2016 Frugal Living Challenge

jess444_2

Sorry Wombat, don't really have any advice but just wanted to say how impressed I am with all that you are doing.

I am sure you have already checked, but are you getting all of the benefits you are entitled to whilst your OH is off? Will he be entitled to any invalidity benefit if he is off on long term sick? Hopefully he will be feeling better soon and that won't be needed but might be worth checking out.

Dia_Pita

Hi


I haven't posted in a while, been really busy as daughter & family have moved in whilst their house is being renovated.


I have managed to keep shopping bill under £60 per week for 4 adults & 2 children. Won't really be able to see how I cope until them have moved back home.

lynnejk

You're doing wonderfully Wombat - just try to find a bit of 'me' time every day to refresh and relax.


I have stopped buying books and just get them all from the library, as I know I won't read them again. I now have a tablet so, when I can find the time, am going to try to work out how to download free books off the 'net.
Lx

bmma

yesterday and today's spends = £57.91p
running total = £1,757.40
off to catch up with the threads x

FunBrum

£8 deducted from my total. I nipped to the offy last night for a couple of bottles of wine. That should be the end of my spends until next month!:)

Today I'm at my DD watching my DGD while she pops into work to complete a project.
Have lunched here so I only have to grab something for tea out of the fridge. I didn't bother with breakfast, naughty I know, but I couldn't face it before I rushed out this morning.:o
I'm going to be having a go at candle making when I get home later. I love candles and had a kit bought for me two Christmas s ago, but havent attempted it yet. I have also been saving the ends of spent candles to melt down. Should be a frugal evening!:D

Wombatchops

Thank you again. bobobski and lynnejk, I do buy a fair few books at charity shops, but I've put a ban on buying books until the end of this year, unless I'm not parting with money (instead using loyalty points or vouchers). It was originally to test my willpower, cos I can be naughty at times, but also I've got no room to store the boooks I already own, and the thought of getting rid of my books nearly brings on palpitations. I have to say, I hate the idea of ebooks. Part of my love affair with books is the actual physical book itself. I know, I'm a digital dinosaur.

FunBrum, I am trying to do things for myself. I was given vouchers for two 30 minute back, neck and shoulder massages, and I'm having one next week. Since they were a Christmas present I don't feel guilty using it. As much as I relish occasionally being able to go out without the kids (it always feels like I've been unleashed), there's always a bit of guilt, too. Is that a me thing or a mum thing? There's also a beauty event at a nearby B00ts tomorrow for mums who are part of the parent club, which I thought I might go and check out. Apparently there will be freebies. I don't know if it's a nationwide event or just at that particular store.

jess444, I saw Citizen's Advice at the beginning of December when we found out that DH was going onto half pay for six weeks, and then SSP until mid-Jan. They arranged for our child tax credits to be increased, but I haven't checked again since. As my DH has not been signed off as long-term sick, and hopefully he will get better before that happens, I would imagine that we are currently getting as much as we are entitled to.

Does anyone do the Orchard programme with Mr T? They've got a fresh flowers programme starting soon which I've signed up to, and it goes beyond Easter. I'm thinking a bunch of free (to me) fresh flowers might have to be the mother's day present for either my DM or my MIL.

We've switched our current account from Santander 123, because it's no longer cost-effective to us, and moved to First Direct, so the cashback we earn we plan to use towards Christmas. And the Swagbucks and GfK vouchers I earn are being exchanged for Amaz0n vouchers for birthday presents for the year.

There's some semblance of a plan there, which helps me to feel calm. And all of your support helps, too. Thank you.

[Deleted User]

to get free books for mp3 type players I have used https://librivox.org/ for many years. You do get an advert each chapter and they are "old" books, Moby !!!!, Heidi, Anne of Greengables. I have loved listening to there in the car usimg the USB port.

Frugal_life

Sorry to hear that times are tough wombatchops.

Are you able to get a group of friends together who also enjoy reading as much as you? If so, you could each buy a book, meet once a week or however often is convenient and swap.

Means you'd get to read a variety of different books for a fraction of the cost (especially if your purchase was from a CS )

It's something I've wanted to start up but, unfortunately, can't find anyone I know who is interested/would stick to it.

Hope you enjoy your massages and fingers crossed they help

Shortie

Evening all. Illness and being super busy have kept me off the boards for a little while

Sorry to hear things are stressful wombatchops.

Trying to be as frugal as possible at the moment. I took the MiL and my two boys to meet my Mum at a charity event on Saturday and spent there, plus lunch for my boys while out.

I've been taking lunch to work, we've managed to gt some stonking reductions in Tescos and so are hoping to keep our food shopping lower this month as a result.

We are currently on track this month despite feeling wobbly about the month before pay day. I've paid off the balance on the holiday and am hoping to make another payment towards ds1's school trip but will see how the rest of the pay month goes before commitig to that

I've also started squirrelling away some 'pre-loved' computer games for ds1's birthday. It's the tail end of March but I'm being super organised and getting the bargains when I see them!

his_missus

Wombat, you're doing really well. I know we all need to plan for the future but try not to worry to much about things that might not happen and focus on how well you're managing your situation now. I think we've all been there at some point and thought we'd never get through it. I remember a time I'd go to bed and cry because I wasn't sure how we were going to manage, worried there'd not be enough free on my credit card to buy food for the week, how we were going to find the money to put fuel in the car to get to work.


You will work it out, I'm certain


Hubby is away with work next week from Monday afternoon until Friday evening so I'm setting myself a mini challenge to feed myself for as little as possible. I've done an online shop to be delivered on Sat morning - £40 and that includes party food for my mum's birthday on Saturday. I really want to show Hubby we could live well on much less than we spend now!