NST February frugality and frolics

ponypal

F Food Expenditure. Budgeted £80 this month
E Excursions and entertainment I have 2 weekends away planned will budget for them both. Other than that I have a budget for entertainment.
B Budgets all done just got to stick to them
R Reduce your planned food expenditure My food shopping budget is already at rock bottom but I will limit buying food out and about to once per week maximum. I got coffee and breakfast today as it’s the 1st and I had banned it all month in January. No regrets to be honest I really appreciated it!
U Useful leftovers. Is my catchphrase all through 2019, it’s a no buy year as much as I can!
A Aim to take your lunch to work every day. That’s the plan!
R Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful. Will try and do this once a day in my journal and post on here weekly.
Y You should pay to your debt or savings first and live on what is left. £100 has gone into savings but will see if I can put more in on payday






S Spend Free Days (SFDs). My aim is 20, not sure how realistic that is. Will be happy with anything over 15.
U Use it up. I have some stuff in my cupboard I REALLY need to use up like couscous etc, Will get on it!
R Regular check ins are recommended, daily if possible. One of my main goals in February is to cut down my internet time so realistically I will try and update once or twice a week, sorry if that isn’t very good!
V Turtles generally avoid the consumer fest of bad taste on the 14th of the month. My and my person usually do not celebrate but I have bought them something they really need replacing as a gift, they would never replace it themselves as they aren’t inclined to spend money on themselves. We didn’t do Christmas this year and it isn’t a frivolous item so I am happy to make an exception this year.
I Indoors/outdoors. I started running in January, and will aim to get up to week 8 of couch to 5k, I’m doing it at my own pace and the snow has obviously disrupted progress. I aim to swim once a week as it’s really good for my back pain.
I am going to write my 10 things that improve my mental health down this weekend and report back to you all.
V Vending machines, coffee shops, takeaways – I pretty much avoided these in January but will continue to do so. I am vegan and I still have not had one of those blasted Greggs sausage rolls which I will make an exception for!
A Advance planning. Absolutely need to be better at this. Need to do some mending things too.
L Let the challenge commence!

Lovelifeloveliving

Hi Turtles:j
May I join the February challenge?
I am in awe of you all:T:j:j I have read the January challenge and you have motivated me to commit and challenge myself to a frugal fun February:o

SpekySquarehead

Food Expenditure. – Last month I spent £130 on groceries. I’m going to aim to get that down to £100, £25 a week.

Excursions/entertainment – I have a visit back to Glasgow planned for the middle of the month. This is for my grans birthday, so I’ll need to organise a gift for her. I also have a friends 30th that I’ll need to show face to. I’ve already said to my other friend that we’ll chip in to get him something.

Budgets – Thanks to YNAB, it’s done.

Reduce – As above

Useful leftovers – I loved eating all those small, annoying and easy to forget frogs. I felt so productive and that bled into my work life too. I’ll be keeping a list and checking it off.

Aim to take your lunch to work – I’m beginning to get sick of soups, so I’ll investigate other easy to prep lunches. Does anyone have any good links to healthy/easy suggestions?

Remind yourself – I find I’m becoming increasingly grateful. Especially for things in the past, such as the way my mum raised me or even the pair of pyjamas she bought me at Xmas!

You should pay to your savings first – Again, thanks to YNAB, this is done.

Spend Free Days (SFDs). You will aim for 18 – Fine by me. I managed 17 last month so I’m going for 18!!

Use it up – My cupboards are barely over spilling as I only buy what I need. I’ll see what I have though.

Regular check ins – Most weekdays, providing work isn’t too crazy.

Indoors/outdoors – I found a nice manageable running circuit which I will aim to do once a week, bettering my time at each attempt.


I am unfortunately starting the month with 2 spend days in a row. I have a works dinner/drinks tonight and tomorrow will be my usual spend day for groceries, petrol etc. BUT!! Plenty of planning should mean I won’t have to spend for a while afterwards.

dolly84

speky - I make chilli and curry at the weekends and take a portion into work during the week, I do extra rice and just pop it all in a glass dish in the fridge. Today I had cous cous with falafel, hummus, salad and sweet chilli sauce.


Worked today, my days are numbered as I think I will only be there this month now. Won't be a NSD as DH is wanting to call at the co-op with a voucher. Pay day for me and my wage was transferred to our house renovation fund minus £21.20 I need for the kids bus fares. The bus fares are costing me over £30 a month and I only work 2 days and do the school run myself on other days and that's with DH collecting them at the halfway point on Tuesday and at school on Friday.


I considered going for a run before tea but when I got out of the car after work the wind was freezing so I decided not to.


Plan for tonight is hm pizza for tea for me, supermarket pizza for DH and the kids, hm vegan chocolate cake for pudding and later a glass of red.

Kerry_Woman

Today was a spend day. Did a food shop(enough for a few weeks), oyster top up, mh buddy box for March, tv mag and charity donations.
Walked to and from one shop, and to another shop from home.
Dealt with a couple of frogs.
Stayed in doors after done shopping. Done some self care.

XSpender

Food Expenditure - £300 £66
Excursions – DH now considering a home cooked curry rather than a takeaway so one expenditure may be cut
Budgets – updated
Reduced food budget by £150
Useful leftovers. COMPLETE 15 FROGS. completed 3/60
Aim to take your lunch to work every day – 1/20
Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful. I am grateful for DH getting on board with Frugal February, aldees pop chips, the scaffolding coming down
You should pay to your debt or savings first and live on what is left. A big chunk put aide to clear the debt but DPIL won't take it back until next month!
Spend Free Days (SFDs). 0/18
Use it up Working on it
Regular check ins are recommended, daily if possible. – I'm here
Outdoors. Regular exercise is important – Nothing today cos it's snowing! ETA: Took the dog out!
Indoors - Nurture and protect yourself. Write down 10 things that help improve your mood and practice them regularly - nothing today
Vending machines, coffee shops – 1/28
Advance planning Stuck to meal plan

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for a friend giving me a lift up the road, for getting lots done early on, for dh sorting out the returns thingy for azda for me, for sainz finally having some white gf/df bread on the shelves, for dh giving me a lift to drop off 2 bags to the Sally Army, for my microwaveable polar bear, for adding to dd's savings account, for dd getting into the posh school up the road (with a sizeable bursary, otherwise we couldn't have afforded it), for all spend being budget buys or necessities. And yes, I count 85% choc as a necessity!!

ilovetea

Good evening everybody.

Not sorted things out yet but hoping for 20 NSD.
Have 2 birthday presents to buy this month,both on the 13th.
Will organise these on my next spend day.
Indoors. Would love to hibernate but work calls sometimes :rotfl:
Still trying to sort the elephant which is my craft cupboard. Sold a lot of stuff though.
Usually plan meals in advance and do extra sometimes for the next day/freezer,so don't have many leftovers.
No plans for Val's day but if anyone wants to send me flowers............

ilovetea xx

greent

F Food Expenditure.
Will see if there are any products we can downshift - most have been except for some non-negotiable brands (which are then usually stocked up when offers are on) I have started downshifting more with some shops, though (eg: Savers, B&M etc) for household items

E Excursions and entertainment should be planned before the month starts. Half term - possible trip to see student children - will involve a night in cheapy hotel if we see both. Fuel, hotel + food. Leg0 shopping in uni city 1 can be paid for by smalls' Xmas monies.... Also means smalls see big siblings before Easter hols! Can't think of anything else we have on this month at the mo.

B Budgets set. Food reduced to £350 - plus a special extra Brexi-pocalypse budget of £50 specifically for stocking up (items not to be eaten before Brex1t)
Food £16.76/ 350
Brexi-pocalypse £14.00/ 50

U Useful leftoversWill carry on with frogs

A Aim to take your lunch Only times I'm in work are for part days, so n/a.

R Remind yourself of what you have and be grateful. Today - chocolate, hugs from DS3, the snow clearing

Y You should pay your debt or savings first DDR + Sto to ISA and Savings accts go out on Monday. Will add to hol fund with any 'extra' monies.

S Spend Free Days (SFDs).

U Use it up. Continuing with this (whilst also building Brexi-pocalypse stores up.....!!)

R Regular check ins

V Not usually done here nowadays

I Indoors/outdoors. Regular exercise Walking
Indoors - being a hermit. - snuggly blankets on sofa, candles, hot mugs of tea

V Vending machines etc, Have budget for a takeaway in month plus will need food if we do student trip in half term.

A Advance planning. I don't meal plan - it honestly doesn't work with my OH - it creates waste instead However, we really do have minimal food waste. The freezer is my buddy! Leftovers are frozen or eaten for lunch. Guinea pigs have some veg trimmings and excess. I'm happy to eat weird combos to make sure things aren't wasted.
Growing food - will check seed tin in garage and see what we have. May start some off indoors after half term.
DIY - have some small projects (inc frog ones) to sort - have some materials (not all)

L Let the challenge commence

mothernerd

Well done on the free greenhouse a_silver_lining. I want a hobbit house inside a geodesic dome (so that it acts as a heat collector and heated growing space) but, due to budgetary constraints, will settle for large shed inside a polytunnel shape greenhouse made from plastic bottles.

Moneybutterfly35 I like that those of you going out for meals are using vouchers.

aimeemum boo to delivery mix-ups.