2019 Frugal Living Challenge

Kaylataste

I have been really pleased with my cutbacks,I received a shopping voucher for Xmas and normally I would have just splashed it on random beauty buys without thinking about it.I bought new pillows that I needed and a gorgeous scented candle in the sale.I am definitely thinking about what I buy and am avoiding shops and online shopping as much as possible!

natnat13

Hi everyone,
My week has been slightly more spendy than anticipated.

Thurs I needed milk for home and work. Co-op had 8 pints for £2.20 and I get student discount in there. Then I realised it was a friend's 40th on Friday. I had a card and a gift bag but bought her a bottle of proscecco, no I didn't have to do it but I wanted to and she was really thrilled.

Also on Thursday night I discovered I'd won a competition through one of my jobs which is an overnight stay in London with a trip to see Cirque de soleil! Was so excited BUT it's going to cost money. I have to get there (from Cornwall) and there may be a few spends. I decided to see whether my other job would let me have time off first which they did. So I had a dilema, if I don't go I'm not losing anything but opportunities like that don't come up very often. SO, I looked at trains (£68 return) and deicded to go for it. There's afternoon tea when we arrive and breakfast the next morning. I'll take some food and drink with me too so hopefully I don't spend much when I'm there. It's posh dress for the theatre (Royal Albert Hall!) I have something I can wear. So excited.

Today I had to fill up the car which was anticipated, I only use about a tank a month at the moment so that's not too bad.

I was going to cook steak tonight (using meat voucher) DH then suggested indian takeaway!! I said I thought we were being frugal. I don't think this budget living idea is coming as naturally to him! He said you work hard all week, you don't want to cook. He's paying (we have separate finances and a joint bills account we both pay into).

Food shopping tomorrow, I have meal planned and made a list again.

Have a nice weekend everyone

sistercas

Reported post 271. ... spam

4 NSDs this week as I was at work, did have a spend day yesterday for a top up food shop and some cold and flu stuff for DH as he has man flu

Dd2 has gone back to uni today so I imagine our expenses will go down as she tends to leave all the lights on, has a fan going all night , not to mention all the food etc . Bless her I will miss her though

I am starting to de clutter the kitchen cupboards , it’s a job I hate but it has to be done, my kitchen is tiny so it can’t take a lot of clutter

BrownHare

Had a spendy dinner with friends on Thurs but have been extremely frugal for a week - only bought fresh fruit/veg/milk as needed. Haven't bought any breakfast/lunch/drinks at work.

I've surprised myself how I managed to stick to it, I've had many frugal days but rarely managed to fit them into the same week (or month even).

Drastically cut my sugar/junk food intake but don't feel any better for it (yet).

Decluttering but struggling to sell decent stuff - I'd like to make a few £s and I don't like the idea of throwing useable things away.

chocolatelover93

Hello everyone

Sorry I've not posted in a few days I have been ill

Been indoors all day today and almost bag a NSD until I put something in my basket online and went to delete it but accidentally clicked buy :eek::eek:

Am doing some surveys again to earn a bit more money.

Popped into Iceyland yesterday and topped the freezer up and then went to local butchers to get fresh meat. I think it a lot nicer than SM meat and it is nice to support a local business

I have written a meal plan for the next week but as the freezer is now full I might do one until my next pay day (28th :eek::eek:) seems so long away lol.

I am taking a huge bag and a half full of bits to the CS tomorrow

C xx

BabyStepper

*little.squirrel* wrote: »

We managed to build a compost bin using pallets that we got for free. That was a success!

Thanks for the tip, great idea, now need to persuade OH to get on with it...:D

The_Lady_Sarah

So today has been mostly preparing! lol well will be when I get off the sofa.... Frugality actually takes quite a bit of planning - as I know if I don't have my lunches and Breakfasts ready I won't make them in the morning and normally too tired in the evenings!
So a big bag of carrots that were feeling sorry for themselves and three salvaged parsnips from before Christmas have been boiled up... now debating what to do with them! Soup maybe? Am not into vegitarianism but have the makings for Cheese Scones so that doesn't sound too bad - anyone got any other ideas?
Yesterday was one of my nephews birthdays so £30 pressie and £34 for meal... today it's the other ones!! So another £30 .... but no meal! lol his fiancee is cooking for him... hehe wonder where she got that idea

[Deleted User]

Sorry I've not posted much recently. Apart from work I've not been online much at all and I don't have time to post when I am at work. I am keeping up with reading the thread though.


It's been a fairly frugal weekend for me. Made a big batch of soup yesterday using up some veg and an apple crumble to finish off some apples I ha sitting around. That was mine and OHs dinner last night and will be again today. There may be enough soup to take to work for lunch tomorrow too.

I have been doing some decluttering too. Last weekend a load of books went to the charity shop and today I took some more books - these were walking books we no longer use and some recipe books. I also persuaded OH to let me declutter one of the cupboards in his room. He was not keen at first but I had stuff in his cupboard as he was keen for that to go. So we ended up with another bag full of bits for the charity shop and a few things to go to the tip (like old cassette tapes). We discovered some old photos in OHs room so I may get some new photo albums when I get paid later in the month to keep them safe.


Have a good week everyone.

datlex

Frugaldom wrote: »

Datex, perhaps best you edit your post to remove the referal link in the spammer's post. New user status and that's the only message being posted in several locations throughout MSE isn't the best start if the OP is joining our challenge. (Apologies to 'JeffnAndy' if you are genuine, please let us know you are here to join us.)

I hadn't even seen the referral link. I was quoting the post not sharing the referral link.

nannygladys

Hi everyone
Little squirrel and miss empty piggy at the lottie site Im on, people put on the notice board if they are in need of a greenhouse, shed, paving slabs etc just in case someone on there is trying to get rid some.

I haven't been out shopping or anywhere since Wednesday, still clearing and tidying, its nearly all done now so I will get to the CS perhaps in a couple of days. The attic should be empty as I had new loft insulation put in there a few years ago, so at least that's OK. The garden shed will be done when the weather gets better.

Found a few crafting projects to finish off (forgot I had started them!) so they will keep me busy for the next couple of weeks and then I can start on a quilt that I have everything for but as Im a novice and its pretty big I keep putting it off.

Nannyg