2014 Frugal Living Challenge

Grand_Benders

skintygerlinky wrote: »

... She absolutely sees the need for educating children about finance in year 5 or 6.

In my experience, I can vouch for the schools and colleges I've worked in no longer having time to fit these type of activities in in any meaningful way - we did manage 'industry and enterprise days' on only one day in the whole school year. I would love there to be much more education around money and finance for young people, whether this is actually done in schools or at home - but what do you guys think?? Is this a subject for children and young people??

I believe Martin :money: has been instrumental in getting Financial education on the curriculum, so I guess they'll be finding space and time for it soon. Sorely needed!

Frugalsod wrote: »

This week has not been good for NSD for me, but they have all been very small spends.

We have two classifications in our household; NSDs and LSDs for LOW spend days. I class any day under £5 as a LSD, and aim for any non-NSDs to at least be LSDs, unless I can't avoid it. I don't count any regular bills in spends, just 'discretionary' spending, as the bills can't be helped.

Just_be wrote: »

I've got a little stash of receipts waiting to be written into my book as I've avoided doing it the past few days

When we first had our light bulb moment, I was fastidiously logging every single penny in an app, but over the last year have lost track a bit. I've seen that when I don't do this, our spending drifts upwards, so it's time to reign it back in and get back to logging receipts. I know I'll feel better once I've done this but don't think I'll go back to last April (when I stopped) and just make an adjusting figure to get it up to date, and start again from Jan 1st to get the full year's figures for 2014.


I was doing a big multi-quote reply as I worked my way through the thread, but the earlier ones aren't showing up, so it must be limited in how many you can quote, I guess. . Anyway, my main other point I wanted to quote, can't remember who it was, but it was about the Meters App. The OP quoted a link to Graham Haley's site to download this. I would recommend that, and also his Accounts Tracker App, which is what I use (ahem... Used... previously and will, now, when I get up to date again)


Also, just wanted to say hi :hello: and to join in. Will come back another time to do a full update and a proper intro.

Frugalsod

Grand_Benders wrote: »

I believe Martin :money: has been instrumental in getting Financial education on the curriculum, so I guess they'll be finding space and time for it soon. Sorely needed!


We have two classifications in our household; NSDs and LSDs for LOW spend days. I class any day under £5 as a LSD, and aim for any non-NSDs to at least be LSDs, unless I can't avoid it. I don't count any regular bills in spends, just 'discretionary' spending, as the bills can't be helped.


When we first had our light bulb moment, I was fastidiously logging every single penny in an app, but over the last year have lost track a bit. I've seen that when I don't do this, our spending drifts upwards, so it's time to reign it back in and get back to logging receipts. I know I'll feel better once I've done this but don't think I'll go back to last April (when I stopped) and just make an adjusting figure to get it up to date, and start again from Jan 1st to get the full year's figures for 2014.


I was doing a big multi-quote reply as I worked my way through the thread, but the earlier ones aren't showing up, so it must be limited in how many you can quote, I guess. . Anyway, my main other point I wanted to quote, can't remember who it was, but it was about the Meters App. The OP quoted a link to Graham Haley's site to download this. I would recommend that, and also his Accounts Tracker App, which is what I use (ahem... Used... previously and will, now, when I get up to date again)


Also, just wanted to say hi :hello: and to join in. Will come back another time to do a full update and a proper intro.

I am lucky in that I can get away with most of my Non NSD actually being LSD. I will have a bigger one next week when my Abel delivery arrives. My small veg box lasted me three weeks and I am thinking I will be able to get through a month or more with the large fruit and veg box next week. Though many of my LSD are actually using cash which is counted as part of one of my SD.

The Meters app was my suggestion. It is very handy. When I was last haggling with my energy company I was able to point out my usage and then the fact that my daily usage was consistent through out the year. The Customer relations person could see my average daily usage on their system and saw how it barely varied throughout the year and they had never seen a nearly horizontal graph for usage. I ended up with a 4% discount on last years bill.

cw18

Grand_Benders wrote: »

We have two classifications in our household; NSDs and LSDs for LOW spend days. I class any day under £5 as a LSD, and aim for any non-NSDs to at least be LSDs, unless I can't avoid it. I don't count any regular bills in spends, just 'discretionary' spending, as the bills can't be helped.

