2021 Frugal Living Challenge

skogar

Olaney. Sending a big hug. The other posters have given better advice than I can but when I was trying to reduce my spending the thing that worked best for me was writing down everything I spent in a little notebook and then I could look back at it and it was easier to see what things I could try and reduce the spending on. It was good on that front but also because I would have to write it in the notebook it meant that quite a few times I decided not to buy something that if I hadn't been writing it down I would have bought! I'm sure doing the budget will help too as it will help you identify areas of expense / where you might be able to cut back a bit and then you will be able to try some different strategies. Some people use phones or apps to log spends instead - whatever works for you. It's especially tough at the moment with Covid as there are a lot of additional expenses on top of the usual ones.

AskYouWillGet

Hi all, enjoying reading posts and money saving ideas. My post is about Baking and Birds :

I was doing brilliant living frugally, as had a no spend week. 
Surprised myself that I made jam from frozen strawberries, defrosted in microwave added an apple and Jam sugar (back of store cupboard) it was so easy! I needed the jam for a Victoria Sponge and it was perfect! Then I used a salted caramel hot choc powder (that no one likes) to make Brownies. Again it was a taste sensation none left for the birds but do have a fruit cake to offer them from Xmas! 
Today, I needed to get some essentials, I couldn't resist the urge to buy wild bird seed too... My DS2 drove me to the shop (saved on my petrol!). At the shop it seemed only the most expensive seed was left at £7.99 smallish bag, but after a hunt I found the cheaper seed with the pet food; the supermarket had placed them in three different places, so it pays to search! 
Picked up 2 bags @ £1.95 each (instead of the £7.99 premium bag which I may have bought it in the end because I really wanted seed!)! 
I started a new system to keep track on spending,  putting receipts away in a wallet when I noticed was only charged for 1 bag, so saved again!

I watched the birds for ages, it is so good for wellbeing...

I then fell of the 'no spend wagon' and bought more seed online from the RSPB who have a special offer on a multi pack of 5 bags for £20 with free postage - need promotion code BIRDS. 
Something great to do next weekend: sign up to take part in the Big Garden Bird Watch 29th-31st Jan for free online. They will send a pack in the post or can do it online.
Happy frugaling x

MazzieD

@OLaney the worst thing you can do is bottle all the worry up inside.  Money worries are awful, think we've all been there at some point.  Share it, post about it on here if it helps, no one is going to judge you.  The most important person is you and the effect it's having on you, you aren't being selfish, don't worry about other people being worse off.  Virtual hug on it's way, you have been so brave to post about it.

Oldstylethriftylady

@Mummy2cheekymonkeys that sounds great, I’ve never tried pumpkin seed spread but will have to get some sunflowers to try!

@OLaney I think everyone here has given you really good advice, just before COVID hit we had to get a 40k loan for subsidence, which we could just about afford, like just, we thought we’d be ok because the work had to be done, it’s not like we had the choice and we never thought we’d be in issues. Bring on COVID and the other half’s job gets reduced to 25% off what it originally was, then our pup goes and snaps his back and needs 10k of work plus all the hydrotherapy to get him walking again. I cry myself to sleep sometimes wondering where we went wrong. I joined these forums in the hopes of learning as much as I can and whilst I know it’s tough now and will be, it won’t always will be and one day I’ll wonder what all the fuss is about. Please don’t think your alone, there are many people who are in the same situation and just don’t show it. Have a read of the debt free diary’s there is some good info in there.

Not much happened over the weekend for us, last of the last shopping which came in at £20 for the week which is great because I’m eating out of my cupboard. Now it’s onto the new budget. Ek!

kazwookie

OLaney  go to the debt board on this site, they have loads of advise, also fill in this SOA, for your use so you can see what is what. https://www.stoozing.com/soa.php     Ring all the credit card companies TODAY and ask for the interest to be frozen,good luck

CRANKY40

Olaney I also note down my budget/bills in a notebook. I start with a "money in" figure then list all the bills/direct debits that need to be paid. I allow an amount each week and I used to allow an amount for "fun" - coffee and cake while we were out - that sort of thing. As we don't go out much just now I've just added it to the food shopping total for however long lockdown takes. I also allocate an amount for petrol each week. 

Like a lot of people my only scope for saving is cutting down the grocery spends which I'm doing. There are loads of good cheap recipes at the start of the monthly grocery challenge. They're copied over every month so you don't have to look far. 

Your interest rate sounds very high - any chance of negotiating a lower interest rate on the card that you already have? It doesn't hurt to ask. Finally, be kind to yourself. Saying that other people have it worse doesn't mean that you're not entitled to the way that you feel. Anything that makes you feel trapped, miserable and worried is valid for asking for help with. Carry on posting here and you'll have plenty of empathy, sympathy and practical, useful help. Some of it will be from people that have been in your situation so no criticism, just kindness. My own lightbulb came on when I realised that if my car broke down I had no means to pay for repairs. I'm in a much better situation now and hopefully in six months or so, you will be too. 

IzzyBee

OLANEY I am another one that can’t praise step change highly enough a few years ago I was also in a absolutely terrible situation with debt husband had accident lost his job oldest son had just started college I got to a stage where I couldn’t answer the phone I was so terrified of who was phoning until one day I got a call the phone was ringing and I just froze when it stopped I just sat and sobbed I didn’t know where to start and nobody knew everyone thought we where managing I happened to hear a girl at work say about s c and I asked her about it just pretending I was interested as I had never heard of them before I went home and rang them for about eight years we had the basics to live on but everything got paid and the relief was fantastic when it was all paid yes I couldn’t get anymore credit yes we didn’t get any holidays and couldn’t go out but we were down to the bare bones we could have gone bankrupt but I didn’t want to lose the house I had worked so hard for but I will say this the help and reassurance I got at the end of the phone was brilliant and I don’t know if I would even be here today if it hadn’t been for them but there is light at the end of the tunnel I am proof of that I was so ashamed and wish I had come across this forum many years ago but you aren’t on your own and I’m sure lots of people with much more experience than me will be along to help and advice you take care 

patentgirl

@Olaney sending you a virtual hug lots of good advice from these wonderful people on here another one who writes everything down it does help.
@AskYouWillGet I signed up too our bird  seed supplies need topping up will incorporate going to get some today with my walking exercise going to walk with DD1 which looking forward to as not seen her for couple of weeks. Has any one got suggestions what I could put out for birds from fridge\storecupboard ?

MandM90

Olaney I hope you find a way to navigate through the stress and get on top of this. Some great advice given above. One of my friends works for Christians Against Poverty. You don't need to be religious to engage with them, seems like they do good work.

I've signed up to be an Olio Food Waste Hero. Which means next Sat and Sun (if no charities claim the slots) I'll be collecting food from my local Tesco Express to distribute to the community. Quite excited about it!

This weekend was good. It snowed so we didn't go anywhere. DD wasn't bothered about going out and baby loved watching the snow fall out the window. We had just done a big shop (£100...yikes) so holed up. Got some good YS bargains including 40p mushroom stir fry from M and S which I make with a peanut butter 'satay' sauce on Sunday. Yum yum. Watched Pretty Woman, drank some fizz and beer. Lush. Back to work now!

moneyonmymindsam

@patentgirl
If your oven was already on, birds do/can eat baked (10 to 15 mins in oven) eggshells, just bake and crush
or
Plain cooked pasta or rice. 
Sam x