2014 Frugal Living Challenge

[Deleted User]

Just cleared out the bathroom and decided to inventory all the toiletries I have. I am amazed at how much stuff I have got. It's unlikely that I will have to buy anything other that toothpaste/mouthwash in the next 2 years!!

Alot of the stuff is things I have stockpiled that were given to me as gifts. Time to get stuck in and start using it all. I was sure there used to be a 'no buying more toiletries thread' but I can't find it. If its still around I would really appreciate someone pointing me in the right direction.

Update: Found the thread, time to start making use of my stash.

Merrylegs1

Nicki_sue, thats awful, good luck for tomorrow got my fingers crossed for wages tomorrow.

I've worked all weekend so have not had much chance to spend. Took in my own meals & now im about to drop into bed.

Merry x

Kerry_Woman

Nicki_sue - Sorry to hear about your OH job. Hope things work out and sending you hugs.

Nicki_Sue

No pay, no idea when he'll get paid, if he'll get paid

Worse things happen at sea I suppose x

cw18

Unusually for me I've finalised my spends for the month before going to bed on the last day of the month, but I need to be on the ball this time as I've a busy 5 days coming up before I go away for 13 days (will still have Internet access though )




Despite being (mostly) under budget for each category - and being well under budget overall - I'm still not overly happy with some of the spending / how it's being recorded.

There have been a couple of big hits in my 'everything else' (which have taken it over) that are really essentials rather than the 'wants' I always intended it to cover - one is a bill for new glasses and the other is car repairs.

I'm going to have a think about reworking my categories for this year so I can move them out into their own, but will definitely pull them them out for next year (there's a couple of others I'm also looking at for future years too).

But for now the only other category I've overspent on is cleaning and toiletries - and that's mainly to bulk buying washing powder (potentially enough for 3 years!) and fabric conditioner (8-10 months) during June which came to over £20. So I'm not too worried about that one for now

No phone & broadband payment this month, as I have until 10am tomorrow morning to pay it whilst still getting a prompt payment discount - and by holding off until tomorrow (which sees several other bills go out) I could declare today as a No Spend Day.

July will be a big spend month as the car's in for service and MOT on Thursday. The MOT isn't actually due until month end, but as the car's going to be doing a lot of mileage from 6th to 23rd it seemed more sensible to have everything done before then - especially as I always see an increase in mpg post service And as it's less than 30 days until the MOT is due they'll start it from the expiry of the current one anyway, so I don't lose out There's also going be a lot of petrol compared to the last 6 months due to the extra mileage, but that's not a concern as I'm seriously under budget for that so far - and really can't understand why, especially as DS1 now has use of the car but I'm still working on the mileage I'd estimated for the year when I was the only driver :think:


EDIT on 1st July. While getting my spreadsheet kicked off for the new month I realised it's an even spendier month than I mentioned above - my car insurance will also need paying as it changes premium year at midnight 31st July/1st August :eek:

Shortie

Afternoon all

Sorry to hear the mess around with DH's pay Nicki_sue. Hope things do get sorted for you, and soon :grouphug: (is it just me that always thinks those 3 look slightly rude? lol)

Doing okay so far this week, though we have a colleague's levaing luncht tomorrow so that will cost me my lunch. But he's someone I get on with well (here, and somewhere else that we used to work together too, lol) so am definately going as I won't be going for the evening drinks.

A small banding of chooks keep escaping the run which has created a host of issues - not to mention that fact we have chook mess all over the lawn and patio, and dogs weeing in the house even more as they're scared of the chooks , but we also have to keep playing the game of 'hunt the pile of eggs' round the garden... :rotfl: So far, we've been finding them in the strawberry patch (which has strangely lost all it's fruit suddenly - regardless of the colour the berries were...), in the wood shed, and I've suddenly spotted a huge pile under one of the bushes. Needless to say, today I sent Mr Shortie out this morning to put a cover of some sort over the chook run to stop the girlies from escaping

We've already had to freeze some eggs as we have a complete glut even after a bake-up and donating to neightbours and my folks!

So tonight we'll be checking which of the more recent discoveries are fresh, which are definately gone and which we're unsure of. The unsure of ones will most likely then be cracked, checked and frozen. It should at least help to smooth out the feast/famine we get with our girls' eggs - total 'feast' at the moment and then there will be a 'famine' in winter - so at least this way in the winter we will still have a supply of our own eggs to keep using :beer:

I need to also pick some super ripe blackcurrants that the girls haven't spotted. I'm thinking of giving them to my friend though as I have no idea what to cook them into which is quick and easy. They're mega sharp so I wouldn't eat them as they are, lol. I'm then going to lift the plants as I don't really use balckcurrents, and give them to a friend (or I'll give him half if I find a lovely receipe that makes them worth keeping!)

kbl

long time lurker here, but just had to post, loooove your spreadsheet cw!! Wish I was that organised

Nicki_Sue

Shortie wrote: »

Afternoon all

Sorry to hear the mess around with DH's pay Nicki_sue. Hope things do get sorted for you, and soon :grouphug: (is it just me that always thinks those 3 look slightly rude? lol)

VERY rude but it did make me chuckle. Still pay, no sign of pay and no word either-way. I'm very grateful for my frugal ways this week as I'm churning out meals from stores, had DS1's birthday presents mostly bought in advance (birthday today!) and have got A PLAN to stretch what we do have through the month.

Work-wise I've spoken to ACAS and "sit tight for now" is the overwhelming advice.

On the upside the chinese takeaway my son asked for as his special birthday tea (a no go £-wise now) may have ben redeemed as I managed to find (with much stalking) one of those big Indian takeaway boxes from Tesco reduced to £3.95. Plenty for birthday boy and husband and youngest and I are quite happy with veggie packed pasta. I'm calling that a win!

cw18

kbl wrote: »

long time lurker here, but just had to post, loooove your spreadsheet cw!! Wish I was that organised

It's the only way I can keep track of what I've spent on what. Without this it's purely a case of knowing what's gone out of the bank which doesn't help me see where I can make cut-backs

I've run this spreadsheet for a good few years now, and am always happy to make blank copies available to anyone who wants. It's best run from the start of a year, but can be adapted to work from any time (and I'll even help with that too )

sparrer

Still making regular 180 mile round trips to visit DM in hospital so nothing really frugal to report, but thanks to my 'new' car having an mpg meter I'm getting as much as 50.2 mpg. Can't drive much faster than 50 on the 3 motorways at the times I have to use them which may be tedious but certainly economical. Very pleased, but keep trying for more, we'll see what happens with the tank I filled up this afternoon. Also not eating much, need be on the road early so missing breakfast, visiting time starts when I get there and it's gone 7 when I get home so just grab some soup, a sandwich and perhaps a piece of fruit. The fridge doesn't seem to be emptying very quickly! Luckily had a day at home today so DD and I went out for a decent meal, which I thoroughly enjoyed