2014 Frugal Living Challenge

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Cooker blew a fuse this morning and now the grill won't work. Will have to look into getting it fixed or getting a new one - think I will get a new one since one of the rings on the top hasn't worked for years now. I am hoping there is a sale on somewhere!!

cw18

I've been sitting here yesterday evening and this morning trying to work on a shopping list for tomorrow (and another for Friday as OH and I are going away self-catering for the weekend, so a bit of fresh stuff to get as late as possible for taking with us), and for tomorrow it's not just groceries I'm out and about for.

And I've come to the conclusion that there must be something in the 'it only takes ?? days to change a habit' statement (although no-one seems to actually agree if the number of days is 14, 12, 28 or 30)......

Due to March being a non-payment month for Council Tax, I had a window of 15 days with no payments due out of my bank. So I decided to see how many No Spend Days I could get in a straight stretch (given that I don't count days where I only buy fresh milk and/or fresh fruit/veg as a spend day, as bulk buying those only ends up with my throwing stuff away which wastes money). Today is the last of those 15 days and I've hit a stretch of 15 (with allowable spends on just 3 of them).

So I'm trying to compile my shopping lists, and so far the one for tomorrow has just 2 items on it from the supermarket - and they're both items I can't get in my town on Friday morning that I want for taking away!!! I also need to pay DD for 3 items (2 food items from a store I don't have very locally that she picked up last week to be sure they hadn't sold out by the time I got there, and a birthday present for GD2 from the same place - total of just under £16), sort out my mobile phone contract (which will save me money month on month), and try and pick up some more dry bags for packing for my trek through Spain. I can't think of another single item I need for home other than something for tea tomorrow (which will likely be shop bought pizza or lasagne as I'm not going to be home until late tea-time due to visiting DD and GDs 35 miles away - but I won't know which until I speak to DS1 tonight), and I'm not feeling the urge to check-out any of the stuff I've been adding to my Amaz0n wishlist over the last year or so (on a spend day I generally review it to see if there's anything I'm starting to feel desperate for, or if there's anything I can take back off it as I've lost interest in the item).

Oh! And I need to try and get a shelf to put up in the property we'll be staying in at the weekend. It's a second home that belongs to a family member who lets other family members use it when they're not there, but they can't charge us for staying there as that would make it a holiday let they'd have to pay business rates and insurances on. So in return for use of the property we air it out, clean through, and do odd jobs that have been identified as being needed or replace small items that are past their best. (Last year we were up for the equivalent of about 4 weeks although some of the stays were long weekends, so we replaced the vacuum cleaner which kept over heating and the toilet seat which broke while we were there. We also installed a stair gate on the downstairs bedroom - having asked for permission - so that it's safer when we take his young niece or my younger GDs there.)

I soooooo feel like I don't want to spend ANY money on ANYTHING. But the proof of the pudding will come on Saturday, as we're off to a food festival and I've come home from the last 2 with a rather pricey pan :eek:

I've also been keeping track of all the old food stocks I've been using this month, and totting up the value of those whilst not adding them to my grocery spends (it'll give me more of a true picture of my grocery budget than just what I spend - all these stocks having been bought prior to 1st Jan, so I'm not double counting them in any way). I think this is making me more aware of what I have in the house, which is stopping me buying more of the same and making me think of ways to use some of it up.

nat21luv

Hi all :wave:


Ive been awol for a little while, I have had a rough few months. Theres a few big issues that are hanging over me and both of them may cause me a heck of a lot of money, the first is a court case- Im representing myself but im not sure if im mentally strong enough right now as im suffering from anxiety, and the other is a visit from the DWP, I may have to pay a fine for going over the £6k savings cap as money I have for my sons future is in my name and not his. Im waiting to hear back so im a little stressed. This has stopped me from saving anything Ive also not been as frugal as I should have been but still frugal by 'normal' peoples standards!


Last night I ordered my shopping from asda and I had £47 apg to use and was also given a voucher for £10 off when spending £75 so used that too and spent £16 cold hard cash on my shopping for a month Also used a £16 worth of Tesco pp and bought some more staple ingredients and some fruit.




Back in the game

his_missus

Hi all,

tatabubbly - a lesser paid job you like is better than a job you hate. There's nothing worse thanputting up with the stress/dislike of a job and feeling you're working just for the money. Been there. Congrats, and I hope you're happier in this new job x

lovefullshelves - hope kitty is ok, that's a hefty bill.

