2018 Frugal Living Challenge

parsniphead

Thanks for the good wishes all.

My veg garden has been disastrous this year but I guess as I was unable to tend it then it's no surprise. I do have load of cabbage and kale so it's something isn't it.

I also have a largish stash of stuff which I've been hoarding as I'm worried about the dreaded brexsh*t. I'm sick of hearing about it but plan to make sure I can fill my belly .

I do need to get Christmas sorted. I want to make as much as i can and need to get it sorted as I'm probably going to be having surgery in november/December.:eek:

I have cut back lots but I guess I could be tighter if needs be. I just want the debts gone. A relook at budgets are needed.

I hope you all have fab day.:)

Moll

Parsniphead can i ask what things you are going to make for Christmas? i love to know what people are doing , christmas is my favourite time of year, ive made food hampers for my grown up kids so far,
Seems to be a time of hospitals here for us , DD went for a baby scan at her hospital today , ( All good ) Dad whos 89. went for a test yesterday and they discovered he had high blood pressure SOOOOOOO HIGH 14O / over 100 and something , ( Ive never known anyone have it that high with no symptoms !!) obviously they was concerned about strokes so Dad was admitted ,,,,its come "Down " to 199 so theyve released him and let him come home ? ?? Tomorrow , my turn i go twice , once for an EKG, and then back later for hearing tests , ready for when i have the grommits surgery on Monday ....... oh well i suppose it keeps us out of mischief, Id got a couple of Mc Donalds reciepts in my bag that id done thier on line survey with and made me eligable to get a big mac & fries for 1.99 , Perfect for when we was waiting around in the hospital , not great food , but cheaper than the hospital resteraunt prices and at least we were fed,

FrankieM

Morning

Sorry to hear you've had a bit of a time of it mol lots of hugs.

Parsniphead I can't decide whether to stock up the freezer with meat and frozen veg or just stock up my bank account with money. Though I'm trying to be sensible generally.

It's been a busy week at work. One of my team is on holiday and we are really feeling it, and of course upper management choose this time to ask you to do extra stuff (if you can)...yeah, I can't sorry lol

I've written myself a weekly menu, lunch and tea and will use that as a base, swapping things in and out as I get bored etc.

I'm much better when things are 'automated' and it's working really well with paying off my debt and saving for my emergency fund so I figured it should work with weight loss too.

Still no heating on here, and all my packages have arrived so at some point I'll be doing curtains and curtain rails and getting the electric blanket on the bed.

I'm off to see a gig with my son tonight. Apart from the drive, I'm looking forward to the break away

FrankieM

A bit of a money update:

My utilities DD has been put up again, though I'm in credit, but given my usage last winter I can understand so I'll just be working on keeping that down.

They offered me a 'better deal' but that would have cost me an extra £20 a month on top of the higher DD so I can't see how that would work. I'm looking forward to seeing what my bill is like when I'm more focused.

My grocery money has got a bit of surplus as I've been eating out of the freezer and using things up. It looks like a normal shop this weekend so it'll be interesting to see whether I've budgeted enough.

I've spent a bit more on getting ready for winter than I expected. I was hoping to have a bit of money left over for my getting ready for summer in a couple of months but that's not to be. So, it's purse put away again for now except essentials and budgeted items.

I've also gone back to getting some extra work on weekends so I can rebuild my emergency fund. I've realised that the stress of not having any savings far out weighs any 'stress' of working more.

Apart from that, I'm ticking along merrily...:)

datlex

My frugal thing of this week is scanning paper work that I have had for decades so that it can be shredded. This is in order to free up space in my furniture so that I don't need to buy replacements for a couple of old book cases that I got rid of when I moved due to them falling apart.

I am also trying to be more disciplined about eating in moderation- rather than snacking/grazing, so that I can hopefully lose some weight. (As well as eating a bit healthier).

FrankieM

That reminds me of the bag of paperwork I picked up from my old house about 4 months ago datlex that I've done nothing with!

