Beating Lifestyle Inflation and Staying Mortgage Free!

earthgirl2

Thank you!!

With the heat wave I've tried to get a bit more veg planted in the garden and mini greenhouse. It's late, but it might work.
I have got more organised with loyalty cards and and things to pick up free money where I can.

I have started doubling quantities when I cook, and just having the meal every other day. It's working fine. So for example, meatballs monday and wednesday, veg curry tuesday and thursday, stirfry friday and Sunday, and a 'use up things in the freezer' on Saturday / hm pizza. I think this will save cooking time as reheating is much quicker.

DS2 has decided he wants a few different pasta salads on rotation most days for packed lunch, and I'm encouraging DS1 to do the same.

I still need to sell a load of things - I might list in groups of things to make it quicker.

I have made a lots of savings in toiletries and cleaning products too. We are absolutely using up everything we have even if it's not quite right. I'm repurposing hotel body washes as handwash, and using used coffee grinds as exfoliating body wash instead (I've seen that done a few times). I am trying to wash my hair less - every 3 or 4 days. It got very dry after swimming in the holidays so this will help. A bit controversial perhaps? but I am experimenting with having a shower every 2 days, and just a basin wash in between to save using heated water. So far so good, I don't seem to smell   

We have managed free or cheap days out last week - kids swim for free here so it was £3.80 for me to go in too, and that has been our only expense. Apparently ds2 has potential in golf and was offered free daily coaching - yes please! and ds1 managed to amuse himself well enough.

Scottish school holidays are almost over - weeping here!!!

earthgirl2

Thanks!
I've been pretty good at cutting costs and hopefully giving useful stuff to others too. 

I've been handing down our used school items to the uniform bank. I thought I'd got all the school uniform, but DS1 needs PE trainers to leave at school so I've got some for £13.50 sure he will be delighted but they are not going to be used that much.DS1 is making his own way to school with his free bus pass, we have started back and he seems to like his secondary school which is great.

We all have winter coats and hats etc - same ones as last year will be fine. 
I'm using up candles that we have lying around to give a warming glow instead of fire going on.
I'm looking into free sources of fuel - peat cutting! and paper logs. Peat cutting is done a little bit on the moors here - this would be for next year and I think it might be too smoky but I could try. No logs washed up on the beach in the storms yet.
We are using a free 3 months of disney plus with Mr T vouchers.

The garden looks good with the overgrown cottage garden look from the 80 ish plug plants for £25 I got earlier this year. Perrenials so I won't have any flowers / plants expense next year I hope. I think I've so many that I could cut a bunch for a friend.
I'm looking after my neighbours chickens which is great as she looks after my cat and hens.

We have had a good weekly grocery spend £40, with about £10 going straigh up to the foodbank and not touching stores. I am going to cook veg stirfry x 2, chicken curry x2, fish pie x 2 meals. I am getting a lot of the Mr A value range, the products are fine. I also got a good olio pickup and the blackberries are starting to come out here. I drink a lot of herbal tea, so looking at ways to make my own herbal teas. Dry mint, lavendar, rose etc? I have cooked all week using the cooking bag method/ risidual heat, but I'm going to put the oven on today and cook yogurt and banana loaves and muffins for packed lunches next week when I cook dinner.

We have an outside covered area. I'm thinking about making a washing line in there to see if it dries it.
I love using used coffee grounds as a body scrub, and I'm happy that all the toiletries are being used up.

I am putting an extra duvet or blanket on the beds, and ds2 can have a couple of pairs of my hiking socks for bed socks. His feet are the same size as mine, and he is only 9! We have done a jumper shuffle between ds1 and 2 so everyone has plenty of warm items.

The new L*ra sim deals are great for me and ds. 1p per month! I'm trying to get OH to move over to them.

I would like to try to charge up mywork phone and laptop when im at work, I keep forgetting, must remember! Is it 'free' to charge up your phone when driving? I could do that.

Smart meeters being fitted this week, so I am hoping this will have a good impact on our usage.

I'm being as frugal as I can because I hate waste and love being frugal, and I can sustain good foodbank donations this way.

Cheery_Daff

Excelpent work there, well done! 

I don't think showering every other day is controversial - at least I hope it isn't, because (shhhh...) I sometimes don't even manage that! 😂 

themadvix

I can't see where Earthie mentioned that, but I'm with you Cheery! Not controversial at all... although for soon to be teenage boys, it may be!

earthgirl2

Oh that's good! I've showered every day for years, but think it's not necessary and a waste of products, water and heat.

badmemory

I'd never be able to stop my DS from showering every day unfortunately, it comes from many years ago when as a teenager he had a friend that you knew if he was in the house.  My son at the time was always asking me if he smelt too.

EssexHebridean

Also with people on the not showering every day - although it's one of those things that some people are so judgemental about isn't it - a bit like how often people change their bedlinen which I seem to recall sparked a very "lively" thread on here some years ago! 

earthgirl2

My new wild swimming adventure is showering in a waterfall with no products - maybe I'll try to find cheap natural products I can use. 

earthgirl2

Loving this period of warm weather! Perhaps all isn't lost in the veg patch as some of the seeds I planted a few weeks ago  have germinated. 

I've joined our village cooperative at £5 per week. I went for the first time this week it was great. A lot of things donated by local shops that are about to go out of date, and the £5 goes towards bulk buying non perishables so lowers the cost for all. Also allotment holders hand in gluts there. I checked and it wasn't only for low income families. Great idea!

I've been cycling everywhere I can and I'm cutting down my mileage as much as possible. 

I've started making rose infused oil. This is from foraged wild petals and almond oil I had in already. I have to jiggle it for 4 weeks so hopefully this will work. It's to use with diy cleaning products, diy deodorant etc. 

I've applied for a mr a credit card for cash back  on my shopping  there. 

Still to do:

Dry mint and baby nettles for tea leaves
ditto lavender and rose buds
put manure on veg patch (experimenting with no dig)
get shells and grit for hens from beach 

Cancel credit cards not in use 
apply for new bank account for cash back
apply for avc
set up regular savings pots 

Decluttering and swelling - urgh hate this but must do it!
set up washing line in covered area.
make paper and cardboard logs
collect logs by bike - nearby wood owned by family member
collect logs on foot- for exercise!
collect abandoned straw for hens.

Ive decided that I don't need to join the council gym as I'm enjoying my home yoga, home hiit work outs, swimming in sea, cycling and walking - normally for foraging. 

savingholmes

Love the foraging - and the cooperative. Sounds great.