2021 Frugal Living Challenge

elbree

A sort of good frugalling day, I covered my old dining chairs with some cheap fabric using a staple gun and they look SO much better, as does the whole living room. Amazing what a boost a small change around at home can be! On the other hand have just booked some flowers to be delivered to my Mum for Mother's Day. It was quite a lot but she deserves it and I can't go and visit this year. Sounds like everyone's been very productive! 

Frugaldom

Deleted_User said:

Morning frugal friends

This will be yet another NSD - we went to our local waste food share last night and it was absolutely groaning with produce that would have otherwise been destined for the bin. There is another share tonight but it’s at 6pm and my children are so tired by then, and the queue is long, so we will have to forego that one. 

Frugaldom your post got me thinking, and reminded me I’ve been meaning to ask for advice - 

GARDENING- as a complete novice who wants to grow spuds and raspberries this year, please could someone give me some basic advice on how to start? I am utterly clueless in the garden. DD and I eat absolutely loads of berries so this would save a fortune in summer. Thank you xx

Loads of good information already posted regarding the gardening. I haven't gone through my seeds for sowing yet as it's still quite frosty here and not to late for snow so I haven't really started yet. Blackcurrants and raspberries are quite easy to take cuttings as you just poke the sticks into the ground or pots and let them root. Sad to say that I still haven't managed to get the potting shed cleaned out yet, either, as I need help lifting some of the stuff in there. Fingers crossed for tomorrow, if H has the time to help after we've seen to all the ponies. 

the_cross_rabbit

Used  shrivelled up parsnips to make a mash with onions, garlic, mustard and rosemary put that on top of a veggie shepherd type pie. Far nicer than regular mash. Also used up some left over spinach, eggs and feta to make a frittata for lunch. Just got to use up some Greek and natural yoghurt that is lurking in the fridge.
CRx

joedenise

I use up yoghurt (both Greek and regular) to make baked oat muffins.  We have these for breakfast or just as cakes with a cuppa.

40g oats (per person); some sugar to taste (don't like them too sweet); natural yoghurt; an egg (per person).  Mix together well, needs to be a bit loose.

Put a couple of Tbs of mix into each hole of a 6 hole muffin pan (I use silicon which makes them easy to get out!).  Cook at about 180 for 35 minutes, turning after 20 minutes.  Check to see if cooked by inserting a skewer and it should come out clean. Give them a few more minutes if not quite cooked.

Once cooked, remove from oven and leave to cool for about 5 minutes as it makes them easier to remove.

If we have them for breakfast we have 2 and serve with some extra yoghurt and some defrosted mixed fruit or chopped fresh fruit.  Can have a little honey or maple syrup with them too if you like!

Can also be eaten with a cuppa like a cake.

StrawberrySuze

Morning all, hope everyone had a good, productive weekend 🙂

I have a week off work so I am going to some seed planting and make my additional raised bed in the back garden, I also need to make a large piece of trellis. Need to buy some compost but I have everything else I need.

Had quite an expensive weekend; I've invested in a very large upright freezer for my garage. I was going to buy a second hand one, I already have a half size one, but thought by the time I had paid for the freezer and someone to collect it  I would be better to use the money towards a bigger, new one that is specifically for use in a garage. I did deliberate for several months over this decision! Spent all of yesterday getting the garage ready, sorting and cleaning so I have a dedicated home for it. I now have a few things to list on Olio and did fill the dustbin but most of it went back in the garage! I am looking forward to being able to fill the freezer with lots of batch goodies and ys items and to actually be able to see what I have got in there 😊 

Have a good week all.
Suze 🙂

MazzieD

Had a look at the Bargain Seeds website @Bluegreen143.  It's quite a good idea supplying in small quantities, must admit I looked at my seed packs afterwards and am not likely to need the quantities supplied (at least 150 seeds per pack) even over several years.  Seem to remember there used to be a seed swap here so that might be a good idea when life is a bit more 'normal'.

I was a bit taken aback this morning on my walk,  no social distancing, everyone suddenly seems to think it's ok now the schools are back and it was really busy in my local high street/roads.  Got my vaccination at the weekend so I'm being ultra cautious and making sure I'm well prepared just in case of side effects.

elbree

Evening Frugallers 👏, good frugal day today. Back at school full time today so not likely to have much time for spending which is good news for my car fund. Have been tracking my grocery spends this month to think about future budget and I seem to have spent a lot although it's only the 8th! There's only me and my 7 year old daughter here and I've spent £160 so far! To be fair I have stocked up (after running down in Feb) and it includes all household and toiletries but even so....I wondered what kind of budgets others worked to?  I always batch cook and freeze so I can just reheat for us when we get in and no food is ever wasted but I would like to save some money in the area if I can. 

willow_loulou

@elbree I have struggled with food budgets this year as prices have increased massively on some of our usual items. (Plus most has been delivered) It’s varied between £1.97 to £78 in a week! Crazy. I’m finally a little more confident going out since reaching my 3 week efficacy from my jab this week so hopeful to get it more even now I can y/s shop a bit. 

My aim is to get under £160 this month. That’s up on last year but my dd is home from uni and unlikely to return. So that’s for 3 adults, a guineapig and hamster. 

The dogs have their own budget
I also am considering separating the cleaning/health products from food as I’m trying a different shop for them so will price compare this week. 

joedenise

@elbree - there can never be one budget per family as we all eat different things and include different things.  There are only 2 of us, both retired, so our budget includes 3 meals a day for 2.  I don't buy any ready meals and the nearest I get to processed food is tinned pulses and beans.

I also have a separate bulk fund which I use if I buy a large amount of, eg meat from the butchers or an online butcher; or trays of beans/tomatoes.

My grocery budget is £250 per month but anything not used gets transferred to the bulk fund.  I don't have a standard amount going into the bulk fund but try to put at least £20 a month into it ready for buying large quantities of meat and tinned goods.

It helps having a chest freezer in an outside cupboard as I keep lots of HM ready meals in there.

I menu plan for a month at a time (but not completely set in stone!) and try to include at least a couple of HM ready meals a week into it.

Unfortunately I don't tend to shop at YS sticker time so very rarely get anything reduced but always look just in case there is anything we would use.

MazzieD

@elbree  Perhaps you have to think longer term, by stocking up you won't need to replace items so quickly which will save money but probably over a period of time - even if you got loads of bargains you still have to spend to buy them to save money.

It isn't easy to save money on groceries in a pandemic/Brexit fallout, we all have constraints on availability, rising prices, choice of supermarkets or lack of availability on food waste apps/groups.  Hopefully you can manage to buy/obtain enough food which is probably more of a worry if you are on a tight budget or have job insecurity.