2014 Frugal Living Challenge

tatabubbly

Just threw €600 into the bank, hoping to 'blitz' some of these debts in January.. I haven't updated how much I owe but I know its below the €800 mark so it'll be nice to see the debt disappear!

Raided our small savings pot as OH is getting paid tomorrow to get a few bits in for NYE night as we have friends coming over. Not very frugal but at least we aren't putting the night out on a credit card!

COOLTRIKERCHICK

morning all,


well that is the turkey finally all used up... sandwiches made for work for everyone, except me ( not enough turkey) so I have just put a load of cooked carrots, potatoes and swede into a microwaveable container, with a some butter on the top, so I can ping it in work... I dont mind eating re-heated veg on their own with a bit of butter, but other members of my family will totally refuse it..


right off to work...

miss_empty_piggy

Thanks for all of you who have taken the time to offer their sun 9.50 holiday experiences, your advice and support is greatly appreciated. I spoke to DOH last night about it. He has been on one to France with his exOH and their kids and said it had cost them about £150.00 in total, which for a week away for 4 is not bad. With all of us there will be 6 of us going away which if we can do it for less than £400.00 will be fantastic. I'm not sure how this will pan out but it is seriously worth thinking about. Must keep my eyes open for the tokens. My mum usually collects them for me and I just end up forgetting about them. Bless her.

miss_empty_piggy

Yesterday was spent putting the decorations away etc. I hate them being up for too long and love to just move on. I love new year as it feels like a fresh new start with renewed vigor and energies, and time to get on with that debt busting.

I worked out yesterday that I had spent almost £2K on christmas and £1K on presents for people throughout the year. I am officially locking that old me away. HOW unbelievably stupid is that! The bulk of it goes on my 2 DDs and DOH but still. This is ridiculously pathetic. I am quite embarrassed by that if I am honest. I have made new renewed budgets which are much more realistic and which will save me an enormous amount of money. I have been looking online for homemade presents for friends and have set a much smaller budget for OH and DDs. I feel like a silly girl but at least I have seen the error of my ways and will be moving in the right direction from now on.

It is one of my BFs birthdays in Jan and every year she has a "big night out" with fancy dress etc. I have told her that I am not going and so we have arranged that I go round to her house on the night of her actual birthday and have some drinks together - I would much rather do this anyway. I have also decided a HM present for her as she is about to move into a new house so it will be a joint housewarming/birthday present and should cost me very little. I will post pictures when done (if I can find out how to actually do that!!!).

Kantankrus_Mare

Its difficult to break away from doing what everyone else does but real friends wont mind and will probably enjoy your night together more than the other option.
I know which I would prefer!

miss_empty_piggy

Kantankrus_Mare wrote: »

Its difficult to break away from doing what everyone else does but real friends wont mind and will probably enjoy your night together more than the other option.
I know which I would prefer!

Thanks Kantankrus Mare, me too.

Pips_Mum

We have been on Sun Holidays for the last 6 years and always been pleased apart from 1. We tend to stick to either Parkdean or Haven, went to a Pontins once and hated it as it was quite literally like staying in a goldfish bowl!! :eek: I tend to upgrade (normally struggle to fit the travel cot into normal caravan) but it still works out loads less than if you had actually booked with them direct. We are going this year at Easter to Butlins in Skeggy on one (booked last year) and I am soooo excited! In total for half board for 4 of us for 5 nights it is costing just over £200 which I am chuffed about as once in there there will be little else to actually pay for :T

I agree with you empty piggybank, we have a big family and even though I buy presents in the sales and stuff I am probably on a par with you spending wise. I am hoping to give gifts of "experiences" rather than STUFF in 2014. Most of us these days have way too much stuff, my Uncles Birthday is 12th Jan and I used Groupon to get him a 3 course meal for 2 at an Italian restaurant, £15 so around the same as I would have spent on a gift. I am sure your Friend will really enjoy the night with just you

happycrafter_2

just paid all the bills and moved money around in to my virtual bank pots.

I thought it was going to be a tight month but I have plenty of food in the freezer and cupboards, but I think we will be ok

Penny2myName

I think my biscuits costs so much as they included white choc chips and crystallized ginger. I know I can make buns for 0.0275 each because I did the live below the line challenge earlier this year where you only had £1 a day for each person to live on. I have to admit I am using my menu's I did back then as inspiration, but allowing £2-3 a day per person which brings us back up to normal sized meals and its not all value stuff. At the moment I am pricing things from what I have in, so all my veg is expensive due to being organically grown and delivered, but I am happy to pay out for this as I know its helping British farmers rather than big global companies.

Made my son a Cottage pie ready for his tea tonight
300g Mashed Potatoes 41p
80g Carrots 15p
40g Onion 8p
100g Mince 54p
Total £1.26

30g CornFlakes 11p
Milk I dare not even think about the cost with him.

I am having a what I prepared for my pack up
1/4 of a pepper and cheese tarlet 0.59
Crisps 0.28p
Cookie 0.13p
3x piece of fruit 1.05
Total £2.05

For lunch we are both have
2x Potato Waffles 16p
1/2 tin beans 18p
2 eggs 30p
Total 64p

I know whilst I am out son will help himself to crisps buns and fruit, but can not price it up as I do not know how much he will scoff (14yr old)

Normally there is myself and 2 teen boys in house but eldest is at his dad's this week.

DawnW

Just sent OH out in search of a bag of spuds and some chimney rods and brushes. DD2 is taking her LO to the doctors and is popping in on her way home, and I don't want to be out when she comes. Poor little baby has her first cold, nothing serious I am sure but she is only 5 weeks old and finding it hard to suck

For me today, alongside cuddling poorly DGD:

Xmas decs to put away and tree outside
Put more items on ebay, for small biz this time
Sort out banks etc
Make a choc and banana cake (Nigel S's recipe) to use up squishy bananas.
Dinner tonight, roasted haunch of venison from the freezer, which I have marinating in red wine, herbs etc at the moment, along with leeks from the garden, roast potatoes and whatever other vegetables are lurking in the bottom of the fridge.

Spending diary begins tomorrow (and will include the Direct Debits for bills which leave my main account on the first of each month) :eek: