2020 Frugal Living Challenge

willow_loulou

I was sure I posted earlier but can’t have done! Aldi shop was £17.38 which leaves £16.62 for next week up to the 2nd of March. I was really pleased as I only bought 2 things off list, both were very reduced. I have meals and will need more bread, making scones tomorrow for a change though 😁 

Finstickle

Have decided that as we are away in April we really can't afford to do the bathroom ☹️☹️☹️
Toilet downstairs, wash upstairs for a while ☹️
On, the plus side - have been better with the tumble dryer this week even in the rubbish weather and have gleaned so new veggie recipes to try 😃

Bluebell90

Hi, I'd like to join in if I'm not too late?
I love this idea, living as frugally as possible on the basics/necessities to pay down my debts/build up my savings quicker and enjoy life more! x

df-MRes_student

willow_loulou said:

I was sure I posted earlier but can’t have done! Aldi shop was £17.38 which leaves £16.62 for next week up to the 2nd of March. I was really pleased as I only bought 2 things off list, both were very reduced. I have meals and will need more bread, making scones tomorrow for a change though 😁 

Hi willow_loulou,
It can be difficult to not go 'off-list' when shopping... I have a knack of buying much more than planned when I'm tired and hungry which is known to sabotage the best of intentions.

Thanks for the 'baking' reminder!  I must remember to build that into my shopping list and my repertoire over the coming weeks.
Best, 

willow_loulou

@df-MRes_student
 I love baking, I got some reduced ready mixed packets a few months ago whose date is getting close so using them up. Nice to have fresh treats each week too. 

I’m a bread maker normally, I’m a chuck it together and see what happens person though so happily experimenting with adding things to mixes lol. 

df-MRes_student

willow_loulou said:

@df-MRes_student
 I love baking, I got some reduced ready mixed packets a few months ago whose date is getting close so using them up. Nice to have fresh treats each week too. 

I’m a bread maker normally, I’m a chuck it together and see what happens person though so happily experimenting with adding things to mixes lol. 

I'll have to look for a recipe or two, willow_loulou, and get ingredients together for when I'm in the mood for baking and have time to do it. I've had rather a lot on my plate recently. It will be nice to start off making 'rock cakes' my mother and I (and my sisters) used to make as children (and up to my teens). I don't have a recipe though I expect I could work it out.  Yes, I quite like experimenting. I haven't tackled bread yet. I'm sure we made bread with my late father when we were children too. Both of my parents are deceased now so I have no one to ask about the rock cakes, but my grandsons' father is a chef so I can pick his brains on the cooking/baking front.

df-MRes_student

Finstickle said:

Have decided that as we are away in April we really can't afford to do the bathroom ☹️☹️☹️
Toilet downstairs, wash upstairs for a while ☹️
On, the plus side - have been better with the tumble dryer this week even in the rubbish weather and have gleaned so new veggie recipes to try 😃

Thanks for the reminder about the tumble dryer, Finstickle! I must remember to try to avoid using mine if the weather is nice and to put it out instead. My bathroom is awaiting refurbishment too. I'll be glad when I can get that done. 

willow_loulou

@df-MRes_student
All the good basic recipes are on BBC good food pages. Rock cakes are there I just checked. 

df-MRes_student

willow_loulou said:

@df-MRes_student
All the good basic recipes are on BBC good food pages. Rock cakes are there I just checked. 

Oh, really! I'm often on the BBC food pages... Haven't seen rock cakes yet! I'll go and check. I have flour, fruit etc. Perhaps I can make some tomorrow. Oh, how nice! Thanks for that, willow_loulou! 

Muggle1000

Hello, hope everyone is well,
Proud of my frugal attempts in February, which have included: gluing school shoe soles back on, cutting the kid's and dog's hair myself! and generally being a budget ninja.  Not used the credit card once this year.  Noddle have highlighted this to me as 'unusual activity on my account'.  Nor have we had a takeaway this year - our weakness.
Paid a good chunk off debt this month and saved some to the emergency fund.  Looking forward to getting the debt down further in March - been participating in the debt free by xmas challenge and 1 debt in 100 days, which has really helped.
Been looking at soup recipes recently.  Want to make bulk make some to freeze and take for work lunches.  Planning for mushroom soup and spicy lentils and sweet potato this week. 
M