2021 Frugal Living Challenge

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
I used to have a Remoska ( the medium one) but didn’t pay full price as I worked at Lakeland at the time. Eventually  I passed it on to DS1. I used it mainly for roasting things, frozen chips etc. I never mastered baking in it. I now have an airfrier which I use lots, much cheaper than a Remoska. 

JIL

I have just bought a ninja foodi and I'm really pleased with it. I bought it to try to cut down use of the big oven, but it's better than that. Food cooks more quickly and crispy.  A whole chicken cooks in half the time and is browned all over. 

My colleague at work has one, she keeps hers on a bakers trolley and its wheeled in and out of her under stairs cupboard as and when she needs it. An idea I may well copy.

balabooberlies

Thank you Jil

bala

willow_loulou

I just resisted buying myself new charms on offer. Honestly this time of year is hard when you see things you’d like just about every time you open your phone or turn the tv on. I will stand firm though and when I’ve paid off my loan I’ll buy myself the charms as persevering gift. 

Working out next years finances - it’s tough given the unknowns again. I’ve put more park vouchers in so I can cover more of the general December needs as well as gifts.  It’s only £8 a month still so I won’t notice it much. 

Just starting to put aside council tax and car insurance money now. I really don’t want to pay them monthly the whole year as it makes me annoyed lol. I begrudge paying both as they’re so expensive. (I know I need them but grrrr) I’m hoping prolific will contribute. 

cuddlymarm

Hi Willow
I’ve managed to stay away from the Black Friday sales and I’m onto the little hotel bars of soap in the back of the cupboard.
I usually get nice soap and vouchers for Xmas so I’m waiting till then.
Unfortunately I can’t say the same for the Xmas chocolate 😂🎄😂🎄😂

FrankieM

Hi everyone...

I'm coming back...I have to.

I was going to wait until the new Year, but I need to be held accountable from now...

Back on the Frugal Wagon and back to basics.

Not sure I can face reading back to when I was last here, so I'm just going to start from here...hope that's okay? 

mandy47

Collected my first too good to go order today. I'm very pleased. 
Large bag of danish pastries ( yum )
a parkin loaf cake
8 gala apples
4 fresh fish cakes ( popped in the freezer)
a loaf of ancient grains sourdough
a loaf of sliced seeded bread ( in the freezer)
a pack of crumpets
tub of salad
chocolate doughnut
£4, one of which goes to charity
Will definately do this again. looking forward to sourdough salad sandwiches for dinner and crumpets for breakfast.

Mummy2cheekymonkeys

Just been plodding along here. We have saved up enough to overpay 10% of our mortgage balance on the 1st January which has been our main savings aim for the year. 
I managed to pass my driving test first time on wednesday which I was over the moon with as I was so nervous. Thats one less expense to worry about now I don't need to keep having lessons. Although I now need to get put on the insurance so that will go up. 
Most of the christmas food shop is done which I used my £50 voucher from swagbucks for. I have just cashed in another £10 worth so will use that the week of christmas to get any last minute bits such as the cheap veg. 

Scottiedog_3

@Mummy2cheekymonkeys Very well done on passing the driving test - it's always a huge relief 

Frugaldom

Welcome back, @FrankieM, just in time for the run up to our 2022.

@mumtoomany Sorry to read about all the damage from the last storm, I do hope you will soon get the time to look after yourself and enjoy some relaxation in your semi-retirement.

@Mummy2cheekymonkeys congratulations on passing your driving test!

Well done to everyone managing to score bargains and savings and sorry I can't comment on such things as Remoskas but I have several pretty major cooking, fuel and heating challenges ahead of me for 2022, as well as the general frugal living.

I'm hoping to be able to get a sink unit for the hut this coming week, plus windows in - if the next storm (Barra) doesn't throw a spanner in the works. My Olio hauls have turned into Olio fridgeful at the minute, so Im making the absolute most of anything I can get. There are several of us so we share the end results: I've had some lovely brocolli soup for lunch.

I'm stockpiling whatever wood I can for the logburner. It's really cold here tonight so time to start leaving the taps dripping to try and avoid the water freezing. We don't have central heating or double glazing at home and STILL no 'proper' cooker - just the open fire, logburner and a mini oven with 2 hotplates. For the hut, I'll be using the logburner and a small camping stove fueled by cylinder gas. Just priced the cylinders and it's £41 for the 15kg and £29 for the 7kg.  I'm trying the eco friendly coffee bean logs for extra heat and took advantage of the price drop on Amazon (£6 per bag less 5% if you buy 4 or more, plus free P&P). Not sure how economical they will be but stocking up on any form of fuel while it is on offer seems like the right thing to do.

Home deluvery supermarket order now in so I have just over a week to chop and change, adding on whatever extras come to light as being needed. My garlic is sat ready for planting, I've more 'edible' hedging to plant and a load of Spring bulbs still to go into tubs but there just aren't enough daylight hours in the day to get everything done.

Stay safe and keep on frugalling, folks.