2021 Frugal Living Challenge

fionaandphil

Our veg has been a bit rubbish this year, although the chard as usual is galloping away!  I think that the purple sprouting brocolli that I thought we'd lost might just make a comeback, so fingers crossed.  We are drowning in fruit at the moment, just been out to pick yet more apples and collect the windfalls and another tub of blackberries today too.  Lots have gone in the freezer for winter and the apples are in racks to try and keep them as long as possible over winter, we usually get to March with some of them.  Lovely day here so I've managed to get two loads mostly dry, big improvement on last week when it rained nearly every day.

willow_loulou

So many poorly people, shingles is really nasty hugs to you xxx

I managed to get Christmas wrapping paper! I can now wrap everything I have so far and check my list. I also ordered 2 packs of cards from Shelter yesterday. I was going to get them with the M&S vouchers I save for with Park but decided to order them and get this weeks top up shop (still freezer emptying) with that £10 voucher. I do really like M&S 65p bread so it’s totally made me happy lol. 

nannygladys

Meal planning around veg I picked off the allotment this week.
I have cut right back with things, including Xmas, and all I can do now is to keep a close eye on everything I buy or use. I already track my gas & elect. So I'm trying little things, like only boiling a mug of water at a time for a drink, I have tried the flask method but as its only a small one it doesn't hold very much. Another thing I've started doing is turn the tv off when I'm not particularly interested in what is on!! Simple I know but I think I use it as company a lot of the time!! 
I'm also thinking of having every other week for the time being, as a non spend one on anything, but then not spend twice as much on the spend one, obviously if there's a real emergency I would have to spend but it has to be a real one, not running out of milk more like a broken boiler!!  Anyway it will start from my next pay day which is a week on Wednesday and up to then I will be very careful. Anything left over will go into the emergency fund which is what happens at the moment most of the time.
Nannyg

weenancyinAmerica

Zafiro - oh my. Shingles are awful - how you feel better soon. I nursed my mother through Shingles. As soon as I could, I got the Shingles shot and highly recommend to everyone now. I was very painful for her. The only "good" thing to come out of it, is when I took her to the doctor, the doctor noticed that I had skin cancer - and I got it taken care of before it spread.

tboo

nannygladys said:

 So I'm trying little things, like only boiling a mug of water at a time for a drink, I have tried the flask method but as its only a small one it doesn't hold very much.

I know they aren't everyone's cup of tea - pardon the pun - but I have a one-cup kettle.

Water for more than a mug is no problem, just press the button a few times and catch it in a jug.

Variable temp ones are available too.

MandM90

willow your organisation is terrifying!! I've got the ingredients for the Christmas cake and made a list of people I need to buy for. That's it! Luckily it's budgeted for thanks to YNAB!

willow_loulou

MandM90 said:

willow your organisation is terrifying!! I've got the ingredients for the Christmas cake and made a list of people I need to buy for. That's it! Luckily it's budgeted for thanks to YNAB!

I’m sorry it’s terrifying you! X
It is a must for me, I have severe asthma and can’t cope with the cold, add into that the threat of Covid and flu I’m determined to avoid shopping after the end of this month. It also means I have money in January rather than panic buying and spending Decembers pay like I did previously to joining Frugal Challenge. 

Mrs_Cheshire

To be honest I'm normally done shopping for Christmas by the end of October, used to leave me money for my birthday and a meal out in November and then money in December for the extra food shopping and any nights outs. It's harder now the boys are older as they don't confirm their lists until late november/early December. So I just budget for it carefully and have cash available to spend in December. I also put away money each month to add to my clubc*rd so December's food shopping is a little cheaper. 

YORKSHIRELASS

Willow I have an underactive thyroid and feel the cold too, and in fact I struggle to look smart at work and stay warm no matter how many layers/thermals I wear.  I am going to ask if we can have some heating on at work but even then it never seems to get properly warm.

A good day here, nothing spent other than £3 on some bread which was needed.  Tea from mealplan.  A nice cycle ride done before work which was free!

willow_loulou

YORKSHIRELASS said:

Willow I have an underactive thyroid and feel the cold too, and in fact I struggle to look smart at work and stay warm no matter how many layers/thermals I wear.  I am going to ask if we can have some heating on at work but even then it never seems to get properly warm.

A good day here, nothing spent other than £3 on some bread which was needed.  Tea from mealplan.  A nice cycle ride done before work which was free!

I’m lucky enough not to need to look smart most of the time. I have an electric heat pad if it’s very cold and always have hot water bottles on the go. I work it a warehouse! Chilly 🥶