2015 Frugal Living Challenge

so_very_confused

Frugaldom was forced upon me about 18 months ago, poor health unable to work then working earning a 1/5 of my previous income. It has been a steep learning curve but now like other posters I enjoy it! I look around me at the stuff I used to think was essential for me to live comfortably and happily and think what a fool! There are things now I would not consider spending my hard earned money on books ( library) magazines ( get subscriptions for gifts) endless clothes that I barely wore.. My weakness is keeping the food budget down. Like other posters time and inclination play a part in this but recognising this is the one major weakness I need to apply extreme frugaldom. So joining the challenge for support and inspiration!

frugalgdubs

MorningPlease count me in. I am aiming to reduce outgoings to a level where I have £7500 for the year. This includes diesel expenses. Where I can further reduce my travel costs, it will give me more to live off or more to reduce my burden.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

morning all,


hope everyone isn't hindered too much by the weather, all we have had is rain, and this morning it looks like very hard frost out there, so I better watch the roads when we go out later..


sold 3 of our piglets, so they are planned to be picked up today... will miss them as they are right naughty characters lol... but still got left..so this will reduce the pig food bill a bit.


Lynnejk. lol..


got to get into the habbit of calling into farmfoods on the way to/from seeing to the animals, as bread is 2 loaves for a £1. I normally buy Mr A's or mr T's bakery bread.. but at there is a big saving.. as in asda their tin loaf is on offer at 8op, and Tesco is £1.25.. we use about 5 loaves a week, so there is a min of £1.50 saving per week at the moment ( asda bread is on offer, normally £1 per loaf)

naturaljazz

Hi - I am new to joining up to something like this... but not new to the concept of frugal living, so I am keen to join in and follow this challenge. I want to move to a new area of the UK mid 2015 so am saving what I can, I hope to explore more areas of frugality in my life... my income from work is barely £10,000pa before tax/NI and I receive a little tax credit (£23 week)... kids in Uni ...
So heres to it for the 2015 frugal living challenge

naturaljazz

For Christmas this year I saved coins in a tin from August to Xmas week and had £28 ish and I saved the odd pence from my monthly wages and tax credit in the credit union, that came to £64. I got our nuts and choccies, wine and a bottle of on-offer port with that... we do a £10 limit on presents and only buy for Mum (me) and siblings (3 adults). My sister and best friend have home-made gifts each. We don't buy for anyone else or send cards... i do the Friends of the Earth ecards for anyone I think wants one. So I will repeat that again for next year as I feel it is as frugal as I want to go. We have talked about doing a secret Santa style gift giving next year, so 4 of us buy 1 gift each... sounds good to me. Having looked at the budgets folks have posted I am away to do that now... it will take some time, I will get the kettle on first )

littleskintdragon

Subscribing - ive read all of the 2014 thread. Did post a few times in the beginning.

I love this thread

Thistle-down

I need to be a part of this challenge. Looking forward to the support and advice on this thread!!

blackberrycurved_2

COOLTRICKERCHICK
buy your pork lamb from hugh fern witty thingies website direct and organic from a farmer half a pig is about £65 - £70 same with lamb. It comes direct by courier all cut up although I obviously cut it smaller or batch cook. That is our meat bill for all year. It lasts about 10 months. All I add to that is minced beef and some steak when it's on offer and the odd chicken saves me about £400 a year.

blackberrycurved_2

Hello
Is this a challenge or more of a support message board. Do we have a number and set our own targets?

Mrs_Cheshire

blackberrycurved wrote: »

Hello
Is this a challenge or more of a support message board. Do we have a number and set our own targets?

It was started as a challenge to keep your total household bills except rent/mortgage under £4000 a year. Now everyone else sets a realistic target for themselves based on their own budgets and income. I've picked up loads of tips since I started reading the threads :money: