2018 Frugal Living Challenge

Kerry_Woman

spudsmum - Congratulations on becoming mortgage free. Wishing you all the best for your journey on becoming debt free.

spudsmum

mumof3.12kindebt wrote: »

WTG spuds mum what an amazing achievement a great way to the end of your year !!

Thanks mum of 3!

Glad to hear you're feeling better and hope the kids shake off their colds soon - mine are just getting over the same - least getting them now is better than getting them next week I suppose. Time to fight it off before the big day

spudsmum

Kerry_Woman wrote: »

spudsmum - Congratulations on becoming mortgage free. Wishing you all the best for your journey on becoming debt free.

Thanks Kerrywoman - it feels really good. Onwards and downwards now!

Frugaldom

spudsmum wrote: »

Just had to share with someone - I have today finally become mortgage free!!

I'm feeling very happy and very lucky to be in this position. That has freed up so much money I can now throw at my debts - need to rejig my budget now to allow for the new figures

:T:j:beer: WELL DONE and CONGRATULATIONS! You'll find your debts shrinking much faster now that you own your home outright, then the world's your oyster.

Frugaldom

Like several others on here, I seldom, if ever, send out cards and have been making whatever donations I can to charities, instead. Running the whole frugaldom project now as a social enterprise also means we're working on a not-for-profit basis so it leaves little cash for any personal spending. Now we have 5 rehomed rescue ponies at the project, it costs even more but by developing a track system and using the ponies to clear the ground that can't be accessed by machinery, they are contributing towards their own keep. So, too, are the hens, as we have all the eggs we need and all the spares get sold, which covers the cost of their keep. It doesn't help that I make pancakes several times a week, so I am most definitely going to have to do my February Fitness challenge in 2019! :eek: Whoever says that working outdoors doing physical / manual labour keeps you fit got that wrong, for sure!

datlex

Well done spudsmum on being mortgage free. Looking forward to seeing your debt free post, in the not too distant future.

nannygladys

Congratulations Spudsmum its a lovely feeling isn't it.
I have been busy this week having a sort out of my bedroom and the spare bedroom and I have managed to supply the local charity shop with quite a bit of stuff. This week Im going to do the craft room and a friend of mine would like first dibs and on anything so I don't think there will be much going to charity.

Xmas sorted now all except the fresh veggies and not much extra spent, so feeling pleased with things. I created a new budget and dd3 has set up a spreadsheet for me, so everything will be recorded from now on. I will have to add it up so I can see how much the budget is for the year that will really scare me!!!!


Happy frugalling
Nannyg

spudsmum

Thanks everyone for your good wishes about becoming mortgage free. I still can't quite believe it.

Just need to be very careful now - I'm very good at saving when I have no money but as soon as I have money available it lulls me into a false sense of security and I seem unable to resist spending so the less money I have the more I manage to save - doesn't make any sense!! I need to do a new budget ASAP and stick to it to make sure I don't get tempted back in to my old ways.

Nearly ready for Christmas - slightly over my budget as in law's gift was slightly more than I budgeted for and I didn't have enough left in the Xmas pot BUT I had some slack in a couple of my other savings pots so managed to shuffle some money around and proud to say for the first time ever it's all come from the money I've been putting away all year - I've not put one penny of Xmas spending on my credit card - very proud of that.

Just the food shop to tackle now - not going mad but we are a family of five and entertaining wider family too so need a bit extra. Again I've bought various non perishable bits for the last couple months so just got the fresh to buy but I do have some money I've saved on an Asda card so shouldn't need to spend anything else.

Normally by this time I'm having major financial panic but feeling quite chilled. Just need to keep a hold of it now and not get tempted into buying little extras.

sinkorswim2018

I've been reading up on everyone's progress this year, well done you guys for sticking at it. I've neither sunk or swam this year, just kind of bobbed about and didn't make any progress. I haven't lessened my debt or stuck to budget. On a positive I've had a lot of fencing work done which I hadn't planned on so home improvements have been made. I also have plans for a small extension in the future. With that in mind I am planning a new budget which I intend to achieve. I haven't been overly frivolous but I can definitely see where savings can be made. My budget should allow me to continue completing the fencing, make a start on the extension and pay.of my debt. A small pay rise should enable this daydream to become a reality.
My biggest cutbacks will be less meals and coffees out, more cooking at home. I'm minimising so less buying rubbish I don't need. I will continue to buy clothing second hand, but shouldn't.need much.

nannygladys

Hi everyone
Been frugal the last couple of days as I haven't been out anywhere!! I'm not unwell or anything, just didn't need to go anywhere. I have been sorting the cupboard under the stairs out ( the black endless hole) well the food shelves, and I have a bit more than I thought so that's a good thing and I found a small stash of coffee so really pleased about that, I must have bought it when it was on offer somewhere.
Anyway going to bed now just looked at the time.
Nannyg