I have one or two big non-bill spend days a month. One is my trip to Costc0 (although they change their offers every 3 weeks, so unless there's a book I don't want anything from it actually works out at slightly more than once a month), and the other is a 'top up' at Tesc0 (although looking back that now appears to be nearer to once every 2-3 months, with more of the money off vouchers they send me going into the bin than being used in store - partly as they're often for things I no longer buy). Then a petrol fill-up from time-to-time (not yet done this year, but since I started running a 'taxi' service this week for DS1 to get to/from work after being constantly let down by local firms it'll probably need doing this month!).

But I'm finding my local low spend days are more expensive than they used to be. Almost all include milk for DS1 (at £1), then the rest is almost all fresh veg. Despite this coming from A1di (cheapest local option) I rarely get change from £7 in total, and if I pick up some meat (or more likely fish as I have loads of meat in the freezers) and/or bread (planning to put my bread machine on today, and really try to get back into the habit of using that) it comes in closer to £10-12. It's been shocking me recently just how expensive it's become to make sure I get my 5-a-day, especially when I play the game properly and have at least 5 different veg!

TM6

cw18 wrote: »

I have one or two big non-bill spend days a month. One is my trip to Costc0 (although they change their offers every 3 weeks, so unless there's a book I don't want anything from it actually works out at slightly more than once a month), and the other is a 'top up' at Tesc0 (although looking back that now appears to be nearer to once every 2-3 months, with more of the money off vouchers they send me going into the bin than being used in store - partly as they're often for things I no longer buy). Then a petrol fill-up from time-to-time (not yet done this year, but since I started running a 'taxi' service this week for DS1 to get to/from work after being constantly let down by local firms it'll probably need doing this month!).

But I'm finding my local low spend days are more expensive than they used to be. Almost all include milk for DS1 (at £1), then the rest is almost all fresh veg. Despite this coming from A1di (cheapest local option) I rarely get change from £7 in total, and if I pick up some meat (or more likely fish as I have loads of meat in the freezers) and/or bread (planning to put my bread machine on today, and really try to get back into the habit of using that) it comes in closer to £10-12. It's been shocking me recently just how expensive it's become to make sure I get my 5-a-day, especially when I play the game properly and have at least 5 different veg!

Have you thought about frozen veg?

Keenly priced, just as nutritious and less waste

I swear by it

afoolwithmoney

cw18 wrote: »

I have one of these
When I was working as a cleaner at the gym I'd fill with boiling water to warm it up around 5:15am, then empty out and fill with casserole (heated until it was hotter than for immediate serving) at around 5:30am. I ate the casserole I put into it around 11:30 and it was fine, but I don't think I'd have wanted to eat much late despite it saying 24hours.
Might be a bit large for soup for one person, but probably a make it's worth investigating for a smaller model.

I also have a Decathl0n own brand one that I used for soup eaten at 9:30am with no problem (one of these), but haven't ever tried for longer than 4 hours.

fab thank you

cw18

TM6 wrote: »

Have you thought about frozen veg?

I use frozen peas and corn on a regular basis, and once in a blue moon get a bag of mixed peas, corn, beans and diced carrot.

Other than that I can't abide the flavour, and despise the fact it always goes so soggy (love my veg al dente). Plus you don't get things like mange tout and courgette in the freezer section

skintygerlinky

Grand_Benders wrote: »

I believe Martin :money: has been instrumental in getting Financial education on the curriculum, so I guess they'll be finding space and time for it soon. Sorely needed!

When we first had our light bulb moment, I was fastidiously logging every single penny in an app, but over the last year have lost track a bit. I've seen that when I don't do this, our spending drifts upwards, so it's time to reign it back in and get back to logging receipts. I know I'll feel better once I've done this but don't think I'll go back to last April (when I stopped) and just make an adjusting figure to get it up to date, and start again from Jan 1st to get the full year's figures for 2014.

