2020 Frugal Living Challenge

lessonlearned

Hi everyone.....

Well I did a bit of a financial review. Let's just say it's not great. . My next bill will be the cars MOT at the end January. Keeping my fingers crossed.

But, even if the car sails through I still need to really ramp up the frugality this year. I also need to try and increase my income but that's a whole different ball game.

So taking a cue from some of the ideas here.....thanks guys for posting them.

No books, no clothes other than underwear. No toiletries or cleaning materials. I should have enough for at least six months

Will try the £10 on basic groceries, at least for January. Brilliant idea. I did a food inventory and the freezer and cupboards are well stocked, so it should be doable. Hopefully I can just concentrate on milk, fruit and veg and work through my stocks.

Start using cash more often and leave the cards at home. When it's gone, it's gone. :rotfl:

Just need to stay focussed......

SummerDays

I’d like to join you all too please

2020 is my year to get fully financially organised! We don’t do too badly,but could definitely be better - starting with food shopping. I’ve joined the grocery challenge to help keep me on track with this.

Thanks for all the great ideas so far. I will be tracking all spending for the year and be more mindful of where the pennies go.

We do have just over £6000 on credit card but this is what I call considered debt as it is 0% until Autumn 2021 and credit card was chosen specifically for a couple of larger purchases which is being paid off monthly at a manageable amount and more than covering minimum payment.

All best wishes to you all for a fabulously frugal 2020 :)

parsniphead

I

carolinerunner wrote: »

... I learnt today, this applies to social skills around asking the price of things - felt a bit conspicuous (?) asking the cost of a packet of crisps in the pub today - £1.45 for a tiny bag!! So I was glad I did ask, but aware my OH wished I hadn't.

So, having stumbled across this thread, and feeling really in tune with the ideas I've read so far, I'd like to join for 2020. One challenge will be getting OH to buy in, I may be asking advice about that... no point me saving it if he's still spending it without thinking. He refuses to do quite a few things on the list at the start eg taking his own lunch to work, so that's a work in progress...

The other snag I find is that being frugal can take more time than being profligate, and I seem to be really time-poor. I'm self employed and I'm planning to cut my hours in 2020 to give me more time for (free) exercise and for cooking in advance/batch cooking. And feeling less like a headless chicken!

Looking forward to finding out how this thread works, and getting lots of tips and inspiration, TYIA all!

:eek::eek::eek: £1.45 for a packet of crisps. Were they gold plated :eek::eek::eek:

Siebrie

[Deleted User] wrote:

Hair cuts/beauty - I have recently moved hairdressers to reduce costs here. The new one has so far has done a cut and colour on my hair and I was really happy with it. Beauty wise I do most things myself but I do get my eyebrows waxed and tinted every few months. Budget £20 per month..

I, too, need to colour my eyebrows, otherwise I look like an egg and have no authority over my dds! I bought a kit and do it myself every other month. A kit costs about £12 and lasts 3-4 years.

Siebrie

carolinerunner wrote: »

So, having stumbled across this thread, and feeling really in tune with the ideas I've read so far, I'd like to join for 2020. One challenge will be getting OH to buy in, I may be asking advice about that... no point me saving it if he's still spending it without thinking. He refuses to do quite a few things on the list at the start eg taking his own lunch to work, so that's a work in progress.

Maybe you can start by giving him a piece of fruit and a snack each day, to prevent him using the work snack machine? It's difficult, I know, my husband likes buying lunch every day, but won't if he has a good breakfast, so I try and make sure he has a good breakfast.

sams247

So, today I feel virtuous as I bought my veg from the greengrocer instead of supermarket and spent a lot less than I would have done, and no extras on top.

I did buy a heap of veg from M&S yesterday as it was reduced to 20p a bag and I've been turning the potatoes into roast, chips and mash for the freezer, carrots in freezer and broccoli are next.

Bought lemons as I used to make my own lemon curd and plan to do that again.

Day 1....... so far so good (haha)

truebluemummy

I would like to join this challenge. I have cards to pay off and hubby has had a reduction in income this year, we have spent over our means and need ways to start being frugal.

Herbyme

Jazee wrote: »

I really need to get DH on board with this.

Me too Jazee. I've run out of ideas, grateful for new ones! It saps my motivation when he's spending and I'm trying not to. He says we can't budget now because our adult sons are still living with us and because we can't predict what our future costs will be once they've left and we've moved.

:mad:

Herbyme

parsniphead, I know, I agree. It was one of those 45g packs of posh crisps at a slightly posh pub. Exactly 1/3 the size of the pack of Kettle Chips I bought at Tosco for £1 last night. That's the kind of thing I can easily cut out - but not my DH. I know, I keep whining about him, he's a very good DH in most ways!!

Herbyme

Siebrie wrote: »

Maybe you can start by giving him a piece of fruit and a snack each day, to prevent him using the work snack machine? It's difficult, I know, my husband likes buying lunch every day, but won't if he has a good breakfast, so I try and make sure he has a good breakfast.

Thank you Siebrie, you've reminded me that he did (just before Christmas) agree to take a danish pastry instead of buying it on the station. I'll start that one again next week. He leaves the house about an hour before I get up so I don't make him breakfast, he's up and out in about 20 minutes.

He might buy less lunch (eg , cut out that salad) if he takes fruit on a Monday to last the week, thank you, that's well worth a try too!