2014 Frugal Living Challenge

Becky_2

macwah97, congratulations to your new job.

While having an appointment in another town, I popped into Boots in Cheltenham which is much larger than my local one. I couldn't believe it when they still had some Christmas stock left at 90% off. I bought a packet of 20 Dura*ell AA batteries for £1.20, that will last us for years. They had loads of baby's first Christmas gifts left in store if anyone is local.

The other thing that is saving us money is Netflix (approximately £6 pr month). We used to spend £30 a month at least on DVD's but since signing up in November time we haven't bought any. I am hoping to sell some DVD's over the next few months.

cw18

Becky_2 wrote: »

The other thing that is saving us money is Netflix (approximately £6 pr month). We used to spend £30 a month at least on DVD's but since signing up in November time we haven't bought any. I am hoping to sell some DVD's over the next few months.

I cancelled my TV licence (and disabled my aerial) at the end of 2010, which saves me £144 a year. I've had a short stretch with LoveFilm (twice - second was a freebie for buying a new TV) and a short stretch with NetFlix that I paid for, but have spent most of the 'saved' money on DVD box sets of shows I used to watch (and watch again and again and again). Most of them have been fairly old ones which has kept the price down, and most have also been purchased second hand which has made them cheaper again I'm currently signed up to Wuaki (joined when it launched, so have a lifetime price of £2.99/month as long as I don't cancel), use of DS1's Netflix account, and OH and I currently spend our Saturday evenings watching DVD box sets he's bought (which means I've not needed to buy any in a while - currently watching Are You Being Served?). I used to have the TV on most of the time I was in the house (for re-runs and American TV series, I was never into soaps or reality shows), but I've not missed it one little bit and can now go from one Saturday to the next without turning on at all (or watch a couple of hours a day via one of the streaming services if I'm stuck into a series ). When I'm away somewhere that has a TV with licence it's not unusual for me to be there all week without turning it on (other than to pick up a Sky radio channel, as DAB radios don't work there and it doesn't play as well via my laptop). Even when I've been at DDs doing decorating for her (staying there while she and my GDs are away) I rarely put hers on for more than a couple of hours r&r a day (and then it's back to re-runs and American shows).

If/when they change the rules such that you need a licence if you have internet access (I know there's been a lot of talk about it) I'm not going to recognise any of the shows or presenters

pm2326

his_missus wrote: »

What do you all have your temperature set at? Is your decision affected by how long you're at home during the day or if you have children? We're out of the house from 8.30am till 6pm and there's just us two and the cats.

My thermostat sits at 15 when I'm in the house but before I go out I always spin the dial to 0 (helps that I have to pass thermostat when I leave), but I turned it down to 12 at the beginning of the week and since I've woke up 2 nights in a row sweating buckets I've now switched the heating off! I wear a thick cardigan when I'm in the house so I'm not feeling the cold at all.

I always switch heating off by 1 March anyway but obviously if temperatures drop before then I'll try putting it back on for a bit.

alja

cw18 wrote: »

Am I getting confused, or are you double counting your petrol? I know your 'to Tesco' was from a previous fill-up, but if you counted that fill-up as an expense (as you have this one) then you'd already spent that £4 back whenever.

haha! Yes! I'm not sure why I really included it in my total sum, was just getting a rough idea as to how much that day/trip cost me. I don't take a strict cost of things really, I just keep a little eye on things. So thankfully it didn't do any damage to budgets etc! Must have been a long day!

Cantfindafreeuserid

My heating is down as far as it will go on the thermostat! If my fingers go numb with cold I turn it up until I am warm again then back down it goes. I do sometimes have to put it up to dry clothes as the house obviously isn't warm enough to do that. I still apparently use £40 a month gas and I really can't understand why or how? I have an electric cooker so it's not being used there I have my water set to an hour in the morning and 10 mins in the evening as I can't seem to programme it to not come on at all in the evening! Not sure where all the gas is going and am really dreading if the snow comes as then I really will need it on more :-( still never mind fingers crossed I will move soon to a place with open fires and use no gas at all!

alja

abby1234519 wrote: »

I want to retire and I'm only 24!

Ditto! On both accounts! I hope with the help of the lovely people on MSE I will be able to retire comfortably if not early one day!

I've not spent any money since Saturday, so I'm happy about that. I have a colleague at work that's leaving on Friday for maternity leave so I will pop some money in a card for her, as no one at work has mentioned anything about doing a collection or even a card for her? I have a feeling she probably won't return to her role once she's had the baby and she's always been lovely to me, so I'd like to give her a little something to treat herself with

alja

On the subject of teachers... allie I'm sending you lots of love. My dad was a teacher and two of my closest friends are teachers. I have real respect for all of you giving it a go! Some people really don't understand all the pressures that come with that career. It can be so rewarding yet rather pants for other reasons. Seeing my dad deal with issues made me not want to go into teaching. So definitely thinking of you!

Mrs_Cheshire

Hi all, been gradually catching up on all the frugal ideas over the last few days.
My bulk shop on 23rd Jan seems to have done the trick. The freezers still full, looking forward to seeing what's left at the end of the month! My food cupboard is full to bursting too so that should definitely see us into March too!

skintygerlinky

Evening Frugalites xx

Had a quite a low day today to be honest

Few personal bits and bobs going on which are making me sad and although I'm not in any flooded areas (and my thoughts are with anyone that is) I think this weather is getting to me! Sick of winter now.

But! Is Feb and that's our short month. Been to work this eve and as always the lovely teenagers I work with have been fab, they're a great bunch and always cheer me up.

Also had a NSD!! Made a pot of soup earlier with onions, garlic, peppers, sweet potato and tin toms topped up with stock. Had a vacuum pack of lentils in so I've put half in and blended it and then added the offer half for a bit more texture. Lunch for tomorrow and freezing the rest for next week. It's lovely!

Have got a jar of dried Puy lentils which are in a clear jar and have been sat on my kitchen windowsill for about a million years. Well, around 18months I reckon! Do you think they'll still be OK or do I need to get them valued on Antiques Roadshow?

DawnW

NSD for me today :j
I am at work / commuting for almost 12 hours a day, so don't have the time and energy to do much in the evenings . I usually make a couple of bulk things for dinners at weekend for heating up though, and OH will cook the other days (but sometimes :eek:)

But OH isn't as good as me at using up things, so I made a concerted effort last night, and cut up left over white cabbage and onion and grated carrot for coleslaw - or rather the food processor did (OH uses many complex machines but for some reason cannot fathom out the food processor :rotfl:). I covered this up in a bowl and left in the fridge overnight. So all that was needed tonight was to put some spuds in the oven, grate some cheese, add some mayo to the shredded veg I had prepared last night, and we had lovely jacket spuds with butter, grated cheese and HM coleslaw

I also chopped up and froze some mushrooms that needed using.

Spendy day tomorrow though, as I am going for something to eat after work with some colleagues. Still, it won't be much, and I won't be drinking. I have found a HM readymeal (aka frozen leftovers :rotfl:) that OH likes the sound of, so that will do for him.