2020 Frugal Living Challenge

ldee2111

Quick update
NSD, last night’s leftovers for lunch, still trying to shop from the house although I’ll need to get a bit creative tomorrow - the fridge and cupboards are looking a little bare. OH might pass out with hunger tomorrow. Determined to hang off for our food delivery on Saturday. I’ve signed up to a couple of sites, like Prolific and UpW0rk, to make some extra pennies but nothing happening on those fronts yet. I’m on holiday from work next week so planning to review our budget - think I’ve said that in an earlier post. 

Hope you’re all having a good day. 

YORKSHIRELASS

ASB gosh school dinners have gone up!  DS has asked me for ideas for food to take to work.  He works 7am to 3pm so gets two meal breaks, one at 8.30am and one at 12.30pm, both for half an hour.  He has been taking pasta salad for one break and sandwiches for the other but wants a change.  He does have access to a microwave but other people sometimes want to use it as well.  We are trying to work out what leftovers will go in one tub and quickly heat up in a microwave.

I have been in the office most of the day so no heating on, but the house was cold was really cold when we got in.  Have lit the fire and we have put the heating on for a bit.  Tired tonight.

sashacat

I am still eating soup for lunch every day. I made so much soup in the summer and autumn and put it in the freezer in individual portions. I have enough to last into February I think. 
I take out about 4 tubs at a time and let them defrost in the fridge rather than using the microwave to defrost. 
My daughter gave me some sprouting potatoes for the compost heap but I planted them in the green house just in case they grew. And I have green shoots coming through. I think they will be ready just as I need the greenhouse space in March for seedlings.

willow_loulou

Lunches are always a challenge. I take lunch to work when not wfh. I buy chicken satay or nuggets (cook a couple of days worth at a time) a frozen bag lasts ages. I take hummus,carrot, cue (any other similar on offer or reduced) crackers or buttered bread. I wrap the bread and chicken together and Chuck the rest in one pot. I use a little pickle/cheese/cake fork so I don’t get messy. I’ll substitute hummus for pickle, tsatziki, Chuck in olives etc. It’s a good use up dish and easy. 

No spend week here, I have £71 left over (2nd pay day tomorrow) which is going in the emergency fund after I’ve put some on the electric meter. Not decided how much yet. 

Does anyone use an egg boiler? (Thinking of asking for one for Xmas) 

Pixiehouse55

Got paid Tuesday but not done a food shop yet!!  Both freezers are full so I'm thinking I might buy a chicken and a pork joint other than that there is plenty in the freezers.  So just fruit, veg bread and milk, etc. 
Already got a turkey crown the other day for Christmas. At the moment it looks like it could be just me hubby and our 2 service users that live with us. They eat like sparrow's so won't need to buy much. Onecdoes like his sweets  bless him. Dogs have gone on to raw meat. That just cost us £80 for the month, a lot cheaper than tinned meat and dried food. Tax returns done today and will submit tomorrow. We will concentrate on over payments on our mortgage starting January.  Next is to sit and work out all spends/ bills to pay out next year.  On the cards to sale up next year  buy our narrow boat and a mobile home that we can rent out over the holiday season and give us an income. ....... 

YORKSHIRELASS

Ooh Pixie your plans sound exciting.

I did DSs washing for him and put it over the airer with the dehumidifier on this morning.  29 socks and boxers pegged over the airer, yes I counted them.  Heating was on a bit first thing, house was really cold, fire lit now.  DH and I have had burgers and oven chips out of the freezer for tea.

I will do our finance spreadsheets tomorrow, tired now.  We have our fortnightly Asda delivery coming Monday so I need to update my order over the weekend.

There is a new food share scheme opening in the town nearest to us.  I have always felt a bit reluctant to take free food from these schemes because I feel like I should leave it for other people financially worse off than me, but they promote it as being for anyone.  I might have a look in next week and see how much they have going spare.

mumtoomany

Hi all, still frugality along. Have finished knitting the jumpers/cardigans for the the grandchildren that live here, now started the jumper for DGS2, who does not live here, that one will need to be posted. It would have been good to be able to take it to him, but lockdown won't allow that, maybe we can visit in the new year. All the wool came from my stash, so no cost. Eating of way through the freezers only spent around £150 so far this month on shopping. The car/bus is now back on the road. New belt, new pipes, breather pipe now working, anti freeze in. 
@YORKSHIRELASS I would visit the food place. A few people on these forums have mentioned using them. DS2 used to volunteer at one, he said three was often food left over, so better if someone takes it. Mumtoomany.

[Deleted User]

Afternoon frugal friends,
@YORKSHIRELASS You really should go and take a look. It's all food that would otherwise go in the bin, and even with lots of people going to our local group, vast amounts of food still end up in the bin. Let us know how you get on 😊

I've spent a very happy morning pottering in the garage chopping up wood. The fire is now roaring and the laundry is drying near it. I have spent the grand total of £13.50 this week 🥳🥳 this has been solely on fruit & veg, and some ham for sandwiches. Therefore greatly under my £45.27 per week limit 😊😊 we eat an awful lot of fruit, and even with getting lots from the waste group it is still by far our greatest expense each week food wise. 

Dinner tonight is casserole from the freezer, served with rice and wraps. I have some money in my PayPal account which I am going to leave there for the time being, and it can be used to cover any bits and pieces that I buy online (not that I intend to get anything!)

Several more conversations at work this week with people who are stressing about gift buying, purchases on Black Friday deals that haven't turned up, fretting what to buy for people.... it's liberating not to be part of it. 

For those of you on the thread who keep chickens I am after some advice. I am going to get some chickens in the new year, but all of the hen houses I have found are so expensive. The second hand ones I see all need to be dismantled and collected, without a car and not being particularly handy I would struggle with this. The Eglu range is hugely appealing to me for ease for expensive 💵. I'm not sure what to do, any advice? 

I read this yesterday and it's so true - it's not your salary that makes you rich, it's your spending habits.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend friends xx

mumtoomany

hi, @asparklyblonde, we keep chickens, we have two eglu coops. A large one and a small one. They are really good, easy to keep clean. However we didn't pay for either of them, DD1 had them for her girls when she moved here, we took them over when hers died of old age. I think we will need another soon. The smaller one is used for newly hatched chicks, the large for adult hens/cockerels. I'm hoping to increase numbers a bit next year. We also have a wooden coop, OH made it from an old wardrobe. Last years babies quite liked it, before moving into the big one. The best sort, I have been told, is one with a wire mesh base. the poop falls through, but mesh is too small for rats to get in. HTH, mumtoomany.

YORKSHIRELASS

Thanks ASB I will check out the food share.  I still have to let go of some of my preconceived ideas about money and spending and the pressures of society but I am getting there, I am humbled and inspired by the people on here, it really helps.

Have spent a good part of the day working on the voluntary project I am involved in.  Have made a vegetable tagine for my tea using up lots of bits of spare veg.  DH grows lots of lovely veg but he doesnt eat it himself and although I am really grateful DS and I can only eat so much and not everything can be frozen, and I feel guilty wasting anything.

Fire lit, we are getting short of coal so need to price some up.