2017 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugaliza

Little--fish wrote: »

One thing I've noticed is that the more frugal I am, the more time it seems to take up - so cooking from scratch, growing food, finding wood, chopping wood, walking instead of driving - I feel it's all worth it, and very satisfying, but it can be quite tiring and time-consuming - does anyone else find that? I would't change for the world though!

I've very much noticed this. There is a time versus money equation to a lot of 'frugalling' as I call it. This can be difficult when time is even more scarce than money (single full time working parent talking here) and so I'm a fan of any quick wins I see. I try and balance that time money conflict. So for example make packed lunches in one batch a week ahead or just chuck leftovers in a tub for work the next day.

Anyone have any quick wins out there?

cw18

Frugaliza wrote: »

I've very much noticed this. There is a time versus money equation to a lot of 'frugalling' as I call it.

Agreed. My biggest is the commute to work - especially during school holidays.

When the roads are clear I can do the drive in under a half hour each way, so my daily commute is around an hour (closer to 1.5 hours during term time). If I get buses I have to allow 1hr 45 door-to-door which comes to 3.5 hours a day - and thats if I hit lucky with the buses coming home. If I finish at just the wrong time I can be waiting 15 mins for a bus from work, and then hit rush hour change over (when the second bus goes totally off schedule) which means a 10 minute change can become over a half hour. My worst trip home took almost 3 hours, and that was on a very cold, dark and wet day

Driving costs me around £6 a day, so £30 a week. A weekly bus ticket (which can then also be used on my day off work) costs me just £15. But is a £15/week saving worth the extra 10hrs a week (term time, or 12.5hrs/week during school hols), and at the moment the answer is a resounding 'no'.

determined_new_ms

cw18 wrote: »

Agreed. My biggest is the commute to work - especially during school holidays.

When the roads are clear I can do the drive in under a half hour each way, so my daily commute is around an hour (closer to 1.5 hours during term time). If I get buses I have to allow 1hr 45 door-to-door which comes to 3.5 hours a day - and thats if I hit lucky with the buses coming home. If I finish at just the wrong time I can be waiting 15 mins for a bus from work, and then hit rush hour change over (when the second bus goes totally off schedule) which means a 10 minute change can become over a half hour. My worst trip home took almost 3 hours, and that was on a very cold, dark and wet day

Driving costs me around £6 a day, so £30 a week. A weekly bus ticket (which can then also be used on my day off work) costs me just £15. But is a £15/week saving worth the extra 10hrs a week (term time, or 12.5hrs/week during school hols), and at the moment the answer is a resounding 'no'.

travel is a really hard one. I try to be as environmentally aware as possible and reduce the impact I make on the world. It doesn't bother me that cooking/growing takes time I enjoy doing those things. But travel is a biggy. I would love to work in my home town and get rid of my car but the work I do has always involved me having a car. I try to balance this out by not using it very much when not working - I work pt 50% FTE - but it always sits heavily on my conscience.

Have just switched to sky bb saving £176 over the year. Hope the coverage is as good. Also applied and have been provisionally accepted for a coop bank account. If it goes through I'll get £110 in 45 days :money: I also went for a run at 8am - not bad for having been up for 1 1/2 hours!

Farmers-wife_2

I know I'm a little late but I need some help and inspiration.

I fear I may be bordering on a low-level hoarding problem. I just can't seem to pass by a bargain, even if I have no need for what is on offer. This seems especially prevalent when it comes to yellow-stickered food items. I have a huge chest freezer filled almost to the brim with food bargains, yet still, I buy more. It's the same with the heavily discounted Christmas items, my cupboards are groaning under the weight of festive shaped chocolates and cinnamon spiced treats - Yet I still have the urge to buy more.

I went through my dry goods cupboards yesterday and threw away a huge bin bag of out-of-date items, which were purchased because of heavy discounts and never used.... I feel so ashamed and really quite silly.

In the evening when the children have gone to bed, I've become rather addicted to the Facebook selling pages and have spent a small fortune on unnecessary (yet gorgeous) clothes for the little people. We also have more toys than my children can ever play with.

I have always liked a bargain, however, things seemed to have become worse since I gave up working to become a stay-at-home-Mum.

Fortunately, we're not too badly off, but if I could spend less (or earn more/something) we could afford more days out. I just can't seem to stop spending, even if it is on bargains and heavily reduced items, it all adds up!

I really need to implement some changes and break some of my shopping habits.....

determined_new_ms

Farmers-wife wrote: »

I know I'm a little late but I need some help and inspiration.

I fear I may be bordering on a low-level hoarding problem. I just can't seem to pass by a bargain, even if I have no need for what is on offer. This seems especially prevalent when it comes to yellow-stickered food items. I have a huge chest freezer filled almost to the brim with food bargains, yet still, I buy more. It's the same with the heavily discounted Christmas items, my cupboards are groaning under the weight of festive shaped chocolates and cinnamon spiced treats - Yet I still have the urge to buy more.

I went through my dry goods cupboards yesterday and threw away a huge bin bag of out-of-date items, which were purchased because of heavy discounts and never used.... I feel so ashamed and really quite silly.

