2015 Frugal Living Challenge

imapoet

I am a terrible "popper inner" just like you quidsy - I have to stop too. The number of times I've popped in for a loaf and come out laden with bags -mostly happens when I'm hungry on the way home.

Buffythedebtslayer

I am going to do the 52 weeks savings thing but start with the highest amount? So the first four weeks will be £202, that way it will get lower each week. And instead of saving it, I shall pay it off my CC.

imapoet

I've been lurking around this challenge for a good while but decided it's now or never. My personal challenge is to cut back drastically on the food bill but without it being obvious. Going back to basics. Fortunately I can cook and bake but unfortunately I am also very disorganised which turns out to be very expensive. Looking forward to having your company along the way.

apple_muncher

Buffythedebtslayer wrote: »

I am going to do the 52 weeks savings thing but start with the highest amount? So the first four weeks will be £202, that way it will get lower each week. And instead of saving it, I shall pay it off my CC.

I did this about 18 months ago, starting in August. Doing it in reverse was a good decision. Good luck!

Bambywamby

Apart from spending £1 on 100 Christmas cards yesterday in my local Sainsbubs I have spent nothing else since 23rd December. I should just need milk before the New Year and that's it. However if I see some dirt cheap wrapping paper for next years festivities, I could be tempted.


I'm looking forward to the New Year, the 2015 Frugal Challenge and a nice fresh start for many things.


I hope you all had a wonderful and peaceful Christmas. x

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Lynnejk... I tend to batch cook, casseroles, curries etc... a bit like a ready meal, it will have mashed pots, pasta, or rice in them. so when we are up the smallholding and staying in the caravan, we can take some 'ping' meals with us..and also put some in the fridge for our boys to eat while we are not there.


but what happens is, i cook a few things, and everyone wants to eat some there and then including me lol. so i only end up with one for two servings for the freezer, so i really do need to get my act together and maybe be home one day on my own and just concentrate on cooking purely for the freezer.


for me to do 'extreme frugalling' this year, i need to buy more beef and chicken from the supermarkets.. which i am ethically against, plus its not as tasty as stuff from the butchers... so this is prob being frugal will come into its own..

Nicki_Sue

The decs are down and the tree will follow shortly.
The pantry and the chest freezer have had a thorough stocktake (looking shiny!) and all is well.

[Deleted User]

Right, am definitely going for it in 2015! Have gained so much inspiration from Frugaldoms threads over the years and think it's high time I came out of the shadows and made a commitment. Sorry this is a long post but I need to get it all off my chest in one go. Here goes:eek:.

OH and I have separate bank accounts and financial affairs. He is very frugal to the verge of miserliness, I've always been the opposite and easy-come-easy-go. He now has about £150,000 in savings, shares etc and I'm on a DMP with outstanding debts of about £47,000 . These have been amassed over many years, we are well into middle-age. Household expenses are split 50/50 and OH knows NOTHING about my money troubles. I need it to stay that way.

I'm responsible for certain utilities; buying and running my own car (needed because very rural); cat insurance,vet bills and food (and he is a constant money-drain but I wouldn't swap him for the world); and grocery and food. Plus, of course, my own toiletry and any medical needs and any clothes and 'luxuries' which have been non-exisitent for yonks. I cut and colour my own hair, don't smoke, we drink very, very moderately. I've probably missed things but this is the main list.

All insurances and utilities that I'm responsible for paying are monitored regularly to make sure I'm on the cheapest tariffs etc. I'm the switching queen:rotfl:.

I've been cutting back until I don't think it's possible to make any further savings but it just has to be. My frugaldom was forced on me by necessity but, do you know what, I love it:j. When I look around my clutter at the masses of un-needed 'stuff' I've wasted money on over the years I feel ashamed. Selling stuff via car boot sales, auction sites, Amazon etc has become a way of life for a long time now. Luckily I enjoy doing it.

When I drew up my budget for my DMP I overcommitted on what I agreed to pay creditors every month (£732) by thinking essential 'living' costs would be less than they've turned out to be. It has been nigh impossible to feed OH and cat in the manner in which they expect (given that OH does not know that I'm trying to do it on a pittance). I do everything I can to obtain meal ingredients as cheaply as possible (I've always cooked from scratch anyway) but being in a very rural area with no big supermarkets nearer than 15 miles away, picking up YS bargains is very hard to do. I am in awe of posters on various threads who can feed their families and fill their freezers for next to nothing thanks to YS food.

My main aim this year is to build up a small emergency fund for such as repairs etc to my ancient car. Already have a repair looming and the very small amount I've managed to put by in the last few weeks is earmarked for that so, back to square one. Being on a DMP I have no credit cards or overdraft even for emergencies.

I have managed to get by on the food/car front this year by using any profits made from car boot sales and other selling, I've really needed it. My resolution for 2015 is to 'save' all my sales profits in an Emergency Fund and live solely on what I have left after my DMP is paid. This mainly means cutting the grocery budget even more. I am so grateful for everyone's encouragement and hope to be following your wonderful example throughout the year:A.
I look forward to your company along the journey through 2015:beer:

P.S. January isn't going to be easy as, unlike a lot of people, my freezer, fridge and food stores are pretty empty. I try to use everything up in December ready for a new start in January. So many basics need replenishing, the likely cost is scary!

Wombatchops

We have my in-laws coming over later for a buffet dinner. Normally, when we do these sorts of things, we write down things we want to get, have a budget in mind, and hope ttowno stick to the budget. But not today, now that I'm frugalling. I told my DH that we had to come in under a certain amount, wrote out a savouries, sweets and drinks list, worked out what we already had, then how many we had to feed (6 adults and 2 kids), and planned the rest of what we needed to buy.

After a trip to A!di for the bulk of the food, and T*sco for the bits we couldn't get (plus using their multi-buy offers, YSs, and a price check voucher) we came in at more than £15 under budget :j

We could have done even better if we chose to make some of the food instead of buying it ready-made, but at 35 weeks pregnant, I'm too tired for that (that's my excuse, at least, and I'm sticking to it.)

maria3104

Have spent the day watching frugal stuff on you tbe, some is outrageous and some really helpful. Have had a fun day anyway.