2020 Frugal Living Challenge

Working_Mum

willow_loulou said:

What do you all use for fire lighting? 

I used to have a coal fire so would collect  fallen pine cones on my walks. I'd fill bags with them and then store them in my garage.
I used to fill any paper bag I could find with littler bits of old wood - used matches, cheese boxes, wine corks - when half full I used to scrunch them up and put them in my kindling pile - an old basket by the fire.
I would pick up newspapers when I went to Waitrose, read them and make "kindling twists" to start fires off.
I have recently moved house but am still doing this!! Thankfully I have a friend with a real fire so she will get the kindling etc when I see her next :-)

cw18

Frugaldom said:

I think all of us must by now have heard of at least one other who has lost their jobs through this. I know of 4 so far, 3 of them family, plus my son is still on furlough but now providing daddy daycare while DIL is working.

My family (and very small circle of friends) must be lucky, as no-one I know has lost a job due to Covid.   My OH has been out of work since last December with Covid making it hard to find anything, but losing his job was prior to everything.    My daughter was furloughed until a couple of weeks ago (pre-school nursery).  My younger son works in IT and has been working from home since before the government decreed this to be the preferred option (apparently his boss is a germ-freak, and moved them all to working from home when word started to get out that Covid was on the way).   His partner was also working from home, but I have a feeling he's now back in the office at least part-time.   My older son is a truck driver (agency work) and did have a few weeks where it looked like he might need me to cover his rent for a while (eek!  could have been tricky!) or hand in notice and move back in with me again (no thanks...   just how much can I find to cover his rent?), but things fortunately things started to pick up again.   Normally he won't work weekend unless the pay is really good, but he's done some of those for pennies more per hour than he gets during the week just to replace some of what he didn't get during the worst of it.  My brother is also IT (in Scotland) and has worked part-time from home and part-time in the office.   My sister-in-law is a teacher, so I assume would have been furloughed for a while and back since August.

zafiro1984

Wood burner (an ironheart) is now being lit each late afternoon/evening in order to keep the temperature up so that the central heating will stay off a little longer. DH, who has not much idea of being frugal, has set it so it comes on automatically when the temperature drops in the hall. Fortunately, we have more wood than we know what to do with, so it costs nothing to run. It's also got 2 hot plates plus an oven so I can save on electricity over the winter - casseroles, stews, soups. It's no good for cakes as the temperature control is not accurate enough.

A friend has just brought a load of eating apples, pears and more cooking apples. I think I've enough apples stored and in the freezers to last a year. I have several friends who are like minded, we waste as little as possible, swap items, or just give them away, some grow veg and fruit, some bake, some make preserves, some do HM liqueurs. cider or perry. It works very well.  Our contribution is eggs and wood for everyone's fires.  

sashacat

I have a wood burner and collect kindling while I am out on my walks. I pick up small sticks and pine cones and store them until dry enough. And people give me their unwanted pallets and the like and I have a little electric saw so I just spend the occasional afternoon cutting all the wood. 
The fire costs me nothing and saves so much on the central heating.

DawnW

Frugaldom said:

On a more foodie note, I think canned goods need stocking up and I wish I could learn to like pilchards and sardines.

I'm not keen either Frugaldom, but they do make quite nice fish cakes, mixed with some mashed potato (I usually use some left over from another meal), some parsley, dill, fennel or tarragon, or whatever herb you have, or none at all if you prefer, seasoning and a few chopped capers if you have some. You only really need fish and potatoes, but herbs and capers push them into the luxury class   You could use a spoonful or tartare sauce instead if that is what you have. Breadcrumbs, or just flour if you don't have any, then fry with little or no oil. If you have an egg you can either add to the fish / potato mix if it is a bit dry, or coat the fishcakes before you breadcrumb or flour them

CraftyLittleLisa

I just wanted to say I am really chuffed with myself today. I needed wood for making raised beds at my allotment so got scaffold boards at a reclamation yard. I did a stint at the well-being garden that I look after and took some cooking apples from the apple tree (I have been told to help myself before). I'm now currently cooking an apple crumble and have put two portions in the freezer for future use. The last thing is I have made some oatmilk and made some oatmeal cookies from the pulp. I'm patting myself on the back.

Shopaholic_no_more

@Deleted_User I am up for the challenge regarding the dishwasher!! 
@Frugaldom thanks I will check that out about the wellies. I’m really looking forward to doing the veg patch....my mum was a bit surprised when I asked as I have never shown any interest before haha! Always good to try something new though eh 😉.
Al*i shopping this morning....a nightmare....and it has been so peaceful in there on a Monday morning these past few months.🙁. Nothing in the freezers....people everywhere...normally there are only about 3 of us in there (which is why I go on a Monday morning haha). Don’t say to the public “don’t panic buy” because that sure as hell is what they are going to do 🤷‍♀️.
I truly hope we do not end up in another national lockdown 😥 I don’t think my mental health could take it and I’m sure millions are thinking the same. So I need to get doing that veg patch ASAP ...it does need a lot of clearing first so first stop wellies and gloves! I still have some runner beans growing but am worried the cold will get them. I am in the central area so it has been quite chilly overnight these last few nights. Is it normal to have a second flush of flowers at this time of year?! I’m hoping they will hold out a bit longer 👍🏻😀. 

willow_loulou

Busy shops doesn’t sound great @OLaney it is such a worry. I’m torn grabbing a few extras and not compounding the issues. 

I will have to get DD some stuff for uni though as it’s looking likely they will have lockdowns and she’s not able to always access what she needs already. 

sashacat

Well done Crafty, you are being very frugal.
OLaney, if you start clearing the area for the veg patch now you will be able to plant garlic and winter onion sets in late November. The garlic is better if it gets a frost. And the potatoes can go in in February or March depending on where you are. 
I have a big bowl of apples (cooking and eating) and pears all given to me by neighbours who have too much. They put boxes outside their door with a note saying to help ourselves. I do it when I have a glut of veggies. 

Shopaholic_no_more

I know @willow_loulou 😣 it is a catch 22 situation isn’t it?
Thanks @sashacat... I’m hoping to get started next week, weather permitting.