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

missymoo81

Hey @elisheba I hope you feel better today, I love a lazy Sunday. A monthly ship is such a good idea, this would save me so much money. Might have a look into it! You’re full of good ideas. Thank you. 

Elisheba

Good afternoon, moneysaving crew!

Good luck with the laundry detergent @Cheery_Daff.  I used mine yesterday and it works fine, but it hasn't thickened up.  Think it may be because I used liquid soap in it.  Maybe it doesn't have the same thickening agents. I made 10 litres and it will probably last me 2 years as I try to only wash things when they really need it!

I find monthly shops work best for me @missymoo81.  I don't want to spend an hour or two each week shopping and wasting my weekend.  When I'm being organised I do a monthly foodplan, that generally repeats the sames meals each week to make things easier.  If I can buy in milk and freeze it (or use UHT like I am this month) then its even better as less need to pop to the shops where you inevitably buy extra.  I find I might need a top up shop for fresh fruit and veg towards the end of the month but thats about it.

I have had a very frugal weekend, and other than the budgeted for food shop spent nothing.  Free BBQ on Friday, and a quiet Saturday and Sunday.  I got some bread made in the breadmaker yesterday, and was able to leave it until today until I started slicing it, and it does slice much thinner which was a tip I read in the thrift book I just finished.

The thrift book was very interesting.  I found the mentality it seemed to describe, where you didn't just chuck stuff away, be it the bin or recycling, quite eye opening.  they genuinely seemed think about how they could reuse everything.  Dried orange peel and potato skins - if it wasn't for the compost then they would dry them and use to start the fire.  Some sort of ornaments were made out of fish heads.  It really made me think about how much more I could be quite easily doing.  For example, I have a paper log press and a bucket outside I used to put card and paper scraps in, instead of the recycling to be mixed up with water and turned into paper logs.  It was a bit of a faff though, and paper logs don't exactly make a roaring fire, so I haven't bothered recently.  I really should start again.  This is a free source of energy I am being given for free all year, and all I need to do is mulch it into logs and dry them.  Even if it saves me one bag of coal in winter that's a tenner or more saved.  

I'm going to look into making rag rugs as well, to use up some of my rag bag, use old socks for dusting, and genuinely think as much as I can about how I could reuse something before it gets thrown out.  I don't want piles of litter lining up, but if it saves me having to buy something then that's money saved and good for the environment as well.

I thought I would try Prolific surveys again.  I signed up to Prolific and quite a few others over 2 years ago, but never really got into them.  I seemed to start some and then get knocked back more often than not.  However, I don't know what they have changed or maybe I just didn't really try Prolific, but it offers me surveys I qualify for so I don't bet rejected, and in two days I have racked up over £15.  At the moment I am going to keep doing them and put the money towards a new set of organic cotton bath sheets and towels, which I do need as mine are ragged, but not enough to actually buy them from my normal money as I can still dry myself.  If that works out I'll save for an Instant Pot after that, and then see what else I would like but don't strictly need.

I have a work lunch I have budgeted for on Friday this week, and meeting a friend on Saturday (which I hope I have budgeted enough for!). Other than that I don't foresee any expenses this week.  My sore throat and sniffles never came to anything thankfully, so actually going out isn't verboten, but other than dog walks I shouldn't really need to.

I finished an audiobook yesterday, a YA book set in a dystopian Edinburgh where magic is real, which was quite good.   Then I finished the thrift book this morning, so I'll need to decide what I want to read next.  I have a library book about farming I'm reading.  I don't think its that's good but I may as well get it finished.  I have a few other library books out so I should probably prioritise them.  My dog destroyed a book last week, and I'm hoping I can renew it a couple more times so it will come out of August's budget as I haven't budgeted for it this month!  It was a mystery I was half way through so I have managed to borrow it online so I can find out what happens next!

I'll wait a few more days before I tot up the debt balance.  It takes a while for some of the payments to show.  It should be on the lower end of £10k so that'll be nice.  It will be stuck there for a month or two though, as I will need money for my holiday.

