2021 Frugal Living Challenge

the_cross_rabbit

Made crumbly fudge from an out of date tin of condensed milk. To save my waistline, I’m going to freeze it and then use it to sprinkle on ice cream or in apple crumble. Did have to sample it several times to make sure it tasted ok though.😊
CRx

Jazee

the_cross_rabbit said:

Made crumbly fudge from an out of date tin of condensed milk. To save my waistline, I’m going to freeze it and then use it to sprinkle on ice cream or in apple crumble. Did have to sample it several times to make sure it tasted ok though.😊
CRx

Can you share your recipe please?

nannygladys

Hi everyone just a little bit about me.
On the money front, it has taken me many many years to get it under control, I was never in a lot of debt, but even when that was down to very little I never saved a bean, just lived month to month. I was a one parent family from quite early on and always had quite low paid jobs so never really had a much surplus, anyway I did get in  some debt and it really made me feel bad, in the end one of my daughters helped me out, I stopped spending and survived on the bare minimum for a time and got myself back on track. I always paid my mortgage but never overpaid it - I didn't realise you could (mind you I don't think I could have afforded it really) and paid my dd back, but now Im retired on a state pension (no private one as I was low paid and couldn't really afford one) I manage better than before!! Its strange really as I only get a fraction of what I was earning, I set myself little challenges, this pay period I haven't used any money on groceries as I had some money left over from the last period and have been stretching that out!! I must admit Im having some strange meals but they are all nutrious. I find for me the envelope method works best and I keep tract of all monies. I have 5 accounts attached to my main current account and they are for annual bills, EF, House, DGC and travel. my everyday envelopes are food, misc, craft and fuel. Its simple but theres only me. I make sure I always put my allotted monies in the accs and cash in my envelopes when I get paid and don't use the debit card again! I pay all annual bills on my CC but pay them off at the end of the month in full as I already have the money in my accs. (it earns me some points this way). So that's how this old fogey manages! I sometimes wish I had done it differently early on but I never gave it a thought I suppose, so my own fault. In the past I spent far too much on the wrong kind of food, now my biggest of the month is Council Tax!!!!!!!
Nannyg

nannygladys

Just a quickie, my car insurance is due at the beginning of February and for years I have been with the same company, this year it jumped up in price so my dd showed me how to look for the best and cheapest for me on the net and I got it for under half the price I was paying before and that includes all the same things plus breakdown cover and its all with a well known ins company. The money left over from this will stay in the annual bill account for the time being but it may eventually be transferred into the EF. My house and contents ins is due in May, so I will be doing the same, as both are with the BS I had my mortgage with and Ive never changed it!!!! Don't know why I have never done it before, it isn't really rocket science is it. PS in the past I would have treated myself to something with the extra money!!!
Nannyg

AskYouWillGet

Sometimes going direct pays off too, last year I got £75 for staying with Plusnet. Changed from business customer after folding my business and I was treated like a new Residential Customer.  Superfast wasn't available at that time so they discounted until it was. 

Nonnadiluca

Nanyg, I was under the impression that if you have a low income, eg state pension, and below a certain amount in savings, then council tax reductions are available; don't know if you've looked into this?
You have a good system going on, similar to the way I work the finances. We don't have much, but it's enough for the life we enjoy.

skogar

Olaney - Nanny Gladys has made me think of something else I do but don't really think about. The vast majority of my everyday speding food shopping etc. is cash, so I take it out and when it is gone it is gone. It sounds odd but it is easier to keep track of that way. It means that when I look in my purse and there isn't as much in it as i'd like it tends to mean that I reduce the pending accordingly! There is also some psychological thing (I read somewhere) that it more painful to buy things with cash than on a card so it is easier to spend more. i haven't explained it very well but I hope you get what I mean. i suppose I mean is it seen as really spending proper money. Everyone does different things so its good to try a few and see what works best for you.