Not really sure if this counts as frugal....but 0cad0 had a particular Spanish sherry I like (as does mum and I haven't sen it on sale here before) on buy 4 get 25% off and I also had a £25 off £60 spend voucher code. So I've ordered 4 (to be put away for Xmas and gifts) costing £38, added enough shopping to make £60, added £25 off voucher and got it all for £37 with delivery

Taking our mums out for lunch on Saturday (plus 2 SIL and FIL - told him this is his father's treat come early) and then off to Scotland for a few days on Sunday. Will be back on the frugal bandwagon next Thursday I promise.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

I am soooo struggling to try and get all my shopping for the 4 of us for £35 per week


I have tried, shopping everyday and try to keep to £5 and under spend... now I have tried doing a shopping list with only the meal plan ingredients etc... but nope I get side tracked with offers and yellow sticker items...


so even though I literly live at the end of Asder's carpark and we have a Mr T a mile away along with a co-op.. I am going to resort to meal planning, working out what shopping I need, and doing an on-line order...


I feel such a failure, that I haven't got the will power to stick to a flipping shopping list while going round a supermarket....

shiningfaery

My house budget is now under serious strain (hubby lost job) as well as putting our finances under a big strain its affecting our relationship too.

So along with my stinking head cold thats got me doubled over coughing trying to stop my head exploding and my insides from coming up I am trying to be more frugal!!

First thing I did was reduce all my bills where I could, mobile contracts tv and BB and next call will be to gas comp to get some help from them too but all in all shaved £1K off so happy with that.

Made yoghurt in my slow cooker today as my kids live on it and I have to say that for a £1 carton of milk I have made enough yoghurt to go the week I hope. Going to save me a few pounds there, added benefit is that I will get more fresh fruit into them too :j

I am being very careful with what we have and where we spend just shame cant get hubby to think like that....he still trys to go shopping in M&S.

Frugalsod

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

I am soooo struggling to try and get all my shopping for the 4 of us for £35 per week


I have tried, shopping everyday and try to keep to £5 and under spend... now I have tried doing a shopping list with only the meal plan ingredients etc... but nope I get side tracked with offers and yellow sticker items...


so even though I literly live at the end of Asder's carpark and we have a Mr T a mile away along with a co-op.. I am going to resort to meal planning, working out what shopping I need, and doing an on-line order...


I feel such a failure, that I haven't got the will power to stick to a flipping shopping list while going round a supermarket....

£35 a week for 4 is a very low figure, and if you have meat it makes it even harder. So that might be why you are failing. The fact that you are close is actually pretty good. There are loads of cheap meal sources if you can meal plan around them

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/recipes.html

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Frugalsod wrote: »

£35 a week for 4 is a very low figure, and if you have meat it makes it even harder. So that might be why you are failing. The fact that you are close is actually pretty good. There are loads of cheap meal sources if you can meal plan around them

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/recipes.html

I am lucky as I do have a freezer full of pork, ( which the price of feeding the pigs and the abotior costs are not included in the £35)


I do have some reduced meat in the freezer too, to use up...


When I say its for 4, there is 4 of us here, but our 2 boys 18 &19yrs eat out a lot as there are never here, but I think they have cottoned on now how much they are spending on food out, so they are starting to eat more in house now... lol..


I was thinking £35 would be realistic considering the amount of meat we have.... maybe I should use £50 as a starting point, and try and work back from that, as I really do need to watch every penny

skintygerlinky

Evening Frugalites xxxxxxxx

I'm still rather below par so am still keeping a low profile!! Frugal commitments are 'parked' at the mo as social life busy this week. However this is much needed after an unbelievably horrid March!!

Paid on Monday so lets just take a deep breath there and start again with a more realistic budget.

This poem has kept me going over the last few weeks!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drBIhnATwuc

Do any of you have a fave poem?? Let's hear them please Frugalites xxxx

DawnW

Roof is fixed :j:j
So no more dripping ceiling and pots and pans of water all over the kitchen :eek:
Bad news is I am £500 down. Still, that was a very reasonable price for the job - he did the main roof for us last year, and we were happy to get him back to do this smaller job.

Still, after a spendy few days, what with the roof, spending too much at the supermarket at the weekend, and a family day out on Sunday, I am back on the case -

Packed lunch to work. I made a huge omelette for my tea last night. It was absolutely massive! I thought , I can't eat all that :eek: so put half in the fridge for a sandwich - it is the same as an egg sandwich, right? Anyway, it was fine

My chickens have started laying again - hence the huge omelette :rotfl:Their eggs really are massive!

Grabbed a free paper to read on the train

Evening meal from stores - shepherds pie with spring greens from the garden. And there is enough left over for my lunch for work tomorrow

Starting to get cold feet a bit as i only have a few weeks left at work. I can't wait not to have to go to work every day, especially as it is really being piled on at the moment, but the thought of going from what I consider to be a very reasonable salary to a small pension is a bit scary :eek:

Still, at least the roof won't want doing :rotfl: