2020 Frugal Living Challenge

Missywissy

Hi all
I think I have spent less money in lock down as I haven't been eating out and non essential shops are closed. I really want to keep this up, but I think it will be hard once things return to normal. 

Frugaldom

Hello, hope everyone is doing ok.
@Missywissy, welcome to frugal living - it's a bit of a shock to the sysem for some when frst beginning but you soon get used to it and then it becomes habt forming. By encouraging the good, helpful habits and discouraging all others, frugal living becomes a lifestyle we enjoy.
I do hope those with no access to their own outdoor spaces are able to find and access a Frugaldom-type project nearby. The ability to get outside and escape the rat race for a bit is one of the things I count as essential

willow_loulou

I managed to pay a bit more off my loan. I’d not been paid for a while from prolific and another few similar things so decided to claim all the money and paid a big chunk off! My wish to clear the loan before dd goes to uni is now a reality! Awesome! 

Redoing my budgets and finances today as I want to get more soil and a couple of big pots. What can I recycle to use as larger pots? If I can’t come up with something cheap or recycling wise I’ll have to use grow bag things. 

Hope you’re keeping up with your jobs okay @Frugaldom x

cw18

willow_loulou said:

What can I recycle to use as larger pots? If I can’t come up with something cheap or recycling wise I’ll have to use grow bag things.

How big?    I used to pick up black plastic buckets from Morrisons that their cut flowers arrived in.   The used to sell them as packs of 8 for a couple of quid (but that was about 9 years ago).   I then put holes in the bottom of them for draining using either a drill (with care) or a heated up metal skewer (seem to recall I then enlarged those with the drill, but didn't split as many as the starting point was already there).   They weren't bad for small crops of baby potatoes

willow_loulou

cw18 said:

willow_loulou said:

What can I recycle to use as larger pots? If I can’t come up with something cheap or recycling wise I’ll have to use grow bag things.

How big?    I used to pick up black plastic buckets from Morrisons that their cut flowers arrived in.   The used to sell them as packs of 8 for a couple of quid (but that was about 9 years ago).   I then put holes in the bottom of them for draining using either a drill (with care) or a heated up metal skewer (seem to recall I then enlarged those with the drill, but didn't split as many as the starting point was already there).   They weren't bad for small crops of baby potatoes

Something big enough for tomato and pepper plants, and maybe corn too. Those might be good, my neighbour works in Morrison I’ll ask her to look see if they sell them 

ancientmum

Willow, I have grown potatoes in supermarket carrier bags, the big sturdy (eg. Elephant) ones.  You just have to make sure they have drainage holes at the bottom.

Frugaldom

I have potatoes growing in black buckets - not expecting to get many potatoes from them but they were all sprouted potatoes from the kitchen, so I chopped them up and planted each of the pieces.
Managing to keep on top of most jobs here, although I dought I'll ever properly catch up.  Past week has been busy, early starts, late finishes. We now have another 10 hens that we agreed to rehome here so hopefully they will lay a few eggs once they all complete their moults. Someone dropped off an old fridge at the barn today so that has been set up as a mouse-proof store for livestock feed supplements and veterinary stuff. The other fridge we have is on its back and gets used to store pony feed.
Still holding out on the shopping and just making do with whatever I can grow, swap or get locally. Egg and chive salad is a popular choice, or spinach omelette.   I really need to clear out the potting shed so I can get the tomato plants sorted out.

FrankieM

Hi everyone

Sorry about the absence in posting, it's been a tough time and quite the emotional rollercoaster!

I'm still on furlough and currently no news on when that may end.

My employer has made half the factory staff redundant and I'm expecting something similar for the rest of the company, so I'm looking around and seeing what kind of back up plan I can get in place in case I'm one of the numbers that gets the chop.

Mum and I have started house hunting. It's a slow process cause the kind of house we are looking for is quite unique, so it's a case of constantly checking online.

Other than that, I'm trying to keep spending down, which is my only real contribution to frugality

nannygladys

Hi everyone, 
FrankieM - my DDs partner thinks he will be made redundant when things get back to normal, its always a worry. My other DD and husband both work for the NHS and they are working lots of OT at the moment so hopefully that will keep them going for a bit.
Ive been MIA the last couple of weeks for no particular reason, just not coming onto the internet so much. I have been coming out of my lockdown slowly and have been to a couple of shops and oh my I want to go back into LD as I went a bit mad!!! only buying food though so it will all get used eventually, but Ive been reading about the possibility of shortages later in the year ref Brexit and fall out from covid, so that was my excuse, but I don't feel happy about what I did, I felt my simple, frugal living was compromised. Mind you I was able to help out DD though, and as I said it will all get used (mostly tins and dried stuff - and I do eat what I bought, still trying to justify it!.
Things are taking off quickly down the lottie and the strawberries are coming think and fast, so that jam making season has started!! and we are lucky to have water on site, but I do have water butts on there so only use the onsite water to fill the butts up if its been dry.Its nice to go down there and pootle around! The garden is looking OK but I do need a couple of bits and pieces for it but I will wait now until the sales at the end of the season as none of it is essential - just to make it more pleasant.
Right off to consult Jack Munro to see what I can make for lunch, I try to choose a different recipe book each month to eat out of and this month its Jack!!! It was Jamie last month and Hugh the month before!!! Its nice to choose a few new recipes.
Hoping you are all keeping safe and well.
Nannyg
 

Nonnadiluca

Great idea about using different recipe books, it's so easy to get into a rut and cook the same old things time after time.
As I only shop once a week now, I do a meal plan which makes me think a bit more about what we're having - when I see it written down the repetition is very obvious!