2022 Frugal Living Challenge

willow_loulou

wort said:

Willow I’ve had the plug in type to use to put lights on/off when away they are simple to use like the heating style with a round clock that you press in the little key on the dial for the time .only thing is the actual timer is on all the time as it needs to be set to the correct time of day , so not sure how much money it would save you.
hope that makes sense!

I hadn’t thought of that aspect! Right it’s the dangly lightbulb sign then 🤣

Wraithlady

zafiro1984 said:

We have several lights on sensors, downstairs cloakroom, all the bathrooms, freezer room, hall, landing. I'm sure there are more. When you open the door a sensor detects you and the light automatically goes on, after leaving the room it stays on for a couple of minutes and then goes off. The downside to this is that if you keep still for a period of time, the light goes off. 

I do have memories of staying with a friend in a student house and every 30 minutes or so they would stand up and wave their arms then sit down - the landlord had installed that type of light in the sitting/common room and the students had quickly developed this behaviour to prevent suddenly being sat in the dark

Sweetlittledaydreams

Worked this afternoon (nice bit of Sunday enhanced pay) and went through the rota for the next month and have picked up about £500 worth of extra shifts 😀 I know I'll be tired working the extra hours but the place is chronically understaffed so it helps them as much as it helps me, and as they say, make hay while the sun shines! All I seem to do at the moment is work, swim and sleep- all are great as I can't spend any money while I'm doing them.
Car insurance has gone down by £30 this year, so that was a pleasant surprise. I haven't saved the money though, I was a bit naughty and spent it on my hair - the dreadlocks are getting bigger and bigger!  
Planted some vegetables yesterday, it's been mild but very wet here for a few weeks now, so hopefully will have lots of nice fresh veg to look forward to in the summer. I love the feel of spring in the air, and seeing all the new life around. I'm not sure that growing my own veg works out any cheaper than buying it in the supermarket but it's more than just frugality that makes me do it, it makes me feel happy seeing them grow and that feeling of being able to provide for myself and others. Last year I started getting into foraging and must start again, it's very interesting learning about different plants and... free food 😋 

cw18

I've ordered a new washing machine - and it's due to be delivered next Monday (I'm off work for 2 weeks after Saturday, and was hoping to get one ordered in time to have it delivered the first week).

When I looked yesterday morning, delivery was available for free all of next week - by very last thing last night it was only available Monday & Tuesday, so I ordered before those disappeared too (I was considering leaving it until tonight, to give me another 24 hours to consider a couple of options).

I found one that did almost everything I was looking for (the one thing I'm not getting was an extra to my current machine - and to get one with it would have added another 50% to the cost from what I was seeing!!), but it was a little dearer than I'd hoped to pay and the colour was wrong (graphite).   The same machine  was available in the 'right' colour (white) for an extra £30 - but this was still below the official list price.     OH was the little angel on my shoulder telling me that the colour doesn't change how it works,  and if it were the end of a run of units/appliances I think I might have managed to convince myself it wasn't a problem - but it's going to have a white cupbaord door one side and a white tumble dryer the other, so I've sprung for the extra!!!

This one should slide completely under my counter - my current one has projected out for the 20 years I've lived here, so that's going to be a little strange!    This is one reason I've ended up with a dearer machine, but it did have other plus points.....   It's more energy efficient than the ones I was looking at last week (a B instead of a D), so if it lasts as long as my current one it should pay back the extra I'm spending.    It's also quoting a lower water usage than most I was looking at (and also the one I currently have from how I'm reading the manual I downloaded for it), despite the fact I started out looking at 7kg machines and this one is a 9kg!   Current machine is 6kg, and last night I weighed what I'd consider a normal load for a cycle that will take that weight - it came in at about 4kg.   That means I can do an old full load on one of the eco cycles (which only takes half the weight), or can do a bigger load at a cycle more in line with the current one I use (and may be able to wash every 8 or 9 days instead of my current average of every 6).    More calculations of costs of the different cycles looks to be needed now.....

I then had to decide whether to order direct (A0) or through Amaz0n (also sold and delivered by A0).   Buying the second way meant I had almost half the cost in vouchers, but getting it delivered on a day to suit wasn't guaranteed.   Buying direct meant I could pick delivery date whilst going through checkout - and also had the option of 12 months interest free, which I passed the checks for.   I've opted to go direct, and will now keep fingers crossed that anything else I need and/or birthday/Christmas presents for family can be got from Amaz0n as cheaply as elsewhere so I can use the vouchers for those.

