2021 Frugal Living Challenge

slm6002

I love the idea of diluting fruit juice.  For me it will be squash.  The children are now old enough to make their own and we go through so much.  Apart from being a money saving idea it will be better for their teeth.  Off now to top it up enough not to notice but enough to make it last a little longer

House_Elf_2

ldee2111 said

I’m going to try out some extra frugal things  - old school tricks that would make my gran proud - dilute the fruit juice, dilute the laundry detergent, cut the exact amount of baking parchment I need instead of tearing off a whole sheet for a sausage roll, that kind of thing. Some things may not be worth it but I’ll enjoy trying them out anyway. I’ll have a search online for more ideas. And maybe some fellow frugalers have their own suggestions?

Hi Idee years ago I visited a factory that made laundry products for supermarket own brands......basically they were all the same recipe, apart from the colour! The chap showing us around advised us to use at least half the amount of washing powder recommended on the pack, and double dilute all conditioners, as the 'recommended amounts' were designed to make you use more......He also advised cutting dishwasher tablets in half.

I make 'Washing Gloop'. There are 7 people at home at the moment, and It saves a fortune in washing powder. (It costs about £1 per month, plus the effort of making it!).

Frugal On!

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi all

We have been to take DS back to his student house, just over 100 miles there and back so I hope I can still keep to my £50 diesel budget this month!  Fire lit with our plentiful supply of bits of wood that my Dad hunts down and chops up for us, but we may need to bring in a bit of coal too.  HM pizza for tea, a great cheap tea and it means I can use up some odd bits of cooked meat and tired veg out of the fridge.  I bought some extra bits of food shopping thinking that DS would want to take some back with him but other than coffee and some tins of soup he said they were well stocked up.

DH is self employed and has a £2000 tax bill to pay, thankfully most of it is saved up but I didn't expect it to be quite as much, so that might affect the debt overpayments this month.  We have £920 in our emergency fund so I want to put another £80 in there and then I can stop the standing order of £20 a week that I have had going out of the current account for ages, it feels quite an achievement.

DH lets me have complete control over our money, he says I am far better at it than him.  He has a standing order of £150 into his own account every month and basically that covers anything he needs, including an opticians bill of £260 last month.  This works really well for us.

sashacat

Good evening Frugaleers. 
I am eating entirely from the freezer using up all the meals I cooked in the autumn. Went out for my walk this afternoon and as I walk I pick up bits of kindling. Spent and hour and half this morning cutting up wood with my neighbours electric saw. I need it as my boiler is still broken. 

Couldsavemore

.@house_elf_2..
How do you make washing goop?
I normally use half the amount of powder and my stuffs fine. Definately agree they want you to use more so you buy more.
My washing uo liquid is in a pump and that makes it last longer

frostie101

Had two days without spending any money and no internet ordering.
Lots of food to eat up in freezer and cupboards so other than milk and my weekly veg delivery should last all week possibly 10 days without buying any more food.
Thinking of using the local milkman, maybe a few pence dearer but better than DH nipping in the shop and spending £10 a time. 
Always struggle with what to have for breakfast as I am trying to eat less bread, the bread we do eat is made in a breadmaker, I have found a museli base without nuts and I am adding fresh fruit to that which I am enjoying.
Taken tree etc down today, keeping all my Christmas cards to make tags/cards with.
Keep safe and frugal.

welshspendthrift

Have taken down all our Christmas decorations and tree today and have made Christmas tags from the cards too 😀

joedenise

Couldsavemore said:

.@house_elf_2..
How do you make washing goop?
I normally use half the amount of powder and my stuffs fine. Definately agree they want you to use more so you buy more.
My washing uo liquid is in a pump and that makes it last longer

Frugaldom posted this link a couple of pages back

https://frugaldom.blogspot.com/2011/01/saving-on-annual-costs-of-laundry.html

mumof3.12kindebt

Good evening everyone.  

Yesterday was a no spend day and I made £5 something so that's good.
Today was also a no spend day.. we had more snow so went sledging  

Now about to read My book and make a list of the things I need to do tomorrow 

Have a lovely evening all 

Bluegreen143

@frostie101 we used the milkman for about 9 months from late autumn 2019 til late summer 2020. I loved the wee glass bottles and it was quite handy especially during the full lockdown in spring as it meant we didn’t have to face the shops just to get milk. 

However it was costing me £8.50 per week and I realised the same amount of milk was just over £3 in the supermarket. Much as I want to support a local business (and I would consider using them again one day if we are better off) I just can’t justify paying 3x the price at the moment when we are really trying to supercharge our savings. I think prices vary a lot though and also getting it in plastic bottles instead of glass is cheaper.

EDIT meant to say re breakfast, I love overnight oats which is another good bread free option.