2015 Frugal Living Challenge

Debsnewbudget

I normally cook enough sausages for 2 meals in one go. i then do sausage casserole one day and slice them up with pasta, veggies and a tomato sauce the next day
Second meal is very quick as its done in 20 mins

Frugaldom

Keep up the good work, folks, we're into the final quarter and during the 100-day challenge is possibly the best time to polish your frugal skills and hone your 2016 budget. For those increasing savings, there's no end in sight to the ridiculously low interest rates but they have to increase sometime. For those with debts, make sure you have the lowest possible rates and keep on firing the spare cash at them to free yourself before the increases begin. As far as the cost of borrowing is concerned, make hay while the sun shines but only if you know it's a wise investment.




Mooloo, well done with the business progress.
As this is the 8th year I've been running this challenge on here, I'm hoping we can all pull together to help make year 9 an extra special one, enabling us to have a 10th anniversary celebration.


How long have you been part of this challenge? It has been running since 1999, but I know for a fact that there's nobody here who joined us back then. For the benefit of those who may not already know, we provide this version of the challenge plus our own frugal blog, frugal forums, frugal shop, frugal breaks and frugal chat room.


Frugaldom is my life and I love it, even if it means living on what others deem to be a pittance and doing without 'stuff' that others think of as essential. I am rich in lifestyle and want for nothing - I simply do my best to make things affordable.

sistercas

Debsnewbudget wrote: »

I normally cook enough sausages for 2 meals in one go. i then do sausage casserole one day and slice them up with pasta, veggies and a tomato sauce the next day
Second meal is very quick as its done in 20 mins

That's a good idea :money:

I am looking at shifting some debt on a CC and then hopefully in the new year can actually start saving :j

[Deleted User]

I always cook my potatoes in the slow cooker in double (treble) quantities. I do them in a roast bag so that they are not mixed in with the meat which I do in another bag. I do both bags together so I can keep the cooked potatoes to have with different meat the next day or as potatoe salad etc. Takes just the same amount of fuel and saves a lot of time. Some folks cook several different veg in individual bags all at same time.

scotmumof3

Been reading the previous posts and I am definitely going to join in this challenge in the new year. Dh is thinking about changing jobs which will mean a drop in pay for a year or two so the belts will have to be tightened. I am reading through and processing all the tips you are giving

sistercas

whmf00001 wrote: »

I always cook my potatoes in the slow cooker in double (treble) quantities. I do them in a roast bag so that they are not mixed in with the meat which I do in another bag. I do both bags together so I can keep the cooked potatoes to have with different meat the next day or as potatoe salad etc. Takes just the same amount of fuel and saves a lot of time. Some folks cook several different veg in individual bags all at same time.

I love this idea , are they jacket potatoes?

Eating from the freezer is going well , I made a chicken pie with a chicken breast , some frozen mixed veg and a white sauce last night and finished off a half eaten cabbage . Today I'm going to make a base mince for a cottage pie and chilli although I do need to buy an onion I think I have everything else :T

I haven't put the heating on yet , but I am sat with a hot water bottle, has anyone else put theirs on?

cw18

I never turn my heating off. I just let the thermostat (set to 17 degrees) decide when it's needed, and it's been kicking in for the morning for several weeks - and a bit in the evening more recently as well.

Frugaldom

Welcome on board, Scotmumof2, hope you have fun in the final run up to the 2016 challenge. Happy frugaling!


I'm in rural SW Scotland so the heating, such as it is (logs, coal, cylinder gas or electricity) has been in use for much of the year. We had our first frosts over a month ago and summer has only managed to hit us for a few days at a time. However, we've managed to forage plenty of firewood from the Frugaldom Project and have electric blankets, hot water bottles, winter woollies, hand-knitted blankets and during cold spells I cook on the stove to double that up as heating.


Past week has been all about apples, tomatoes and chillies, as that's what I'm picking. Have made countless apple crumbles, couple more pots of jelly and 3 jars of hot chilli apple sauce, which was made from the peels and cores after stewing apples.


Next month is tree planting month here and I was almost jumping for joy when our application to The Woodland Trust was approved again (this is round 3 for us at Frugaldom), so future years of foraging are looking good, for anyone who ever manages to come and visit the project. Or, if anyone wants to come and help plant trees next month...?

[Deleted User]

Hi sistercas, the potatoes done in a bag are just like boiled potatoes but not watery, they make great mash too, I use the FB site for Slow Cooked wonders, make cakes etc.
I put my CH on last night for the first time although have been using gas fire recently, even during day. Old Person. You can make great bolognaise/shep/cottage pie base in slow cooker, put on around 11.00, go to work/school run/catch up TV and it will just do until around 17.00, again if in a bag, no washing up, do enough for loads and freeze some all ready to finish off. Good luck.

sistercas

whmf00001 wrote: »

Hi sistercas, the potatoes done in a bag are just like boiled potatoes but not watery, they make great mash too, I use the FB site for Slow Cooked wonders, make cakes etc.
I put my CH on last night for the first time although have been using gas fire recently, even during day. Old Person. You can make great bolognaise/shep/cottage pie base in slow cooker, put on around 11.00, go to work/school run/catch up TV and it will just do until around 17.00, again if in a bag, no washing up, do enough for loads and freeze some all ready to finish off. Good luck.

Thank you, I do have a slow cooker but haven't used it for ages , I will certainly try your ideas :T

I have put the heating on for an hour in the morning now and an hour in the evening, it's becoming quite chilly .

Spent yesterday with dd1 her bf and my dmum, they live a a good couple of hours drive away ,I took everything to make sandwiches and dd made a cake , which meant we didn't need to spend on eating out :j:j my mum is becoming frail , she has lost a lot of weight and I don't think she is cooking . I've been cooking extra at each meal and freezing her a portion . So I've brought them down and hopefully she will use those :cool:

DH is chopping a large pear tree down in the garden , sadly it has died , it used to produce masses of pears that we turned into wine . No idea what killed it , anyhow we are now left with mounds of wood. My sister wants it for her wood burning stove and in exchange she is giving me her gas BBQ that she no longer wants :j. Which is great for us as we love a BBQ, . Will have to store until it's more like BBQ weather though

I've been on the comparison sites for gas and electric , looks like I might be able to save about £300 this year :T. I've also taken out car breakdown cover through qu!dc0 which means I should get £58 back in a couple of months .