for 12 months
• I've gained a 4th GD. She was due Christmas Day, but decided to show up on 10th November instead. She was a good weight, and home a few weeks later and is thriving well
• I'm still not working (by choice)
• OH and I went away several times last year (to the Lakes), and have several trips booked for this year (a long weekend with my 2 youngest GDs, a Mon to Sat with my 2 eldest GDs and his niece, a weekend just the two of us for a food festival in the area, and a week for the two of us immediately after a week I'm up there on my own doing Camino training

Frugalsod

kb_soma wrote: »

Now, thinking about this going out for dinner for everyone's birthday, yes, this is nice but as you say, it ends up costing £40 a pop. Maybe for your birthday you could set an example by having a BYO party, everyone brings one dish, drinks they would like to drink, there being everyone saves a bit of cash and all you are left to do is the washing up? Or even better, get someone else to host and they can do the washing up.

I love eating out, our family have always socialised with food, but I do find that it does taste so much better at home. xx

I go with my family for birthdays and luckily they are all spread out through the year so actually gives me a few months to save for the next one. The last birthday (last wednesday) cost just under £100 for 4 of us. We go to a local Thai restaurant and we actually leave the entire order to the restaurant owner to decide. We just say what we do not like and he picks what will go well together and it works. It might help in that we are semi regulars so he knows not to sting us, and we keep returning.

littleskintdragon

Looking forward to adding up januarys totals later today
Its definately been the month of learning.
Ive suprised myself at how much ive spent these past few weeks and will budget every catagory from these totals.

One thing ive been very frugal with is my food shopping. A lot of the month weve had xmas chocolates to use up, which i actually cant wait to finish so that i can start using up the baking cupboard ingredients by making our own. I love making flap jacks and cakes! Yum!!
The freezer still has suprisingly lots of food in it.

I was wondering if i could challenge myself to spend less every month than the last on groceries, ill have to see what this months totals are first as i really cut down. But i do like the idea.

kb_soma

Frugalsod wrote: »

I go with my family for birthdays and luckily they are all spread out through the year so actually gives me a few months to save for the next one. The last birthday (last wednesday) cost just under £100 for 4 of us. We go to a local Thai restaurant and we actually leave the entire order to the restaurant owner to decide. We just say what we do not like and he picks what will go well together and it works. It might help in that we are semi regulars so he knows not to sting us, and we keep returning.

I love Thai food, our family used to have a Thai restaurant, so I'm lucky enough to know cooking it very well! this website has some very authentic recipes and great videos: http://importfood.com/recipes.html

It's always good to know the owners too, and even better if they know what you like!

My downfall is Chinese food, I love it and have to eat out if I'm going to have it, but I have been good and not been out for it for a while.

ginnyknit

I am happy:j end of the month and my debt pot is growing well. Its the first time I have had savings in a long time. Living out of the stock pile and its not bad. Have been watching Jamies money savings programmes and made a few different dishes for a change. Today whilst chicken and dumplings were cooking I filled the oven with cakes using the cake mixes out of the pantry so Dgs can have cake and custard this weekend

Havent bought anything from the CS's but have donated lots in my effort to de-clutter. Just popped 5 items on fleabay, not big price stuff but it all goes into the pot. Have a few more things to add and will do it right away before I get distracted.