AskYouWillGet

Hi everyone, I thought would share back story after reading yours although want to first share a bargain that picjed up today. I started shopping at Sainsburys when it opens at 7am to avoid crowds and is very safe (DS3 is a key worker). I save petrol by only going on days that I drop off my DS3 to work and if need essentials. He pays board to cover food/petrol, he is veggie so I joined him to spread the cost & cooking for two is easier. This week I picked up a few bargain treats & wanted to share as I know it used to be a place I wouldn't think of to find any & used to shop at Lidl before.
Today I bought a bath towel reduced to £2.70, slippers £3, and a comfy bra full price £9, which is about 3 times cheaper than what would usually buy before covid closed stores & started working from home! I also went back for a reduced store cupboard bargain, it is a Biryani kit only £1.60 (long date) which I cooked with chickpeas and peas. Really authentic taste and it will stretch to 4 servings. Not eating meat only as a treat has greatly reduced my food bills, i've replaced protein with lentils & beans.
I batch cook and freeze, often forgetting to label so we get a surprise! Tonight was veggie sausage & butter bean stew with left over veg from Sunday dinner. I don't throw anything away! Unlike my DS2 & his fiancée who are living with me too but buy their own food and pay board for bills. I save cling film, tin foil and plastic containers to use but I have to hide things due to DS2 throwing them away!
I was / am a single parent of 3 and being Frugal is ingrained. I really miss YS hunts as pre-covid when was spending all my salary on commuting (£400 per month & household!) food shopping was where I could make my biggest savings and eating whatever was on offer inspired my cooking creations! My family have grown up but I cannot change my Frugal ways and still have debts, but not out of control just on going after supporting DS3 at Uni for 4 years. I hope that anyone who is struggling find the hope in this forum. I have lurked and use this site as a first point when need to find savings from the start of the website as a young mum I started family at 20 on low income. Divorced by 25, went to uni at 30 which was starting point of my debt ironic no extra help and found it hatd to get work being over qualified for 1st time in life! It all worked out - determination, living on a shoe string and swapping clothes, furniture with friends and family got us through plus careful food planning. My kids worst deprivation was not having crisps and chocolate in their lunch boxes. They had home baking and as adults I foubs out that from a young age they started swapping my baking with friends and they put in requests. I thought my boys wanted them but they had a queue of friends with orders!
Take care, keep frugalling and know it will be ok in fhe end. X

balabooberlies

Nanny g.........I am working towards being you one day so don't lament over anything.

Skogar, I find it harder to spend cash.  Cards I can wave all over the place so am going to try and adopt this policy soon.  (Need some money first).  

AYWG, amazing back story.  And what a compliment to your home cooking.  It always tastes better and kids know that.

bala

x

RainbowHippie

Hello lovely folks, please may i join you?

I suspect i will do more lurking than posting, but i have loved reading the thread so far and i'm already getting lots of inspiration from your posts, i am impressed by everyone's resourcefulness and commitment.

A bit of an introduction - I'd like to learn some new frugal ways this year and remind myself of things that have fallen by the wayside. I try to employ the principle of make do and mend, but never seem to manage to save as much as i feel i could/should. I don't really buy clothes, books etc, any more these days, i make cards and some gifts, and craft materials tend to be repurposed from something else or gifted to me. The last year or so myself and my OH have been constantly on the move - we sold our house in September 2019 and now travel full-time, and live by house-sitting (free ) or in airbnbs (expensive! ), or occasionally in accommodation paid for by work. We both are self employed and work remotely apart from a couple of days here and there. Everything we own has to fit in our storage unit (less than a single garage) plus what we take with us in one small car, so i'm not often tempted to spend on 'stuff' any more! Our main ongoing spends are accommodation, petrol/car costs, grocery shopping, and the odd random 'useful' thing from eb*y/am*zon - something i thought i'd managed to get out of the habit of doing, but has crept back in recently with growing frequency. I feel like we've also been buying more processed (ie unhealthy and poor value) foods and more alcohol.

We enjoy our itinerant lifestyle overall, but since covid things are more limited and seem to be more expensive (for a variety of reasons, but mainly it's meant fewer house-sits as no-one can go on holiday!). I consider ourselves very lucky that we have an income, even if it's been sporadic in 2020, and that we're getting by. But it would be nice to save more for the future, and to make our high-spend months a bit less horrifying by controlling what we can. I know we could reduce costs further so i'll need to work out what our current main expenses are and what can be cut, come up with a budget/plan and then try to get OH on board (or ideally engage him in defining said budget/plan so he is invested in it...we'll see...) I already track spends in a spreadsheet so it shouldn't be too hard, just need to sit down and give it some attention. I'd like to get a handle on it soon as i suspect that when/if covid restrictions are lifted we'll both be tempted to go a bit crazy with spending on social activities, we've really missed visiting friends and family but have resisted as much as possible to try to stay/keep everyone safe.

So, i'm aiming to buy NO unnecessary rubbish off the internet, and find ways to reduce our other costs - keeping my fingers crossed that this year, house-sits will be plentiful and lengthy, and we can resume our pre-covid trend towards cheaper and healthier eating!

hugs and best wishes to all xx