2021 Frugal Living Challenge

mumtoomany

Hi all. DD3 now has a new test booked for 9th October, much better than 7th February 2022, which was all they could offer originally. Thanks for the suggestion of Testi @Mummy2cheekymonkeys. No use to me as my phone is too old to take apps. I just spent a long time checking all day. DD3 at work all day. Hope she passes this time.

@zafiro1984, my advice with the gander is to never turn your back on him! (The voice of experience! Several bites from ours when we had him) and maybe keep whispering Christmas to him. Whereabouts are you? Not in as your address, but which area, we are south west Wales.

Good luck for the future to all those retiring or leaving work, mumtoomany

YORKSHIRELASS

QueenJess I feel a bit the same.  We have camped for our holidays since the boys were very small and now all our favourite quiet sites are so busy.  I suppose everyone else has as much right as us to be there, but still.

DH has got strong anti-inflammatories for his back, after the first dose he is already moving a bit better so fingers crossed.  It is still a worry but it feels a bit more positive.  £18 for the prescription though!

ASB good suggestion about the cycling.  Its a nice route on rural roads and I used to cycle to work sometimes, it's a bit of a faff because I sometimes have files and the laptop, and I have to look smart for work so have to get changed, but its not impossible.  Even if I did it once a week that would be something, and as you know I love my bike!

Washing hung outside, tea out of the freezer and veg out of the garden.  I had to work from home this afternoon and the house is freezing so I am in thermals, two jumpers and a big scarf.  Heated blanket on now, I am determined not to put the heating on.

Appointment made for the stove fitter to have a look at our stove and chimney, and heating oil ordered.  A productive day.

Jellytotts

2Scratters said:

I have found a local barber in the next village who is happy to cut ladies hair which is already on the short side. A fraction of the cost of a hairdresser.

Today is DH last day in paid work and is retiring due to ill health. We can do this
We will be having a planning meeting weekly to start off with and take it from there.

2Scratters xx

Yay for the barber.  I have short hair too and now get DH to run the clippers up the back and I do the sides and cut chunks off the top and front.  We bought the clippers for £1 at a bootsale 12 years ago and they get used every 4 weeks for his hair and beard and my hair for the past 4 years...they've certainly paid for themselves.

DH took medical retirement 10 years ago now when he was 40, it was a huge step but we've managed so far.  Our income is tiny but so are our outgoings and we get up to all sorts of fun (health allowing).  We live a very simple life, which suits us, but we cram a lot into the 3 or 4 hours a day that he's able to do anything (around medication).  

I wish you all the best!

Frugaldom

@willow_loulou I have what's called a 'little red box' which charges off a 20w solar panel and is enough to run a couple of LED bulbs and recharge mobile slowly. Technology is moving pretty fast so mine are already outdated. I recently bought a cheap, flexible panel and it has 2 usb points attached to it, which is great for outdoor use when the sun shines. Most of the controllers have USB plugs on them but longterm, I think I need leisure batteries to keep everything going. I'm currently using old car batteries.I need much, much bigger solar panels for what we need here. Friend who is a solar specialist told me that to run 50w of power, I need a 200w panel on a leisure battery. 

@mumtoomany - good news about the driving test being sooner rather thwan later.

@YORKSHIRELASS - £329 is doable depending on what the 'everything else' is. Our biggest savings are still being made of food, thanks to the swap-nature of friends and the arrival of Olio to our area. Homegrown and homemade helps enormously, as does appreciating and enjoying soup and pudding meals. Having completed the refugee challenge for fundraising, I know we could, if we absolutely HAD to, manage on less than £10 a week grocery money for 2 of us and the cat. As long as the roof over your head is secure and debts aren't mounting, it's amazing how little we need to sustain our lives and still have some enjoyment. 

Frugaldom

@2Scratters All the very best to your OH for his retirement. I completely understand about the wood and coal - usual bunker top-up is September, when our local merchant does his special offer. However, laziness prevailed after getting fed up with the smoky backdraught so the bunker here is still full from last year.

@Chipps To me, a 'staycation' is being off work for holiday time and spending it at home, or even making the most of whatever the locality has to offer. It certainly des not, to me, mean going on holiday within UKm otherwise I have never had a 'real holiday' for the past 30 years! Now, I make my lifestyle my holiday And it still isn't a staycation!

Shammyjoe

Evening all.

Last weekend, for the first time ever, I did not spend any money! Normally I see the weekends as a time to treat myself. On Saturday I went foraging for blackberries with some friends and brought home-made soup in a flask. It was so much fun and totally free. I got enough blackberries for 1 jar of Jam. I have also made £15 this week on prolific so am super chuffed.

On the downside though, we needed heating oil and I priced it last week but forgot to order and when I rang this morning it had gone up by £30. Also, a newspaper direct debit I had set up renewed itself as I forgot to cancel - my top priority for tomorrow is to ring and cancel. 

I have checked though my cupboards and freezer and have a massive amount of food to work through, only topping up with some fresh fruit and veg.

I signed up for olio but my closest food hero is 3 miles away so I'm weighing up the economics of 6 miles in the car (as he only updates after 10pm at night and wouldn't be safe to walk) for some bagged lettuce and the like. 

Also, opinions welcomed - I found half a turkey crown I froze last christmas uncooked, would this be okay to eat now or as it has been 9 months I should bin it.

I have had an up and down week in the frugality journey but have definitely not spent nearly as much money as normal and find myself asking do I really need the item everytime I think of spending money. I am excited for the journey ahead and proud of myself in a small way for giving it my best shot so far. Hope everyone is having a great week!!

Frugaldom

@Shammyjoe If it was me, I would cook the turkey crown and make the most of it. Many places seem to keep poultry meat frozen for up to a year. As long as it hasn't been thawed out then refrozen, it should be fine. I also believe that once thawed and cooked then it should be ok to refreeze as meals, such as curry. I wouldn't bin it without really good reason.

Frugaldom

Forgot to say - has anyone else had  their latest A$da online order followed up with a £10 off £60 spend evoucher code? I had an order delivered tonight but had logged in last night to update the order so was able to juggle stuff about, reduce tonight's order and get a second order booked in for delivery next week. Look out for the deal if you log in - it asks you rto click through the link and copy the code into your evoucher 'folder'. Mine said to use by 13th Oct but there was a £1.75 delivery slot next week so I opted for that. Good luck to all - £10 of free food isn't to be sniffed at so I'm making the most of it.

willow_loulou

Thanks for the information @Frugaldom I’ll look around. 

I managed to burn dinner again, I’m struggling to get used to this oven. I think I need a kitchen timer as I never remember to use my phone. It was just about edible thank goodness 

I’m emptying my freezer in favour of freezing bread and potato products, as I pulled out chicken today that had freezer burn. 

We seem to have completely changed our eating habits so I’m only going to have burgers as dinner things in there. I’ll still slice and freeze onions when I get them though. I’ll also freeze a portion of whatever gets slow cooked, soup or stews but only for use a week or so later. 

I can’t abide waste and honestly most of the stuff we’ve not eaten in ages! So I’ll jazz it up to get it eaten this next week or so. 

Siebrie

Willow_Loulou, we use metal hot water bottles, as we find they keep the heat much better than the rubber ones. I also find them easier to move around in bed.

We have taken the winter coats down from the attick again, for dds to fit. They were all given to us (some still with tags on!), and I keep them until needed (I have enough place, and sturdy plastic boxes) . Both dds now sorted; husband and I still have our coats from earlier years. Anything too small gets donated, although.... 1 coat is really nice, I may try to sell that one.