2014 Frugal Living Challenge

his_missus

Hi all,

Went to Mr Ms last night and bought 2 bottles of wine and some party nibbles, £20 in all but we did buy expensive-to-us wine and there'll be nibbles left to freeze, to celebrate the NY. It's just going to be the two of us though in front of the TV as I'm really not into all the NYE hoo-ha but feel I should try to make some effort. I'd much rather go to bed early tbh:rotfl:

We've done Sun holidays in the past too. I agree with avoiding Pontins as their sites are very tired and dated, but otherwise the hols are a great deal. We always managed to get school holidays too (as I worked in a school) but if you're flexible with dates you're more likely to get the site you want.

alja

For Christmas we usually buy each other lots of little bits (me, mum & dad - as I still live at home), but we've decided that next year we're going to cut down on the amount of presents we're going to give each other to help keep the costs down. This will really help me try to hit my huge (probably impossible!) savings target for the year.

We're going to set a number of presents instead of a budget (as I often find bargains for my mum but not as many for my dad!) - this will help restrict things a little.

I will still do them little stockings, but I've decided I will only fill them with £10 worth of things in each. Little bits like werthers for my dad, coconut ice for mum and maybe some little toiletries etc. depending on what I find in the sales over the year!

I usually do them quite a big foodie hamper with a posh bottle of drink too, but this time I will drastically cut this down and give a smaller box of goodies instead.

WantToBeSE

I treated the kids and I to fish and chips and sweets last night, and wine for me.
Spent almost £40...eeek! BUT i had the cash in my purse and didnt use my debit or credit card, so i am OK with that. It just means i will spend less on this weeks shopping.

bmma

no money spent today-off to make home made rolls, bread and biscuits and hopefully scones.x

his_missus

ALJA wrote: »

For Christmas we usually buy each other lots of little bits (me, mum & dad - as I still live at home), but we've decided that next year we're going to cut down on the amount of presents we're going to give each other to help keep the costs down. This will really help me try to hit my huge (probably impossible!) savings target for the year.

We're going to set a number of presents instead of a budget (as I often find bargains for my mum but not as many for my dad!) - this will help restrict things a little.

I will still do them little stockings, but I've decided I will only fill them with £10 worth of things in each. Little bits like werthers for my dad, coconut ice for mum and maybe some little toiletries etc. depending on what I find in the sales over the year!

I usually do them quite a big foodie hamper with a posh bottle of drink too, but this time I will drastically cut this down and give a smaller box of goodies instead.

You may actually find bargains throughout the year you can put aside so rather than having to give a smaller box, you could give a cheaper box and your £10 per stocking may go farther than usual. I once gave Hubby a stocking full of freebies, some were free samples I'd collected over the year, some were the freebies from offers such as bogof:rotfl:

bmma

My food budget for January-to the end of march is £150-just me and the cat-might even be able to spend less - I have one birthday present to buy-that money was put buy in December-not using taxis-will use bus pass -good luck everyone and best wishes for 2014 x

Penny2myName

I have noticed it is not just money and food we are wasting, though less food then money, but time, so much time is lost to FB, and that is one of the things I want to recoup on, my time. Once I actually have enough days off in a row, I am going to retrieve all my photo's from fb, and then consider just deleting my account. The amount of time I free up then will probably amaze me.

slowlyfading

Happy new year to everyone! :beer:

his_missus

Penny2myName wrote: »

I have noticed it is not just money and food we are wasting, though less food then money, but time, so much time is lost to FB, and that is one of the things I want to recoup on, my time. Once I actually have enough days off in a row, I am going to retrieve all my photo's from fb, and then consider just deleting my account. The amount of time I free up then will probably amaze me.

I agree completely. When I think of all the things/hobbies I could be doing instead... then again, it's agood excuse not to do the ironing

miss_empty_piggy

his_missus wrote: »

I agree completely. When I think of all the things/hobbies I could be doing instead... then again, it's agood excuse not to do the ironing

I did this in October as I got totally bored with reading what everyone was having for tea, and reading the little disputes and cryptic messages that people left. Any trouble was always caused through what someone had (or hadn't put) on FB. I would check it before I even got out of bed in a morning. I decided to have a cyber-break with the idea that it would be just for a few weeks and I have never looked back. It was the best thing ever, I would recommend it.