2020 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugalistamama

This lockdown IS forcing me to keep it out the shops which is great for curbing my spending. I went today and intend to go only once a week ( extra one just for milk and bread if needed) i stuck to the list and only spent £25 ( family of 4) only just fresh ingredients, everything else will be used from the store cupboard and freezer. 
I hope everyone is keeping well and is not struggling too much financially. It's such a strange time.  

Scrimps

Ive been a bit absent as I was a little poorly, just some kind of stomach flu, We're now self isolating as every illness is being treated like covid19 and we can work from home. 

Im finding this whole time very stressful.  I just want to do something, anything rather than waiting......  Im fortunate as our children are 1 and 2 years old and are mostly happy to play in the garden, and we have a garden, usually we get out to the beach or the park for the sake of my sanity.  I really feel for the people that have older children and dont have a garden!  Our childminder has pulled out of childcare and work are being very good, Ill make up my hours at evenings and at weekends and respond to whatever the hospital needs, I may move from office work back to direct patient care but we're still waiting for HR to sort all that stuff out.

Part of me was quite glad, it will save us some childcare money and whilst the hospital needs are so variable we can just muddle through making it work for the next few months.

I havent been very frugal to be honest, ive bought lots of seeds and nematodes for the garden to hopefully have a productive year, we always grow a bit ourselves but want to grow more for obvious reasons this year.  I was going to start eating the cupboards empty rather than keeping the stocks up but fortunately we decided against that after this virus started coming to europe and just did a few larger shops.  Before the lockdown I still kept eating food from takeaways (mcds drivethru etc) which is my worst non frugal habit, its usually a response to stress - at least that will stop now!!

lcc86

Afternoon all, hope you are all coping in the current climate. I am feeling stressed, we found out yesterday that OH (self-employed) isnt entitled to any support because he hasn't yet filed his first tax return. He's also not eligible for UC as I checked and I apparently earn too much. So we're in a tricky position, just hoping that the lockdown ends sooner rather than later otherwise OH says he will be forced back to work  we have some savings so fingers crossed we can get by.

Frugalistamama

lcc86 said:

Afternoon all, hope you are all coping in the current climate. I am feeling stressed, we found out yesterday that OH (self-employed) isnt entitled to any support because he hasn't yet filed his first tax return. He's also not eligible for UC as I checked and I apparently earn too much. So we're in a tricky position, just hoping that the lockdown ends sooner rather than later otherwise OH says he will be forced back to work  we have some savings so fingers crossed we can get by.

I think they are allowing another four weeks to get the 2019 tax return in. I'm in the same position and was going to file and see what happens x

I think they are allowing another four weeks to get the 2019 tax return in. I'm in the same position and was going to file and see what happens x

cw18

That's me in isolation for 7 days !!!

Just before midnight I got a shooting pain to one side of my stomach, almost passed out, and ended up throwing up.   45 minutes later it felt like my insides were about to explode.  Called my son (lives a 10 minute walk away), and he called an ambulance out to me whilst heading over.  Things got worse over the next hour, but the pain had started to receded enough I was drifting in and out of sleep by the time the ambulance arrived just before 4am.

The crew (a fantastic pair) think it was a blockage in my digestive system, which several visits to the bathroom and sessions of throwing up had managed to pretty much clear.    BUT on doing routine checks it was discovered I had a temperature of 39 degrees (and my heart rate and blood pressure were both elevated for my normal readings, though my blood sugar levels were apparently 'perfect').   So I've been 'advised' to isolate for 7 days    That makes me the 5th person in our office of 25 to be in isolation, and we have two more who will be isolating due to diabetes as soon as they get their letters from the government (apparently there's an issue with the company paying them if they can't provide the letter within one calendar week of going off)

willow_loulou

Well it’s just as well I’m saving money on travel etc because I’m having to buy so much online it’s costing a fortune. I’m still unable to get a delivery or click and collect at any supermarket so I’ve resorted to eBay for coffee and started with Graze for a few weeks just to lighten the flavour choices we have. I love marmite but it’s getting a little repetitive now! I’ve enough food for sure but it’s getting limited and my freezer is half empty. 

I am lucky enough to have people to shop for me but it feels too much to keep asking. 

Anyone know what time slots are opened? I’m checking through the day and it’s always just full sigh. 

Hope you’re all well. 

One bonus I remembered some fancy soaps I had so they’re now in use! Lush! 

Kerry_Woman

Scrimps and cw18 - Sending hugs.
Also sending hugs to others who may be in need of them.

Frugaldom

Sending out best wishes to everyone who is under the weather, stressed, depressed or already going stir crazy. At this time we really need to focus on the future and how everything can and does change. How we live our lives, how we prioritise things, how we spend, what we eat and how we interact with our fellow humans.

Elsewhere, I have seen really vile comments, bully-boy tactics and downright disrespect for others so it is always good to come and see sensible people posting on here about how not to end up skint, staring or homeless. We have roofs over our heads and our windows open if we don't have gardens. We may even have window sills wide enough to add a couple of pots of herbs or a tomato or pepper plant. Pretty flowers are all good and well but they won't feed you during a crisis.

I have now finished transplanting my tiny strawberry plan ts into a planter by the door. I've sown salad leaves and planted various cuttings of herbs, I've popped a potato into a bucket and will do a few more as soon as I can. Life goes on for us here at Frugaldom as there ae animals to feed/clean/exercise and the fruit & herbs to be tended so we don't lose our food crop or lose the plants that we had planned on selling this year. Should this lockdown continue for a while, I will wheel out a trolley and leave an honesty box for donations.

Meals will soon begin to get more interesting as normal stocks run down but I am really hoping to be able to stretch everything as far as possible to ensure no unneccesary spending takes place. With H now having zero income, it;s a case of becoming more creative, cutting back on overheads again and making the most of everything.

To keep our project followers happy I am simply posting daily photos - it is amazing how much pleasure some of our elderly readers experience just by feeling part of it even during this tme of uncertainty when they are sitting home alone, fearing for their very lives. These are the same people who know plenty of recipes and how to make £1 last longer so make some time for your elderly neighbours even if it is just popping a note or a picture on their window so they can see it without having to touch it. Find out if they have email or use social media, then communicate that way.

This is a time of inclusion so try not to exclude anyone.

Frugaldom

Trying out the photo feature on these new forums... so I can help send some frugal cheer your way.

Siebrie

I have realised that once normal life returns, I have to focus more on 'do it now', rather than 'I'll come round to it this weekend/next week'. Not really procrastination (because I will do it then), but prioritising getting home after work to stopping at the diy store, for instance. Now, I'm down to a quarter bag of potting soil (for starting off seeds in, not for permanent pots), and have nothing to put the seedlings in in a fortnight! I do have dung pellets, so I can revive the soil already in some pots that held pansies last year and will hold salads this year, but it's not ideal.