2021 Frugal Living Challenge

MazzieD

Think the plan this month (if there is one) is to really concentrate on the budget,  Actually popped in L*dl yesterday, bit shocked by the price increases on a lot of items but no one to ask about the now elusive F&V boxes.  It's a shame they don't have prices on their website like Aldi and the other supermarkets do.  Did a price comparison when I got home and some of it is now cheaper at T*sco.

Probably most of what I put on here is about groceries so I'm going to concentrate on other things.

Tightpants24

Thanks for the tips on the bargain bulbs.  I have decided to plant some and keep some and see what happens.  
Well done everyone on their tgtg bags.  I tried it once and got about 6 packs of pitta bread and 5 bags of on the turn chopped iceberg lettuce 😆   I never bothered again 😅 

2Scratters

Morning Peeps,
hope you are all well, its very windy here in Lancashire with a cold wind. Not what you want in May. On the veg front not sure if anyone else does this - penny pinching frugal tip, we have now started to use baby spinach leaves in place of lettuce. (This came about due to me suffering with indigestion when having lettuce for years, have established I can get away with organic little gems only.) I also made DH salad sandwich without telling him and he never noticed (he didn't like spinach ) so we are saving on waste as we never seemed to finish off a bag now we are winning with this small find. Our electric bill has crept up this winter, not happy with that, we have a few tons of wood needing sorting and have been lazy/disorganised. We are now treating ourselves to a new log splitter which should be arriving next week. Looking forward to getting some wood split and more organised in the garden and making another wood store for drying out & ready for our next task of a kitchen extension.
Stay safe
2Scratters

Siebrie

I'm trying to persuade the local bakery to join tgtg. They only have one type of bread I like, but their pastries are excellent. They do not bake at the premises, they are re-sellers, who have a so-so loaf supplier, and an excellent pastry supplier. Unfortunately, that reflects in the price (GBP1.08 for a croissant....).

Mummy2cheekymonkeys

2Scratters said:

Morning Peeps,
hope you are all well, its very windy here in Lancashire with a cold wind. Not what you want in May. On the veg front not sure if anyone else does this - penny pinching frugal tip, we have now started to use baby spinach leaves in place of lettuce. (This came about due to me suffering with indigestion when having lettuce for years, have established I can get away with organic little gems only.) I also made DH salad sandwich without telling him and he never noticed (he didn't like spinach ) so we are saving on waste as we never seemed to finish off a bag now we are winning with this small find. Our electric bill has crept up this winter, not happy with that, we have a few tons of wood needing sorting and have been lazy/disorganised. We are now treating ourselves to a new log splitter which should be arriving next week. Looking forward to getting some wood split and more organised in the garden and making another wood store for drying out & ready for our next task of a kitchen extension.
Stay safe
2Scratters

I do that with spinach as well. It came about from when I was pregnant and had very low iron levels. I tried it and thought the spinach was nicer then lettuce. It's also a lot easier to use up the bag by throwing it in most dishes. I wouldn't really want to throw a bag of lettuce into a pasta dish to use it up but would with spinach.
My food bill seems to creep up each month. Going to try and get it down again the next couple of months.

AskYouWillGet

@Poppy_Golightly The bags I have picked up have been mostly suitable for vegetarians. Bread, fruit, veg, sweets, and the odd item like pepperoni pizza and corned beef slices. Defo worth a try ask the shops too if they have / able to personalise it.
Also depending where you live  restaurants indicate meat or veggie - useful to know when they start serving again.  

BelleBaluu

Morning, I've haven't posted for a while, but have been reading with interest.  I tried a tgtg bag last week, we only have Costa available to us.  Was quite disappointed.  I thought the whole idea was to use up food that would otherwise go to waste.  When I went in to collect my bag, two members of staff didn't know what I was talking about, then the third one came along and picked up a selection of stuff from their shelves.  I received two toasties and three cakes, the toasties had about four days shelf life left on them. So whilst I can't complain about the food received, I just didn't think that was the concept.  I also felt like all the staff were staring at me while I stood waiting to find someone who knew what I was talking about, a bit off putting.
I have been doing quite well with the L1dl F&V boxes though, we have been eating a lot more fruit in the house now, and most of what I have had in my boxes has been really decent quality, with quite a bit of life left.  I've had to give away bananas and a melon to my parents though, as we were a bit swamped with them.  But they are such good value for money at £1.50. 

jak

Omg have I got loads of crap or what?! Selling old stuff is going well. I’ve managed to get rid of the Huge trampoline. It’s going today. I’m getting £20 for it but they are taking it down and removing it so I’m just grateful I don’t have to pay someone to come and get it. My sons ‘new room’ sealed pot is getting pretty full. He is saving all his pennies from stuff sold that’s his. He is going to be responsible for buying what he wants for his new bedroom. 

We also have scored a free hair cut next time he needs to go as the hairdresser let us down at the last minute on Sat and didn’t let us know. I was Very cross. All saves some pennies. 

My stuff is gradually selling. It’s going to be a long process. Off to organise the kitchen. One room done so far.
Eek! Ooh and I passed my driving theory test yesterday! Yay! 

Eating from the cupboards is going well. No more shopping for meeeee. Xx

AskYouWillGet

@Deleted_User. How are things? I just remembered that you were trying to sort out your water bill and trying for a reduction, how did you get on?  I sorted out April's spends and found my water bill with a new lower predicted yearly water usage 119cubic metres (previously was 150 cubic metres).

I did ok for April, looks like I have levelled out as spent same on food. So for May I'm going to concentrate on household stuff. I hope to save another £50 in Premium Bonds (aiming to do this monthly). 
I can't see any other changes to my bills that can save on so as usual it seems the biggest savings is on food and household items. 
Made a tea bag switch to a  supermarket brand, saving over £1 per box and also started soup making again as cheap and healthy too. 

Thrifty_Taylor

Well done @jak & @AskYouWillGet.
I'm trying to do Money Makng May. Sell as much of our no longer used /outgrown items. Sold some books & a couple of items on eboy so far, lots more to list. Have some things to list on local FB pages, but waiting until the weekend, as I've been signed off work for a couple of weeks due to hubby being diagnosed with renal failure, & I didn't want folk thinking I'm not working but able to sort through things, etc.