2020 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugaldom

Good morning frugalers

@sashacat, I agree with the above - ordinary vinegar and pickling sices. I have a little pack of them and they have lasted years. Like @DawnW, I don't even look at the BBE dates as they have been stored in dry, cool and dark conditions.

Car taxed, now have small electric bill (£45) and car insurance (£167) due paid in July and by then there may be enough in my cashback account to warrant transferring it. I checked my Nectar card and there's about £25 on that. A friend has just informed me that M0rrisons is doing grocery deliveries in our area but on checking cashback, they have suspended it during Covid pandemic. Not so sure I agree with their principles in holding onto every penny during these times so I will wait to see if the cashback option returns for new customers before registering on their site.

I'm now one tiny step closer to having a 'cabin in the woods' getaway. I know it's going to take a while but my 5-year plan for Frugaldom ended last year (this year we should have opened to the public) and my 10-year plan includes the microholdings project. I have 4 years remaining to get everything completed. That's not long in the grand scheme of things!

sashacat

Thanks Dawn, I will use the white wine vinegar and stock up on the pickling vinegar when I next go shopping. 
Someone in the village kindly gave me 5 eggs this morning as their hens are laying too many. 
We share a lot in the village which is great. I have swopped a lettuce from my greenhouse for flapjacks last week and we gift left over seeds and plants. I gifted all my excess cabbage, cauli and broccoli plants to others. I just planted a lot of seeds and they all germinated and I had far too many healthy little plants. We share plant pots too. 

Kerry_Woman

FrankieM - Best wishes for your future.

willow_loulou

Super chuffed today, I asked my neighbour to keep an eye out for a pallet just yesterday as he’s back working, he brought me one this morning!! I’m going  to  Attach it to my fence as a wind break and plant it up 🥰 so pleased.  

Pixiehouse55

That sounds very exciting a cabin in the woods Frugaldom. Good luck with that.
Today we have chatted and agreed that we need some new windows and the house really does need rewiring.  Not sure how much that will cost so I best carry on putting the pennies away. I think it might be 3 years now before mortgage is paid off and we can buy our narrow boat and live on the canal.....

willow_loulou

Very excited that my neighbours opposite gave me their lovely garden furniture as they got a bigger set ❤️ I’ve not had nice garden furniture before. So I’ve moved my paved area around a bit to accommodate it. Looking forward to morning coffee tomorrow! 

Frugaldom

Pixiehouse55 said:

That sounds very exciting a cabin in the woods Frugaldom. Good luck with that.
Today we have chatted and agreed that we need some new windows and the house really does need rewiring.  Not sure how much that will cost so I best carry on putting the pennies away. I think it might be 3 years now before mortgage is paid off and we can buy our narrow boat and live on the canal.....

A narrow boat on the canal sounds equally exciting! I have friends who did that for a while, before selling their boat and buying a yurt. All forms of alternative, low-impact lifesyle fascinate me so please keep me up to date with your progress.
@willow_loulou that was a great gif from the neighbours. Enjoy our new-to-you garden furniture.
Tomorrow, I need to go and collect animal feed. I tried to order 2 of the big 1000L water tanks but the agri-merchant has sold out and can't get any more in stock! 

nannygladys

Hi everyone
Some good things seem to be happening to people and may it carry on. I have had a glut of strawberries and its looks like I will have one of raspberries so its jam giving time for me, people always seem happy and I know it tastes nice as I keep enough to last me until next years crop.
Its great that people are gifting things to neighbours instead of disposing of them, we have a 'road' WhatsApp group and people offer things on there from seeds upwards and its great as we all don't know each other that well, the virus has made people more community minded, well around here anyway and it feels great when you walk down the road and you can say hello I just hope it carries on.

Well off to see whats on my to do list today and get started!
Nannyg

sashacat

Wow, willow, that is so kind of your neighbours. I have never had nice garden furniture either. One day! 

Nanny, you are right about community spirit. In my village people are helping each other much more. Long may it last. 

Pixiehouse55

The skip arrived yesterday so hubby is out in the garage/workshop to have a good clear out. He is a bit of a hoarder.  He is home being a fulltime carer to our 2 adults with Learning difficulties that live with us, he is hoping to get it all cleared and tidy so he can start using his lathe, plus start making the sticks that he has collected when out with the dogs in to walking sticks. Ive fed all the plants today and started on a food shop list for him to go shopping tomorrow. Had a bit of a sort out in my craft room and done some knitting.. one Christmas present nearly finished.
Stay safe everyone