2021 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugaldom

@Onebrokelady Just you hold onto that dream of horses as there are so many out there desperate for good, knowledgeable homes. I now have 10 here, despite having given up all hope 20 years ago when getting divorced and up to neck in debt.  All here are rescued, rehomed and rehabs. They take up every penny and every hour I can spare, along with whatever any friends can spare. Just seeing them is reason to get up each morning for some who follow the pony daily diaries.

willow_loulou

I adore your pony stories on Facebook @Frugaldom it make me chuckle seeing their antics and how dirty they get! I always had this image of horses being so perfect and prim, but you’ve shown me they are just as naughty as my pups! 

Today is a beautiful day, am sat with coffee just contemplating life. The thought of the summer fills me with joy. I hope the weather lasts so my garden dries out a bit and I can actually get things done out there. 

Tightpants24

I was rummaging through my handbags for a postage stamp.  I didn't find a stamp but I found £23 in change 😃  Sold to DH for his parking.  I feel like I have had a win even though it was my money.

StrawberrySuze

Tightpants24 said:

I was rummaging through my handbags for a postage stamp.  I didn't find a stamp but I found £23 in change 😃  Sold to DH for his parking.  I feel like I have had a win even though it was my money.

Looks like a win to me 🤗

willow_loulou

Tightpants24 said:

I was rummaging through my handbags for a postage stamp.  I didn't find a stamp but I found £23 in change 😃  Sold to DH for his parking.  I feel like I have had a win even though it was my money.

It’s a fabulous feeling when that happens! I forgot I’d hidden £20 so I could only spend thr cash in my purse, that’s gone in my holiday fund! 

CraftyLittleLisa

I agree with you all - its nice the sunshine is here to lift the spirits isn't it.  I spent the morning at the allotment doing some tidying and repairs and yesterday I tidied up my little communal garden.  It certainly has done the trick in cheering me up.  I was feeling rather down on Thursday - questioning work, life, etc - but gardening works every time.  Even my little nephew this morning said "I love it up here its so peaceful".

I have had a bit of an expense to deal with this week.  I really needed to get a new laptop as my current one was really struggling and I didn't want it to die on me completely before I bought something.  The good thing is I had quite a few vouchers to use and I also had been saving up in preparation.  The disappointing thing is I tried to download the software I had bought (I bought some outright as I didn't want to pay every year for a subscription for products I am unlikely to use) and it told me the product key has already been used - the tech guy I spoke to was completely baffled so has sent me another one for me to collect tomorrow.  I hate computers and I really hope this one lasts me an age (the last one did me 15 years).  The good news is I have managed to connect up all the wireless devices okay.  That's a minor miracle for a technophobe like me.

As to Motivational March I suppose my challenge is just to continue trying not to waste anything.  This month I started being very vigilant on this so I made apple muffins using an apple that was past its best, making moussaka to use up an aubergine I got in my veg box (I don't like aubergine so had to use it in some kind of large dish), used the creme fraiche in said moussaka as it was getting passed it and made celery soup as I had an excess of celery from the veg boxes.  I have to say it was very nice soup so I would be happy to have an excess of celery again.

I have checked my budget and as long as I am really disciplined this month I will hit budgets and save some money.  I have also got some vouchers from my credit card that I can use for my grocery shop to bring that down.

Since joining this thread I have learned a lot.  Before I started I always thought that I was careful and I couldn't shave any more off my expenses.  I was getting concerned as I knew I was going to need to buy new white goods at that point and I didn't see how I could.  Since I started I have managed to buy a new cooker (the current one was no longer safe), a new washing machine (the current one wasn't doing all its cycles properly) and a new fridge freezer (the current one was having to be defrosted so frequently I knew it was on its way out.  All of them were paid for outright after saving the money and I am so pleased with that achievement.  I also managed to save up for a holiday for myself and my sister and her kids (although this was postponed from last year due to Covid 19 to this year).  Now I have replaced the last of my delapidated necessities (the laptop) I want to build up a fund so that I have money in case of such problems in the future.

zafiro1984

Someone mentioned a while back not to spend if you had a surplus at the end of a month but to to put it to one side should a large bill/invoice come in. Jan was good I had a surplus on my household spreadsheet. I was feeling in control and even bought two bedside lights I wanted. This month was OK although the surplus wasn't as good as Jan, I had in mind to buy a ceiling light to match the bedside lights and possibly some fish with the surplus. Then it happened - DH checked the oil level in the tank and I've just ordered 3000L of kerosene so I head into March with a fair sized deficit. It will take some will power and a few months to claw this back. I'm afraid it's essentials only in March

balabooberlies

Wow Lisa, so inspiring.  Well done.

bala

Frugaldom

zafiro1984 said:

Someone mentioned a while back not to spend if you had a surplus at the end of a month but to to put it to one side should a large bill/invoice come in. Jan was good I had a surplus on my household spreadsheet. I was feeling in control and even bought two bedside lights I wanted. This month was OK although the surplus wasn't as good as Jan, I had in mind to buy a ceiling light to match the bedside lights and possibly some fish with the surplus. Then it happened - DH checked the oil level in the tank and I've just ordered 3000L of kerosene so I head into March with a fair sized deficit. It will take some will power and a few months to claw this back. I'm afraid it's essentials only in March

This is why I always recommend assessing your spending over a full year and then working out a monthly average spend - some months are under, some are over and whatever is carried forward is contingency fund. It does take quite some time to mentally calculate all your spends over a 12 month period but no 2 months are identical so it's the only way I can work. If I get to be looking short over the year, something has to go or else I need to raise more funds to cover any deficits. Hope this helps.

Onebrokelady

Frugaldom said:

@Onebrokelady Just you hold onto that dream of horses as there are so many out there desperate for good, knowledgeable homes. I now have 10 here, despite having given up all hope 20 years ago when getting divorced and up to neck in debt.  All here are rescued, rehomed and rehabs. They take up every penny and every hour I can spare, along with whatever any friends can spare. Just seeing them is reason to get up each morning for some who follow the pony daily diaries.

It would be a dream come true for me. Where can i follow the pony daily diaries 😊