2021 Frugal Living Challenge

Bluegreen143

It’s not a full course as such but Duolingo is a great free app (you can also pay to remove the adverts). The premise is you can do short burst lessons (10 mins) every day. I’m using it to learn Gaelic though I am doing a zoom evening class through my local authority too so Duolingo is more revision and an add on. They have loads of languages on there.

Bluegreen143

Also meant to say, when I signed up to the local authority language class another option I had was the local uni does evening courses too and that’s all on zoom too now so that’s maybe another option, though you may need to wait for a new term to start.

MandM90

I have studied French in various forms - grew up in a Francophone household but refused to respond to French once I went to school and realised everyone spoke English, then studied at school up to A levels and picked back up in my late 20s. The most effective things I've found are the Michel Thomas course (pricey unless you get the CDs second hand but GREAT for confidence in speaking - I've done the intermediate, husband did beginner), a Local Authority intermediate speaking class which was lovely for socialising too and a book from Amazon called Complete French Grammar - a workbook that is really useful. Of course this is all of no use if you're looking to learn Japanese...
Right now because of other responsibilities I'm only keeping vocab fresh on Duolingo (there's a 2 week free trial up for grabs usually which gets rid of annoying ads, just make sure you remember to cancel) but one day I'd like to take an evening course at my local uni or something.
To be honest I find nothing helps as much as visiting France or my dad, whose English seems to be getting increasingly ropey as he ages...

CraftyLittleLisa

I had to spend some money yesterday as my car tax was due but as I put money away every month for car expenses that particular outgoing is covered.
Today I also got an email from MSE energy club reminding me that my energy contract is due to expire so I used their new AutoSwitch service to see if I could get a cheaper deal.  They found me one with my preferences which is a little bit cheaper so I have asked it to change me over.  With this new company though they don't do a monthly direct debit that stays the same all year through.  You pay a bigger sum from October to March and then a smaller sum the rest of the time.  I'm not sure how I will find that but I will give it a go.
Overnight tonight I will be getting my milkman delivery, my fresh veg delivery and either today or tomorrow I will be getting my delivery from my friend.  I can't go shopping at the moment as I am struggling to walk/stand due to a foot injury so she kindly suggested I add any requirements to her weekly slot and she will bring it round.  I have noticed that I am not asking her to get too much so it will be interesting to see if I save money this month because I am not actually going shopping and I cannot see all the offers.
It will be a quiet weekend this weekend so my crafting will get some attention and I may even allow myself to just sit and ready my book.  Now that will be a treat.

willow_loulou

skint_chick said:

willow_loulou said:

Good for you @Bluegreen143 I wish you much luck. 

Talking of learning, has anyone used any language home courses? 

Which language are you thinking of? Open University have beginners courses free online and there's also plenty of YouTube options - I'm improving my German with a couple of them and watching films and TV shows as well. And there's GCSE French, German, Mandarin and Spanish on the BBC bitesize website. If your library does ebooks and audiobooks you can get beginners guides there too.

Brilliant thank you! I was thinking German and Spanish and maybe mandarin 

YORKSHIRELASS

Bluegreen that's great news, you have nothing to lose giving it a go.

In my wisdom I decided to do a big online supermarket shop and I have struggled to get all the meat in the freezer so I need to sit down and work out what needs using first, then I need to make lists of my other food supplies.  I also need to keep an eye on what DS is cooking and using, he is really helpful in cooking meals for everyone and I dont want to dampen his enthusiasm, but he has no idea about making meals stretch or portion control!

We have had the heating on quite a bit, DH and DS have both been home so it cant be helped, back to the small oil heater in my office next week.

Oh I want to read the electric meter too.

sashacat

I had to break my record of NSD today because I needed bread. My friend offered to get me a loaf as she was going to the supermarket so I wasn’t tempted by anything else. I think I will offer to add her things to my list next time I go. 
On the positive side my neighbour is have paving flags laid so asked what he was doing with the pallets. I now have 5 good pallets to saw up for fire wood. And I have cut up my Christmas tree for next years’ kindling (I had to buy a real tree as grandchildren were going to come for Christmas).
Well done on the job offer Bluegreen. 

tiddles

willow_loulou, there is a very good Open University Spanish course currently available for free on FutureLearn. I have studied this in the past and really recommend it. There are five more courses after this one:

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/spanish-for-beginners-1

tryingtodobetter

NSD today and I just had to buy milk yesterday and I got 25p off using my Co-op card too.

I made some banana muffins using a very black banana so that's snacks sorted for the next couple of days.

I have a Tesco shop being delivered tomorrow, it's currently at £53 so I'm going to do one last cull and hopefully get it under £50.

I love all the chat about learning a language, this is something I'd love to do once Covid has gone! 

MandM90

All I have left in the fridge is 3 carrots and a small tomato! I call that a mealplanning win! I last went to tesco on 31st December, about to brave it now, wish me luck!