Frugal, thrifty, make do, mend! Let this debt come to an end!

Cara_

Hi Elisheba,

Long time lurker dropping by to say hello.

The pink liquid is likely to be the engine coolant - once you have topped it up, keep an eye on the level because if it does drop again then it could point towards a problem with the thermostat or something more serious. I'm not a mechanic so I am not 100% sure so you might wish to ask someone who can confirm whether it is the coolant or not. If it is the coolant there should be a min / max level, if it is near the minimum level then you should really get it topped up before driving too far.

Glad the move went well and you are settled in your new home.

Cara

Elisheba

Thanks @Makingabobor2 and @cara_ I looked at the manual last night and it is the coolant. I'll need to double check it on a flat surface when the engine is cold, but there are no warning lights on for it (which the manual says the car does have) so its okay for now.

Heading back to Wales today so just having a coffee and getting packed up. I've downloaded an audiobook for the journey so will feel like I'm doing something constructive, rather than flicking through radio channels.

We had a bit of snow here yesterday. It didn't last long but was very heavy and made the roads a nightmare at the start of it. Thankfully it calmed down and I was able to visit the relative I'd planned to see. I was very glad I'd topped up on screenwash, as the windows were catching a lot of dirty, salty spray. Glad the snow wasn't today though, with the long journey ahead of me!

I topped up with diesel yesterday so it's just a matter of packing the car up, and then collecting my cat from my brother and heading off. 

Moorviews

Safe travels on your return journey. It sounds like you have had an enjoyable time whilst away for Christmas with the family. Happy New Year ahead for you with your fresh start in a new home 🎉

SuzeQStan

Happy New Years Elisheba - hope your travels were uneventful xx

weenancyinAmerica

Happy New Year to you and your cat.

Elisheba

Morning, frugalistas!

Happy New Year to all! I hope 2024 brings you much joy and prosperity 😁.

I got back fine yesterday. Only issue was that once I hit the Marches there was a lot of flooding, and at one point Google maps took me down one step up from a dirt track and it was completely flooded. Thankfully it was still daylight so I was able to do an assessment and decided I couldn't be sure I could get my car through it, so reversed back to a turning point and turned around.

I had a lovely relaxed evening - lit the fire and had some plant based chinese nibbly bits I'd picked up in Tesco in the morning and sipped away on a bottle of vino while watching the celebrations on TV. Headed to bed about 12.20am once I'd seen the New Year in. Good think I did, as my dog woke me up at 7am this morning. 

I celebrated last night by buying 120 toilet rolls on a Group On deal 😂. They work out a few pence more expensive than Aldi's budget brand, but are 3 ply rather than 2. I like to have things like that in stock as it means I won't have to do any emergency runs to the shops, saving money on diesel and all the other things you end up buying when you get to a shop. The last time I bulk bought toilet roll was January 2020, so let's hope another plague doesn't hit this year!

I did very well in Tesco yesterday. When I went to collect my cat my brother asked for a lift there and back as he doesn't drive and needed to get supplies on as he had a friend over for the bells. I popped in as well as needed some lunch for the journey, and managed to get 6 packs of veggie ham slices for £1 each on yellow sticker. As they are normally £3 odd that was a great saving, and I do like ham on a lunchtime sandwich. I've put one in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. Also picked up some yellow sticker vine tomatoes (which are the only tomatoes with any flavour imo), and my lunch bits were yellow sticker as well.

When I was up in Scotland and near some decent shops I popped into Home Bargains and got six bottles of their cheap dandruff shampoo, so that will last me 5 or 6 months. I've also seen Amazon have 6 bottles of the conditioner I like for much cheaper than the shops, and I have a £20 voucher so will buy them with that and keep the remainder for something else.

It really was much cheaper when I stopped dying my hair and just used a shampoo bar, but with the grey in it I felt a bit dowdy so needs must. 

I have a meal plan and shopping list for the month, but it'll be Saturday before I get to my nearest big town to do the shopping. I have enough to be getting until then so won't need to go to the more expensive Coop that nearer I don't think, except perhaps for some tins of dog food. 

Not sure what my plans are for today. Contemplating going out walking somewhere nice with my dog, but a day in front of the fire watching old movies also sounds good. Could probably fit both in if I get moving soon.

Hope you all have a lovely start to 2024!

SuzeQStan

Happy NY Elisheba - that made me laugh about the bulk buying TP before pandemic.  I bet you were happy you had it though come March! I remember thinking quite seriously back then about what we were going to use if we couldn’t get any as we had gone a few places to get some which had run out.  But we caught lucky eventually.

Good buys at mr t & h@me bargains!

I agree with you about the hair dyeing - if it makes you feel better then it’s worth it xx

enjoy walk / vegging on sofa with pup🥰

Elisheba

Budget for 2024 (just posted this in the Frugal Living Challenge 2024 as well)

Budget for the year for me, my dog and cat, is - 

Discretionary Spends
Food and household - £1200
Personal spends - £1200
Christmas - £300 (includes diesel to Scotland and back)
Presents - £100 (mainly niece's birthdays)
Clothes - £200
Housekeeping - £300 (bits that I need for the new place, or things that need replaced, also some paint to upcycle some furniture, and maybe some gardening stuff)
Other bits - £196.96 (Netflix, National Trust, Google storage and a society membership)
Holidays - anything left over!

Fixed costs (or as good as - will go up in April)
Rent - £8700
Pet food - £486
Pet insurance - £755.40 (might go up in March when my dog's policy is renewed)
Pet vaccinations - £85
Car (MOT, service, insurance, tax and anything else that needs done) - £1780
Diesel - £1800 (not sure about this one as just moved to a new area.  Doesn't include Scotland trips or holidays)
Oil - £1000 (I'm hoping I use so little oil I won't need all this, but as its a new house I'm not sure and best to budget for it just in case)
Wood - £300 (might be able to get wood for free for next year but will then use some of this money to buy saw, axe etc)
Bills (water, broadband, council tax, electricity, TV licence, mobile phone) - £3151.32 (water and council tax might change in April, and everything will go up a bit)
Debt - £7086.36 (car loan, tail end of old credit card debt, and interest free credit card I needed to use to move house)

So my spreadsheet says that's £28,599.04 for the year which will go up slightly in April with the rise in bills for the new financial year. I'll also get a pay rise then though, so whenever its actually awarded hopefully it will cover the increase. 

I think I've budgeted too little for presents, but any extra will have to come out of personal spends.  There may also be money left over from the oil, wood, car fund, and possibly electricity but if there is I can decide what to do about it then.  

Elisheba

SuzeQStan said:

Happy NY Elisheba - that made me laugh about the bulk buying TP before pandemic.  I bet you were happy you had it though come March! I remember thinking quite seriously back then about what we were going to use if we couldn’t get any as we had gone a few places to get some which had run out.  But we caught lucky eventually.

Good buys at mr t & h@me bargains!

I agree with you about the hair dyeing - if it makes you feel better then it’s worth it xx

enjoy walk / vegging on sofa with pup🥰

Oh, I was indeed!  I felt terribly bad for everyone though, and kept telling my friends if they needed any I could post it to them!

Elisheba

Elisheba said:

Budget for 2024 (just posted this in the Frugal Living Challenge 2024 as well)

Budget for the year for me, my dog and cat, is - 

Discretionary Spends
Food and household - £1200
Personal spends - £1200
Christmas - £300 (includes diesel to Scotland and back)
Presents - £100 (mainly niece's birthdays)
Clothes - £200
Housekeeping - £300 (bits that I need for the new place, or things that need replaced, also some paint to upcycle some furniture, and maybe some gardening stuff)
Other bits - £196.96 (Netflix, National Trust, Google storage and a society membership)
Holidays - anything left over!

Fixed costs (or as good as - will go up in April)
Rent - £8700
Pet food - £486
Pet insurance - £755.40 (might go up in March when my dog's policy is renewed)
Pet vaccinations - £85
Car (MOT, service, insurance, tax and anything else that needs done) - £1780
Diesel - £1800 (not sure about this one as just moved to a new area.  Doesn't include Scotland trips or holidays)
Oil - £1000 (I'm hoping I use so little oil I won't need all this, but as its a new house I'm not sure and best to budget for it just in case)
Wood - £300 (might be able to get wood for free for next year but will then use some of this money to buy saw, axe etc)
Bills (water, broadband, council tax, electricity, TV licence, mobile phone) - £3151.32 (water and council tax might change in April, and everything will go up a bit)
Debt - £7086.36 (car loan, tail end of old credit card debt, and interest free credit card I needed to use to move house)

So my spreadsheet says that's £28,599.04 for the year which will go up slightly in April with the rise in bills for the new financial year. I'll also get a pay rise then though, so whenever its actually awarded hopefully it will cover the increase. 

I think I've budgeted too little for presents, but any extra will have to come out of personal spends.  There may also be money left over from the oil, wood, car fund, and possibly electricity but if there is I can decide what to do about it then.  

Oh, and I forgot to say - my pension, student loan and Union fees are taken directly from my salary so I don't count them.