2020 Frugal Living Challenge

nananibbles

Good morning everyone - I awoke to rain this morning and by the looks of the weather forecast I may be going to bed to it too. I was hoping to get in the garden today as I'll be away house sitting for 3 weeks on Friday and although its not too far away I won't have much time to come back and keep on top of it. Frugaldom your mention of bamboo had me quaking in my boots! I've just spent the last 3 months of lockdown clearing out DDs overgrown garden which I don't think had been touched in the last 10 years by the previous owners. I have spent 100s of hours digging out ivy, nettles, brambles but mainly bamboo root which is one of the most taxing and pain staking jobs I've every had to do. It spread the full length of the garden and even pushed up the patio slabs - all of which I had to take up - to remove the root - just a cautionary tale for anyone who has it. Talking of gardens, I picked my first runner bean yesterday - I cannot begin to tell you just how excited I was to be eating my own produce - the pleasures in life are truly the small things.

I too have noticed that frugality lends itself well to times of crisis, though I did have a 'middle class' moment when I worried I couldn't find any tahini to make my hummus   

Yesterday was a NSD as I worked all day, I even managed to pick up a pasta sauce and fresh ravioli that was going spare, so that will save me a couple of bob on my food spend. I've managed to grab an additional hours work this morning so that will go some way to the paying off the lunch I had with DD at the weekend.  Today I shall be going through DDs fridge and freezer to work out some meals as there are lots of left over bits that need using up (I need to get her to start using things up - food waste is a  real bugbear of mine as I'm sure it is for many of us on here. I also need to see what we have in the dried goods cupboard as there are lots of little half opened packets that need identifying and using up.
Enjoy your day everyone
NN

FrankieM

I've been reminded today that I've been on this challenge since 2007...there have been a lot of changes since then and I always seem to be losing and finding my groove along the way.

But, I'm now debt free and as close to having my emergency fund in place as I've ever been.

In regards to changes in my life since lockdown...well, it's difficult to know what's lock down related and what's related to the passing of my Dad...but for me, I've realised how important good people are in your life, that a life is more than just making money, that so often in the work place you are replaceable no matter how loyal you are, that having savings for those unexpected times is hugely important and that there are just times where the only person you can rely on is yourself so making sure that you're okay (mentally, physically, financially) as you can be needs to be a priority.

In so many aspects my life is now unrecognisable to what it was at the beginning of January and I'm working hard to see the positive and not just the things I've lost.

This whole season of time has been a gear change for many...

Frugaldom

@nananibbles - this made me laugh  I don't know what tahini even is! >>>>  "I too have noticed that frugality lends itself well to times of crisis, though I did have a 'middle class' moment when I worried I couldn't find any tahini to make my hummus    "

@FrankieM I think everyone who was with us originally (back when I was still NYK Media) has come through some astounding life changes. I sat until 4am this morning just reading back through my own Frugaldom forums and some of the old challenge threads elsewhere, just remembering some of the past events we have all shared. As time unolls our mortal coil it leaves its mark on all, even when some of the others are no longer with us. Commemorating those people is some way has always been part of the plan, in celebration of each of them having played their part. Many of those events will stay with us forever - births, deaths, marriages, divorces, house moves, lifestyle changes, dreams realised, dreams smashed, highs, lows... our frugal living challenge has seen it all. @cw18 you have been with us almost from the start and shared so much with us. I often wonder how others who have been here then left are doing and hope they are all still of this earth.

[Deleted User]

Thank you for the welcome everyone 😊😊.

Frugaldom - I remember you as Nykmedia! I have been on the forums since I was a graduate in 2006, so much has changed since then. 

A little about me. I have two children ages 6 and 7, and a dog that I adore. I have been in and out of debt through most of my adult life in one form or another, but it has always been either interest free credit cards or loans from family. I have been very focussed on paying the mortgage down for many years, and am very glad I made those efforts as they are now reaping rewards (house value £250k, mortgage outstanding around £78k, just done a new three year fix at 1.5% making monthly payments approximately £340). During lockdown I have gone over and over the budget again, and have some small wins on direct debits:
✅ mobile phone reduced from £14 to £8
✅ energy has dropped from £96 to £76
✅ I have changed our Netflix from the £9 package to the £6 one
✅ cancelled their extra storage on iCloud that I really don't need (only 79p a month, but still!)

Due to some major life events in recent times, I suffer from quite debilitating anxiety. I never used to be like this, but it is unfortunately part of who I am now and I am learning to manage it. Some days are better than others. A lot of anxiety is linked to money from times gone by, so my focus at the moment is being totally financially free from any debt (excluding the mortgage). I can be VERY frugal a lot of the time, then mess it up by not spending mindfully. I have really thought about this a lot recently, and it's exhausting. I LOVE being frugal and not even considering taking my purse with me when I leave the house has become normal.

What I want now is to spend the rest of this year being as frugally focussed as possible, so I can achieve the following:
☀️Pay off my remaining 0% CC debt of £3,181. This debt makes me feel sad and down due to what I relates to, so it needs to be gone ASAP. I *should* be able to clear £2k off this next week, which will mean a very very tight food budge until August payday and no extras at all but that is doable. 
🌷 manage on a three day a week salary when I return to work in September (I have worked full time up to now). Childcare costs for before and after school cripple me, so I won't actually be much worse off by dropping to three days. I will also have time to properly walk the dog, cook, bake, read and actually have TIME.

