2018 Frugal Living Challenge

System

Hello guys I haven!!!8217;t posted much recently as had a nightmare sorting out stuff for my husband who had a lot of debt I didn!!!8217;t know about so that had me stressed for a while (on top of trying to sort out our joint/my debt!) so I have been even more determined to be as frugal as possible this year.

I have, for the first month done all my main ships at Aldi, which has literally shaved lots off my grocery spends. I hope to continue this. The husband and kids like branded crisps so I!!!8217;ve got a wallet of farm foods vouchers and am going to go in there and see what I can get. We have our only holiday this year next Sunday (Disneyland) but have already paid for everything, have half board meals and spending money sorted.

Hope everyone else is well, I!!!8217;ll catch up on the thread later at work if I get a chance!

Moll

Hope this is ok to post this , but I came across a good recycling site , that I thought had some nice ideas for old pallets
https://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com/fun-finds-friday-the-best-diy-wood-pallet-ideas/


especially like the garden stuff.


Doing well on the frugal front here, Just need a bag of spuds tomorrow , and I have enough meal plans for the next few days . Made parsnip soup today , I made a batch and share with a friend who does the same with another variety of soup ( Think shes making leek and potatoe ) so gives us a bit of choice,
Anyone who grows fruit trees in tubs/ containers .....do you yield enough fruit ? Ive got a pear tree , but it doesn't do great( In the garden not tubs ) and im thinking of replacing it with a Victoria plum as we all like those, but I only have room in the garden for one tree, so wondered about tubs

Fizzyisbusy

Hi Folks!

Well, unexpectedly I find I am moving house, locally, so won’t be costly as my friends are all helping me! I’m having to move as a neighbour fairly new to the area has taken against me. Her dog put my dog to the vet, and she has been basically making my life difficult. So, in order to have peace of mind and keep my dogs safe, I’m moving further up the glen! The factor is giving me a stunning house, so it’s an ill wind and all that!
There will be some costs involved and the rent is more, but my anxiety was coming back due to constant worry so there we are. It means readjusting my budget planning, but frugaldom is brilliant.

Your posts are really helpful and give some great ideas!

Fizzyisbusy !!!128522;

indigowarrior

Good luck in moving house Fizzyisbusy.

grandma247

indigowarrior that company is as bad as br!ghth0use. They are no better than loansharks. Look for a credit union near you. Our savings are in ours and we have a bill paying/emergency account too for the unexpected. I like it because I have to go in and ask for the money so it makes me think carefully first.

Moll

The factor is giving me a stunning house, so it’s an ill wind and all that!



Good luck and happiness in your new home , it sounds lovely ,

Frugaldom

indigowarrior wrote: »

My spends for today has been:
Food £0/£150
Electric: £40/£40
Takeaway £12.50/£20
Transport: £0/£20
Gifts: £10/£10
Eating Out: £0/10
Clothing: £0/£20
Sundries: £0/£10
Entertainment: £0/£20
Total: £62.50/£300

I may use what I have saved so far to clear one of my debts. It is with Perfect Home (a rent to own company) and has a balance of £345.36 and an APR of 89%. If i don't clear the account tomorrow then I will finish paying the account at the end of June. Perfect Home in my opinion can be very heavy handed in their tactics. Constant phone calls and texts. For example: A fortnight ago I paid 3 weeks in advance. So imagine my surprise to get a text from the company saying that they need to discuss my account. I logged on to my account and found that I owed £2.45. I mean seriously!

I have lost my bank card so need to wait for that to arrive. I will make a choice on what to do then.

Yes, I would most definitely get shot of 'Perfect Home'!! Even if it means no eating out, no takeaways and no luxury extras for a month, getting rid of that will help no end. Those types of places make me so angry, preying on people, making them think life and home is imperfect without borrowing to buy stuff most of us can live without. Arg! Yes, kill that debt ASAP then celebrate your achievement! (In a frugal way ::rotfl: )

indigowarrior

It will have to wait until my next payment day! I have knocked over £250 off my debt. Which is just a drop in the ocean I know.

DawnW

Moll wrote: »

Anyone who grows fruit trees in tubs/ containers .....do you yield enough fruit ? Ive got a pear tree , but it doesn't do great( In the garden not tubs ) and im thinking of replacing it with a Victoria plum as we all like those, but I only have room in the garden for one tree, so wondered about tubs

Moll, if you only have one tree, that might be the reason why it doesn't fruit well. Most fruit tree varieties need at least 2 trees to ensure pollination. Usually you use different varieties, but they need to flower at the same time. You need to google to see which varieties pollinate each other - a Victoria plum I am afraid, on its own, would not do any better than your pear

There are a few exceptions, but these varieties are always advertised as 'self fertile'.

You can grow fruit trees in containers, but you need to choose ones that are grafted onto dwarfing root stocks, so that they stay small. You also need to take care that you feed and water them enough, and the pollinator thing still applies, unless you find a self fertile variety. I have a self fertile quince tree that lives in a very big pot, and fruits well, and also a self fertile blueberry, which makes a pretty shrub on the patio - and it produces blueberries I also have 2 minaret apples, (varieties which pollinate each other), and self fertile cherry and pear minarets, which grow at the back of a large raised bed. My garden is only small, but I also have flowers, vegetables, raspberrie and rhubarb, so it is amazing what you can grow.

If I were you, I would do a bit of research on dwarfing root stocks, pollinators and self fertile fruit varieties before you make any decisions.

evuka

Fizzyisbusy wrote: »

Hi Folks!

Well, unexpectedly I find I am moving house, locally, so won’t be costly as my friends are all helping me! I’m having to move as a neighbour fairly new to the area has taken against me. Her dog put my dog to the vet, and she has been basically making my life difficult. So, in order to have peace of mind and keep my dogs safe, I’m moving further up the glen! The factor is giving me a stunning house, so it’s an ill wind and all that!
There will be some costs involved and the rent is more, but my anxiety was coming back due to constant worry so there we are. It means readjusting my budget planning, but frugaldom is brilliant.

Your posts are really helpful and give some great ideas!

Fizzyisbusy !!!128522;

I think a little higher cost on the rent is worth not having anxiety and constant worry. Good luck with your move and keep on frugalling! :T

indigowarrior wrote: »

It will have to wait until my next payment day! I have knocked over £250 off my debt. Which is just a drop in the ocean I know.

May be a drop in the ocean but the ocean itself is made by lots of drops, if you see what I mean, so just keep going (or dropping? :rotfl:)!

I see you state in your sig "homeowner by 40" - may I ask how old are you? I'm 36 and would love to have my own home at 40 but I often wonder if I have enough determination to make it :think: