2016 Frugal Living Challenge

sistercas

Happy new year everyone

[Deleted User] wrote:

Been looking at Gas/Electric prices this morning and think I am going to switch.

It's been a long long time since I switched and it was a total pain in the butt which is why I probably haven't done it in a while. Can someone please advise? Do I have to advise my current supplier that I am switching or does the new company do that?

Also same question for switching bank accounts. I am thinking of taking up the First Direct offer of £150 switching bonus but I have never switched bank accounts:eek:. I thought I would wait until my main DDs are off (on 4th Jan) and then contact First Direct.

I am hoping the Gas/Electric switch will save me around £20 per month on what I am currently paying (and would be paying more when current tariff comes to an end).

I swap my gas and elec every year , just use a comparison website enter in your details and how much you pay and it will come up with offers, if you take one up and press the button to switch , the new company do everything for you,, all you have to do is give them meter readings when they ask . Don't forget to go through quidco / topcashback as you can sometimes get up to £30-£50 pounds back

I also swapped my bank account last year , I got £125 for swapping and I get £5 a month when I stay in credit , the switch is done within 7 days and you can choose when that happens , I didn't have any problems at all
HTH X

Azzzaa sounds like you are on it like a car bonnet . You are doing really well , hopefully by the end of this year I will be in a similar position x

Frugaldom

Happy new year to everyone! Thank you all for joining this challenge and very best wishes for the coming year.

Savvy_sewing

Happy New Year!
I ordered a freesat box last night on Argos and it arrived before 10am this morning!!!
Now to find out how it works and cancel sky!

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Happy new year everyone!!

Cw18 have you tried pound land for DVDs?? Our eldest loves watching DVDs in his bedroom, and I normally buy him about 5 or 6 every Christmas, which varied in price from £5-£10 each.. This year, hubbys business went awol, and I sold my vintage business, so at the moment we are both with no income, and living off the money we had for my business, which isn't going to last long..

So this Christmas it was bare minimum on pressies and food..

In pound land they have pre- owned/ ex rental DVDs for £1 each. I bought 5 , which saved a chunk of money, without not giving him the normal amount of DVDs I buy him...

Sistercas which bank did you switch too? With the £5 a month they give you, have you got to put x amount in per M nth like the Halifax??

maria3104

Buffythedebtslayer wrote: »

I am in! Was excited to see the thread up!


Spending = 500

so my "live on" budget is 500 X 12 = 6000

Hi

My target monthly spend is also £500. I have done this throughout 2015 and except for some spectacular falls off the money wagon it has worked a treat.

I am hoping to do the same in 2016 and I have never needed to be more focused.

Good luck to you and hoping we can all stick to our budgets. I love the small daily things thread as it keeps my focus at a daily level.

Maria;)

cw18

I've had a few from Poundland in the last couple of months, but until I needed a bus pass for work commuting I couldn't get to a store without walking at least 5 miles each way or shelling out over £4 for a day bus ticket so it really wasn't worthwhile. I don't actually find they have that many titles that appeal to me, but I always check what they've got when I'm nearby

Just before Christmas I picked up a couple from a market stall that deals in second hand DVDs - again can't get to without my bus pass, so a new place for me to explore. One was on my Amaz0n wish list but not dropping to the price I wanted and the other was one I fancied but not even at minimum Amaz0n price. Got them for 50p each, so both together came to less than one would from Amaz0n and left me a very happy bunny

Just been onto my g&e supplier website to enter my 1st of year meter readings. They claim there's a tarriff that could save me a fair chunk over a year, but I can only assume that's based on me going onto standard tarriff when my current deal ends in March as (having had to do a lot of digging to find the actual unit prices) the standing charges are the same while the electricity is 0.1p/kWh dearer than I pay now and the gas is 0.2p/kWh cheaper. Might phone them in the next few days to try and get a proper explanation of the projected savings, but suspect I'm staying on my current tarriff until it ends....

Kerry_Woman

Wishing everyone a Happy and Frugal New Year.

lcc86

Count me in please! Just want to be more frugal in general to help me clear my debt, as much as possible by the end of the year!! At the same time I do want to enjoy life, so any savings I can make on 'boring' or mindless expenditure can go towards actually making the most of life!

wannabecontent

Mooloo wrote: »

Happy New Year!
I ordered a freesat box last night on Argos and it arrived before 10am this morning!!!
Now to find out how it works and cancel sky!

I cancelled sky and can still access the freeview channels using the sky box

sistercas

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

Happy new year everyone!!


Sistercas which bank did you switch too? With the £5 a month they give you, have you got to put x amount in per M nth like the Halifax??

yep I moved to the Halifax , you have to put in £750 I think and have a least 2 direct debits X
I think TSB might be £500 but in not sure