2014 Frugal Living Challenge

SiroGarmr

use by dates get us -- especially when we get short dates from our online shop. Had to chuck £4 of fish other day because we assumed we'd have more than 2 days... should be checking of course but still.

calleyw

Well that saved a plumbers bill but was very gross.

I have had a slow draining bathroom sink for ages. Bought some drainer cleaner finally today. Put it down twice made no difference.

So decided to take apart the u-bend underneath the sink. OMG it was minging. Black gunge and hair was impacted under neath the basin waste bit. No wonder the drain cleaner did not budge it.

Not sure why so much hair gets in it. I brush my hair in front of the sink. But that is that. I wonder if the water going down is not hot enough causing the gunge!!!!

Will do that on a monthly basis now I think. I feel a bit sick as that was so gross.

Yours

Calley

alja

Every day this week was a NSD for me very pleased! I plan to go to Mr T's tomorrow as I have a £10 clothing voucher from the clubcard boost thing, which needs to be used by the end of the month.

Hoping to not spend too much, but want to buy some fruit to kick start being a bit healthier. Last time I was there they had some really good bargains in the clearance area. Will take a look but try not to come back with anything that isn't useful!!

Very pleased with what I've managed to save for this first month of the year too! Just hope I can keep it up...

nannygladys

Hi all
First day back at work after my home holiday, it takes a bit of getting back into.

Anyway, sorted out banks etc and put monies into various pots and feel a lot happier now. Fish and Veggies for tea from the freezer, I'm going to eat more out of stores this month because I don't think I'm going to have loads of visitors or anything this month. So I hope I will spend less on food.

Have a good weekend everyone, not sure if I will get on here for a few days as I'm working now until Wednesday.

Nanny g

abby1234519

What I need to do is make money from other sources, swagbucks confuses me I can't see how some people make £500 in 6 months!

I need to continue ebaying stuff etc. Don't know how much I have left however....

skintygerlinky

Evening Frugalites xx
NSD day today which was unexpected - met friend and we went to SubWayTooExpensive for lunch. She had some sort of voucher and bottom line is I was treated to lunch and coffee for free!!
For the first time in 27 years of friendship, we had an open and honest discussion about money. We live very different lives and so have different expenses but we also had lots in common re: our current skinty situations. We both agreed that although we have bared our souls to each other over the years and will take each others secrets to the grave, we have always felt that discussing money was somehow 'impolite' and 'taboo'. What do others think? Are you comfortable having frank discussions about money with your nearest and dearest?
Payday!! But the first payday of serious frugal budgeting - yikes!! So starting tomorrow I'm writing all spends down in my cash book and keeping an eye on any splurges - how I'm feeling, why I want to be careless with money, if I'm once again chasing 'short term' fixes etc. Need to identify these feelings and walk away!
Seriously need to avoid shops (physical and online) this month and stay true to my Frugal '14 mantra of being thankful for what I already have and enjoying it - books, cds, DVDs, mixing and matching my wardrobe around. And I have six different lipsticks and only wear them when I go out! Let's get that lippy on every day, Skinty! What am I waiting for, seriously??

Little changes like this need to become habits - I would like to enjoy my 'stuff' and 'things' and NOT treat them as museum pieces and absolutely knocking down the idea that I need more, More, MORE!!

Always inspiring to read how everyone's got on here and where they need to change/improve their budgeting techniques.

Right - glass of red for me and Blondie documentary on BBC4. Best option on this wet and windy night! Hope everyone's OK in this awful weather.

chirpycheap

skintygerlinky wrote: »

We both agreed that although we have bared our souls to each other over the years and will take each others secrets to the grave, we have always felt that discussing money was somehow 'impolite' and 'taboo'. What do others think? Are you comfortable having frank discussions about money with your nearest and dearest? .

I agree. I find the whole thing on expectations for gift buying difficult and sometimes wish I was brave enough to suggest to some people that we simply stop doing it! There's only so many scented candles that either of us need!
I was however very brave this month and tackled a tricky social issue. I regularly go out with a small group of ladies. Most of them generally drink a large glass of wine so a round is pretty expensive. Annoyingly one of the group seems to regularly miss paying for their round as there is no way of remembering from month to month whose turn it is to buy the first round. I only drink mineral water or lime and soda and was beginning to feel a little hard done by!
Anyway this week when we were out I was upfront and said that I was on a budget and did they mind if I bought my own drink. After a slightly stunned silence (we've been going out for ten years!) they were all fine about it and everyone bought their own drinks.
Just wish I'd done it years ago- I could have saved a fortune!

skintygerlinky

Chirpy that's a good move!!

Completely appreciate this may have felt awkward. However, you took the plunge and your old friends appreciated your situation. That conversation is now done and dusted, you can still look forward to your nights out whilst saving some cash.

Sorted !

focus888

Evening all hope you don't mind me joining in a month late. Decided this is gonna be the year where i cut back to basics. January almost over and i manage to bring lunch into work everyday 20 work days out of 20. I also managed 13 nsd which i have never done before. Good start to my year so far. I too long a takeaway and meal out but apart from on new years day haven't been for a meal out since. Apart from a trip to the chicken chip once, but that's nothing compared to last year. Small steps.

SarahB1989_2

skintygerlinky wrote: »

For the first time in 27 years of friendship, we had an open and honest discussion about money. We live very different lives and so have different expenses but we also had lots in common re: our current skinty situations. We both agreed that although we have bared our souls to each other over the years and will take each others secrets to the grave, we have always felt that discussing money was somehow 'impolite' and 'taboo'. What do others think? Are you comfortable having frank discussions about money with your nearest and dearest?

I frequently complain to my (non-cohabiting) OH that I can't afford stuff, and he knows that I've had to borrow from my parents to get by this year, but I don't think he has the foggiest what my financial situation actually is and he would never ask. Had a pretty honest chat about money with a friend recently though; it was quite refreshing as I'd always assumed that since she lives in London and has a nice flat and a job that involves flying all over Europe that she was pretty well off, but we shared a lot of worries about being mid-twenties and having no savings whatsoever and having very frugal parents to compare ourselves to. I think that it's a very tricky subject to get into, unless you know the other person very well. Money's one of those topics you don't discuss in public generaly - always thought that's just a reserved British thing!