2020 Frugal Living Challenge

willow_loulou

Lisa, I’d add look for frugal alternatives before buying anything. I have sourced second hand, up cycled or made my own alternatives where ever possible this year. I had a glut of plastic food trays, bottles etc and made them into plant pots, drip trays, paint palettes, drawer organisers etc. 

Frostie I find pots easy as I’m not fully able bodied. Peas, carrots, onions and herbs all do well in pots (plant onion in with carrots to keep carrot flys away) herbs will do well in hanging baskets as will salad leaves. Good luck.  

[Deleted User]

Hello frugal friends,

I have been reading the 2016 thread over the last few days, does FunBrum still post does anyone know?

Before I do a full update I wanted to personally say the hugest THANK YOU to you FRUGALDOM. I can imagine that running this thread can feel like a thankless task at times, especially if not many people are posting. I can honestly say that had I not rediscovered it recently, my financial situation and outlook on money would be completely different to what it has been transformed to over the past few weeks. The positive changes to not only my finances but my outlook have solely been down to the support and encouragement of this thread. So please please do understand that there are no doubt many people out there just like me who have found their lives transformed by reading this. I really hope you continue to run the thread next year, and I have been getting my figures in place already.😊😊😊😊😊

I absolutely love September and the changing of the seasons, and I have gone into preparation mode for us going back to work and school. I have made a start on lots of batch cooking, and have been adding extra bits and pieces to my shop each week. I need to go to Lidl this week and stock up on teabags from there, they are cheap as chips but delicious. I also need to order more logs and start to prepare the kindling. I have been trying to locate second hand coats for the children with no luck at all in their sizes. I am going to a car boot tomorrow so hope I can get some there, if not I may have to buy new. 

DDs room is coming on, I've done all the wallpaper stripping myself and even managed some basic electrics, now just waiting for the plasterer to come. I have £300 set aside to pay him, then all the rest of the room is being done by me. I just hope she loves it as much as I think she will. 

Right I'm going to potter, have super frugal days all xx

Frugaldom

CraftyLittleLisa said:

I wonder if I can pick the brains of all you wise owls.  I want to try and get myself back into the frugalling habit and I was trying to make notes, or rules if you like, that I can keep in mind to help me.  I would love your opinions on what I have come up with below:

Rule 1 - Every time you spend money log it - even if it is 10p (I have got the spreadsheet to do that already)

Rule 2 - Don't spend on any "luxuries" until the end of the month.

Rule 3 - When you go to buy something ask yourself do you really need it or will something else work in its place or even see if you can borrow one to try before you buy to see if you would make use of it first?

Rule 4 - Is what you are buying value for money, eg are you getting more nutrition out of that cream tart than you would out of that bag of apples?

Rule 5 - Allow yourself one "treat" a month

And an incentive I have thought of is "Do you still want to be working in your 70s?"

Do you think these simple rules cover a wide enough spectrum of spending.  Thanks in advance for your help.

I'm a bit of an extreme frugaler so don't spend on luxuries as part of my budget, but I do record all and try to avoid spending 'real' cash. I don't 'do' the whole 'treat' thing, as I tend to feel that these things are very subjective and entirely dependent on the individual lifestyle. What one person may consider a treat may be an absolute essential for another and the actual concept of considering luxuries and treats can be detrimental to frugal lving. If you look at your personal reasons for frugal living and then determine your own stages of success along the way, it can become fun chasing the next goal. Achieving and maintaining debt freedom has always been my top priority, along with affording not to work in a job that I don't enjoy, so it was very much a case of not spending on anything extra until the above were fully achieved. Extreme, yes, but it worked for me and avoided the need to reward mysef on a regular basis. My ultimate reward was being able to buy property without worrying about mortgages or loans. I may still work if I reach my 70's but my idea of work may be different from others.   Have short-term goals so you know you are making progress, even if those goals seem like luxuries or treats to others. I'm working towards bulding a cabin now.   Number 1 rule - make it fun to be frugal

Frugaldom

frostie101 said:

If hubby and I were to start growing our own what are the easiest vegetables to start with?
Do you think its better to grow in raised beds or direct in soil?
Have grown tomatoes and peppers before.

Raised beds are a little easier to keep tidy around the edges and, in our case, tend to deter the hens and ducks from jumping into them but for what to grow, my number one suggestion would be considering what you eat the most of and then start with that. Easy items are things like salad leaves, garlic, radishes, potatoes, peas, onions, leeks and various herbs, as are strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants, if you are looking for fruit to grow.  You might like to try a raised bed split into squares (square foot gardening) and grow various veg within the same bed then rotate them. Search 'square foot gardening' and you'll maybe find the old challenge threads from our previous frugal living attempts. Good luck with you planting plans for next year.

Frugaldom

@Deleted_User - thank you 

sashacat

Crafty, I think your list is good, but I also think you need short term goals. I like to see nice rounded £s in my bank account to pay for the next bit of house maintenance. But I am naturally frugal anyway. 
I also believe in “pay yourself first”...so when my money comes in each month I immediately put my savings away. Then I challenge myself to see if I can add to it and save a bit more. And I get a lot of satisfaction by saving a few extra £s. 
Also I batch cook. I never ever only cook one helping. I need at least 2 extra for the freezer or I feel as if I am wasting my oven/hob. 
I grow all my own veggies and most of my fruit. 
I grow what I like to eat, use a lot and is expensive. Potatoes are easy and versatile to cook with so I always have a raised bed of potatoes. Then onions and beans. I can dry the beans and add them to soups in the winter. That way they don’t take up room in the freezer. 
And I collect kindling when I am out on my walks and store it in boxes til I need it. 
Good luck Crafty and Frosty

Viking_mfw

I like to collect kindling when I'm out but my husband gets very embarrassed  

Viking_mfw

Feeling very frugal and pleased to be able to hang washing on the line rather than the indoor heated airer (cheaper than a tumble dryer but not free) today for the first time in a week because of rain and then the risk of it blowing away. Might even stick another load on to make the best of the weather. 

willow_loulou

I collect kindling too 😂 
@Viking_mfw I did washing too,
it’s now chucking it down 🙄

Viking_mfw

willow_loulou said:

I collect kindling too 😂 
@Viking_mfw I did washing too,
it’s now chucking it down 🙄

Uh oh...