2020 Frugal Living Challenge

joedenise

@CraftyLittleLisa do you think it might help if you strip the other stuff out of your budget and have a separate budget for those things and then you can see how much you are actually spending on food - it's probably not as bad as you think!

In addition to my grocery budget I have a bulk buy budget which I use for purchases of good offers on cleaning stuff, eg this week Lidl Plus had 15-20% of laundry stuff, dishwasher stuff, shampoo etc so that came from my bulk fund.  Also if I do a big butcher shop then that would come from my bulk fund.  I also use it to buy trays of tinned tomatoes, beans etc.

CraftyLittleLisa

Thanks for the suggestion Joedenise but I don't think having loads of different budgets like that would really work for me to reduce my spending.  I still have to buy these things and it will still come out of the same total monthly income.

Hettyhound

Hello, just popping by to say thank you for the too good to go recommendations.  I’ve just collect a bag from Morrisons which was packed with stuff I would normally buy and now the freezer is full with crumpets, wraps, pittas, hot cross buns, bread rolls and mince pies.  I got 6 eggs, 2 swedes, parsnips, spring onions, cherry toms, lemons, limes and some mint.  A real bargain for my £3.09 and lovely service at the store as well.  This was my nearest store but there is a cost cutter a couple of miles further away that also do it and don’t sell out in 5 minutes!  Collection time is not as convenient but I’ll try them too.  Thank you again as this will reduce my main shopping bill even if it’s just for the snacks for my son who never seems to be full, lucky for me he loves toasted crumpets and now I have 12!  I’ll be picking up the thread on the OS board (I’m normally a lurker) and hope you all manage to have a good new year.  Many many thanks again ❤️

welshspendthrift

Hettyhound said:

Hello, just popping by to say thank you for the too good to go recommendations.  I’ve just collect a bag from Morrisons which was packed with stuff I would normally buy and now the freezer is full with crumpets, wraps, pittas, hot cross buns, bread rolls and mince pies.  I got 6 eggs, 2 swedes, parsnips, spring onions, cherry toms, lemons, limes and some mint.  A real bargain for my £3.09 and lovely service at the store as well.  This was my nearest store but there is a cost cutter a couple of miles further away that also do it and don’t sell out in 5 minutes!  Collection time is not as convenient but I’ll try them too.  Thank you again as this will reduce my main shopping bill even if it’s just for the snacks for my son who never seems to be full, lucky for me he loves toasted crumpets and now I have 12!  I’ll be picking up the thread on the OS board (I’m normally a lurker) and hope you all manage to have a good new year.  Many many thanks again ❤️

Glad you managed to get a Morrison’s bag, I haven’t managed to get one of those yet! Best ones I’ve got so far Sainsbury’s to go . Good luck with future bags 

Frugaldom

Only an hour to go until 2021 and the brand new challenge!
Good luck and Happy New Year when it gets here.
New challenge can be found HERE

mama67

Happy New Year to all

Couldsavemore

CraftyLittleLisa said:

Couldsavemore I just wanted to say that I live on my own and I have a grocery budget of £200.00 a month so hopefully that will make you feel better.  I tried to get it down to £175.00 but it just didn't work last year.  I do include cleaning products and  miscellaneous items such as batteries and stationery etc in that and I also try and buy as eco-friendly as I can.  I will try and bring it down again this year but I am congratulating myself because before I joined this forum I was spending £275 a month and thought I would not be able to bring it down any more but I have.

Hi, thanks for that and good luck this year before I started budgeting mine would have been around 300. Also agree on the eco stuff! Also noticed lots of vegan things seem to be so much more expensive as well
I find taking out 200 cash and paying for food from that has helped me cut my spending. Also allows for some weeks needing to buy more or some more expensive items.
Am amazed by how little some people spend!