I am really good at focussing on the small things that make the pennies add up. Today for example I have:
✅ batch cooked some homemade Yorkshire puddings and a tea loaf 
✅ a friend is coming around for dinner, as her hubby can't cook she hasn't had a meal cooked for her in months! So I am cooking for us, with meat I already had in the freezer, homegrown veg, homemade pudding and she is bringing the wine 🍷 
✅arranged to collect some second hand school uniform advertised on the local FB site free of charge. Once it's been washed in 'our' laundry liquid, ironed and had their name tags ironed in, the children won't even notice but it will save me a lot.

ETA I have loved lockdown, however I was very glad that DS (in year 1) has been able to go back, homeschooler I am not! However as a voracious reader I am REALLY missing libraries. I've bought far too many new books on Amazon recently. That reminds me, I also cancelled my Prime membership. 

If you've read this far well done! I will post as much as I can, and thank you for welcoming me on your frugal journey xxx

[Deleted User]

I decided to get organised today by doing a full inventory of my dried/packets and tinned goods that I have in store - not the fridge, freezer or open stuff though, I couldn’t face that!  😉😂 Suffice to say that I have enough food to feed an army for a number of months! I've reorganised and cleaned the cupboards while I was at it so it all makes more sense - if I can get my veg plot to be productive year round, my food bills will be minimal over the next year 😁
I know that I have a lot to pay out for over the next six months (new grandbaby coming, dental work for my daughter, flat roof re-done, hardscaping in the garden) but I should be able to start next year with no additional expenses, no debt, no mortgage and a reduced household so less running expenses! 🙌 although I can cover the expenses of the next 5 months, I'd much rather minimise unnecessary expenditure so the food inventory was time well spent 😊

Tanya12345

Well done on your jungle clearance NN ! Frankie I've been on and off this wagon so many times I'm bruised all over ! Nice to meet you Sparky, great plan on the 3 day working week - time is so precious and really helps with the frugal plans. Squirrel I'm the same with the freezer inventory but it's great that you have such goodies in the larder.
Had a sorting day here, made recurrent jelly - recurrants  from a friends garden, sorted out a room that had become a dumping ground, scavenged wood that was going to be dumped - 16 X 7 ft fence posts plus assorted pieces , can't believe what some people throw away !! Hoping the rain and wind will die down a little tomorrow, got a trip to see Daughter and pick up some furniture - diesel plus toll but will take our own lunch !!

willow_loulou

I just logged onto my banking app and my loan section has gone. That made me so happy! Hopefully in 12 months the cc will be done with too! Though I’m keeping it for credit score as suggested. 

Today I soaked jars to remove labels, that is SO satisfying! 2 will be for seeds, not sure on the others. 

Very excited to say one of my lemon or cherry seeds has sprouted. I’m not sure which as I can’t remember which I put where - rookie mistake! 

nananibbles

My frugal moments for yesterday included nabbing a birthday card off my DD to save me queuing for the shops,  around £3 in petrol as we took DDs car to drive to drop card and pressie off at nephews, a piece of chocolate cake from said relative's birthday, theoretically reducing my calorie intake (yeah right!) and therefore reducing my food spend. (its all amount the small stuff  ) added to that was the rather delicious summer fruits fudge that DD's partner gave to me  . Today I shall be adding home grown runner beans to my list of foods I haven't had to purchase.

Frugaldom - tahini is  made from toasted ground hulled sesame seeds and used when making hummus and great mixed with lemon juice or yoghurt for dressing and stir frys etc. Obviously such a first world essential in lockdown conditions  but actually extremely frugal if you eat a lot of hummus like me, particularly if you buy dried chickpeas rather than tinned. I think there is a Facebook page  - called "overheard at Waitrose' which has many other first world problems faced by those of the 'non-frugal' variety

Have a frugal one 
NN

[Deleted User]

Tanya, that's a brilliant scavenge! What are you planning to do with the wood? I love redcurrant jelly - many years ago my old neighbour let me raid his excess from his bushes and I filled up an enormous bucket! 😊 I gave him a jar of the jelly I made as a thank you (he wasn't a big condiment fan and only wanted one jar!) and it was the nicest stuff I'd ever had! Sadly he died about 10 years ago 😔 I've got a couple of redcurrant bushes in pots now but I only rescued them this year - fingers crossed I'll get something from them next year 😉 
Willow- that's brilliant news about the loan!! Well done!! 🙌 Great news about your cherry/lemon sprout too! 😁 I've frequently forgotten what or where I've planted stuff too - my theory is that you find out soon enough and get a second wave of excitement when you do! 😂 
Nana - I love hommous too!! I keep wondering if it would be financially better to make my own tahini but am not convinced- it's something I'll need to have a go at and work out 🤔 
Today I need to check my balances and find out where I am with the money - I've really not been paying attention recently and feel slightly out of touch 🙈 I'm not meal planning anymore as I'm hoping to base meals around what is available in the garden- although it may be a while before there is enough to be able to do that! 😉 However, yesterday I made roasted tomatoes, buckwheat and focaccia- from the garden we got lots of lettuce leaves for the salad and I cut a load of coriander to make a dressing for the buckwheat and cut rosemary for the focaccia topping so it's saving me money already! 😊

FrankieM

I've got 4 days off after a lot of shifts so I'm trying to do a bit of a catch up on shopping, washing and seeing people.

I get fed at work on a day shift so as long as I don't then raid the cupboards when I get home, I save a bit of money cause it's just my mum eating.

I've had to put the heating on today to get my washing dried though...so it seems money saving is a bit swings and roundabouts!