2022 Frugal Living Challenge

2Scratters

I think we have hit a wall this month on a positive note, as we have been holding back from doing shopping from the shops and we have shopped from our stocks instead. We have gone as far we need to for now. We have been hanging onto the housekeeping money and have £120 left of our £200 budget and payday is a week on Friday. Today will be out and about collecting the items we need to top up. Hopefully there will be change so I can stash the cash  I have already managed to stash £15 at the beginning of the  month. 

Beshki

We’ve had a tough month here. So much expense, it’s been difficult to keep up. Not entirely unexpected but just things that have happened all at once - MOT/Service/Vets/weekend away for a birthday/house improvements etc. All things considered we have done really well, but still making me very worried for the future. At least once these things are done, they’re done for a while and we can hopefully just about manage month to month.

annieb64

We're the same Beshki.. We ended up buying a more expensive house than we'd originally intended and it was a new build so have had to buy wardrobes,  curtain poles etc. On the plus side we are only a few miles from DD and grandchildren  so don't  have to drive for six hours every time we want to see them.

We are hoping the house is better installated than the previous one and the weather  tends to be better here.We both have bus passes now so are trying to use them rather than the car. 

I'm  just hoping we can have a frugal few months to get finances back on track.

Prudent

We are also looking at quite a few house costs just now. Mainly because we put off doing jobs prior to covid as we had quite a lot going on for a few years. Then we were reluctant to do too much in between lockdowns as they seemed to come round frequently and last for a long time in Scotland. I ordered a couple of beds yesterday and they are coming on Monday so hopefully, this is the start of doing some badly needed replacements. If it is sunny at the weekend we are going to start on some outside painting. I think we still have enough paint. 

Other than that it has been quite a cheap month so far. I have had covid so haven't been out much. OH impressed me by sticking to the shopping list when he had to go. I stopped taking him shopping years ago because he tended to add too many branded products and impulse buys. I think he knows though I am keeping a careful eye on the food budget just now. I wasn't especially ill this time with covid so I was able to tidy out the kitchen cupboards and use up quite a few odds and ends.

willow_loulou

Really pleased with my food shopping this month. If you’ve not thought about a veg box delivery it really is worth it. I’m back into £25 a week food shop for 2 and I’m shopping in M&S for some things still. 

I spend £12 on my box (tho I’m adding on bits) and between 8 and 12 on other things. I spent a little more this week and M&S had their sausages on offer so I got 2 and froze one for next week. I also got 2 lots of their own butter as that was on offer. 

All I should need shopping wise before the end of the month will be milk, bread, extra salad and ham/cheese. That’s approximately £7 if I get olio bread if not £8. I’m looking forward to adding it up at month end to see. 

zafiro1984

willow_loulou said:

Really pleased with my food shopping this month. If you’ve not thought about a veg box delivery it really is worth it. 

Who do you get your veg box from?  

willow_loulou

zafiro1984 said:

willow_loulou said:

Really pleased with my food shopping this month. If you’ve not thought about a veg box delivery it really is worth it. 

Who do you get your veg box from?  

Odd box - but grocers do them too 

otb666

i have decided to give odd box a go and first box used this code HOLLYGW and its half price

Wraithlady

I am tempted by Oddbox, but the maximum gap of  2 weeks puts me off slightly, as well as the fact I have a lovely (monthly) local veg box and I feel I ought to support them.

willow_loulou

Wraithlady said:

I am tempted by Oddbox, but the maximum gap of  2 weeks puts me off slightly, as well as the fact I have a lovely (monthly) local veg box and I feel I ought to support them.

It did me too but I thought I’d see how it went. We’ve had much less waste than if I’d bought bags from the shops as you get a bit less. It spurs me on to freeze it if I’m not planning on using. 

I would definitely use a local box if I had one, but this is at least delivered plastic free unless raining and at a time to reduce carbon four print.