Sort of debt-free but hope to be a super-scrimper in 2019

System

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Thank you:T. Yes, that's exactly how I see it. They've had more than their pound of flesh off me over the years:eek:

I agree with you, we have paid so much interest so not afraid of offering some silly F&F's.


I have a diary as well, but as not much is happening in DMP world at the moment, I tend to fill it with other waffle...lol


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5161213/off-on-our-adventure-jan-2015

themadvix

Found you CBC! Happy new diary, I shall follow with interest

millionaire_in_training

Hello there. I've followed you from another diary. I'll keep you company xx

Sayschezza

I don't post much but I do follow you on other threads so have subscribed. Well done CBC on paying all that debt on your own. I can only imagine how you felt when you had your first LBM. It must have been really scary. I am also in my 70's so another reason to follow you with interest.

GlendaSugarbean

Happy new diary! I'm another who has followed your posts elsewhere. I'm glad you've felt confident enough to carve out your own space here.

gallygirl

What great progress you've made CBC

Sun_Addict

So pleased you've started your own diary. I've read your posts on HHOD's diary and found them very interesting. You've done really well paying off the debt. I really think that buying things is often to fill a void elsewhere. Look forward to following

[Deleted User]

I would just like to start off today by thanking everyone who has visited my diary and has posted such lovely welcoming messages. I was quite emotional when I read them, almost teary in fact. It all meant more than you will ever know so please accept my heartfelt gratitude:T:T:T


I was going to do an update on my plans on how I'm going to manage my super-scrimping year but will do that next time. I bet you all can't wait:rotfl:. Basically, though, during the whole of 2019 I hope to spend nothing (or as near to nothing as I can get) over and above what I need to spend on utilities, food, car and other absolute essentials that can't be avoided. Even then, everything has been pared to the bone already so there's really very few savings to be made on the outlay for these. All except the food/grocery budget which I'm focusing on in a big way during the whole of January:eek:.


I've spent several hours doing an inventory of the fridge, freezers and cupboards to see exactly what I already have. I know, I should get out more:rotfl:. I don't waste any food and I try to rotate things so I don't miss 'use by' dates (which I always take notice of and 'best before' (which I often ignore). Thankfully, there was nothing in my supplies which would be dangerous to eat:j. I have a very good stash of tinned and dried goods as I buy in bulk if I can when I spot things I normally buy when 'on offer'. We live in a rural location with miles to the nearest shop and when The Beast from the East struck last year our lane was impassable for about 5 days. When we did manage to get through to the nearest village with a tiny shop they had run out of most things especially milk and bread which is what I really went there for:(. I daren't risk being cut off without food and hope another Beast doesn't strike when my supplies have been completely used up and before I can restock. The downside, of course, of saving money when surviving for a month on food already bought is that next month is likely to be very expensive when stocking up again from scratch:eek:.


We grow our own veg and some fruit so the big freezer is still pretty full with last year's crop. I love cauliflower but we never have any success with growing them for some reason so OH doesn't even try now. I'll really miss cauliflower cheese this month. I also have one and a half frozen loaves of bread too. The small freezer above the fridge has the meat; fish; a massive bag of cheese that I grated and froze when I bought 2 huge yellow-stickered blocks ; portions of meals that I've bulk-cooked and lots of portions of HM soup which we have for lunch most days. There are various other bits and bobs too. Likewise, the fridge has the usual stuff in it.


After totting it all up I think I can manage to make enough meals for the 2 of us to the end of the month without having to buy anything except milk and bread. I use powdered milk for sauces, custard etc but we can't stand it for drinking or on cereal. I have about 3 litres of real milk in and that should see us through well into next week. I like trying to make something interesting and tasty out of an unlikely combination of ingredients so it might turn out to be fun, although I've never attempted it for such a long stretch before. So long as OH eats it it will be case of 'job done' IMO. He loves his food and can eat for England:rotfl:


I don't intend to post a blow by blow account of our meals but later on in the month when I might have a strange selection of ingredients left to use I'll certainly be asking for your help with ideas. I know the Storecupboard Challenge and the various other named versions of it have been popular with lots of people on MSE over the years:j.


My 'spend nothing on food' challenge will fail fairly soon as I'll have to buy milk and eventually bread because there are no viable alternatives that I have in:(. I do have 7 x £5 More vouchers from Morrisons so by spending part of them on just those essentials I'm not using 'real' money and I'm going to allow myself that little cheat:o. If they don't sell what I need at Morrisons we won't be having it!



Thanks for reading (if anyone has soldiered on this far:rotfl:).

System

Well done on saving up Morrisons vouchers. I always seem to end up spending them, even when I say I am going to save them.

[Deleted User]

ploppy57 wrote: »

Well done on saving up Morrisons vouchers. I always seem to end up spending them, even when I say I am going to save them.

The only reason I saved mine up was because I hadn't been into the store in person for ages. I asked OH to buy something for me a couple of times but he forgot to take my More card and the cashier wouldn't accept the vouchers without it. Maybe a Jobsworth:(


I've been using Morrisons online as they started home delivery in our area a few months ago and to get established sent lots of online money-off codes and free delivery for several months:j. The paper vouchers couldn't be used online. I've now changed my More settings so any vouchers earned from now will be issued as online codes. I like the home delivery because my nearest Morrisons store is tiny although it's a fully-fledged supermarket not a 'local' type branch. It's just a very small country town that it's in, all the shops there are really small:(. The home delivery comes from a depot where they have the full range of stock so I can get things I don't ever see at my local branch. I still like to go into the shop in person though as I'm always on the lookout for yellow-stickered food especially meat:j