2021 Frugal Living Challenge

the_cross_rabbit

Petrol need for the hubbster's car (coupon for double points) £38.76. Also ordered some loose mint tea ( i can't drink caffeine)(plastic free packaging too) since I've finished the bag that my friend got me for my birthday. The 250g bag lasted me 5 months as I used the infuser twice before I replaced the leaves (used leaves went round plants in the garden). I got peppermint and spearmint to mix together, hopefully I will be able to stretch it out to 12 months this time especially as my mum bought me a special pot that will make 2 cups of tea and i quite like it cold. I managed to get a 10% discount been a new customer so cost about £26. That seems alot but when I've worked out how much I spend on tea which is eyewatering I'm going to save over a £100 in total. I'm thinking of having a go at growing my own mint mixture also to cut down the cost. All food eaten has come from either the freezer or the cupboard today.
Take care everyone, happy frugaling
CRX

3secondmemory

I found that using looseleaf tea leaves has been much more economical. I bought a catering pack of a kilo for £10 and this lasted me most of last year. I am a prolific tea drinker 😋 I use a very small spoon for each cup of tea which tastes so much better than teabags. 

I have noticed an increase in price on loose leaf tea but I think prices for a lot of things have increased slowly over the last 6 months. 

I have a stainless steel strainer which sits inside a large mug under my One Cup. By the time I get to it, I have a lovely strong drinkable cup of tea 😀

tea leaves go straight into the compost 

joedenise

@ldee2111 with regard to your 3).  You can get 2 cups out a teabag!  What you need to do once you've poured your first one out, put a cosy on the teapot and then leave it for it at least 10 minutes and then pour into your flask.

This will only work if you can put a cosy on the pot though.  Sometimes I leave the pot longer so it's really a case of trial and error until you get to know how much time works for you.

ancientmum

I'm lucky to have my State and NHS pensions to live on, but have to make them work. No mortgage or rent but I have to pay service charges on my flat, and contribute to general repairs.  We had a demand for a large sum just before Christmas  which will wipe out the savings I was going to use to replace my old storage heaters and generally tart up the place.
The flat was pretty run down when I bought it and I used my deferred pension payment to have a new kitchen and bathroom. So, frugality is a way of life, to rebuild my savings and live well and healthily into older age.
I've got an allotment and want to grow more successfully this year.  I planted two trees today,  a pear and a quince.  It has been great to be able to go there during lockdowns and people I've met have been generous with sharing plants and advice.
Some of the money savings on here I was doing as a young mum  but there is always more to learn.  Good luck with your frugal journeys everyone!

nannygladys

Hi everyone
Today has been another quiet one for me, I made lunch and dinner from the cupboards and freezer and theres enough for tomorrow as well. Im missing the Christmas treats though, so I may see if I have enough in to make a few biscuits or a cake tomorrow. I was looking through my diary yesterday and I haven't bought anything, food or otherwise. since 19/12!!! I was at dds Xmas day and came home with a few bits but I reckon I can perhaps go a few more days yet!! I do live on my own so Im not so fussed what I eat and sometimes eat some strange combinations to use stuff up!!!! Most of my bills are by direct debit and I haven't a mortgage or debt, so the only money going out is council tax etc.
Its still snowy here so I haven't been able to get my car out of the driveway, so I haven't been to lottie, but Ive been getting on with a bit of embroidery that's been ongoing for a fair while.Right off to bed I think. Take care everyone and keep safe.
Nannyg

zafiro1984

Can I join in please. I've done my spreadsheet for the year and set my targets for the various categories. I cover the costs for the house (minus council tax).
and work on a daily/weekly amount.

I started on Monday 28/12/20 so I have just finished my first week. The aim is to waste nothing and only spend on essentials. I've had the usual STO's, but no food shopping. I did however spend on 500L kerosene so ended the week with -£34.87 but the kerosene should last for 2-3 months so hopefully there should be no big spends for the next couple of weeks enabling me to get on the plus side again.

House_Elf_2

Good Morning All,
Apologies! I realise I have just popped up, without asking to join! Hope you don't mind.....

Frugal report:
Trip to Lidl for some party bits and pieces. It was the emptiest I have ever seen it on a Sunday morning, and I was lucky to find RTC sausages, pies and ready meals for 20p or 70p 🥳 Pies for lunch  made me very popular with the family 🙂  (Ready meals are for DD to take to work).

Appointment for Little One at Boots Opticians in the afternoon. I had a little mooch around the sale.....5 purple hair dyes (£1.25), and lots of bags of crisps RTC 10p or 20p in flavours which get eaten!

The birthday party was a success. We had a pretend summer BBQ and cocktails for DS1's gf. .....if anyone can't bake ( 😞),  and needs a birthday cake, Lidl do a celebration cake for £3.50. Chocolate or Madeira. Sometimes I decorate  with roll out icing, or just embellish with fancy candles.....bargain!

Collecting some 'Olio' tins of Mango slices On the way back from dropping DD at work.....I can make another batch of mango chutney.

Keep Frugaling on 🙂

IzzyBee

Morning everyone I don’t need to go shopping until tomorrow it will just be veg I have been living off the cupboards and freezer and will be for a while yet hopefully I will have a cheap January 

willow_loulou

Well, I’ve sort of failed at the first hurdle. I caved and got an Asda order which leave me £12 in my food budget until feb! I thought long and hard about it but decided the best thing for me was to not go near people.  

Hopefully my neighbour will be able to get milk and bread when I need it but I’m resigned to the likelihood I may need to keep a bigger budget for a few months. I’m okay with that and will redo my plans to try and accommodate it. My peace of mind today is lovely. 

joedenise

We live a long way from shops so decided to start using long life milk and freezing bread so we don't need to pop out for "bits" and end up spending more than necessary between shops.  I buy a dozen litres of milk at a time and 3 or 4 bread to keep in the freezer.  Don't know if you could do that too?  I know UHT isn't for everyone but we often travel to France and it's much easier to get UHT than fresh milk so we decided we might as well use it here too!