2018 Frugal Living Challenge

FrankieM

I'm back, having done my research.

Water: I'm not on a water meter. I'm not sure why I thought I was. Perhaps it's because the rates were half of my previous property and so I made an assumption. So, I'll just need to wait for the new bill and see what that comes to. I'm paying just over £20 a month at the moment but that's over 12 months cause of when I moved in. It'll probably be more if I take it over the normal 8 months but I'll see come Feb/March time.

Phone calls to Australia: I've found a number to ring. Looks like it could save me about 40% on the calls so I'm going to start using that and see what my bills look like.

Gas & electric: Looking on money supermarket, I can save at most £7 a month, so the money saving is going to come from reduced usage. Most of these deals are tied in for at least 13 months and so I'm a little nervous of doing that for such a small amount as I'm in a rented property at the moment. I'm going to see if I can bring my usage down first and then go from there.

Not quite the huge money saving event I was hoping for, sadly, but at least I'm more knowledgeable about it all and, especially with gas and electric, I'm not kidding myself that it's all about the tariff and not about me having to change my ways.

System

Hello everyone, not a bad week here. My food shopping arrived yesterday I shop online and make sure I find a slot for £1, as my toddler doesn’t let me concentrate on a full shop when she’s with me! We spent £68 for the week and I’m hoping not to have to top up unless we need bread/milk. I made homemade turkey and bacon sausage rolls they were very nice, have left overs for tomorrow and work tonight. We did spend £15 going to a play area this morning for the girls but we only do this once a month, alternate with free parks/bike rides and feeding the ducks. Time for a nap now with the smallest one while my older girl and daddy chill with a film. Happy Saturday

Kerry_Woman

Only spent a small amount of money on a few food items today. Did a some food shopping yesterday as well. Did treat myself to a ticket for the Elvis on Tour Exhibition which I went to yesterday. Only brought the souvenir programme. Some of the other merchandise on sale was really expensive. A casual jacket was going for £110. Also got some colouring pencils for the mindful colouring book which was included in a bubbybox from a mental health support organisation which I brought. Have been managing to go out for a walk nearly every day. Also have been decluttering.

evuka

Frugaldom wrote: »

You might like the old thread (link in post 1) covering the challenge to save to buy a house.

I need to check that out, too. Thanks for highlighting it, Frugaldom!

Frugaldom

Hello frugalers, it's been a busy past week or so but I still haven't had to buy anything more than milk, so 2 x £1.59 is the total spend so far this year. (I always have a stockpile of UHT and powdered milk for cooking etc)

Leftovers and using up everything possible is going to continue until I can get the freezer defrosted but that could still be some time away - it's refilling with soup and more leftovers faster than I can empty it!

Been working outdoors every day, despite the weather. I am trying to prepare for planting this year's produce and have a load of willows still to be cut so I can replant them elsewhere. I have several blueberry plants needing put into the ground and 2 each of black grapes, white grapes and hardy kiwis to repot, so the coming week is going to be spent raking through seeds and preparing gardening stuff.

Savings so far = hens are still laying, so I still have a couple of pounds each week coming in from sales, I haven't spent any of my Nectar points yet, I have an Argos voucher and Amazon voucher, so I'm juggling those so I can get as much as possible.

Frugaldom

debtaghh wrote: »

Morning,

I’ve had a very frugal week and turned down a meal out and used a free coffee and cake voucher as a free treat. Since starting this challenge I’ve changed my way of thinking of what enjoyment is. I have to admit I did nearly get a takeaway on Thursday as I had a headache all day and was out until gone 7 but my dh reminded me that it wasn’t very frugal so we didn’t. Hoping for a nice frugal weekend!

WELL DONE! I hope the headache cleared away quickly - you did well to resist the temptation of takeaway under those circumstances.

Frugaldom

PlaysNicely wrote: »

:wave:
Simple pleasures this week:
* Still loving the spreadsheet, strange how it affects the mindset having to put the - sign in front of spends, am trying not to have to do this! Thanks again for this.
* Birds and the secret life of squirrels in the garden, free entertainment at its finest, only missing a voice-over from David Attenborough!

I love seeing the wildlife in the garden - we got bargain trail cam for Christmas and the photos it has been capturing are amazing! We have a family of badgers and a couple of Roe deer visiting regularly, so the savings budget had been further reduced because of all the peanuts being bought! :rotfl:

lynnejk

FrankieM wrote: »

...........
And, last but not least...I need to find a cheaper way of calling my Mum and Dad in Australia..so a bit of research needing to happen today......

Hiya - have you thought of using WhatsApp ??

I use it to message/video-call my DS, who lives in Ibiza, two or three times a week

So long as you're on free wifi - eg on your home networks - it's free world-wide HTH
Lx

PennyGrabber

Well, yesterday was a very spendy day...

Two expenses I couldn't change were car tax and dd party. That came to £225 between them.
Then in town, £11.09 in card shop for 9 cards and 12 2nd class stamps (how much are stamps these days?!!). £15.61 in McDonald's, £2 parking.

When in card shop, I paid with a £20 note, but wasn't giv my change. The old me would've said oh well, lesson learnt. The new me said no! So I rang them (only realised once home) and they said to pop in with receipt and they'll give it to me. £8.91 is a lot of money!

On Friday, it should've been a nsd, but I ended up spending £3 on parking up at the hospital. Ds fell over at school and broke his arm

Will be doing the weekly shop today, but don't need very much. Will report back later!

PG x

debtaghh

Sorry to hear about your son’s arm penny grabber and well done in calling the card shop!