2014 Frugal Living Challenge

pm2326

Evening all,

Not much happening here at the minute, still plodding on trying not to spend money.

I decided to give meal planning a go to see if a) it saves me money and b) I can reduce the food in my freezer ....have to confess never tried it before as I thought it was pointless as there's just me. However, I started it on Sunday and I've managed to use at least one item from my freezer every day, it's still crammed full but it's a start. I've also been able to plan healthier meals and prepare for them in advance if needs be.

I've done another plan for next week and just been to Ald* for a top up shop and spent the grand total of £6 :T (fruit, veg, potatoes, milk, bread, cheese).

Hoping this is a new habit from now on.

Ohh and I went back to the co-op on Wednesday and managed to grab the last 2 bags of frozen salmon portions for £1 a bag...bargain!!! (means I had to fill the gaps in the freezer though :rotfl:)

lynnejk

Well finally found time to sit down and sort out monthly budget - don't know where the time goes eh - and edit my signature.


So I've left my household/grocery challenge at £240 for one more month.
Decided £100 is enough to keep in 'bulk buy' fund - which also pays butcher bill once every 2 months.
I've finished paying off the car loan :j
So monies from stopping smoking (7 weeks now), Make £10 a day challenge and left from hh/gc at end of month will now go into new Savings Fund - will put in 5% account at bank.


Hope this weekend is better weather and can get boxes and pots sorted out on balcony to get some seeds in as now May and nothing planted yet :eek: but it's been sooo cold here.


Hope you all have a warm and sunny Saturday
Lx

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi Lynne, great news on your 'not smoking' campaign - that's such a lot of money to have saved :T:T

Huge congratulations as I know from Mr T it's not easy, but 7 weeks is brilliant.

Tilly x x x

lovefullshelves

lynnejk wrote: »

Gosh - how you going to do this :eek: I couldn't manage for fruit and veg at those levels. I really wish you luck


Lx

Well...we grew our own potatoes and onions, so potatoes as staples saves me alot. I froze and dehydrated alot too. Tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, beans, brocolli, leeks, apples, pears, berries. Made grape juice and different cordials. We have salad leaves ready and radishes are close, and theres rhubarb. (This is why I am the wheelbarrow fairy on my blog, the fairy who does everything without anyone noticing!)
All other veg is whats cheap or on special from aldi.
I have been known to make 1lb of mince into 12 portions...and this time I'm gonna try adding lentils too
I bake my own rolls and bread a fair bit, and everyone thinks its a treat..bonus!
I bake all cakes and pies, batch bake, bulk buy, grow what I can, cost all meals, then meal plan to the max.
Last nights tea was £1.10 for 3 portions (scone pizza)
Tonights was about £1.54 for three. (omelette with veg in)
Like my dad used to say...I'm so tight I squeak!!
The live below the line challenge has really made me appreciate what I can have. And whats important. And what I'd happily do without so the ones I love can have more.
Anyway...
NSD for me Made chocolate fudge brownie, and after a week of LBTL I may eat it for breakfast! Its just sitting there teasing me!
Have a good weekend xx

Coulddobetter

Sorry been missing for a while. Using things from the freezer but it seems to keep filling up. :rotfl:the meal planning is going well. We had hairy bikers chilli tonight and it was fab much better than a jar. I got the minced reduced yesterday. Steak mince should have been 5.24got it for 2.04 a steal.......it made enough for 6 meals so guess what they went in the freezer. I have still got my Christmas freezer on. I do seem to have an illness.... I cannot stop myself buying good quality meat if it is on offer. I bought gammon, mince, steak, salmon, to name a few.

just paid off £100 on each of the mortgages so that feels great really pleased they are coming down.

Going out for the day tomorrow we had a Christmas present from my lovely sister for a cream tea at an English heritage property. So it shouldn't cost much except the fuel. Really looking forward to spending time with DB. We thought it might be quieter tomorrow rather go on Monday.

Have done some decluttering in the week so feeling go about that as well.

Only got the diet to really sort out, well no one is perfect.....:o


Coulddobetter xx

sparrer

Very briefly as it's well past bed time, just had to report that my first pea has a tiny, maybe 1/4" sprout showing. So excited :j, I really didn't have any faith in my efforts but by following lynne's instructions to the letter even I can get a pea to shoot

[Deleted User]

Just paid the balance of my summer holiday in Skye. Now I just have to save some spending money. We are off up to Skye in July and then I think we will just have holidays at home later in the year to keep costs down.

Although my heating is officially 'off' we have had it on for a wee hour or so that last couple of nights as it has been absolutely freezing. It is still off in the mornings. I must have reduced my usage as a bill came through a couple of days ago and the account is in credit - that's a first, usually after the winter we end up owing money.

DawnW

A holiday in Skye sounds lovely Allie - I hope you enjoy it!

Well, I have just done my Jan-end Apr totals, and have failed epically on my aim to spend only £4,000

I spent nearly double that, at 7049.76, not including the new roof (as I reasoned that this would need to come from savings anyway). OH's car bill of £1098 added to it considerably - arguably that would need to come from savings as well.....

I also included some work related costs, such as train fares for the last month after my season ticket had run out. Anyway, enough excuses! Must do better over the next few months, especially as my quite big salary has from now on been replaced by a small pension :eek:

We do have savings, and our mortgage is paid off, otherwise I would have had to keep on working, but now I have time to plan things more carefully there really is no excuse for overspending.

Well, plans for today, a bit more work for my small biz (once I get everything straight this won't take so much time - I have worked pretty much full time on it for the last couple of days) and babysitting for DD2. Her OH is away and she is finding it a struggle with a baby who doesn't sleep much

On the plus side, I will get to cuddle baby , DD will do lunch for OH and I, and I will cadge some eggs from her, as her chickens and ducks are laying well and my elderly chickens are not.

I need to do a freezer inventory, and the house is a tip - hopefully over the weekend I will make some inroads on that, and the freezer inventory at least will help with meal planning, which I also need to do better. We are having pork steaks for supper with mashed potatoes, red cabbage (from the freezer) and gravy. I will do lots of mash, to make fish cakes for another day, with canned tuna, lots of parsley and some capers.

Right, before all that I need to get some washing on the line...

Becky_2

Dawn, enjoy your retirement.

lynnejk, well done for stopping to smoke for 7 weeks. Keep it going.

I have had 4 NSD's this week. Also, I have changed our home insurance provider and have saved £28.76.

Not planning on spending any money this bank holiday weekend apart from when we do our weekly food shopping tomorrow.

Have a good weekend everyone.

skintygerlinky

Evening Frugalites xxxx


Not been toooooo bad today - bus fare up to friend's house, then birthday card for my brother with NZ inside which I bought at the Post Office. Only £1.20 to send to NZ $'s inside - seriously believe they make the postage up! Mum posted her card, pretty much same size and therefore weight and it cost her £4.20!!


Home and cooking later - made lovely pea and lettuce soup & froze two portions. Then had veggie sausages with potato and pepper bake, which is one of my mega cheap standbys!! Really tasty and filling too, made from some knackered looking potatoes and peppers. Enough for tea tomorrow too!


Sensing some good frugal determination on here at the mo!! Keep on keeping on guys xxxxxxxxxx (excuse for a beautiful song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-l91O9VxN0 )