2021 Frugal Living Challenge

Nurse2259

Hello, please can I join in? This looks like my kind of place! I've been lurking for a while- and on and off over the years but I was low on energy in 2020 after a separation with my husband of 19 years in the Feb, 2 house moves plus trying to be a student nurse through a pandemic- I fear I was slightly out of touch with my finances. Things are beginning to settle now and I am ready to take control and get a grip. I love simple pleasures and recycling and hate waste so this seems like the perfect place to start my journey. I am currently renting a place with my menagerie of animals and kids and trying to hang on in there as a student nurse- only 7 months until I qualify- I am eventually looking forward to home ownership again- my own wee cottage in the country is my goal. I do own horses which is my guilty pleasure however past frugality has helped me afford them, hoping to scratch my way through study, placements and finding a job the next year and finally get settled. Loving all the suggestions and have joined a cash back site this morning. Feeling empowered :-) 

patentgirl

Sorry to hear your sad news @sashacat sending you love x

-taff

My condolences @sashacat. It's a rough old time at the moment, hope you have some support.

annieb64

So sorry, Sashacat.Take care of yourself.

Jazee

Hello Nurse, and condolences to Sashacat.

Apparently we need to spend 50p this morning pumping up the tyres on my car as the foot pump isn't good enough for DH!  Not planning any other spends today though.

Thrifty_Taylor

So sorry to hear your news Sasha, sending a big hug.

Welcome Nurse to our lovely group.

A lovely day on our island today.  As the farmers have started ploughing their fields, I'm planning to dig over at least one of our raised beds. There is a small breeze too, so hanging the washing out, one of my favourites simple pleasures! The washing is a bag of no1 child's clothes found in the attic of the garage yesterday, that younger two children have decided they won't wear. So will wash & sell. 

Nurse2259

Thanks Thrifty T. You must be in much warmer climes than me today.
So far this morning i've signed up for quidco, petrol prices and Olio. There are food items listed on Olio not far from me but somehow it seems a bit cheeky just turning up and getting it for free. I think i'll give a few things away on it first before I start taking. One of my horses has ripped her rug so i'm going to try and do a repair rather than bin it. Also going to go for a nice ride before a busy work week and try and concoct a soup from whatever is lurking in my fridge. Also planning a Lidl shop this evening- is that a good time for YS at Lidl? Or will the shelves be empty?!

welshspendthrift

@sashacat so sorry for you loss , sending hugs xx

savingmore

May I join you lovely band of folk?  Discovered this thread a few weeks ago, andy it’s been my guilty pleasure reading it, especially when I haven’t been able to sleep.   I am desperately trying to save for my retirement soon.  Get SP in just over two years, but not sure DH and I can afford to go before then...although we would like to.  Have enjoyed finding the YT recommendations, and watched a fair few of frugal jo and vivi in last 24 hours.  omg!  I thought I was doing well keeping to a monthly budget of £250 for supermarket, food, toiletries.  Have been very careful through lockdown with that, and realised with intentionality we can do it and still eat well.  meal planning has been the key.  But blown away by Jo’s £100 pm🤩. I don’t think we want to have such a restrictive budget (although i know i could if need be), but been inspired to reduce mine down.  I think I will start at £200 a month and see what happens, and if that is easy will aim to get it down to £180 and work downwards.  We do drink alcohol, husband likes a few beers a week, and I drink wine, but majorly cut back.  haven’t really had much for a couple of months.  also been losing weight so that helps on food budget as eating less and not buying treats.  If we have chocolate now, buy ald* or sainsbobs cheap dark chocolate.  we both like them.  took me years to train myself to like dark chocolate, used to be a c*dburys girl, but now i finding it too sweet, and don’t like what they have done to it after being bought by american firm kraft (i think that is who it was).   rambled enough.  Looking forward to being part of this community it’s, and learning heaps, and having more money to squirrel away each month.  

StrawberrySuze

Nurse2259 said:

Hello, please can I join in? This looks like my kind of place! I've been lurking for a while- and on and off over the years but I was low on energy in 2020 after a separation with my husband of 19 years in the Feb, 2 house moves plus trying to be a student nurse through a pandemic- I fear I was slightly out of touch with my finances. Things are beginning to settle now and I am ready to take control and get a grip. I love simple pleasures and recycling and hate waste so this seems like the perfect place to start my journey. I am currently renting a place with my menagerie of animals and kids and trying to hang on in there as a student nurse- only 7 months until I qualify- I am eventually looking forward to home ownership again- my own wee cottage in the country is my goal. I do own horses which is my guilty pleasure however past frugality has helped me afford them, hoping to scratch my way through study, placements and finding a job the next year and finally get settled. Loving all the suggestions and have joined a cash back site this morning. Feeling empowered :-) 

Hello @Nurse2259 and welcome 🙂

You will get lots of support here.

Owning horses should not be a 'guilty' pleasure, just a pleasure! We are all on our own journey,  what's frugal for one is not necessarily frugal for another, you just cut different corners! I would absolutely love a horse but run a motorbike and drink wine when I feel like it, I cut a lot of other corners to be able to do that but don't believe in depriving myself of 'all' the things that give me pleasure, just some of them 😊

Suze xx