2019 Frugal Living Challenge

FrankieM

My frugal ways have gone flying out the door since I've paid off my debt and been away, so I really need to get back on it.

I went to view a house that's for sale over the weekend and realised that if I don't sort out my budget/spending/saving then I won't be buying anything for a very, very long time, and that is not part of my plan.

Crafty_Lisa_Hampshire

I hope everyone's luck turns soon - there is a lot of negative things happening to people out there. Hope all is well in the end.


Had a check of my finances last night and its not looking so good. I had a weekend away on 1 June which I thought I had budgeted for and thought I had kept to my budget but I suspect not. I also unexpectedly had my eldest nephew come and stay with me this weekend which I loved but as it was unplanned I had to spend money on food and activities which I probably would have prepared better for by making snacks and biscuits and the like. Anyway I have two weeks left until pay day and my food budget left is about £30.00. I have got stuff in the cupboards and freezer so I should be alright but I will have to be a little clever with my lunches. I'm not so keen on soup in summer (although it hasn't felt like summer the past few days) but I may have to make a batch of that up to keep me going. I also have a couple of evenings out booked up - a meal out and a gig. I may have to be a bit careful when I order my meal out and I may decide to drive to the gig to save me spending on a taxi back and alcohol. I am determined to stay within my total budget for the month - I do not want to dip into savings that I have put aside for a new washing machine (which is on its last legs) and my holiday for next year. I need to have something to look forward to.


Again my no spend days are looking rather poor this month. I have only had one no spend day since I got paid on 26th - that really is very bad. I'm not planning on spending anything today (which is one reason why I am staying in the office for lunch today) so that will be two days. I wonder if I can possibly do more than 7 days in total this month.


My sewing projects are going okay for this month although I am finding that although I thought I had all the bits and pieces to finish them I may need to buy some additional notions but I will leave them until after pay day if it does turn out to be the case and just work on the ones I know I can finish for sure.


The allotment is looking good and I have been inspired on starting a project in my patch of the shared garden I have with my neighbour at home. Hopefully I can get these done on a smallish budget. I want to make some raised beds but have found a reclamation yard local to me where I can get old scaffold boards which seem cheaper than buying fresh wood (it will also be more environmentally friendly). I want to do a small patio as well and I may be able to get some old slabs from a friend who is thinking of redoing her patio. I need to ask her. The garden is not a project I want to get done now so I can wait until I can source the materials needed before starting.


A positive for this month has been that when I had my appraisal last week I was told I would get the annual bonus which they pay on a good appraisal. I'm not sure how much that will be (previous years it hasn't really been much worth writing home about once the tax man has taken his share) but whatever I get will be a very welcome addition to my finances. Hopefully I will be able to get the washing machine that I need this year when I combine it with the savings I already have for that.


Better get back to work. Good luck with all your frugalling.

Kerry_Woman

cw18 - Sending you hugs.

mumof3.12kindebt - Congratulations.

Frugaldom

mumof3.12kindebt wrote: »

...We picked up the keys today to our new home. We are officially home owners :j :j

:beer: CONGRATULATIONS! :T

Lifeisforliving19

Been reading posts but not posted for ages. Just after some advice about chopping boards in an effort to do a lot more cooking from scratch I need to invest in some new ones. What does everybody think....Plastic or wooden? Used to be that plastic were thought of as more hygenic, but now I ahve read that once scratched they are not so good. However you can wash them easier than wood. If I do get plastic they need to last a life time as I don't really buy plastic these days.

Shopaholic_no_more

Hi All


Crafty Lisa
Spreadsheets truly are the eye opener in my case too!
That is a great idea to get your dad to help you out in your garden for your birthday...I may suggest something like that to my family too!
I do need to work on my NSD's though ...


Pipney Jane
I love micro budgets!
I have been doing a hair fund one and that has been a revelation for me to actually have the cash rather than putting it on my card....
My car is due its MOT in September and I like to get it serviced as well at the same time because I do a fair few miles every year and so far I have saved £180 towards that which, believe me, is astounding that I haven't broken into it and used it for something else...sealed boxes really do work!