I hope you all have a really fabulous, summery week 

foxgloves

I've made a few rag rugs in the past, @Elisheba. Someone gave me a huge piece of rug canvas & I cut up old clothes & fabric stash stuff into strips & knotted them on alternate rows with a rug-making latchet (?) tool. My old house was rather Bohemian in style & they fitted into the general 'look'. I made 2 normal size ones & a small one to use as a bath mat. They looked nice but washing them was a bit of a faff.....treading them up & down in the bath where oodles of muck would come out because they were so tricky to vacuum properly. So they didn't survive the pre-house move chuck-out when I was looking to buy this place with Mr F, but they looked nice while I had them & did make good use of fabric scraps.
F x

P.S I did a round plaited one too. Again, looked nice while it lasted but joining lengths of plait was a bit tedious after the first couple of hours!

Elisheba

Duh!  Checked my banking and realised I hadn't cancelled an OS monthly map subscription I signed up for last month while on holiday.  £5 had come out I hadn't budgeted for  Its cancelled now, and I suppose access this month will be useful when I am doing some walking next weekend.

Elisheba

Afternoon all,

I have done my figures for June and only a £260 debt reduction for June.  I thought it would be more, but can easily see from my figures it is due to some money spent on a holiday last month and some over spending over the last few months, neither of which were included in my projections.  Its all factored in now, and with my holiday money this month I am expecting less than a £100 overall reduction for July.  However, that is paying for a 2 weeks holiday and not getting into any more debt so I can't complain really.  Once the holiday is out the way I will be making sure I don't count that money each month into debt that has been repaid (it is technically paying off my OD but thats only temporary and it will end up being spent again and my figures all messed up so best off ignored).

After reading some debt diaries and SOA's on here I am just so very, very grateful that I earn more than enough to support myself and pay off these debts.  This entire process of looking at what I spend and keeping all the costs down will be useful for me forever and help me to achieve certain financial goals once the debt has gone, but the debt itself has an expiry date and everything I do I can see as useful in getting to that end point. 

Not being able to pay bills no matter what you do is just so soul destroying.  My parents went bankrupt when I was a teenager and I remember the years before that and the constant money worries. No matter what they did with the business it was never enough and there was a constant dread hanging over everything. I am so lucky and so grateful I am not in that position again.  

I used Martin's calculator and it says I will get around a £30 increase on my salary per month due to the National Insurance changes.  This took into account my pension payment, but not my student loan payment which may go up in line with the increase.  I'm not sure.  I'm Scottish and our payments went down a year or two ago, and I'm not sure what percentage I actually paying back now and over what amount.  I just ignore it mainly and think of it as a graduate tax.  

The new Chancellor is in favour of a 5.1% pay increase for teachers.  If he were to apply that to the whole public sector then I would be a happy bunny.  However, the chances of him staying Chancellor for more than a few days and BoJo's government not falling look less and less likely as the day goes all.  Its all very exciting and high drama, but as I won't be able to stand any of the replacements either I can't say I feel hugely vested in the result.  And the replacement will probably not throw money at every problem no matter how financially unsound it is for the country, so no more freebies for me!  I do hope they keep the £400 winter energy payment though.

Hope everyone has had a good day. i suppose barring death and destruction, we can vaguely comfort ourselves that it must have been better than the PM's  . I have bread in the bread make for tomorrow, and last night's left over filling for more wraps for dinner tonight.  I think I have sorted out the thing on Saturday where I was worried I'd overspend.  Should stick to budget now.

Elisheba

Time for my monthly moan about cat food.  I had hoped these had stopped, having found my cats would eat tins of T£sco cat food which is a lot more reasonably priced than Butchers Classic - 12 for £6.50, or £5 if you managed to get them on a Clubcard deal.

Looked yesterday - 12 packs not due back in until September.  6 packs £3.60, so 12 for £7.20.  So 24 for £14.40.  I mean its cheaper than Butchers Classic, but its still going up.  Remember when you used be able to get 48 Butchers Classic for £20 on special offer???

I read T£sco are having a trade war with the company that makes Pedigree etc, so maybe they also supply Tesco cat food?  Although all the sachets still seem to be available, so maybe not.

Elisheba

Morning, frugaleers!

I am frustrated with myself as I totally messed up my social budget on Friday.  Had a unplanned night out with work folk and spent an absolute fortune.  This is how I mainly got into the debt in the first place so I am annoyed at myself.  Socialising is good but I just can't do these unplanned nights that end up blowing the budget.  Although at least I didn't give up the budget completely afterwards and ignore everything for the rest of the month.  I was straight on it the next day and worked out where other things can be trimmed.  At the end of the day it will come out of my holiday money so its not a disaster, just a pain.

