2021 Frugal Living Challenge

Siebrie

I often feel an imposter on these boards, as husband and I both work office jobs and have good incomes. But we both come from low-income or no-income households (husband has 10 siblings, only 1 meal per day was provided). When we got together and got married, we often fed 34 people on just my income, by sending money to his relatives. This stopped after a few months, when I started keeping a strict budget and made 'relatives' a line item. I worked for 11 years for one employer, always keeping track of our money. Then we parted ways, I was home for 8 months, I started working for my current employer but never took up budgeting and keeping track, thinking I knew what was happening, we had routines in place. That was when my husband started messing with the accounts, took a mistress and spent €10,000 on her, taking her on weekends away (mid covid!!). Now that I have restarted budgeting and keeping track, he has kissed his mistress goodbye. Budgeting keeps my husband on the straight and narrow..... I'm still pondering what to do, but have some time to ponder as he's leaving for his home country this weekend.

GeorgieLou

I have come on here to have a read and see if I can join, as suggested to me on my thread. 
I thought I'd start with reading the first welcome post, and the last page. 
That means that Siebrie, yours is the post I've read. I'm really sorry for the situation you are in. Are you OK? How is everything going for you? 

Siebrie

Hi GeorgieLou, welcome to the Forum! Thank you, I'm more or less fine. The lesson to take away from my situation: life's bumps are easier to navigate if you have FU money somewhere.

So, get your admin in order, know how much is in your accounts and what is due (either way), know your pension plan, insurance, etc. Have these numbers / policies (copies of...) somewhere safe. Keep your social network up and running, stay as much as possible in good physical shape.

MazzieD

@Siebrie Goodness, you are not an imposter.  I'm not sure income comes in to it, it's about being sensible with whatever money you have and making savings where you can if you have the luxury of being able to choose.  So sorry to read about your situation though.

Losing your spreadsheets must be a blow Frugaldom, I keep getting lectures at work from IT Dept about backing my personal stuff up but I've only got a spreadsheet from last year and this year to date on here as this is my work laptop, Most of the admin I need to keep is attached to emails in my 'Archive' file so I can access from anywhere as I do virtually everything online.

@GeorgieLou  Welcome, we have discussions about all sorts of topics, it's worth having a read through the year so far and previous years if you have time.

AskYouWillGet

@Tightpants24 ditto I really think would struggle to feel comfy in one again! 🤣 It maybe a new lifestyle change for me! 

willow_loulou

@Siebrie
i literally feel your pain, I had a similar issue before my divorce. It’s like having all your juggling balls in the air not knowing which one to catch x I hope you have support. 

Welcome Georgie, I hope you fine what you are looking for 

Tightpants24

I just went to order some shampoo from Ama30n and was given a free £6 for a £50 account top up.  It meant I got the shampoo for free.  £££
I guess it must be available for other account holders too.

Siebrie

The blog Cheryl's Frugal Corner has a lot of info on substitution today (how to replace an egg in a recipe, etc.).

MazzieD

@Siebrie Sounds interesting, haven't come across this particular blog..  Must get back to watching You T*be as well.

Decided to being forward my car service and MOT to next week rather than June.  Was hoping that it was just struggling a bit due to the cold weather but it really does need a service now.  Also have Road Tax at the end of June so it's going to be an expensive few weeks.  As things stand at the moment \I still have some surplus money from the budget so far this year but not enough to cover all that and any potential work required so I'll be over budget for 2 months.  Thankfully I can cover it so a bit of juggling on the groceries, electricity and anything else I can think of will be required.  

zafiro1984

Just bumbling along, trying to use the food in the freezers instead of shopping as I need the space for when the vegetables start to need cropping. 

Spent most of the day sorting out the hens. They occupy a polytunnel at the moment and are doing a sterling job at keeping the weeds down on the veg plot. However, they needed  a new run which I finished last week so I shut them in their new run whilst I sorted out their polytunnel. All their perches out and scrubbed, nest boxes as well, I did turn the auto sprinklers on to dampen the existing soil beds, whilst I shovelled the soil which they had distributed on the concrete paths back into the beds. Looks quite smart now - no doubt they will reorganise it to suit themselves so there is no knowing what it will look like tomorrow. 
Eggs go back on sale at the gate tomorrow, the eggs sales certainly add something to the budget (if I don't count my labour).