In the evening when the children have gone to bed, I've become rather addicted to the Facebook selling pages and have spent a small fortune on unnecessary (yet gorgeous) clothes for the little people. We also have more toys than my children can ever play with.

I have always liked a bargain, however, things seemed to have become worse since I gave up working to become a stay-at-home-Mum.

Fortunately, we're not too badly off, but if I could spend less (or earn more/something) we could afford more days out. I just can't seem to stop spending, even if it is on bargains and heavily reduced items, it all adds up!

I really need to implement some changes and break some of my shopping habits.....

Farmerswife nothing for it but to go cold turkey and just eat out of your freezer and cupboards for a few weeks. I agree it's hard to pass up bargains but every so often I have a fiscal fast where for between 1 week & 1 month I buy nothing at all except milk and bread. Towards the end of the ff we do start having weird and wonderful meals but it's good to use up odds and ends. So easy to keep filling the freezer but the trick is to take things out as well!

determined_new_ms

someone I know on fb has posted an article about a woman who spends £38 a week on groceries for her family of 5 and my friend thinks this is absolutely outlandish. While this is a little less than I spend I don't think it's too extreme! My friend is saying how unhealthy it is that there is only 1 bag of apples but to be fair I only buy 1 bag of fruit and some bananas each time I shop as I was always throwing fruit away so now I find buying less means it all get eaten. And there were lots of vegetable items on the receipt. I definitely give us all a lot of veg but a lot less fruit and we are all exceeding our daily recommended f&v pd. I don't want to comment on her post though and expose myself!

cbsexec

I agree - how many people spend a lot on food that they then throw away. Its all very well buying lots of fruit and vegetables but you have to eat them to get the benefit. You can have a very healthy diet and not spend much but you have to work at it. Ps thanks for all the tips etc I really enjoy reading.

squishylove1989

Looking forward to contributing to this thread - I am hoping to give up my boring 9 - 5 by the end of the year/beginning of this. Hoping I can get some great tips here and contributing some of my own.

Frizzlef

Hi all, I have been following this over the last few days as we are having to reign our spending in a bit.
We used to be really good! We had two car loans that our monthly which totalled £500 and we managed to save some money! Then we paid off the car loans early and my son got his nursery funding so it was nice to have money!! Then in 2015 we moved to a bigger home which is to be our 'forever home' and the same month found out we were expecting our third child. When we moved we had some savings which we wanted to use to replace the dire kitchen! The house needs a lot of cosmetic work and we are working our way around the house. So far we have done two boys bedrooms, nursery (redecorated and recarpeted), playroom, re-decorated toilet and put down new flooring, had laminate put down in hall, family room and dining room, and finally in November had the kitchen refitted (some of which is on 0% interest free). In the January sales we finally found a sofa we liked and bought it so our next project is the living room. We were going to wait until later in the year but as it ha taken us dining to choose a sofa we thought we would just go with it!
So pleased that house is taking shape but not pleased with the bank balance. Our savings are all gone!!! And I really don't want to use the credit card!

I love bargains. I love being thrifty and I love my house! But as a family we waste too much money. Husband is 100% on board!
So we are going to try and be really good. I want to spend my money on what I see as important for us .ie. Sorting the house out not wasting it on takeaways and coffees and spends that you forget that you have spent!
So..... Thrifty frizzle family is going to cut corners to pay for my new living room carpet and blinds (carpet is disgusting!!!!)
Plan of action...
Husband is in charge of monthly accounts so I am not getting involved in that. There is no real issues.

I/ we will-
- meal plan and only buy what is on the list
- use what I already have in the cupboards/ fridge to avoid waste
- batch cook
- no takeaways unless for a special occasion.
- no unplanned lunch out because we went out at 11.30 and didn't think about lunch!
- no unnecessary purchases for the house
- minimal clothes shopping (we have too many anyway)
- sort and advertise old baby items to earn some money!

I won't compromise on the children's clubs. They all do swimming, both boys do football and ds1 does acting classes. I am not punishing them so we can save money but equally they will be involved in the rest of our thrifty ways and I will explain to them why!!! Hopefully something visual like a little holiday in the summer will help with that!

Looking forward to chatting to like minded people and sharing money saving tips!!!

eTA - sorry for the long post!!!

determined_new_ms

Hi Frizzlef welcome aboard! I agree I don't actually include spends on our lo. I save her child benefit and use that for clothes and activities so haven't included that in my budget - shoulda done but kinda felt her money accounts for her things. I get maintenance from her mum, but it can be haphazard. I spend about 1/2 of her cb and put the maint in with savings. I do *mostly* buy her 2nd hand things and probably spend £5 a week on an activity. This will be going up as she has just started a dance class. Anyway I just wanted to say I get not wanting to make them feel the burn too much

we are also renovating a house but that has had to take a back burner when dgd came to live with us as I now don't earn very much. we have big ideas but sadly our income doesn't match them! I think in this we have accepted for a few years we will be on a lower income but fate being willing a few years into school will mean I will be able to go back to more hours/higher paying wages....