2018 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugaldom

Nonadillica, that is brilliant! Well done! I'm impressed by Premium Bonds and interest payments as those things just seem to elude me!

Moll, sounds like a great night out and now I'll be humming 'Walk Right Back' all day! :rotfl:

FrankieM, don't despair on the weight thing - I am feeling like an absolute beachball just now from doing so little extra in all this heat. I haven't shifted any of the winter increase at all! But let's not give up because we need some maintenance and preventative / remedial work to stop the spread going further befre it really is to late. I need to start getting more exercise ASAP as my daily routine simply isn't enough to compensate for my ridiculous dietary choices. :eek::o

Today is always the start of a new beginning so today I will do more to regain some fitness and fit into some old clothes rather than get any new ones. :A

FrankieM

Morning

FrugaldomI took a deep breath weight wise and realised that as long as I don't give up then I'm stilling head in the right direction.
It didn't stop me buying junk food with the £2 cash I had in my purse last night though. (I can't be trusted with cash at all) but my meals are becoming more of how I'd like them to be.

I've started reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad. I'm not really sure about it. Just about averyone raves about it as a great financial book, but I'm struggling to see that myself...

What I have taken away from it, and other books and blogs is that it is better to work for yourself than someone else. (That can be income from investments etc) So that's something for me to think about.

[Deleted User]

I've been awol for ages...sorry!

Back now though, another change in circumstances so I'm hopeful that I can get back on track....I know that I'm nowhere near my original target but I'm going to do my best over the next few months!

Used up an onion, potatoes, vegan chorizo, soya cream, dijon mustard and the remains of a bottle of white on a tartiflette for dinner - possibly enough for lunch tomorrow too depending on how much dh demolishes during the footy

I've started to sort my herbs, have dehydrated strawberries and bananas and I've potted up some more chocolate mint, salad leaves, Cavelo Nero and purple basil.

This weekend will be a major declutter and some serious slobbing It's been a busy few months and I'm looking forward to being more in control!

FrankieM

Morning..

Glad to see you back squirrelgirl I have to post regularly, else I go off piste!

Yesterday was another NSD, though I bought a card for a colleague who has worked for the company for 35 years. I'll be claiming that back though.
It's also pizza and cake for lunch, provided by work, to celebrate!

Much beer was drunk last night while watching the football and that's my football watching done for another 4 years!

I'm making chicken and vegetable dahl for tea tonight. My current favourite curry and it should also be another NSD.

shish100

FrankieM - I've read those books. Mainly because my OH read them and kept raving about them. The general principle is good, but a bit repetitive.
The book that I found to be most inspiring is 4 hour work week. You can't read it in one sitting, it's kind of a chapter at a time because it is bit heavy going in places. Also there are some good points that get you thinking.

FrankieM

shish100 I have the 4 hour work week (and the 4 hour body!!) And it is full on. I think I got to a certain point and then stopped. There seems to a generak supposition that you're now at a certain stage and if you're not, then seems a bit pointless to read on, but I did enjoy it to that point. It might be worth getting it out again at some point.

But Rich Dad, Poor Dad isn't well written, is reptitive and gives examples based in the US that seem about 20 years old...I'll push through but I'm still not convinced.

Driving DS up to Manchester tonight after work with a load of his stuff. I'm looking forward to my house being less cluttered and having the weekend to myself. I've got a great big to do list that I was supposed to start at the beginning of the mnth so hopefully I'll get time to dust that off.

Frugaldom

Welcome back, squirrelgirl I noticed your mention of chocolate mint and have to say that so far, this is my favourite mint based on smell, alone. I got one of those and a banana mint in a plant clearance sale just a few weeks ago and the chocolate mint just keeps on sprouting more and more cuttings while making me think of mint choc chip ice cream!

FrankieM, over all my years of frugaling, I have steered clear of books and just kept all my own notes - probably enough to last a lifetime and fill the War and Peace of frugal living. The story of how you get from start to finish, or debt to financial freedom, is your own personal experience, filled with personal goals and ambitions. Only by having the single-mindedness to achieve your own success can fill the pages, which is why I found blogging and forums so satisfying: they make you accountable to yourself and others. There are so many threads of moneysaving that each needs to be featured in order to twist them all together into a strong shoestring budget. (I do like talking in riddles! ) You'll succeed - you just need to attain each goal one at a time and celebrate each success. Lowering the cost of living gets easier as you gain more control over your own finances and I can promise you that it is worth every penny of the effort over the years.

