2017 Frugal Living Challenge

smiley333

Ohh I'm excited for this. Have a wee bit of debt I'd like to clear and if I stick to my budget I'll hopefully have it cleared. 1st stop today was to cancel Netflix and bt package as my little brother got me a loaded firestick for christmas. This means my debit debits are only 5 now! Gonna do a stock check and hopefully search for a spare chest freezer.

determined_new_ms

oh was loud and clear last night he is not up for an ultra frugalling experiment going to have to be very inventive to keep on track and him with me....

where I really need to be inventive is meals - he likes lots of meat! and also free/low cost dates and weekend outings...

wishus

Ah... yep, it's always easier when your OH is 100% on board. Mine is about 70% on board.

He has no job. He does very little to help round the house. He likes to be generous to friends when he goes out, even though it's not really his money. He doesn't worry too much about how the heck I might make up any shortfall... he trusts me to have a solution later. And to be sure, I usually do. It's do without for myself and work harder!

But when he remembers, he's very good, and he doesn't moan about having to eat from the freezer or all the yellow sticker shopping.

For my budget, I need to add in conventions, where I get most of my freelancing work from. A lot of the expenses associated with that would be tax deductible, but you need to have it to spend in the first place. We don't have holidays, that's what we do instead.

I would like to get rid of Netflix, but there would be resistance there. But getting into millions of pointless boxsets is hindering progress. Hoping to swap out for a good smart TV with freeview and firestick.

PS can I join in please?

wit40iwtwan

I've not done the budget comparison yet but hope to do that this week. I'm going to enjoy working out where it all goes month by month as I currently seem to be quite relaxed in some areas and clearly letting the money go too easily.

I'm pretty frugal in most areas but I know I can take that up a level and with this thread I'm sure to learn a few tips and tricks from the experts. Ideally the end game is to move to Gran Canaria in 5 years so I've a pretty good incentive to do this as it will support our future lifestyle

determined_new_ms

walked to the local coop for milk. They had packs of bananas and kiwis for 19p each, picked up 2 each of those. They were on the list for when I finally go to the sm in the next week or so. So that's fruit sorted until next week for 1/2 the price

parsniphead

wishus wrote: »

Ah... yep, it's always easier when your OH is 100% on board. Mine is about 70% on board.

He has no job. He does very little to help round the house. He likes to be generous to friends when he goes out, even though it's not really his money. He doesn't worry too much about how the heck I might make up any shortfall... he trusts me to have a solution later. And to be sure, I usually do. It's do without for myself and work harder!

But when he remembers, he's very good, and he doesn't moan about having to eat from the freezer or all the yellow sticker shopping.

For my budget, I need to add in conventions, where I get most of my freelancing work from. A lot of the expenses associated with that would be tax deductible, but you need to have it to spend in the first place. We don't have holidays, that's what we do instead.

I would like to get rid of Netflix, but there would be resistance there. But getting into millions of pointless boxsets is hindering progress. Hoping to swap out for a good smart TV with freeview and firestick.

PS can I join in please?

Blimey Wishus, you have more patience than I do. He must have something going for him.;););)

My DH says he is on board but I sometimes feel it's just works. He is going to be very tested this year ( I need an evil simile thingy). Our biggest sticking point is food. He is fussy, no beyond fussy and DS is worse. They may be having a big shock.

I'm still tweaking by budget as I have managed to move debt to 0% cards which will save a small fortune in interest.

This weekend I will be able to confirm figures.

Penny_pauper

Hi Everyone
Can I join? Am trying to clear a debt of £8350 by Christmas and after that I'd like to tackle the mortgage £115k odd. I started out on the mortgage free boards but we had 2 cars to replace this year, hence the loan. I have never seen the Frugal Living Challenge before but I am excited and inspired by what I have read so far. My biggest concern is that my attempts to be frugal are going to be viewed as way too extravagant compared to everyone else. I too have an OH who really doesn't see the point of being frugal and isn't keen on me curtailing his expenses so it will be a bit of a head scratcher coming up with a plan!
PP

cw18

Frugal doesn't have to mean eating bread and scrape, living in rags and only getting anywhere by walking barefoot

We all have our own levels of being frugal, and there's no way I can even attempt to achieve what Frugaldom manages (my grocery budget is horrific compared to hers).

The important thing is that you're living within your means, and your outgoings are less than your incomings

lynnejk

Evening folks

Have managed to reconcile budgets for 2016 and pleased to come out with a credit of £56 for the year :j That's going into the entertainment fund to cover a couple of birthday lunches, first one of which is mine in a fortnight To be honest, I think all the planning, money shuffling, chasing discounts and bargains and all the other myriad shenanigans it took - I think I deserve it :rotfl:

This coming year budget is a wip and should be finished shortly.

I have found that the answer to the DH/OH etc not being on board is to give them their own budget, a reasonable one, and let them buy all the treats, chocolate biscuits, drinks, clothes, steaks..... whatever out of their own budget. I have a fixed budget which covers all the outgoings, and a small personal budget for hair-cuts, clothes, shoes etc.

I organise and make sure all the bills are paid on time - including the cc. I make DH a meal everyday, make sure his cereals are there and stuff to make his take-out lunches and fruit.

If, when he is here, he wants crisps or chocolates etc he can buy them himself I very quickly noticed that, once I stopped buying them, he changed from branded stuff to cheaper stuff and lots less :rotfl: In fact, for the first time in years, he actually saves some of his own monies and says 'he likes to see it building up'. So don't despair and maybe try a different approach.

Sorry for the long ramble and hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday
Lx

[Deleted User]

Just to thank CW18 for the spreadsheet. I can recommend it to newbies, it shows what you spend where each month, tots it up for the months and then adds all together for the year. Really helps keep an eye on stuff.
Thanks again and Happy New Year to all