Sinkorswim
I get where you are coming from with the OT as this has been the case for me ...I can see the hours building up over the month and that is a good incentive but at the same time I have to be careful I don't burn myself out and get ill... undoing all the good work because I don't get paid for being off sick.


CW
It is so difficult isn't it trying to weigh up which is the best way to go in these situations...but I would do the same thing if I was in your shoes and try and keep the car on the road for as long as possible. I do a round trip of 50 miles a day to my job purely so as I can check in on my mum every day who lives 2 miles away from where I work. I could easily get something similar nearer to my home but I have to make sure my mum is ok.


Siebre
Wishing you a speedy solution to your leaking extension...


Frugaldom
I'm not sure I could do any rationing ...I like my food too much


Davesaver
Well done!


Mumof3
Congratulations and good luck in your new home


Lifeisforliving
I think you should buy wooden...that is the way to go these days...unless of course you could recycle your plastic chopping board in the future..:)


Ok I have caught up with everyone now I think!
This has not been a good month for me so far...we have had another cat taken ill...thankfully she is ok but not after having to take her to an emergency vet and then another follow up vet appointment which of course none of it was budgeted for (has anyone else had to use an emergency vet?? I was probably a bit hasty and panicked but man that was a shocking bill I got there!!) and as she is 15 this year there is no way I could have got insurance for her...so unfortunately I had no choice but to put it on the CC so that has set me back a bit...but my little cat is well again and that is the main thing.


I am on holiday next week and we are spending it at home and the challenge is to be as frugal as possible and not be tempted by going near any shops or looking at stuff on the internet!! Then when I go back to work I need to get back into doing a certain amount of overtime every month (luckily we are always busy) and not push myself to the brink at the same time.


Have a great evening!

Siebrie

Siebrie wrote: »

Furthermore, our house started leaking, the old and weird extension is either no longer waterproof or coming away from the house, and the horrific rain bursts of the last three days drove that point really home with leaks in the garage/pantry, home office and possibly living room (I heard the water, but cannot see any damage).

the extension is only leaking a little bit.... the leaks that required a pan to catch the drips, were actually overflowing gutters! I have removed 8 buckets full of leaves and helicopter seeds from just two gutters yesterday....

PipneyJane

Lifeisforliving19 wrote: »

Been reading posts but not posted for ages. Just after some advice about chopping boards in an effort to do a lot more cooking from scratch I need to invest in some new ones. What does everybody think....Plastic or wooden? Used to be that plastic were thought of as more hygenic, but now I ahve read that once scratched they are not so good. However you can wash them easier than wood. If I do get plastic they need to last a life time as I don't really buy plastic these days.

My plastic chopping boards are 20 years old and look almost as good as new. They're used every day and are mostly handwashed, although I will put them in the dishwasher if there's room (and they're really mucky) and have occasionally been known to pour a kettle of boiling water over them. When I chop meat, I'll do so on a separate board with a different knife but that's the only quarantine - they all get washed up together. If you are really worried about hygiene, then you could always soak the board in Milton's.

The downsides of wooden boards are that they stain, cannot be soaked and they can't go in the dishwasher.

HTH

- Pip

little_green

just checking in. Really enjoy reading everyone's updates
I have the flu at the moment blugh!!!! but other than that on track for this month & hoping it stays that way.

cw - sorry to hear of your parents poor health. Try not to put so much pressure on yourself about making a decision or overthink it, just do what is best for you even if it doesnt seem like the best from the outside. Remember time & wellbeing & more important than money

Frugaldom

Siebrie wrote: »

the extension is only leaking a little bit.... the leaks that required a pan to catch the drips, were actually overflowing gutters! I have removed 8 buckets full of leaves and helicopter seeds from just two gutters yesterday....

That should be a huge relief for you - the simplest things can have the most impact, which is probably why we all get told to pay attention to the little things so they don't turn into big things. Or in the case of money, pay attention to the little pennies so they do turn into bigger pounds.