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2014 Frugal Living Challenge

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  • TM6
    TM6 Posts: 1,116 Forumite
    I find a large chunk of money goes on days out/ eating out and seeing that I have set myself a 6 month savings challenge I need to reduce this considerably.

    I am going to knock take aways completely on the head and also meals out - I'm sure that we can manage this for 6 months :D

    However, we really enjoy our days our but we need to be more frugal.

    Where do you go and what do you enjoy that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?
    "One hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much was in my bank account, nor what my clothes looked like but the world may be a little bit better because I was important in the life of a child."
  • TM6
    TM6 Posts: 1,116 Forumite
    HI all id like to sign up..so many of you already! i signed uo in 2013 but forgot to chat lol.

    Things id like to achieve this year clear off debt..currently £3600 (christmas set me back a bit from my current sig)
    upstairs and downstairs floorboards sanded..think we may know someone
    get cooker installed..ditto know a qualified gas man friend hopefuly cheaper than £70?
    Take mum to royal ascot ladys day have seen trips for around £70 each with buffet lunch and coach..already have £45 and get about £40 for birthay so thats one paid for
    Sunholiday isle of wight seems to be the concenus of appeal in the family but theres also ferry costs and 5 of us which means we like a silver caravan as its a bit bigger . about £260?
    and lastly take the boys to one adventure park and stay over night chessingtons i think..sadly again as theres 5 of us we have to have 2 rooms even though they are just 2,5 and 7, its about £160 with overnight stay breakfast and 2 day park entry in thier hotel. To stay in a £29 travel lodeg (2 rooms) with breakfast and park entry is about £30 cheaper ..so not sure what to do.

    Thats it our bigger outlays for the year. Its our frivioulus things have the most basic of every thing and use secondhand till it falls apart so this is our treat.

    Can you get your Chessington entrance tickets via Tesco club card deals?
    "One hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much was in my bank account, nor what my clothes looked like but the world may be a little bit better because I was important in the life of a child."
  • I've been having a bit of a declutter in the kitchen here - must be the desire to have a new start to the year!

    I listed all the seeds I have and when they should be sown last night, and prepared a list of seeds I need to order. Anyone have any favourite sites for veg seeds? I should be able to start sowing quite soon as I have a little cold frame I can use to bring things on.
    Seriously money saving
  • TM6 wrote: »
    Can you get your Chessington entrance tickets via Tesco club card deals?

    Thanks for the advice hun but we shop at asda so no clubcard points, am considering trying to get hubby to swap to tescos online , as im not seeing that asdas is any cheaper anymore and plus rising pertrol costs mean it costs more than delivery now, the only downside of online shopping is not getting reduced food. Our local tesco isnt too far away about a mile? but it means being stuck on a bridge of traffic for 30 mins instead.
    Compers challenge 27/70
    £1805/2018
  • One thing that I find topples my frugalness is the want for nice homey things. However, I find pininterest really inspiring for making and creating nice homey things. Today I have been painting the base of my very old 70s style slo cooker (cream with a brown crockpot - although lid is white off another pot as I broke the original!!) I am painting it with blackboard paint so that I can write on what's cooking. I no it's daft but little things like these help me as I then don't desire the VERY expensive items that I previously wanted. And, when I do venture in to the expensive home shops I am looking to see how I can do it at home for free/very little and save myself X amounts of pounds that can be paying off some debts.

    I'm also in the middle of spray painting some wine bottles for my friend's housewarming pressie. When they're dry I will tie some twine around the bottom section (about two inches up from the bottom) and an inch down from the top. The space inbetween I will paint a section with blackboard paint (my fav thing at the moment) and write her messages on that she can change on the occasion she is using them. E.g. Live, Love, Laugh is her favourite at the minute.
  • joolsybools
    joolsybools Posts: 1,595 Forumite
    One thing that I find topples my frugalness is the want for nice homey things. However, I find pininterest really inspiring for making and creating nice homey things. Today I have been painting the base of my very old 70s style slo cooker (cream with a brown crockpot - although lid is white off another pot as I broke the original!!) I am painting it with blackboard paint so that I can write on what's cooking. I no it's daft but little things like these help me as I then don't desire the VERY expensive items that I previously wanted. And, when I do venture in to the expensive home shops I am looking to see how I can do it at home for free/very little and save myself X amounts of pounds that can be paying off some debts.

    I'm also in the middle of spray painting some wine bottles for my friend's housewarming pressie. When they're dry I will tie some twine around the bottom section (about two inches up from the bottom) and an inch down from the top. The space inbetween I will paint a section with blackboard paint (my fav thing at the moment) and write her messages on that she can change on the occasion she is using them. E.g. Live, Love, Laugh is her favourite at the minute.

    What a lovely idea!
  • cydney65
    cydney65 Posts: 830 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker Stoptober Survivor
    Mmmm left over bread=bread pudding and queen of puddings nom nom
    Pay off all your debts by Christmas 2025 no. 15 £0/6949
  • I just made bacon sandwiches for DD and I and we don't like the rind. Normally I would just chuck it but I actually stood and cut off all the wee bits and have thrown them into my soup. Am quite shocked actually at how much there was left. Will be doing this in future for sure as the bits could be used for numerous things like soup, omelette, flans, salads..........am all inspired :rotfl:
    5 Year plan. April 2020 to June 2025- CC and mortgage free by time I'm 60
    Currently CC £23,674.36 /£14,895.41/£14315.42
    Mortgage £28,214.65/ £26,254.71/ £25,746.43
    By end 2020 I want CC at £ 19,000.00.
    By end 2021 I want CC at £10,000.00
  • TM6
    TM6 Posts: 1,116 Forumite
    Thanks for the advice hun but we shop at asda so no clubcard points, am considering trying to get hubby to swap to tescos online , as im not seeing that asdas is any cheaper anymore and plus rising pertrol costs mean it costs more than delivery now, the only downside of online shopping is not getting reduced food. Our local tesco isnt too far away about a mile? but it means being stuck on a bridge of traffic for 30 mins instead.

    Could you do both? Just before Christmas, I signed up for a 6 month delivery saver for £60 with Tescos which will pay for itself in reduced fuel costs. However with it came the offer of 1500 points which is £45 in deals. We get delivered all the heavy items - tins, washing tabs etc.
    and items on special offer.

    We also nip up to our local ASDA for milk, veg etc.

    I think of myself as a supermarket tart! I go to whoever gives me the best deal :rotfl:
    "One hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much was in my bank account, nor what my clothes looked like but the world may be a little bit better because I was important in the life of a child."
  • DawnW
    DawnW Posts: 7,759 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    One thing that I find topples my frugalness is the want for nice homey things. However, I find pininterest really inspiring for making and creating nice homey things. Today I have been painting the base of my very old 70s style slo cooker (cream with a brown crockpot - although lid is white off another pot as I broke the original!!) I am painting it with blackboard paint so that I can write on what's cooking. I no it's daft but little things like these help me as I then don't desire the VERY expensive items that I previously wanted. And, when I do venture in to the expensive home shops I am looking to see how I can do it at home for free/very little and save myself X amounts of pounds that can be paying off some debts.

    I think that the expensive home shops and the glossy home magazines are great, if you think about them as sources of ideas for your own projects, whether small craft ones, or big home renovation ones, instead of spending loads of money on what they sell or advertise :D
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