2016 Frugal Living Challenge

milasavesmoney

Nannyg you are on a roll! Everything so well thought out and on track.

I'm doing well on all fronts. Keeping in budget on the grocery challenge. Added to EF this month.
All Christmas presents for GD bought on sale. She is so easy at 2 yrs. Now for my adult children...
I've started asking for their wish lists. It's better to shop for sales and I need time to do that. (5 kids-two with spouses) We shall see if anyone comes through with a list anytime soon. I know it seems early but there are a lot of them and it's less stressful if I do it this way.

I'm doing well planning menus around my freezer/food stores. Top ups are fresh veggies, dairy and fruit. We don't eat very much bread. I'm so much less wasteful with food since I've start reading the different threads. It's important to not waste money throwing out food that could have been used, frozen, or reinvented into another meal. My grocery bill is half what it was from doing this plus not eating out so often (probably 2/3's less). We are eating more variety and healthier because I'm semi-menu planing. (We are retired so there are no tight schedules)

My son and I reorganized the pantries, so I'm up to date (in my mind) as to what we have on hand. I know the advise is to make a list of what you have and cross it off as you use it, but I know me and I would never keep up with crossing off things.
I need to clean and organize the freezers but oh my goodness, I don't want to at all!

Hope your frugal ways are in place and growing.

miss_empty_piggy

Did a good cheap shop at the weekend and still using up the "dishwater soup" in the freezer. Everyone takes the mick but it tastes delicious lol xxxx

happy frugalling everyone x

nannygladys

Hi everyone
Well went through the cupboards and freezer and a menu plan was done for the week so haven't spent very much on food, but looking at my bank statements it's sm and bits and bob's I'm spending so I'm on a mission to cut back on both. On the food front I went to the lottie yesterday and picked an enormous butternut squash it'll last me weeks!!!!! Lots of soup and roasted veggies on the cards I think!!!! Thank goodness for allotments.
I have bought one of the birthday presides, a load of flower seeds that were in sale, so in total it cost less than £3 but the packet prices added up to £12, so well pleased as she will be, as she grows just flowers in her garden as she loves them. (Give me veggies any day). The other birthday is at the end of the month so I have a little while to get that one.

Anyway budgets done for October as I was paid yesterday.
Nannyg

nannygladys

Hi everyone, the budgets are going fine and I'm plodding along.

The birthday at the end of the month has been sorted (ridings lessons) and I found £40 in a drawer I was sorting so that will pay for those. Don't know how long it had been there but I can't remember putting it in there!!!!
Next month I will have to buy some winter clothes but I'm keeping a look out in one of the cs near where I live as they have some really nice quality stuff in there, so hoping to pick up some jumpers and trousers for not a lit of money and as I've made a couple if tops out of some material I had left from a dress I made my dgd and a pretty quilt cover!!
Anyway off to bed after a busy day with a drink and a good book
Nannyg

Shortie

Morning all

Been plodding along here too.

My account is doing quite well so far and it's nearly payday. It's the first time in a while that I've not been very close to going overdrawn so it's a great feeling, especially as I've paid out some large payments this month too

Next up is to pay for a mini service on Mr Shortie's car and decide what to do with mine. Mine has got a big repair coming up (£1,000 plus VAT) and other niggles brewing, and it's an old high mileage car. So I either repair it and hope it's not the beginning of it's end (and therefore spend (waste) a lot of mone on more repairs) or just run it until it falls apart (but then I have no control over when it dies).

Thing is, I'm not bursting to change my car (and don't want to buy a cheap run around and inherit someone else's car-problems) but I also don't want to keep a car that I may end up spending repeatedly on when it's possibly reaching its end anyway.. <<sigh>>

Anyway, menu planning done to the end of the week and I should have some moey left to put in the holiday saving pot

lynnejk

Evening all
Pleased to read everyone seems to be trogging along safely atm :j
We have bitten the bullet and are replacing our old Mazda 'banger'. It has been playing up a bit recently, and now the starter motor keeps sticking. It has started to cost us money now and, because DH works back-shift and out in the middle of nowhere, we really need a reliable car.

So, we are trading it in for a 2013 plate Dacia Laureate. We checked the going price and it seems about on target, plus we will get a twelve month warranty and it was MOT'd 29th September :j

We have paid half as a deposit and DH is going to pay the balance over 24 months out of his overtime. Three other pluses are that it's petrol instead of diesel, will be more efficient, saving some running costs, and the insurance is £46 a year cheaper.

Rest of the budgets seem to be ticking over properly atm. The only 'fly in the ointment' is the reducing interest the banks are promising to come into effect over the next few months. Oh well, can't do much except keep juggling to get the best.

Hope you all keeping well and getting organised for the winter weather.
Lx

nannygladys

Hi everyone, cars can be a right bug bear, I changed mine a few months ago as my other one was quite old and I didn't want to start paying out loads of money on it, so I changed it for a new one (a few months old) and I'm hoping it will be the last one I buy. I managed to pay cash with savings and I'm gradually building those up again but it's a very slow process now I've retired.
Anyway getting ready for Xmas here. I've been making a few things for dgc, and we don't buy for adults but I always give a token gift, I'm going to have a go at onion chutney for them and perhaps have a go at some truffles.
So frugalling is going on here most of the time but I do slip up and sewing is one area and food another!!!
Nannyg

Shortie

I've not done anything yet about the car, but keep flipping between change it vs keep it.. sounds like I'm thinking along the lines of what you thought a while back

I've got the children's Christmas stockings sorted now. Just need to think about the pressies next

FrankieM

Morning

I've been busy working and saving and trying not to spend too much. Unfortunately sometimes the working means buying snacks and takeaways so I'm trying to get on the ball with that.

I've taken over the utilities from my ex and have reorganised direct debits to make them lower each month and because I'm working alot, it does mean I don't have the heating on alot..so a bonus there.

I'm also thinking about Christmas and I'm planning on getting as much as possible this month as I start working nights in December for 4 months. I think I'm generally going for vouchers this year except for the odd one or two. It feels good to have a plan about it. I can find Christmas a bit stressful otherwise.

I've also decided I'm going to try to walk more to save money on fuel.

Speaking of cars, I made the emotional purchase of a car on hire purchase 2 years ago and it's a huge financial drain. I love my car but not the monthly payment. I can hand it back the middle of next year without any default payment and sadly I will be to get my outgoings as low as possible. Not my best financial decision!

I'm also paying off a debt of £5000. I've currently saved £3000 towards it and should have it paid off by the time I finish nights and then I can get to saving for travelling and at some point a deposit for a house of my own.

Hope you all have a good November. x

Kerry_Woman

Have not been too fugal a few times with spending. Not been too good with health issues recently so not really been focus on being careful with spending. Trying my best for the rest of the year.


Done some decluttering. Got the electrical work done, which I am happy with as some of the things needed doing. Left it for quite a few years. Someone in my last temp job gave me a telephone number of some company that they used. Was a bit pricey, about £600. Had asked 3 people in the Church I go to, but they were unhelpful with coming back to me with contacts of electricans. Also found out that they were unhelpful to someone else who needed help with her garden, would not give her a contact.


Got some work clothes and 2 pairs of M&S jeans from a charity shop. Happy with the purchases.


Am hoping to get some tiling done in the bathroom soon. One of the men who helped to put in the double glazing windows in last year does some handy work, so asked him and said he would do it. He will fit it in with his other work.