2020 Frugal Living Challenge

willow_loulou

Flipping weather! Had to move and wedge my little greenhouse to stop it getting blown away! Brought my cucumbers in to protect them as I think they’d break in the wind, or end up with something blown on them. 

Feels like 2 steps forward and 5 back! 

Bit annoyed at the whole 7pm speech nonsense, he could’ve said all that Thursday and not get my hopes up I might be able to see my other half. Meh! 

In better news I’ve managed to save a months bill money and some towards dd uni fund so now I can concentrate on paying off my cc without worrying I’ll have to use it. So it’s been disposed of today! No more credit crutch. It’s pay it off and be done with the thing. It saved me when I had nothing coming in, meant I could feed the kids and have a semblance of normal when they were growing up. I don’t need it now and that’s brilliant. Thanks frugalers xx 

willow_loulou

Today I am super pleased to report I have another fruit tree growing from seed in fruit! This time gala apple. 

Any suggestions as to what I can repurpose plastic bottles and food containers into other than for plants? Everything has loads of plastic right now, which is great in one respect but it’s such a waste. 

Also I want a frugal idea for bedroom storage, makes or repurposed rather than buy even second hand as I’m not going out. Thanks lovelies 

Frugaldom

CONGRATULATIONS, Mumof3, I hope you'll love your new job - when do you start? (Sorry that I can't help out with the bra query, I guess search engines will be your friends for researching that.

CONGRATULATIONS, Willow_loulou, things growing, extra cash and a credit card gone. One thing I would say is that if it's your last CC to be cleared then I'd keep it active, although never with any interest accruing on it. It's handy to have if you clear monthly to help keep your credit rating looking good. Better still is if you can get any cashback using it. Even 0.5% cashback is better in your pocket than theirs.

Keeping busy here working at the project, making the most of the good weather and hoping for a good fruit crop. Our apple trees are mostly heritage varieties known as Galloway Pippins and I have some of what's nown as 'Bloody Ploughman', a variety that will have pink flesh when the trees start producing. Early days yet. The other fruit trees (I have planted about 100 in total) are a mix of pear, plum, cherry and the likes of Bramley and Golden Delicious apples. Some had no labels so I don't even know the varieties but that's why they were reduced in price.  

I planted the last 8 potatoes yesterday - everything had been moved inside as we'd had frost 2 mornings ago so here's hoping that we've seen the last of that. We need some evening rain now so I'm not spending hours carrying water all over the place.

Work's progressing with my herb nursery and a friend is painting me signs for the project. I love this latest one for the herbery so am sharing it here!

I'm hoping to have signs for each section of the project.

nannygladys

That's a lovely sign frugal - very clever friend
I have been going to do my food shop once a fortnight, and tonight was the night. I needed compost and a few bits from B&N so called in ASd@ next door to it for my food. I got my compost and a few other needed bits from B&N and I cant fault the social distancing in there but when I went to do my food shopping, oh dear  No hand santitiser to clean your trolley handle and nobody policing it so couldn't ask for some and in the store not many people were following the arrows so not a lot of distancing in there, even told one couple to back off but got a very dirty look but at least they  went off chuntering about me to each other. i'll be back to Tosco next time.!! at least I don't have to go again for 2 weeks. Its saving me money doing it this way so I'll keep to it now. Been to the lottie and got a bit more done down there and now I have some more compost I can put my toms and cucs in the polytunnel. Things seem to be coming along nicely. Also got given a load of rhubarb so made a crumble and froze the rest to make puddings later in the year. I love rhubarb!!

Nannyg

willow_loulou

@Frugaldom that’s great advice! Thank you. Luckily it’s my banks credit card and I can manage it online so when I trust myself I’ll get a card again. But if I need to I can get one in a couple of days - they’re very efficient. 

I adore your sign! What a beautiful idea. 

@nannygladys I find supermarkets terrifying right now, my poor mum queued for almost an hour today just to get in! I need toiletries I can’t get delivered (I use the freezer based shop) so am contemplating Home Bargains next week! Hopefully a Monday morning will be quiet. I think I’ll really stock up so I don’t need to go for a couple of months. 

cw18

willow_loulou   I agree with Frugaldom that you should keep it - and use it/pay off in full on a regular basis.   It's this that builds your credit score, rather than actually owning one.   Plus the checks as to whether you can have one or not keeps changing, so you may find in future the bank turns you down.

Siebrie

We're still staying/working/studying at home, eating from the pantry and freezer, shopping once a fortnight.

We hope to visit my parents this weekend. Mum (84) had an operation yesterday and, apart from helping them with her recovery, we (husband, dds, and I) really want to see them. I phoned Dutch and Belgian authorities, and we are allowed to travel and visit with them, as long as we have a doctor's letter stating I am helping Dad take care of Mum, and we keep 1.5m distance. Mum and Dad have clean bill of health corona-wise, and we have been self-isolating for 8 weeks, so are clear as well.

For dd1 school is restarting tomorrow, but we will keep her home so we can visit my parents. She will re-attend from Monday, 3x per week for 4hrs.

I have seedlings I'm desperate to plant out, as they are turning yellow in the seedtrays, but husband needs to dig over a bed for them, and has not done so since I asked him 2 weeks ago...grrrmmbl.

All the seeds in the old sandpit have come to nothing, even the mizuna seedlings I planted out have disappeared Probably all eaten by the myriad of tiny birds we have in the backyard. I'm enjoying listening to them and watching them, so I'm not too bothered. I may even reseed.

I'm running out of bras... I had 5 bras, threw out 1 just before the virus hit, and now have to throw out another. Only 3 bras left, which is not quite enough to keep me strapped in between delicate laundry runs....

FrankieM

I'm plodding along here...nothing very much to report, so not much to say.

I'm furloughed, with my company stating that they will be making decisions on any changes on a day to day basis.

I'm being frugal, because really there's nothing much to spend money on, apart from wine and snacks and I'm keeping to a budget on those so I don't go crazy...or no longer fit into my clothes!

I've found a way to cut down my mobile phone bill. I'm due an upgrade but as my handset is still in good condition, I've decided to go sim only and get an sd card to help with storage etc.
I'm hoping I can eke it out for as long as possible and then I'll probably just buy a new handset outright when I need to.

I'm still working through the 'tubs' in the freezer but I have to be careful because spicy food upsets my mum's tummy and she's then on the toilet all day, but I have also stocked the freezer with food that's more her normal menu so I just have to mix it up.

Now estate agents are back up and running, we'll start looking online for houses and hopefully be able to book some viewings, so that'll be the next stage of things to organise.

But mostly, I'm just tired. Emotionally, mentally tired.

People talk about going back to 'normal' but I no longer have a normal and no idea what any future normal may look like for my life.

willow_loulou

@FrankieM I did this last year, i dropped my phone and it shattered! I’d been sim only for 15 months and couldn’t bring myself to go back to 25+ a month so scrapped enough together for an 1phone 7 from Argos. I had to use my over draft for a few days but it was worth it. I saved around £90 doing it that way. I’ve got to start a pot for my next one, thanks for the reminder! 

Kerry_Woman

mumof3 - Congratulations on your job.  Wishing you all the best.