2014 Frugal Living Challenge

Picklepot

Hi

De lurking to say hello. I also read daily, invaluable advice and support- Thank you

Can anyone advise on prescription glasses? AFTER i had spent £300 + two years ago on my varifocals a friend told me you can take your prescription to an outlet that can supply cheaper glasses but just do not do eye tests - can anyone advise on this please? I somehow always fall for the glasses with the offer but then before i know it all the add on's have taken it into the hundreds.:eek:

Sedge123

I've taken the prescription away and used an online company to put bed lenses in my old designer frames which I still loved. Had coatings and extras and still a fraction of the price. Think the company were ciliary blue or something like that.

optimistic-mummy

Thanks frugaldom .. I do a lot of what you listed. We need to shift the debts we have big plans in the future. I live to try and save money as much as possible and searching out the best bargians. Its became a way of life in a way although I know I could cut back a lot further which is what I hope to do next year once we have learnt from this year what we can live off currently next year I will use this years budget and shave some off where I can .. It will be my main challenge for the year.

I know originally the challenge was £4000 a year plus child benefit .. If I wanted to aim for similar what would I be aiming for next year if I was to do the 2008 £4000 a year challenge 7 years later do you think when looking at inflation etc thank you x

Frugalsod

cw18 wrote: »

The general rule of thumb is that you're better off with a water meter if less people live in the house than there are bedrooms.

When we first moved into this house (4 bedroom detached) there were 4 of us, and my metered bill was about the same as we'd paid as water rates at our previous house for 5 of us (3 bedroom mid terrace).

My parents changed over to a meter a few years ago (2 of them in a 4 bed property), and OH's sister is currently trying to get their mother switched over (just her in a 3 bed).

I am in a one bed alone yet the water rates are 3 times what I use when metered.

[Deleted User]

optimistic-mummy wrote: »

Thanks frugaldom .. I do a lot of what you listed......

I know originally the challenge was £4000 a year plus child benefit .. If I wanted to aim for similar what would I be aiming for next year if I was to do the 2008 £4000 a year challenge 7 years later do you think when looking at inflation etc thank you x

Great to see your post and question optimistic-mummy as my target for next year is going to be the same as yours (without the child benefit though). Lets hope Frugaldom or someone else comes along who is mathematically inclined and can give us an approximate figure. It would be brilliant if the challenge could be brought back to life next year as a lot of us missed out on doing it the first time round.

Here's to both of us :beer:, I doubt we'll have any extra for celebratory drinks once we start the challenge in earnest on 1st January.

Frugaldom

optimistic-mummy wrote: »

Thanks frugaldom .. I do a lot of what you listed. We need to shift the debts we have big plans in the future. I live to try and save money as much as possible and searching out the best bargians. Its became a way of life in a way although I know I could cut back a lot further which is what I hope to do next year once we have learnt from this year what we can live off currently next year I will use this years budget and shave some off where I can .. It will be my main challenge for the year.

I know originally the challenge was £4000 a year plus child benefit .. If I wanted to aim for similar what would I be aiming for next year if I was to do the 2008 £4000 a year challenge 7 years later do you think when looking at inflation etc thank you x

I am still on the £4,000 per year but since DS left home I have now shaved it well below that.:rotfl: Prices change every year, yes, but they don't all change the same way, so we adapt and change our habits to replace more expensive stuff with simpler and cheaper ways of pursuing our lifestyles.

The cost of running your household is dependent on how much time you are prepared to invest in frugal, thrifty or austere measures. It now takes me best part of an hour to travel 10 miles but it costs me nothing except my time and the occasional puncture repair. There are no buses here, so I now cycle most places. Food in the UK is cheap and always available - I make no apology if this offends anyone. The basics are affordable to all and are mostly zero rated for VAT, it's the luxury goods that are expensive. And despite transportationn costs, things like rice, pasta and basic grain products are ridiculously cheap in the big supermarkets, as are milk and vegetables. Processing costs have escalated, energy prices and wages have escalated, so by keeping things simple and preparing basics ourselves, we can easily slash grocery costs to £1 per person per day.

Heating homes costs a fortune, but then the size and type of house you chose to live in is based on personal choice, as is heating it to the extent that the occupants can walk about in t shirts all year round or open windows while the heating is on... crazy, in my book. Wear an extra lair and get the needles out to make an extra blanket. As for extreme luxuries like ciggies and booze - quit smoking and drinking, life can still be fun filling that time with other things. :beer: the outdoor gym is free, no monthly fees, nospecial equipment, no fancy clothing, just open your door and go. Frugal fitness.

Oops, I seem to have waffled on and on, sorry, but frugal living is what I do and it affords me all sorts of luxuries outside of the home. I love it.

Frugaldom

Carbootcrazy, I post every day about frugal living on a shoestring budget but it's all in the frugalforums, as some folks on MSE just didn't like the hard facts about what austerity and quitting spending on luxuries really meant. Feel free to pop by anytime.

[Deleted User]

I agree with much of what you said, Frugaldom, I subscribe to the frugal living concept 100% but I can't see any way, despite all my efforts to emulate your brilliant achievement:

'we can easily slash grocery costs to £1 per person per day'.

Also, please could you give a quick recap of what the £4000 is meant to cover? Does it need to pay for utilities, insurances etc too?:eek:

You are such a source of inspiration:A. and any advice would be wonderful

[Deleted User]

Frugaldom wrote: »

Carbootcrazy, I post every day about frugal living on a shoestring budget but it's all in the frugalforums, as some folks on MSE just didn't like the hard facts about what austerity and quitting spending on luxuries really meant. Feel free to pop by anytime.

Sorry, Frugaldom, I posted another reply before you had the chance to reply to my earlier one:o. Thanks very much for replying to my earlier comments, I'll go over there and have a good search.

Picklepot

Sedge123 wrote: »

I've taken the prescription away and used an online company to put bed lenses in my old designer frames which I still loved. Had coatings and extras and still a fraction of the price. Think the company were ciliary blue or something like that.

Thank you thats really helpful