2021 Frugal Living Challenge

willow_loulou

Very true Mazzie! It’s so hard to eat well right now if you’re on a budget. Even worse if you’re relying on a food bank. I think you need to get what you can rather than worry about cutting it too much. 

I’ve recently discovered some amazing noodles (like ramen I think it’s called) that you just sit in the boiling water rather than faff with it on the stove or microwave. £1 for 5 packs. I’m adding them to my store items as a regular top up. I am so worried about job security for my son (it’s looking unlikely all his team will be back from furlough) I need to be thinking worse case scenario as his savings tho reasonable will be needed to pay for his phone and transport. It could be several
months before he gets a job given the amount of unemployment locally. 

moneyonmymindsam

@elbree
Just wondered if it could save a bit in changing supermarket? If there's a possibility of a Mr Lidle or Mr Aldie near you? 
Sam x

willow_loulou

I’m wondering what tinned food people buy actually. Any recommendations? 

-taff

Tomatoes are the main one I suppose and tuna. I have got soups, hominy [to make posole] potatoes as a stop gap for a fried breakfast, mushy peas, and borlotti beans and chick peas. All things I could do myself but time saving hacks for when I can't be bothered. I've got tinned fruit, custard, rice pudding and some fray bentos pies [ I didn't buy them, they were a present from the government] I don't like baked beans much but I do have some for the very very odd occasion when I fancy them, like once a year.I also have anchovies and mackerel, the latter I usually eat straight form the tin as a snack or if I'm fainting with hunger. I also have coconut milk.

elbree

@willow_loulou thanks for the suggestion about separating it out into food and other items, that might help to see where the money is going. @joedenise I like the idea of a bulk fund - it would make stocking up easier if I felt I had the budget to pay for it. @MazzieD my job is secure but the budget is tight iyswim? @moneyonmymindsam I'd love to but they are hard for me to get to - between school drop offs/work/pick ups there's not an easy point in my week to go there - but used to shop there when I had an early finish on a Wed and I loved the bargains! I tend to do a delivered shop from Mr T once or twice a month. I like the control of putting things back if I've spent too much! Then rely on local small Mr S for milk and bananas basically. I also love my n*ctar app and try and buy what will build up my points. I cook a lot of stews etc and bulk out with lentils or beans so they'll go further for freezing. I feel like I'm trying to shop frugally but then was surprised when I added up spends so far...
Sorry! That was a long one! 

retiredinfrance

Thanks, CRANKY 40, MazzieD, Living-Proof and Frugeldom for your warm welcome to the thread. With February coming in over-budget, as MazzieD says " I am keeping my spends low so far". Mindful rather than mindless shopping. With lockdown here i have found it is cheaper just going to the one supermarket . I used to go to L*dl first and the  Intermarche but I've stopped L* dl. I think I now avoid the really good bargains that were not in my list and also i buy all fruit and veg loose - just what we need. The loyalty scheme is 5 % off fruit and veg and then 10% on and after the fourth visit of the monrh. I usually let it accumulate but now I think I will cash it in every month.. Also they have offers with the reduction being added to the card so ,in effect , if I don't cash in soon, I am out by that amount. So, off to shop tomorrow with offers on toilet rolls and kitchen roll to look forward to !

balabooberlies

-taff said:

Tomatoes are the main one I suppose and tuna. I have got soups, hominy [to make posole] potatoes as a stop gap for a fried breakfast, mushy peas, and borlotti beans and chick peas. All things I could do myself but time saving hacks for when I can't be bothered. I've got tinned fruit, custard, rice pudding and some fray bentos pies [ I didn't buy them, they were a present from the government] I don't like baked beans much but I do have some for the very very odd occasion when I fancy them, like once a year.I also have anchovies and mackerel, the latter I usually eat straight form the tin as a snack or if I'm fainting with hunger. I also have coconut milk.

We have almost identical cupboards, except hominy and coconut milk.........

bala

AskYouWillGet

Hi all,
Have been lucky so far this month and last month was a good result with frugality paying off. But stocks are low on household stuff & cat food/litter. Switch cat food saw a bargain but upset his tummy so not able to save that way! 
These are my freebies that picked up:
Olio: 5 packs of incense sticks came in handy due to cat!), 1kg tub of Nand@s chilli jam  and 2 packs of Rice Flour (I baked biscuits that ard just delicious!). 
Freegle: 2 pairs secateurs, a garden fork, folding garden chair & lovely kitchen bin that  fits perfectly. 
Also, received a Tax rebate 2019-20: £10.60 from applying for the work at home tax relief £60 per year. 
Bought lots of ys when popped in late to MrT express, bread, fresh salmon (£1), humus & carrot sticks. 'ys posh buys' is one of the pleasures of shopping I really have missed!

Reading posts about stocking up in bulk, wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a company that provides home delivery please?
Motivational March goal:
When buying fresh milk, bread etc in between big shop... Reduce £20 avarage spend to £10 (achieved 1 of 2 visits so far). 

Bluegreen143

@willow_loulou we tend to stock up
on:

- lots of tinned tomatoes & passata
- coconut milk
- tuna and mackerel 
- tinned pulses especially kidney beans, white beans, baked beans, puy lentils, black beans 
- some tinned fruit (pineapple, peaches and pears)

That’s all we tend to eat tinned, I don’t like tinned veg for example. DH likes to make sure we have a couple tins tomato soup in but it’s just for the odd lunch for him, I always make my own soup otherwise. 

Outside tins, the usual eg pasta, rice (basmati and risotto), dried lentils & other pulses, couscous, oats, baking ingredients etc.

MazzieD

@elbree expect you probably have a Clubcard in that case and can take advantage of the Clubcard price offers.  T*sco do an A!di price match on quite a few items based on the size of their products which differ to A*ldi so you might be able to save there.

@willow_loulou I have to be honest, I don't buy much tinned stuff, mainly tomatoes, the odd tin of baked beans and I keep a small amount of tinned fruit and an occasional tin of corned beef.  I  buy dried pulses, cook and freeze but tend to use my freezer for fish, veg, fruit and anything else as I don't have much storage space in my kitchen and am not a huge fan of tinned food.  t's more of an emergency back up in case of panic buying or food shortages!.