2Scratters

@cw18 when your lovely machine arrives OR before if there is access to the technical instructions about the WM please read them. I've only just read mine 11 months down the line  why would you we know how these machines work right? Clearly not. When reading all the programmes and some "quick programmes" mine does not take the full load - only half  that explains some issues I have had. We are on water meter and that was to be factored in too. However the "energi" labels say different to the information booklet. We are talking 15 litres different per wash on the programme you expect will be using the most. I will be sending them an email and the local shop I purchased from too are to get a visit 
@Wraithlady loved the bit about the students having to keep getting up to put lights back on
We have been busy shopping at home so have had plenty no spend days. We have had some great meals this weekend of LO & YS stock from the freezer of indian style bits and pieces DH had to succumb to having a tortilla wrap in place of a chapatti .  He is also not being advised that it is soup each day this week for lunch so we can maintain the shop from home a bit longer, I will add something to them to be a bit more interesting/posh  Will then need to do a stock take and do small basic purchases. I will be splashing out on a small slow cooker as now the nights are getting lighter we will be outside till dark. 
Plenty of NSDs as I am not counting getting the milk.

2Scratters xx

MazzieD

Got almost all my price increases now for April.  Council Tax bill arrived this morning, just 0.8% rise which is really welcome so £1 extra a month.

Should be able to start working on April budget to see what it looks like, still nothing about my energy Direct Debit so I'm estimating that.  All these increases are not particularly welcome but it's better to know what they are.

Not working today, still on three days this week so I'm off out to enjoy the sunshine.

Hopefuljoy

@cw18 The new machine sounds fantastic and very economical. I hope it gives you long service and clean drawing room unmentionables! 

@Sweetlittledaydreams It's great that you can take on extra shifts. Especially as prices of everything are going up. And I remember from growing veg that feeling of excitement knowing I'd produced something wonderful from a tiny seed. I recently got some foraging books out of the library where I work and they were inspiring. However, I haven't done any as I lack confidence which seems silly now I've written it down. Glad to hear your dreadlocks are growing. I understand you need a lot of patience to grow them so good luck! 

Have realised that I have overspent in the last few days but am looking at the budget today. My DD owes me 7.99 for a birthday present and I also need to transfer some money from annual expenses fund to groceries for some much needed food storage boxes. So it might not be as bad as I think.

Breaking news - after a decade of me resolutely extolling the virtues of L*dl to my family my sister has actually asked if we can go there today with her usual sainsbob and weightflower receipts to compare prices. It was the gift of 1kg rice for 45p that broke her!!!!! Seriously I have taken no end of jibes and flack about my frugal shopping habits from my much much better off family members for years. In lockdown her husband was out of work for two years and now he is working at a lower paid job (although he still earns tens of thousands more than me) and they have a daughter to get through university in London and she qualifies for a very small student loan so they have to tighten up all round. She's actually quite excited and I feel absurdly proud!!! 

Unfortunately my family has had a tenancy to sneer and judge me and I hope this may stop it as she gets on board. I may be earning half what I used to but for the first time in over a decade I am content.  I used to be a teacher but had to leave due to my mental health (it's always been dodgy) and am now extremely happy working full time in my local library. As you can imagine the pay is not huge, we get matched against retail for pay and mine is the same level as assistant. The job gives me great joy and my mental health is slowly recovering. I feel blessed to work with an amazing bunch of people who are kind and loving towards one another and my two managers have been a really positive aspect of my being able to stay fully employed. 

Sorry about that folks. I don't know what happened there but you are too easy to talk to! Have a lovely frugal day.xx 

bargainbetty

Wraithlady said:

zafiro1984 said:

We have several lights on sensors, downstairs cloakroom, all the bathrooms, freezer room, hall, landing. I'm sure there are more. When you open the door a sensor detects you and the light automatically goes on, after leaving the room it stays on for a couple of minutes and then goes off. The downside to this is that if you keep still for a period of time, the light goes off. 

I do have memories of staying with a friend in a student house and every 30 minutes or so they would stand up and wave their arms then sit down - the landlord had installed that type of light in the sitting/common room and the students had quickly developed this behaviour to prevent suddenly being sat in the dark

I worked in a law firm with these sensor lights, and it was hilarious watching the solicitors do it. 

RateTartExtraordinaire

I picked up an Olio sm pick up from Tsco  from another volunteer as a one-off.
I am looking to save it all from landfill but only one person has picked up anything so far and there was a bumper load of bread and baguettes.
Baguettes stay don't fresh past the day for me, but how long is it reasonable to list it for on Olio? One day/ two days?

I'm thinking I can use some of the bread for lunch, bread crumbs and maybe baguette pizza tonight if no one picks it up. I've got a v. small freezer so only room for a couple of loaves.

willow_loulou

I just had the best soup made from my oddbox delivery this week. Leek potatoes and mushrooms. I sprinkled grated hard cheese on top and oh my! 

My add on this week coming is 5 avocado for £2. Can we freeze it? 

Hopefuljoy I’m excited for you to take your sister shopping! Excellent! 

I picked up some lovely plant pots yesterday and will buy 2 pansys or similar and that’s 2 gifts sorted for approximately £3 depending on the plant costs. Very pleased with that. Driving my son to work had its bonuses as I pass a big charity shop and an olio lady do getting bread etc tonight too.