Also, just wanted to say hi :hello: and to join in. Will come back another time to do a full update and a proper intro.

Hi grand benders!

Great news re: financial ed. appearing on the curriculum - if you or anyone has a link to this, could you point me in the right direction?? Would help me lots as I work with teenagers!

Also find it interesting that you noticed a difference when you did and didn't log your spends. I'm writing all spends out at the mo, will see if this makes a difference to me too.

I'm typing this whilst still in bed with a cuppa!! Need to get up in mo and get ready for work but enjoying chilling out. Had unexpected nightmare about spiders last night yiyiyiyiyyyiiiiiiiiii!! Woke self up basically slapping self to 'get them off'. There were no spiders. I am just bit sore now hahahaa!!

Big spends y'day as was at uni which as we know costs a fair bit travel wise!! Checked up to see if I'm going to receive the bursary I've applied for, told to come back next week

LSD today - need to get bus to work but will be armed with homemade hummus, carrot and salad sandwiches for lunch. Just after Xmas the guy I work with commented on how 'good' I was, bringing lunch in. I replied that my butties were tastier but it was saving me a bit of cash too. There was a pause and then he said 'Me and my wife are doing really well at the mo. I know some people are a bit skint, but we're not. We had a great Xmas and didn't even feel a pinch'.

Er...oh good!!

grandma247

cw18 wrote: »

It's been shocking me recently just how expensive it's become to make sure I get my 5-a-day, especially when I play the game properly and have at least 5 different veg!

During the rationing of the second world war people were the healthiest they had ever been. They used what they had and it was not 5 a day. Most of it was what they grew themselves so it would have been anything that grows here. One veg such as cabbage plus potatoes would have been served. I do wonder if it is more the quantity of veg that is important and not the variety. I am not having a go by the way, just musing.

cw18 wrote: »

Other than that I can't abide the flavour, and despise the fact it always goes so soggy (love my veg al dente). Plus you don't get things like mange tout and courgette in the freezer section

If the frozen veg is soggy it has been heated too long. Most frozen veg only needs a quick heat up and it will stay somewhat crispy. It has usually been pretty much cooked already in the blanching process.
I have had frozen courgette from Ffoods and I have had mange tout but I think it might have been in a stir fry from leedls.

I used to grow and freeze my own veg but we are giving up our very large allotment because Dh hasn't the time and I don't have the strength or energy any more.

For those who are struggling to stick to the plan You are on a steep learning curve but it will get better,in fact it will become such an obsession that you will find it hard to prise open your purse

cw18

I find that if I barely dunk frozen veg into water (to try and keep some firmness) it's still cold/frozen. Ive even tried steaming it - marginally better, but I still don't like the taste. I actually gag on frozen carrots (other than diced in a mixed assortment), and struggle to eat a portion of broccoli or cauliflower (those are the other three I'd have liked to keep in the freezers).



I don't like any tinned veg either - although I can handle tinned sweetcorn. Oddly, sweetcorn is one that I've only recently started to eat fresh (used to be frozen kernels only)

kb_soma

his_missus wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I feel better now knowing I'm not being tight wad with the heating. Hubby did used to moan about being cold but I bought him a couple of fleecy jumpers at Christmas to keep him warm and the reduction in the DD has also stopped him moaning.

Mum's leftover curry from Saturday with YS naan breads (25p) and some leftover rice for tea.

Oh I read yesterday that 10mins of shivering burned as many calories as an hour of exercise, maybe we should turn the heating off

I try to not have the heating on if at all possible, I find when the air gets hot, I can't breathe. I think for most of winter I haven't had the heating on, and just chuck an extra jumper on when I'm cold. It does mean, however, no one wants to visit my cold house! When we have the hot water on, it warms up the house enough. OH has started putting the heating on in the evening, followed by me turning it off shortly afterwards. We usually have it at around 15-20 degrees c when it is on.