2018 Frugal Living Challenge

cw18

dice them up and use in place of lardons in spaghetti carbona?

cw18

Bebelles wrote: »

3) set myself a no buying toiletries/clothing in January which I’ve stuck too and will try and continue for as long as possible

I don't know if you've found the threads, but there are challenges for both these (though the clothing one tends to be more of an annual thing)

Completely Crazy Clothes Challenge 2018

No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries January 2018

DawnW

never_too_old wrote: »

Thank you
I have 2 small gammon steaks to use but my oh has now decided he doesn't like just cooked steaks( like with poached eggs)
Just wondering if anyone has an innovative way to healthily use them .
Tia:D

Just off the top of my head, you could use them in a quiche, chopped up in an omelette, chopped up with vegetables and tinned tomatoes and made into a chunky main course soup, added to a chicken pie, chopped up in a pasta sauce (some chopped up cooked ham or bacon is gorgeous in macaroni cheese, for example), chop up, fry and scatter over salads, really, anything you would use bacon or ham for.

If they haven't been previously frozen, chop them up and freeze them for when you need pieces of ham or bacon added to a recipe. They will be quite nice and thick, so a bit like the lardons you can buy in the supermarket

Kerry_Woman

Was a spend day. Had to do a food top up. Used price guarantee voucher £6.16, so food shop was £1.14. Entered a 5K charity event, should have been £14.99 entry but had code and it cost £10.49. Ordered buddybox for February should have been £21.50, but was given a code so it was £19.35. Brought 4 blouses from a cs for £4. They will be used to wear to work. I manage to walk into the town centre for shopping and back home again. Half an hour walk each way.
Managed to do a little bit of decluttering.

PennyGrabber

Well, no spends yesterday or today. Only left the house yesterday for the doc, and oh drove me. No prescription needed, just more rest... I haven't needed the heating on for the last two days either - I've been on the sofa under a blanket with a hot water bottle at my feet. Lovely and toasty!! Very little eaten, so that's also frugal!!

I plan on staying inside tomorrow too, and then trying a food shop on Sunday ready for the children's return. Hopefully I'll be feeling well enough then, as oh bought us tickets to see Sarah Millican for my Christmas present! I'd hate to miss that, hence resting up so much.

Have been almost tempted to look on e8ay, etc as I've been home, or even appr0v3d foods, but I know I don't need anything and am only doing it because I'm bored. That's a massive step forward for me, which I am celebrating. Go me!!

PG x

gien

Sorry I haven’t posted before now but I’ve just started a new job and have spent the week busily learning the ropes so I’ve been fairly tired most mights.
Rather wonderfully the fact that I’ve been at work means that I have had 3NSDs since the weekend, the only spends being petrol, dog food and, tonight, two gin and tonics in the pub. So not only am I now earning money but I’m also not spending it!

Kerry_Woman

gien - Congratulations on the new job. Wishing you all the best.

Frugaldom

Glad the new job is going well, Gien.

Nothing exciting happening here other than not spending. I really need to get myself organised as there's so much needing done here. I've advertised for volunteer work exchange students but cold, wet, muddy Scotland in winter doesn't hold the same allure as far off, tropical destinations.

Hope everyone is managing OK with the snowy weather.

FrankieM

Morning everyone

A very mixed bag of a week here. I did some 'over spending' on snack foods but manage to tal myself out of buying a chinese takeaway 3 times!

I've been cooking/eating from what I have at home barr the odd ingredient needed. Fuel is doing well so I won't need any filling up there till next weekend, when the new month begins for me.

I've not cooked so many meals this week, mainly eating tubs out of the freezer. I've found a few that I need to get gone, mostly because I didn't really enjoy them! So this weeks menu is almost last weeks menu.

I'm not working this weekend. I spent most of last year working 6/7 days a week to save for moving house, doing a bit of travelling etc but the shifts on a weekend seem to be getting a bit thin on the ground. I think there are quite a few of us available for the same shifts so the competition is high.
I was hoping to pay off my car loan this year, but that may be more challenging than I expected when I first signed up to the challenge...so if you have any money making ideas, they would be greatly appreciated!

I've got family coming to stay, we are watching one of my daughters in panto and probavly visting the others. Out for tea tonight, and I'm going to do a lasagne for tomorrow, so I may need to pick up some salad but I'll wait to see what people would like. I'm a bit of a fair weather salad eater myself and I'm more likely to go for garlic bread!

The 1lb a week weight loss isn't going to well...so I need to get back on track with that and I think I may join you in February Frugaldom for a month of focus.

Bebelles_2

Thanks Frugaldom, Its nice to know anything is possible in Frugal forum!

Well done on the new job Gien!

To be fair i think with my new job i think initially with car costs etc it will be a bit of a loss leader for maybe even the first two years but certainly for the future its the right step to make which is why i'm so keen to make other savings where i can.

However having a car will allow me to enjoy the delights of Aldi, and other bargain shops which previously have involved the bus and lots of lugging about!


thanks for the links to the other challenges cw18 i'll have a look.

I've made some good starts though after tracking spending for a few months, i've kicked an expensive daily diet coke habit on the head, i am also tying to reduce plastic consumption and i have been making lunch to take every day normally by bulking out evening meals and i have been freezing leftovers - when you start doing it it seems to make so much sense!!

hopefully by april/may i will be able to do a proper budget!

thanks for the warm welcome!