2022 Frugal Living Challenge

joedenise

Hope you can get it sorted out @mandy47 - Dualit stuff is definitely well made and built to last.  We've got a Dualit toaster and has lasted years, yes it was expensive but every part of it can be replaced if it wears out or gets damaged so definitely worth it.  It's also got "cages" for making toasted sandwiches!

Glittering_M

Eek did a gas meter reading. For just over a month it has cost us 3x what our direct debit is! We've had the heating on a lot more as the thermostat was saying it has got down as low as 6c inside (although usually it is around 7-8c) and that isn't healthy for us or the house. Our house takes forever to heat up though and the boiler was new when we moved this year so it can't be that. I'm blaming the high ceilings. 

This has been our first big shock apart from the rising food costs. 

Apart from that I've had a good couple of days. I sorted out a bed outside which will be for herbs (or at least that's the current plan) and I've spent far too long today looking up weird and wonderful things to grow. Examples include camelia sineis (sp) aka a tea plant and different things that we could grow and make flour from eg rye.

 I think for me, it isn't about the money but the self sufficient aspect. I want to be able to grow as much as I can and reduce reliance on the supermarket (we don't have markets, butchers or greengrocers locally). It is difficult though when some veg is so cheap, like onions you can get a whole load for about 60p and I'm not sure you could grow them for that. Saying that, I am a fan of the yellow stickers in the supermarket although I'm seeing them less and less. I think the days of 10p bread etc are behind us. You can't make bread at home for that price so I liked stocking up.

I do want to create a wildlife pond in the garden too. I've got an old bath that I think I'll start with. I won't sink it or I'll never get it out again. I want to build a proper pond but I don't want to rush and I can see how the bath goes first. Obviously as it is raised then it may reduce what animals can use it but I'm hoping to have logs and things around it and ramps. 

I'm also excited to be starting a bee keeping course in the new year. Hopefully once we've finished that we will be able to get some bees. We've never had them before so I'm excited about that although I couldn't believe how expensive bees themselves are to buy in the first place! From my understanding the bee keeping association we are doing the course with sometimes have bees a little cheaper but it is still a lot. We certainly wouldn't be doing it for the frugal element as we currently buy the cheap honey in the supermarket so it would take years to recoup the cost but it's a new hobby hopefully and it will be beneficial for the garden. I do love seeing the bees buzzing around the garden.

Sorry long post, I didn't plan to, but enjoyable to share! Thanks for reading.

Sweetlittledaydreams

Working at my new job tonight, full time nights meaning I will have no social life ( money saving!) but I will be paid time and a third now for unsociable hours, only thing is is that I know when I'm tired I will just think why not drop my hours by a third as I'd be on around the same money as before! 
Got a free loaf of bread today using a rewards voucher which should do my lunches for this week. Going to try and keep a closer eye on what I spend next year, I don't think I spend too much but I want to track exactly what I'm spending so I can see where I could save more. I know I definitely need to get better at meal planning now I'm permanent nights otherwise I'll be putting weight on by relying on junk food and sugar to keep me awake, not healthy or frugal. 
2023 is going to be a good year!

Frugaldom

Not long now until the new challenge begins. It's all set up and ready to go but I asked that everyone post here until next week so we don't lose the start of the year and end up 20 pages in before 1st January.

Only a couple of things were substituted in my supermarket order and the sugar was slightly more expensive than anticipated but still cheaper from M0rris0n's than A$da. My mobile contracts have been very slightly reduced overall but with increased data and the landline package dropped by a couple of pounds but keepng communications open is a costly business when living somewhere with such bad mobile coverage. Needs must. 

My 2023 budget is, once again, running as a lump sum total from which all deductions will be made.This way, I know at any given time how much is remaining. Frugal living has long since taught me that this is, for me, the best method of keeping the budget under control while trying to save and invest in other things.

Looking forward to this weekend as several of us are having an outdoor get together - hopefully it isn't too wet and windy! Olio was good to us tonight so I can make a big pan of soup,plushere are enough mince pies for everyone. I even managed to claim a bouquet of flowers to brighten up the hut. Helpful friend who spent Christmas with us connected up my second solar panel so we now have 2 x 100w, which is enough for lights, fan and phone charging, even in dull weather. The panels are free-sanding so can be moved to catch whatever UV rays get through the clouds. I've chopped extra wood for the stove and have some Biobean coffee logs for extra heat this weekend, when we are all staying at Frugaldom for new year. 

London_1

Good Morning chums, not  brilliant Christmas for me , started ok .Went to my eldest DDs Christmas Eve had a nice evening therewith family.
Then Christmas morning went to youngest DDs, opened presents ect, and felt fine ,then around 1,00 had terrible pains in my tummy and couldn't eat any dinner, and by tea time got DD to bring me home as I felt so rough.

No appetite at all just dreadful gripping pains in my tum. Have been home ever since ,still not eating very much and feeling exhausted and very tired all the time ,even beem sleepng on th downstairs sofa,. both DDs have been round bless them but I just feel like I want to sleep it off. Drinking plenty of water though, but couldn't  face eating . A cuppa and a couple of ginger nuts is my max per day at the moment. apparently there is a tummy bug going around locally a sort of tummy flu. So its just rest, lots of water and paracetemol.Good job I have plenty of stocks in as I doubt I could walk across to the shops at the moment feeling far too wobbly.
 Both DDs come in daily and I keep getting texts from my grandchildren bless them,  

It will pass in time and I will soon be up and running hopefully.I hope everyone had a good Chistmas and all are fit and well. will return when I'm feeling a bit better 

Happy New Year to you all

JackieO xxx

joedenise

Sorry to hear you're feeling so poorly JackieO.  I think you're doing the right thing by listening to your body and drinking plenty of water and sleeping as much as you can.

Hope you are feeling better very soon and can enjoy the New Year.

DawnW

Hope you feel better soon @London_1

Primrose

Bad luck JackieO.  Bugs always seem to come at Christmas! Wonder where you picked that one up?
just rest, sleep and plenty of fluids I guess. Sleep is a great healer.
Get well soon and may 2023 be a better one for ue all.

kayharcombe

I’d like to join for FY23 please, I am still finalising budget and am aiming for a minimal spend January to give me a boost

working towards reducing my hours at work by the end of the year, and also reducing reliance on shops. Just 2 adults and a dog at home now and a double allotment to provide fruit and veg.

weenancyinAmerica

Get well JackieO. We need you on here.