2022 Frugal Living Challenge

newlywed

YoungBlueEyes said:

Woohoo! I got one right! 

I use them for the softening aspect mainly. I couldn’t remember where I got the ph thing from, I was beginning to think I’d made it up. I’m glad it works 😊

The ph thing does hold up… if you have hard water then you are recommended to add more detergent to the machine.

I have just bought a magnet in a silicone ball thing from Lakeland to chuck in the wash which will apparently help soften the water and hopefully use less detergent.  I have also bought dolly washing balls to help agitate the washing in the hopes of also needing less detergent…. So far I have been impressed, although OH was a little concerned about all the noise the machine was making with silicone ball things in it!

YoungBlueEyes

Yep we’re in a (very?)/hard water area. That’s why I originally started using soda crystals, to help out the wash powder. 

Might consider some agitating balls too actually. 

newlywed

We are a chalk area so hard water and lots of lime scale.

Pollie

2Scratters said:

Sent in the fuel readings and an unexpected down turn on the gas we only used 1 unit!! we don't even know how that has happened total cost 11.30. The CH is not on yet and have been doing OK weather wise even though we are in the NW. DH has succumbed to putting a blanket at least on his knees and then he gets the added warmth of the dog vi-ing for his knee. We do have a wood burner and that only goes on in the evening. I think the next step for us re using saved water will be to put it in the cistern directly. The dogs may not be too chuffed as one can open the bathroom door and they choose to drink that water rather than the water from their dish. 
A purchase of a stove top kettle is on the list for needed items and as the gas is more affordable for us it makes sense.
2 Scratters xx

Don't buy a kettle. I use a lidded saucepan.

mumtoomany

Hello all, still frugaling along here. Been an expensive few months. Have had the barn roof fixed, been waiting since storm Eunice. Spent around £2000 on it on top of the insurance payout. There was already some damage from before the storm, new a-frames and perlins, missing slates, etc. Also managed to get some plastering done, some of which has been needed since we moved, nine years ago. So more paid our for that. Add in the cost of living increase and life has become very costly. Glad we've got savings to fall back on. 

We've changed our car. OH had a motorbike, that he had bought in pieces and fixed. He sold it for a profit and bought a small car, again for a lot less than it's worth. We also have a minibus, that we've been using, and a camper. We will use the car till next year, when the camper will become tax exempt, then start using that and probably sell the car. The camper and the minibus both have low mileage, less than 40,000 miles each. 
The car is, are half the tax, cheaper on insurance, £130, for the year, with a £20 Lidl voucher, and £30 of swagbucks points, if it tracks, and much cheaper on fuel.

I'll have to start working out our living costs for next year.

Hope you are all well, hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx

willow_loulou

Found sugar at my local stack it high sell it cheap for 59p so I got the allotted 3 bags which is a year or mores general use here. But I thought I make some brown sugar from it for a bit of baking.
See if I get time!
I was chuffed to get 2 small tarpaulins and to see they had extended their home grow section. So I’m going back next payday! Being so close to the sea and not overly sheltered, as well as full south facing my garden is a challenge to grow much in. Though we did get edible figs this year. 

YoungBlueEyes

@Willow_loulou how do you make brown sugar from white....?

maryb

Nancy Birtwhistle does this on her Instagram. Basically 200g of white sugar and 10-15g of black treacle/ molasses for light brown sugar or 20g for Gary brown.  Drizzle the treacle over the sugar, warm briefly in the microwave then work it in as if rubbing fat into flour

Treacle isn’t exactly the same as molasses but good enough rather than buying molasses specially.  Of course, that assumes you’ve got treacle

Elisheba

Honestly, Nancy Birtwhistle is my go to for pretty much everything these days. Did you know you can sharpen knives on the bottom of your mugs?  Well, you can and it works a treat!  Thanks, Nancy 

willow_loulou

YoungBlueEyes said:

@Willow_loulou how do you make brown sugar from white....?

As @maryb said however I follow Acre Homestead on YouTube. 

Becky her name is and she’s absolutely delightful as you get to see her mistakes as well as her triumphs

She has a video on it - but I really recommend all her videos as she’s the most honest about the realities of home produce I’ve seen. 

The best thing about making your own sugar variants is you make what you need not what the shops sell. Much more frugal. 

Todays job has been building my new small shelving for my stores and getting into a better system for storing so I can starting canning more. I’ve only done very small amounts but I’m excited to get decent amounts done for us and for gifting.