2021 Frugal Living Challenge

[Deleted User]

Hi frugal friends,

Long time no ‘see’.

We’ve been beset with problems with Openreach and our internet service, thankfully all sorted now but it’s been annoying. Still been frugalling here.

I’ve been overpaying our mortgage with the savings I’ve made, my plan had been to save to pay off a lump sum this year, but financially overpaying little and often is better. My mortgage is nearly under £50k which I’m 😊😊about. 

Half term here. A no spend week planned, I have more time to batch cook etc and we have a full freezer. Dinner today is LO pork with mash, veg from the market and HM Yorkshire puds, eggs from my hens 😊😊

I am coming to the end of my supply of free wood, so v thankful the temperature is set to be more tolerable this week. This week will be hot water bottles and blankets on our knees if needed!

Tanya12345

Sun is out today !! Hoooray, yesterday was particularly grim weather wise !! Menu and list making are priorities today, Grocery budget is close to the end and I was hoping to shave off 10% but hey ho just need to get head down and use whats here.... Interesting combo's here we come.
Have a good day all xx 

5yearsfree

Great to see its so busy on here, Congrats for submitting the planning best wishes that it is plain sailing for you all.
RE car tax (Savemore?) get it paid you will save a little money and it easier to be current on all your on-going bills long term, many years ago I ended up doing debt the Dave Ramsey way even though it didn't feel logical and cost me a little more but it did finally change the whole pattern of debt for me.
Anyone had mediation counselling?
Realisation has finally dawned on husband that this separation is genuine, I understand that he has to cycle through the emotions that I have already processed, and he now wants couple counselling im quite stoic in my beliefs so don't really feel this is necessary but am more than happy to go along to support him, don't know what to expect.
On a practical note I sorted an escape route if we really find we can't live together a older lady that runs an animal sanctuary 
will rent me a room for £75 a week, I guess she is used to taking in ways and strays I could just about afford this and half mortgage, 10 days to payday and I should be right where I need to be saving wise long may this continue.

MazzieD

Back at work today, just re-surfaced after catching up with e mails.  

Spent some time yesterday reading the 'Buy a house without a mortgage' at the start of this challenge.  Wow @Frugaldom, you really are inspiring!.  Not something I would want to do on my own but I really admire your tenacity particularly with savings!.  Made me think long and hard about how or if I can cut back and save more.   

Really interesting about Premium Bonds, I used to have some but cashed them in as I never won any prizes.  With interest rates being so dire even Martin Lewis seems to have altered his views on them, might be worth me considering them again.

Had my weekly look at the budget,  whilst I'm now on target to come in at about £93 under budget my Council Tax saving was £108!.  The extra £11 on duel fuel I hadn't accounted for has already made a dent in anticipated savings.  March is going to be interesting, no word from the City Council yet about Council Tax increase, they are usually quite late making any announcement so I'll anticipate 5% from April.  Bit of juggling required particularly on groceries, I'll get YS as much as possible, frozen veg and no doubt at least one £1.50 F&V box from my favourite discounter!.

pregnancy_parking

Hello frugaleers
still reading, learning and very much enjoying all the posts.
I had a small handful of cubed ham left from a gammon and a bit of cooked cabbage so just made DH and I some Nasi Goreng for lunch. It was delicious. I find a lot of Asian recipes are very thrifty and tasty so keep a good stock of store cupboard things, fish sauce, hoi sin etc. I can then easily turn a few humble ingredients into something nice for pennies.
I’ve been drying some seeds from an old tomato which I’m going to plant indoors today.
I’m pretty sure I have rats in my compost bin. I read that just removing the lid is sometimes enough to get them to move on but DH is refusing to lift the lid for me, he says it’s cruel and I should just let them be. I’m not so sure. My biggest worry is that they eat what I’m trying to grow. Something eat all my plants last year. What would you do?
I bought( I think) a single premium bond yesterday, £25? I don’t have a customer number yet to log back in. I want to see if it’s possible to buy regularly?
Not so frugal was deciding to finally look at my MILs beautiful old singer sewing machine and to try to teach myself. I’ve never used a sewing machine before. Couldn’t get it working so took it apart and found a jam in the bobbin area, then managed to snap a part (gib hook). Replcament part will be about£50 but I need to watch some videos to make sure I’m confident I can repair it myself ☹️

Last question, I’ve some old yeast sachets, I’m pretty sure they’re dead, is there anyway to bring them back?
it’s definitely feeling warmer so that’s good 🙂

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
I have not quite £2000 in premium bonds as my emergency fund ( not as much as I’d like but better than nothing) I tend to forget it’s there most of the time which takes away temptation. I know you should clear debt first but I need this because I’d worry myself sick otherwise. We went bankrupt in 2009 and the scars are still there of being down to pennies with kids to feed.
I’m so happy that the weather is warming up, I really struggle with cold these days. We were lucky we didn’t get snow ⛄️ 
Our menu today isn’t very exciting, leftover pizza for lunch and then soup and maybe a sandwich if we’re hungry later. We’re both feeling quite full as we had takeaway yesterday as neither of us could be bothered to cook. 

I’m stretching the food as far as possible so that I need to buy less next week. I’m currently managing to knock a chunk off the credit when I get paid, then a little bit before my next wage comes in. I managed to put some on a zero percent card during the lockdown and the original card I got to under a thousand last pay day. Small victories.
I hope you’re all keeping well, warm and motivated.
Cuddles

DawnW

@pregnancy_parking when I had rats in the compost bin I'm afraid I evicted them with buckets of cold water. They carry disease, make a mess and breed like nobody's business. I am sure they found a much more comfortable home elsewhere! I still chuck a bucket of water over the compost every now and then to make it less attractive.

You would have bought 25 premium bonds for £25, not a single, but £25 is the minimum investment I think. If you can't log in you can ring them up if you have a question, details should be on their web site.

MazzieD

@pregnancy_parking I was looking at Premium Bonds yesterday, you can set up a standing order from your bank if you want to buy £25 or more on a regular basis  or a minimum of £25 as and when you want to up to the maximum holding of £50,000.  The NS&I website is quite good, quite a lot of information on there.  Think the standing order details are under 'buying premium bonds'.

Only advise I can offer is don't put any cooked food in the compost bin, apparently rats love cooked food.   Never had a rat or mouse problem as I always have a large cat around who would just kill them.   Back to work............

Jazee

Trying to get back on the frugal wagon here made much easier as DH is working at the moment so he doesn't have time to spend!  I deleted the Olio app as it wasn't any good in my area, too good to go appears to be better although I don't want to make special journeys.  However today I have found out that there is now a community fridge three days a week in our town open to anyone so I'll be popping there when I do have to be in town for appointments and suchlike.

Today I have spent a couple of hours in the greenhouse planting seeds which are now all on my south facing windowsills indoors.  I'd forgotten how happy I feel after time in the garden.

marionmgcars

Olio has been quite good in my area.  Bread is always good to pick up and I like to keep a loaf in the freezer to take a few slices out at a time.  Today I listed a 3 tier food steamer I no longer use.  hopefully someone will collect it and enjoy using it.