2014 Frugal Living Challenge

Pennydropped

I'd like to join this thread please. I could definitely use something like this to keep my 2014 budget in line.

hummingbird

I would like to join please!


This is my first year joining the thread so looking forward to cutting my costs in as many ways as possible!


Sorry if this is answered previously, but what does the £4000 include? Or can we decide this? (i.e does it include any bills or is just up to us to work out what we want to do with the £4000?)


Hummingbird x :T

judi24

I do the Sun holidays most years with my younger 2 - they love them! I try to go at Easter so it breaks up the year - but although it looks cheap I find i still end up spending as the activities are quite expensive and its often too cold to do much outside (last year it was snowing!) - I try to take most of my food etc to keep costs down but I still probably spend £150 plus when I'm there! I even take my own wine in a water bottle to the club to save me spending too much at night!!! Might do it again this year but was hoping to get away for a week to Cornwall in the summer so will have to budget very carefully if I do the Sun one!

Gretchen2012

I was going to sort my budgets today but started sorting out all my letters in the letter rack then progressed to the !!!! draw in the kitchen and then the kitchen, living room and getting some of the decs down so ran out of time.

I am determined to make sure I post them tomorrow ready for the new year. Other jobs tomorrow are to inventory food cupboards and freezer as I tend to buy things that look tasty but they just get put to the back.

Freezer also needs defrosting so aim to use everything frozen before buying anymore.

Another decision for next year is to grow my own veg at home. I am on the waiting list for an allotment, being waiting 2 1/2 years with another possible 2 to wait so going to bite the bullet and start at home again. Although there are lots of cats round here so I might need to build some kind of framing around it.

I have also come to the conclusion that being more frugal this year means that I will be debt free in 18 months.

Will post budgets tomorrow.

optimistic-mummy

Think we will try the sun holidays next year for the first time. Me and DP have been together 7 years and have been away once as a couple camping for 3 days with 2 friends ... we have took ds1 for lots of days away but hee has never been on holiday really hoping to make it possible this yr.

Gretchen2012

I have been on the sun holidays a couple of times and they were fantastic. We were right on the beach and luckily it didn't rain. There was plenty to do on the site and all quite cheap and if you get the passes for the week I think you get free swimming so that's good if it rains.

The only problem we had one year was that our designated caravan hadn't been cleaned properly and I complained nicely about it. We got an upgrade, bigger caravan and it was spotless. Don't normally complain but it was our first holiday for a long time.

judi24

After reading this thread I have worked out a budget for the year - I have £600 a month 'extra'money on top of my salary (child support, keep from older 2 kids and family allowance) - my aim is to live on this for all variable expneses (food, fuel, clothes, hair cuts etc etc etc - ideally this would alos include christmas and birthday presents) I would like to not use any of my actual salary for this allowing me to pay off all my CC debt and build some savings within the year. This is for me and 4 children plus a dog and cat!


It seems quite a high amount compared to some but I know I will struggle to keep spends down and within budget so I am looking at this thread to help me be more frugal and creative with my money!


I have a garden with some raised beds - I grew a few bits last year but it was not very scientific and I know I could do this beter so it has a real impact on my grocery budget - I have considered getting a few chickens but I am not really sure that it is cost effective once you include buying a hen house and feed etc


so my annual budget is £7200

optimistic-mummy

i need some guidance and tips .... we are a family of 4 and too include everything except rent and CT im struggling to get our budget below £10,000 :eek: (this doesn't include any debt repayments either .... i was really hoping to get it a lot lower but not sure how. any tips would be much appreciated

mum2one

Penny2myName wrote: »

Decieded to make some homemade cookies to be frugal for my pack up, anyhow just worked out all the ingredients cost and it has cost £3.33 to make just 26 palm sized cookies. They work out at 13p each. Thinking it may have been cheaper to just buy aloud of biscuits.

we did our biscuits a lot cheaper-
this is the one we use

8oz (225g) self raising flour
5oz (150g) butter
4oz (100g) sugar
beaten egg to mix.

1. sift flour into bowl.
2. rub in butter finely
3. add sugar
4. mix to a stiff dough with beaten egg
5. turn onto a lightly floured board - knead gently till smooth
6. put into a polythene bag or cooking foil and chill for 30mins
7. roll out fairly thin
8. Use a 5cm/2in cooker cutter - get about 30 biscuits
9. transfer to buttered baking tray
10. !!!!! biscuits with a fork
11. Bake for 12 to 15mins - Gas 4 / 180C

Store in an airtight container - or you can freeze the bisuits.

Alternaive flavours-

You add 50g/2oz of the flavour add before the beaten egg.

Walnut
Almond
Cherry
Sultanas
Desicatted Coconut
milk choc/white choc / dark chop chips
cranberry
cranberry and white choc

Spice or cinnamon - add 1 1/2 teaspoons at flour stage

Orange or lemon - add 2 teaspoons grated rind (add with sugar).

---

This recipie is about 35yrs old, I made them as a kid with mum, and I've brought my daughter up with the same one, we made cranberry and white choc for Christmas presents.

---

Scones
Base mixture

8oz (200g) self raising flour
2oz (50g) butter
1oz (25g) sugar
125ml (1/4pt) milk

extra milk for brushing the scones

1. Sift flour
2. rub in butter finely
3. add sugar (and any extras is using)
4. add milk - mix to a dough
5. roll out to about 1/2in thickness
6. cut into rounds (use 2in cutter)
7. transfer to buttered baking tin
8. brush over milk
9. bake for 7 to 10 mins gas 8 / 230C - till risen and golden

---

Variations----
Date and Walnut - 2oz chopped dates 1oz walnuts -add with sugar

Spice - add 2 teaspoons mixed spice with flour - swop white sugar for brown sugar

Fruit - Add 4oz mixed fruit or sultanas or raisins with the sugar

Orange and Cherry - 1teaspoon grated orange rind and 2oz chopped cherries

Cherry 2oz chopped cherries

Savoury Scones - same base mix but omit the sugar..



Cheese - 2oz finely grated chedder before adding the milk

Ham and Parsley - 25g/1oz finely chopped ham and 1 tablesppon parsley

xx

mum2one

optimistic-mummy wrote: »

i need some guidance and tips .... we are a family of 4 and too include everything except rent and CT im struggling to get our budget below £10,000 :eek: (this doesn't include any debt repayments either .... i was really hoping to get it a lot lower but not sure how. any tips would be much appreciated

It might be worth doing a statement of affairs - it lists all your income v outgoings, sometimes a 2nd pair of eyes might find savings to be made.

have you looked at old style boards, - meal planning, bulk cooking and freeze extra portions. xx