2014 Frugal Living Challenge

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Shortie.... so glad you had your blow out here... the feeling is hard to explain, as you cant control your feelings/mood on the journey up to the 'blow-out' and then you cant control that either, I should a lot, shake a lot, and just cry and cry... and then I get totally lifeless... but then I start to pick up and start thinking methodically and start to get things sorted and on top of things...


Different people react in diff ways.....I am quite a strong person, and allways in control, ( externally) which people see, but inside I am the most, stressfull, sensitive person.. which no one sees

midwinter

Morning all

Rejoining this thread for 2014 Found you in time!

No chance to catch up on all the previous pages, so starting from here

ginnyknit

Shortie, well done getting it off your chest and then sitting down and working things out.

Since I joined the challenge I have had the flu so very little spent as I havent been anywhere. Bought the family useful stuff and it was well appreciated. Mostly bought online which worked well and saved money as if I had gone shopping I would have been popping things in the basket :mad: The charity donations I made for Brother and co went down very well :j so win win situation.

Have enough food in for the next month so will be able to add to the pot to pay off my debt. Have worked out if I make a one off payment of £500 it will cut the interest right down and save me a year of the term but maybe I could save £1000 and be twice as good.

In November I splurged on a good winter coat and its the best investment ever, not only am I snug and warm but feel less scruffy which is important. managed to sell some bits on fleabay which paid for 4 Christmas gifts so will be listing more this week.

Right off to defrost some rather nice lamb and roast spuds I bought and cooked last month so thats tea organised. Added to which got lucky in Mr S and bought 2 caulies and lots of tomatoes for £1 total so cauliflower cheese with leftover Chrimbo ham for tomorrow.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

I have bought onsies for our boys, but a week or so ago I got 2 secondhand ones to wear around the house over Christmas... I am well impressed.. ok I look like a twonk..a middle aged woman with a bright tiger print 'thing' on, BUT there are so warm... so would def recommend them from a 'keeping warm' frugal front...


right I have been putting it off, REALLY do need to do a fridge/freezer/store cupboard inventory

alja

tokicat wrote: »

2014 I am going to be saying No a lot

I think I'll be doing a lot of this too! I just checked my gift wrap for next year's gifts and realised I'm running low on tissue paper and gift bags and wrote them on my "to buy" list. BUT I have now taken it off the list as I have realised I have plenty of wrapping paper that I could just use instead, so I'm saving money already.

A few weeks ago I spotted two lovely Christmas books in H*me Bargains, they were 65p each but on the back of each one it says £4.99! That's my present sorted for my friend's little boy for next Christmas, I was SO pleased to have spotted them!

A few more buys like that in 2014 will do nicely

midwinter

ALJA wrote: »

I think I'll be doing a lot of this too! I just checked my gift wrap for next year's gifts and realised I'm running low on tissue paper and gift bags and wrote them on my "to buy" list. BUT I have now taken it off the list as I have realised I have plenty of wrapping paper that I could just use instead, so I'm saving money already.

A few weeks ago I spotted two lovely Christmas books in H*me Bargains, they were 65p each but on the back of each one it says £4.99! That's my present sorted for my friend's little boy for next Christmas, I was SO pleased to have spotted them!

A few more buys like that in 2014 will do nicely

It's worth looking at the book people website too (and go through topcashback) .They have various offers at regular intervals, of % off, or free delivery, and then discounts on end of ranges. I got an excellent book about cider for my DS1 this year, £5, and sleeve price was £25!

tatabubbly

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

where do you live???


Sounds silly, BUT is it worth you travelling maybe once every 2 - 3 months to somewhere, where there is a noticeable diff in the food prices and doing a mega/huge/ mammouth shop, so then you only got to buy the fresh/basic stuff locally??


I know you will have the travelling costs etc, BUT if you try and save, and do a huge shop, and cost everything up, I am sure you would be quids up by doing this...

Hey cooltriker! I actually live abroad, in the middle east! I do try and eat as fresh as possible and buy most food from our local markets etc... But food is very expensive out here, except for the take aways of course! :mad:

As a westerner out here, its so easy to see where you could waste money on frivioulous 'stuff'..
My OH is of that opinion, that we earn good money so why should we worry about what we spend it on.. Trying to get rid of that thought shall be difficult! :rotfl:

We aren't hugely in debt BUT we have nada savings which I think needs to be addressed!

midwinter

tatabubbly wrote: »

We aren't hugely in debt BUT we have nada savings which I think needs to be addressed!

I'd agree, seen so many people spending up to their income and nothing to fall back on when times are hard.

There is no guarantee for how long jobs will last, or high salaries last.

Start saving now to provide any cushion for emergencies, and to be able to retire sooner than the state pension will allow you too.

tatabubbly

midwinter wrote: »

I'd agree, seen so many people spending up to their income and nothing to fall back on when times are hard.

There is no guarantee for how long jobs will last, or high salaries last.

Start saving now to provide any cushion for emergencies, and to be able to retire sooner than the state pension will allow you too.

At the moment, I'm not really thinking about pensions, I'm in my early 20s and trying to save to pay off our wedding and pay for a flat at home (somewhere to call ours even though we are abroad). Hoping this won't take longer than 5 years!

Once I get these two checked off our list, the next is money towards buying a family home and pension funds..

Yeah, OH just goes with the flow, I on the other hand like to plan every little bit! I really shouldn't as I tend to overthink things..

midwinter

tatabubbly wrote: »

At the moment, I'm not really thinking about pensions, I'm in my early 20s and trying to save to pay off our wedding and pay for a flat at home (somewhere to call ours even though we are abroad). Hoping this won't take longer than 5 years!

Once I get these two checked off our list, the next is money towards buying a family home and pension funds..

Yeah, OH just goes with the flow, I on the other hand like to plan every little bit! I really shouldn't as I tend to overthink things..

Excellent, you have your first 2 goals in sight! :T:T