FrankieM

Certainly Frugaldom when you read enough books and blogs they do all start to repeat themselves. I think I go through stages when I'm looking for the Golden Ticket piece of knowledge that will make it all just 'happen' but really it's just spending less than you earn and paying off debt and then some 'investing' of some description and that just takes time.

I'm amazed I've woken up so early cause it was a late night gettng back from Manchester. My sat nav brought me home via Leek and Buxton and other beautiful places. It was a real pleasure and good for my soul. I think rural living might be the plan eventually. If I can afford it. The views are gorgeous.

A day of house pottering, getting the jobs done, getting some rest and getting through my to do list

Moll

FrankieM As you know i live close to the area you mentioned , and a lot of these balmy summer evenings me & DH jump in the car , and drive around Buxton / Bakewell/ Matlock etc , All for the cost of petrol and as you say its good for the soul . Always blows the cobwebs off,


Frugaldom ,,,,,, I think we all learn Frugal ways from each other , Like you ive always been frugal , but i still learn a lot from others, Each and every one of us has something to offer each other , maybe just a little something that seems un important that we are used to doing , but maybe someone else hadnt thought of it , and it could make all the difference in the bigger picture. I love to hear about what everyone is doing .

A couple i know through letters ( My hobby is penpalling) really make me look at things , They have absolutely nothing ,,,,,,except each other ( Proper on the breadline ) but they are so upbeat about everything , always sees the silver lining , and go out "Somewhere" once every week , be it on a bus, and plan the day to somewhere ( They cant afford a car) meet friends . "Something" that they really look forward to , Its very humbling , and makes you realise that life is good .
Speaking of penpals , my American friend ( That started off as a pen pal many moons ago ) arrives next thursday , so ill be off on my jollies with her to Cornwall ( weve gone on holiday together like this every year for the past 25 years ) , AND Ta Da,,,,,,,,,,, drum roll please , I have ALL the holiday money saved ( £930) just by being frugal with the shopping , and de cluttering and selling stuff on a local bidding site, I started in Jan ,,,,,,just goes to show how it mounts up eventually , I feel quite proud that i managed to achieve it , It was down to the wire , just got the last bit this week , from selling some bits of furniture that wasnt needed. but all our hotel costs etc etc etc are now covered ,we'll have a great time .
Hope everyone is good , we got rain last night which cooled everything down , and yay i didnt have to water the garden, just the tomatoes in the greenhouse, i had ONE soiltary cucumber plant , which a snail got at and ate , Truly its now only a few centimetres tall ,,,,,and its got a cucumber growing on it !! lol hope it can hold the weight

DawnW

Just popping in to say hello - I don't post often, but read every day
Budget wise it has not been a good year, due to illness, having to help out a relative, expensive vehicle repairs, and most recently, a large dental bill for OH Our budget had, at the end of June, just over £4387 left in it, having started with £17585 allocated for the year

Some of this was self inflicted - we don't HAVE to have an elderly camper van :rotfl: but most was unavoidable unfortunately. We have no mortgage or rent to pay, no debt, and we grow as much of our own food as we can in our small garden, always cook at home, and rarely buy anything new.

Fortunately for us, we have savings, and it just goes to show how important it is to have an emergency fund of some kind, and how lucky we are to have one - though it took lots of time and effort to get to this position. We are both pensioners now (I also have a very small business that - most years - adds a little to our pensions) We will be over budget for the year, but will survive. My spreadsheet has taught me a great deal about exactly where the money goes - one thing that has struck me is how food and fuel (of all kinds) prices in particular have risen during the course of this year. The challenge now is to keep the inevitable overspend for the rest of the year as low as possible, and hopefully avoid any further disasters!

Anyway, onwards and upwards. I have spinach and courgettes to cut , and the house and contents insurance to pay _pale_