2014 Frugal Living Challenge

Shortie

Another one for a freezer inventory today as we didn't get round to it last night

KazLA

Having discovered Living Well Spending Less, when looking up 'children have too much stuff?' a couple of months ago, I have decided that's what I want to do-live a simpler, but better life, whilst spending less. I hv decided to try not to spend anything on non-essentials in January, so make a big chunk to save. I am also selling as much as I can, esp childrens toys now they hv new ones for Christmas.
My January resolution (going to think monthly rather than yearly!) is 'use it up, wear it out, make do or do without'!
Having found lots of American sites, I decided to head to good old MSE to see what frugal challenges were about.
Hoping to pick up lots of tips.
Does anyone have any useful plans for old Xmas cards? I hv loads this year, and was planning to be good & cut them all up for tags, but found a pack of 100 sticky labels in card factory, for 49p, which is surely less than it was cost me for sticky tape to stick my hm ones on, so looking for other ideas?

Flutterby83

Hi, would there be any chance I could join? Have been reading about it over the last few days and already do alot of things mentioned but I wouldn't mind giving this a go if it's not too late to join? To add an idea to the thread, my friend has come up with the idea of a 'swap morning', not sure if this has already been mentioned elsewhere but she has arranged a morning where we all turn up (there's about 12 of us!) with anything we want to swap - clothes, kids toys, wool, etc - and swap for things we would use. As I said, sorry if this has been mentioned before but I thought it would be an idea worth sharing

DawnW

KazLA wrote: »

Does anyone have any useful plans for old Xmas cards? I hv loads this year, and was planning to be good & cut them all up for tags, but found a pack of 100 sticky labels in card factory, for 49p, which is surely less than it was cost me for sticky tape to stick my hm ones on, so looking for other ideas?

When my children were young, they liked to cut them up and stick them in a scrapbook - entertainment for a wet afternoon? A bit messy but if you cover the table with newspaper and use the kiddy type glue that washes off it is easy to clean up

Mrs_Cheshire

Kazla, I would still cut them up, they might be useful for main presents or you could make some cards out of them!

quidsy

They are good for the kids to make their own christmas cards and pictures. Decorating cheap boxes for them to make gifts to put in.

yukkibear

Shortie wrote: »

Another one for a freezer inventory today as we didn't get round to it last night

I did mine this morning, there's not a lot left in there :rotfl: I have gotten out two gammon steaks for dinner that have been unloved and unchosen for a few months. Just have to find an inspiring way to cook with them.

KazLA wrote: »

Having discovered Living Well Spending Less, when looking up 'children have too much stuff?' a couple of months ago, I have decided that's what I want to do-live a simpler, but better life, whilst spending less. I hv decided to try not to spend anything on non-essentials in January, so make a big chunk to save. I am also selling as much as I can, esp childrens toys now they hv new ones for Christmas.
My January resolution (going to think monthly rather than yearly!) is 'use it up, wear it out, make do or do without'!
Having found lots of American sites, I decided to head to good old MSE to see what frugal challenges were about.
Hoping to pick up lots of tips.
Does anyone have any useful plans for old Xmas cards? I hv loads this year, and was planning to be good & cut them all up for tags, but found a pack of 100 sticky labels in card factory, for 49p, which is surely less than it was cost me for sticky tape to stick my hm ones on, so looking for other ideas?

I like the monthly resolution rather than yearly, might have to adopt that idea.

Flutterby83 wrote: »

Hi, would there be any chance I could join? Have been reading about it over the last few days and already do alot of things mentioned but I wouldn't mind giving this a go if it's not too late to join? To add an idea to the thread, my friend has come up with the idea of a 'swap morning', not sure if this has already been mentioned elsewhere but she has arranged a morning where we all turn up (there's about 12 of us!) with anything we want to swap - clothes, kids toys, wool, etc - and swap for things we would use. As I said, sorry if this has been mentioned before but I thought it would be an idea worth sharing

I think it's a great idea.

WantToBeSE

So, freezer inventory done..phew!

I am slightly perplexed by the '3 bags of meat from unknow origins'...i think it might be chicken, or turkey, or possibly pork..but will only find out when i defrost and open it Does anyone else bag up and chuck in the freezer off bits of meat and forget (or be to lazy to) label what it is? Surely it can't only me me!

I now have organised my freezer:
Top drawer- Processed foods and bread products
Middle drawer- Frozen Fruit and Veg
Bottom drawer- Meat and Fish.

I feel like i can start using up what i already have, hence saving money.

pm2326

I never label anything but then again its never in the freezer long enough for me to forget what it is.

Another good day for me as I've managed to get a load of washing dried outside. I dont have a tumble drier so it would mean turning the heating up just to dry the clothes.

I've stayed in so far today but have spent £1.95 on some needles for my cross stitch, bought them now so not included in my 2014 budget lol!

I'm tempted to nip out to the local co-op later to see if any whoopsies but not sure if its worth going out in the cold! they normally order far too much this time of year and sometimes hit on some really good bargains

Habibiboo

:wave:
Hope everyone's OK and had a happy Christmas!
So, my frugal aim for 2014 is to live as frugally as we can and pay as much off the mortgage as possible across the year.

As such I'm trying to sort out my frugaldom figures, but struggling as self-employed so I don't really know what my income is until I get it. I'm working on an average figure and then cutting this down to what we need to survive, then adding in extra ways to add to income and to help pay off the mortgage more quickly. I'm finding it easiest to calculate it all over 3 monthly periods, so I've come up with £780 per 3 months (food, bills, prescriptions etc), whilst everything OH puts in the pot will take care of rest of bills and then go towards usual mortgage payment (approx £1,000 per month), so whatever I earn / save on top of £780 per 3 months will go into mortgage overpayment. I also need to skim cash out of the £780 for extras too ...

I tried to keep this Christmas fairly cash-neutral (made presents and only spent what I had saved up for presents) but would appreciate others' thoughts on big birthdays - I have loads coming up in 2014 and they're all the kinds where the rest of the family want to do something big that everyone else chips into, eg: mum's 70th, sister's 50th. The family discussions over Christmas were already about all of this, so if anyone has ideas about how to balance this (both costs and family plans), I'd be really grateful to hear them as I can't seem to balance what I need to do, with what my family want to do, unless I set up extra savings pots and regard these big birthday extras as treats for us as well? All thoughts gratefully received!

The freezer inventory is a great idea as January's frugal food plan is to eat from the freezer / cupboards: fresh fruit & veg shopping only! However, I'll wait till the first week of Jan to do my inventory as OH's daughters are with us until then, so I'll see what's left after that, they are always hungry, bless them! Thankfully we've saved lots of Christmas goodies for them ... and like us, they love a few lentils, so we're good until next weekend!

Happy new year to you all too!