Overspent on my planned budget for Friday night. I have the money in my account but I underestimated how much I like to buy a tshirt from a gig and then went halves with DS so he could get one.

I'm also going to a black tie event this week and the dresses I have are a little tight so I've spent money buying something to wear. This isn't budgeted for but I'll still try to take it from my personal spends over the next couple of months so it doesn't mess up my other accounts.

It's still quite mild here, so still no heating on.Groceries done and in budget.

Frugaldom

Good morning frugalers, hpe everyone escaed damage from the latest bout of stormy weather.

Budgets definitely need t become more flexible at this ime of year for many of us, what with Christmas on the horizon and the seasonal temperature drops meaning we spend the bulk on heating. Business expenses escalate out of proportion, as others don't share our frugal ways and legislation pretty much dictates what we spend on making work (or holiday) environments comfortable for others. Spare a thought for small businesses bound by rules and regulations and trying to employ staff and offering goods and/or services. Heating bill here is phenomenal, already.

What's cheap and cheerful at the minute? Porridge oats, soup, cabbage, carrots, pasta & spaghetti, tinned tomatoes, rice and eggs, so any combination of that lot makes up the basis for meals here at Frugaldom.

This Cjristmas, I am trying my best to shop from local crafters so I need all the savings I can get to find/order the right gifts in the right wrappings that won't find themselves in the bin. It's much more difficult than you think, once you start to think. :eek: The obvious choice would be edible goods in reuseable containers, but even most of those arrive in some form of plastic or disposable wrapping. I try my best. :rotfl:

FrankieM

Morning

It's been a stupidly early start for me but used the time to give the house a bit of a tidy.

I need to give it a clean and so I've been taking another look at Flylady and doing something everyday instead of the once a week cleaning I was doing. As I'm getting busier, I don't always have a day to give to it. I've written a list (I love a list!) and I'll see how it all works out.

I watched Stacey Dooley's program about the enviromental cost of fashion last night. I think she has also done one on plastic and it was eye opening. It'll be another thing to get to grips with, I think.

FrankieM

I dragged myself through yesterday. I was so tired after my early start.

Usually when I'm that tired snacks and a takeaway would be on the menu but I managed to cook tea, though nothing else got done.

I had a much better sleep last night and I'm feeling almost perky this morning

I've got myself a project book to put all my lists in, almost like my own version of a Flylady Control Journal, so I'll get that organised this week.

Still no heating on here, though yesterday was chilly and I thought I might need to. But by the time I had my comfy clothes on and the oven, it didn't really need it.

The one thing I notice is the washing on the racks takes much longer to dry. But I don't want to have to put the heating on just for that.

Moll

Morning everyone , I had my surgery yesterday to have the Grommits put in both ears, Sailed through it , didnt feel a thing , Its amazing what anesthetic can do Lol . My ears feel weird this morning , like "Something " in them , but no pain ,, Lately ive been letting things slide , Not the frugal .thats a way of life for me , but my weight increase, not cleaned and tidied the house as well as i could , you know that sort of thing, and i promised myself as soon as i got the surgery . this is day one of sorting everything else out , Frankie M ,,,,,,ive also been on Fly Lady ( Great minds think alike ) and im going to try and think up "Challenges " for myself , re the weight loss ,not sure what ,,,,,and ideas appreciated xxx maybe a certain amount of exersize a day , ( But im not very active these days so baby steps) Im continuing to de clutter the house , and put things on the local bidding site , now this is one that starts at £1 bids so no one is going to be a millionaire , but its great for recieving bargains too , so i look at it as a sharing site, plus you earn "Something" and get "Something " out of the house that i dont need, Last week i started on that , sold 3 books and got my first £3.60 in the kitty for those, Sounds silly , but do you remember me doing this for my hotel / holiday money for Cornwall last Summer,i got a total of £930 just by doing that , so the pennies really do add up , i also love lists, so am going to get a book and divide into , sections of what i want to achieve,