2016 Frugal Living Challenge

FrankieM

Hi Everyone :hello::hello:

I've been busy with life and children and most excitedly work :j

I'm currently doing some relief/bank work at a few places and so I'm busy working as many shifts as I can.

I'm filling my emergency fund back up and hoping to pay off some money I owe by the end of the year, but like all relief work, you never know how long it's going to last.

I've had a few splurges on things for the house...my Amazon wishlist can be a nightmare but my food and fuel are in budget.
That will continue to need to be tweaked as my daughter goes back to school in September and then it will just be me.
I'm trying to figure out what a realistic food budget is for one person..lol

I'd love some advice/ideas/menus and recipes if people are happy to share.

lynnejk

Evening all

We are still trugging along with our budgets and managing to stay within them most of the time. Bit of an expensive month already as already renewed our car breakdown and yearly travel insurance - though managed to save £20 on last year's costs :j

FrankieM wrote: »

................
I'm currently doing some relief/bank work at a few places and so I'm busy working as many shifts as I can.

I'm trying to figure out what a realistic food budget is for one person..lol

I'd love some advice/ideas/menus and recipes if people are happy to share.

Brilliant news on the job front :T :T


You might like to have a look at this MSE thread
August 2016 Grocery Challenge

You'll find lots of advice and ideas and there's loads of recipes at the start of the thread. HTH

Hope you all having a frugal month
Lx

Savvy_sewing

Mooloo wrote: »

I have been looking at the budget, and playing around with figures, and after listening to my motivational tapes the plan is to now stop putting money into the savings as the return is negligeable and instead pay the 10% I usually add to savings to pay off the debts. They have crept up to around £3,300!
So adding 10% to the regular payments I make, I have decided to pay 20%
To the smallest debt, and the DD as normal to the other card, and then once that one has gone transfer the 20% to the other card, plus the usual amount I pay.
So I am hoping to pay £84 a week to my debts.
Hence the food bill is cut to £25 a week while I use up the freezer and stock cupboards.
I plan to walk to work at least twice a week, and save fuel costs, with the current amount of driving I'm making £30 last me two weeks. Two years ago I was spending £60 a week!!
But I need to do something with my sky package. Research required as no tv aerial and virgin media don't do this area.

I have not followed any of my plans properly this year at all!

I did play around with my debts, bills, savings etc.
But I am now even deeper in debt due to drop in income, raise in council tax and rent, and replacing my car as the other one died.
I did reduce the Sky.
Change banks and got cash back.
Changed energy suppliers.
Changed car insurance this month.
Did 0% balance transfers, so at least all my debt is 0% now.
The food bill crept back out of control too.
So I have my work cut out to regain frugal status!
Hopefully I will have more motivation to achieve.

milasavesmoney

Mooloo, good for you! You have actually accomplished a lot and it seems you just need to tweak things a bit.

I have too many dried grains. I bought said grains to ease us away from simple carbs, but they aren't going to do us any good if I don't start using them. Must do better!

milasavesmoney

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=235198

A good thread

milasavesmoney

After years of my vent hood over the stove not really working I found a heck of a deal on one yesterday.
I bought a Kitchenaid under cabinet hood for $425 and when I looked it up online it was $1100.
Whoot Whoot !!!!

The store is going out of business and gave it to me a tad over their cost.

Kerry_Woman

Was supposed to have finished my temp contract in July, but was asked back to work for September. Had no other temp work during the Summer break. So did not buy a weekly bus pass, just put money on the oyster card. That restricted me going out shopping which was a good thing as I did not want to keep topping up the card. Must be strong when I start the temp job again next week.


I also have been walking to places that were close to me, eg library and 2 shops. So free exercise.


Still decluttering. Am trying to get a few things sorted out in flat, just trying to sort things out with contacting people to do the work. Am hoping to get the work done by the end of the year. Then will hopefully finish the rest of the work that is needed next year.

bmma

Hi spends to date £113.45(month)
balance left £702.31p
best wishes everyone x

nannygladys

Oh dear, I seem to have failed this year, but I want to start as from today. It has been a difficult year for me in some ways but I'm ready to get back on the band wagon. I'm still debt free, have an allotment to grow veggies, courgettes and runner beans anyone??? have good health and manage to save a bit for rainy days and holidays so just want to reduce my waste and unnecessary spends and live more simply.
Nannyg

milasavesmoney

I have failed August. Well, not the grocery challenge :A...but the rest.

Hello September!