2021 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugaldom

Wow, @Siebrie, you have certainly had your hands full juggling that many people into your original budget and then ending up having to start from scratch. In saying that, it's the best place to start and I'm sure you will soon be back on the ball with your budgets. As for Mr Siebrie, I think quite a few of us on here have ex-husbands/wives/partners who have more than rocked the budget boats so you are not alone. Good luck if you do resolve your differences after taking a break,
@GeorgieLou welcome to the Frugaldom challenge, I hope you can find the time to browse some of the old posts and challenges then ask whatever questions you would like answered. We each have our own reasons for frugal living and like others say, 'frugal' means different things to different people, depending on their personal situations. I choose to live on as little as possible to enable me to lead the life I want while saving whatever I can but for the past 18 months I seem to be saving animals instead of pounds and pennies.
I had a successful evening of Olio last night so there will be a big pot of soup on the go soon and any leftover veg or bread shared with the ponies, goats, hens and ducks. We've loads of eggs being laid just now but very few passers-by so I asked a friend to pick me up some sugar from Farmf00ds and I'll make lemon curd, lemon drizzle cake and start back making pancakes. Scrambled egg for tea tonight and probably something like quiche will be made for lunches. Same friend spotted 1kg bags of flour for sale in supermarket at 19p each so I'll be trying that. 

willow_loulou

Well it’s been a long month so far! I’m shattered. 

I’m cooking from the freezer and cupboards for the rest of the month as what I thought would be an average day at work ended up being very long and put me in bed by 5! So we had food delivered when I woke up. My intended dinner which I’d half prepped will be for tonight as all I’m doing today is resting. 

Being disabled and working is tough. So many people don’t realise how hard it is to get through a day, let alone recovery time. 

I’m thinking Asda order for next month so I can plan easier meals. Some that DD can do once she finishes her studying next week too. Any suggestions? 

We are not keen on too much pasta or pizza and as little stew as possible. (A little over them lol) 

MazzieD

@willow_loulou Just remember how amazing you are, it's quite an achievement to cope with life and working.  Do you normally do all the cooking?.  No idea how old your children are but I hope they help out with cooking and household chores.  My Mum got me helping and cooking meals from about age 12 (she wasn't a good cook).

My go to easy meals are: cauliflower cheese, omelette, stir fries, egg fried rice and as I don't eat much pasta I make a bolognese sauce and use butternut squash or other veg as a base instead to serve it on.  How about cottage or shepherd's pie, sausages, chops, chicken.  All can be cooked quite easily.  

Finances are looking brighter today, had a couple of refunds which will go towards the poor old car.  Also got very excited this morning, did a YS trawl at Asd* and L*dl and got almost all the meat I need for next month.  Been quite a while since I've managed that and from this month's budget!.  Extra money from F&V savings is about £15 this month so far but that's not the true cost, just what's been spent.

willow_loulou

Oh Thank you @MazzieD that’s lovely of you to say that x
I do generally do the majority of cooking, they do things like hoovering/gardening that I find impossible for the most part. 

 I think when DD finishes her year of uni she will help and cook when I’m working. DS has been cooking happily when I ask but he’s just changed job so his hours are unpredictable at the moment. 

balabooberlies

Willow

it's so lovely to see a family coming together like this.  Heart-warming....

x

willow_loulou

Thank you @balabooberlies x it’s been the 3 of us against the world for 15 yrs now, they’re good people 

[Deleted User]

Evening frugal friends, 
I have been checking in less on here due to work commitments (I teach in a large secondary and we have been on the assessment merry go round these past couple of weeks). I got paid last week and can proudly say not a single penny has left my account. The odd bits I've had to buy have been funded by egg sales, and we had two great hauls at the food waste shares which have meant very little food shopping has been needed. I am glad I collected lots of free wood recently as I've had the wood burner lit a few times this week. 

This weekend I have lots of plans, including my first vaccine, but they are all nice ones and free! A friend has done me a lot of favours this week to help me keep the plates spinning, so I've given her some eggs, a courgette plant and baked her a Yorkshire tea loaf in return. I regularly joke with friends now that eggs are the only currency I trade in, and they are all more than happy with that it seems! 

I had an email earlier from Bulb, advising their standing charges are going up (again). I will stay with them as I like their ethics and policy on renewable energy, but I'll need to find ways to reduce our usage even further to offset the cost increase. 

Sallyp2

Deleted_User said:

I had an email earlier from Bulb, advising their standing charges are going up (again). I will stay with them as I like their ethics and policy on renewable energy, but I'll need to find ways to reduce our usage even further to offset the cost increase. 

Are you on a variable Bulb tariff? If you want to stay with them see if they do a fixed rate. BTW lots of companies use renewable now, might be worth checking the energy club tariffs on here for a better deal so you don’t have to reduce what you use and can stay geeen

jak

Hi guys, just been catching up with the thread. Everyone is doing so great. It inspires me to see what you are all doing. I had the Horrible Job of working out spends for food shopping etc for my full mortgage application..... Very Bad. However, it’s been 3 weeks of no food deliveries at all and we Still have food in the house! Crazy. I’ve spent about £20 in total on fresh stuff but still have at least 5 full meals I can make with no shop. We are away over half term to visit my Grandma so that will help. It’s looking like I’ll have to do one delivery before we move at least as it’ll be at least 12 weeks! 

Blimey, this house buying business is long winded. However, my plan is to do a huge meal plan and Only get what I need. One treat a week for £1 for my son who is being great about the new budget. He told me yesterday when I was stressed that we are in this together and he will do whatever he can to help. What a sweetie. 

Off to raid the freezer to plan dinner. Thankfully we only have a few tins of beans left. I am Over beans....
J x

[Deleted User]

Sallyp2 said:

Deleted_User said:

I had an email earlier from Bulb, advising their standing charges are going up (again). I will stay with them as I like their ethics and policy on renewable energy, but I'll need to find ways to reduce our usage even further to offset the cost increase. 

Are you on a variable Bulb tariff? If you want to stay with them see if they do a fixed rate. BTW lots of companies use renewable now, might be worth checking the energy club tariffs on here for a better deal so you don’t have to reduce what you use and can stay geeen

Thanks for your comment; Bulb only have one tariff. It is worth looking into though as you say and is something I will endeavor to do over half term x