I bought all the pet food for the month yesterday with came to just over £30 which was well within budget.  I am so glad the cats will eat T£sco's own food now, even if I can't get it at the cheaper price for packs of 12.  Also had to buy a new charging wire for my phone as I had left mine at work.  Got a pack of 3 for £5 from Am^zon so it won't happen again.  

In good news I have totally stuck to my food budget/plan so far this month. Not having to go out to buy milk really has saved me money, and as the UHT isn't really nice enough for drinking on its own I have using less of it as well. Having some biscuits in to snack on when I am craving something sweet has helped as well.  They are cheap as chips from L!dl, but stop me going out and buying expensive snacks.

I've am still doing prolific surveys, though not so many are appearing.  I am now over £20 and fingers crossed i can double that by the end of the month.  i still want to get new towels, although i cannot find organic cotton extra large bath sheets for the life of me.  I may just have to get normal unorganic ones, which will be a lot cheaper if nothing else.


I got a quick tidy and hoover done yesterday.  One of my cats has been ill with a UTI and has peed on at least one sofa.  The only thing that seems to work is the RSPCA's Wee Away.  It has some sort of enzymes in it that neutralise the smell, but I have to use it quite a few times and its not guaranteed.  Fingers crossed I won't have to chuck out the sofa - if I do it'll be the 3rd one she has ruined!  This is why i only ever buy sofas etc second hand.

I have a fan on today in my spare room office.  Its just far too hot other wise.  Hopefully ts not eating too much power.  It was one of the heaters given to me by the gas company when my gas was leaking in winter and my central heating was off.  Quite glad I didn't sell it now, although they gave me two, so maybe I will sell the other one come winter.

Not sure what I will have for lunch today but dinner is left over pasta salad from yesterday.  

Hope everyone is having a great day and managing to stay cool 

Elisheba

Morning all,

A NSD yesterday and today will be as well I think.  Did a few prolific surveys so up to £30 for the month now, although not all of it has cleared.  If that lasts all month that will be £60 extra for the month!  Its pretty awesome - like a little pay rise! And I might even get a real payrise next month with the NI changes.  Not counting on that one though.  Although Martin's calculator said I would, I have read I am over the salary threshold where it would affect anything.  So will just wait and see.

I was thinking next month I might apply for a balance transfer credit card.  None of the ones I have empty are offering anything right now, and my credit rating has gone up to just below excellent so I think I stand a good change of getting one with a decent limit.  I've not used a credit card in 2 years so I'm not worried I'll be tempted to anything.  I have empty cards now and I don't use them.  I may not manage my finances brilliantly, and still spend a bit too much money at times, but I am not getting into anymore debt and my debt is steadily coming down so at least I can congratulate myself on that. I'll think on it.  No need to rush, but would be good if almost all debt was interest free.

Read through the MSE email this morning.  Lebara have a good phone deal with more data than I have now, but I'm already with them and think it will be for new customers.  Also a third off railcards for new customers with Trainline.  I need a new Network Rail card this month.  Wonder if I set up a new Trainline account with another email, if that would work? Bit sneaky but I don't agree with deals only for new customers.  Distinctly unfair.

Might save the tokens for a Sun caravan holiday for £50,  Would be nice to get away next February for a few days and don't fancy camping. I don't read the Sun though and suspect it would irritate me so would be a bit annoying buying it.  Wonder if I can get the tokens online for free?

Things I need to get done today:
1. Dishes - DONE
2. Hang up clothes - DONE
3. Take pet blankets off the line and put them away (the amount of dog hair in my washing machine was insane yesterday!) - DONE
4. Put breadmaker on - DONE
5. Some Prolific studies - DONE
6. Quick tidy of office and bedroom
7. Dog walk
8. Zap receipt from petfood shopping onto apps - DONE

Think that's it.  Lunch will be pasta salad, and dinner the breadmaker bread and eggs.  I'm finding myself not very hungry in this heat at night so swapping the meals about for a bit to see how I get on with that.

Have a good day everyone!

slm6002

There is a thread on here somewhere that gives you the codes rather than having to buy the paper.  Sorry no good at adding a link, but a quick search would probably come up with something

slm6002

Sun Holiday codes for July 2022 — MoneySavingExpert Forum
See if this works