2022 Frugal Living Challenge

cw18

MazzieD said:

That's really interesting,  one of the features of smart meters is that you can look back at consumption over the last month on a daily or weekly basis on the in house display so it's going to be really easy to check if there is a difference.  I'm going to be really sad and check the hot water and radiators as well over the next couple of days.  If there is no real difference the temperature will be adjusted upwards.  

I use a local company to service my boiler, very reasonable.  I don't take out contracts now, I just pay for the service on the day.  Have to agree about BG, I wouldn't use them.  My Emergency Fund would cover a new boiler if it was beyond repair.

My parents had smart meters fitted at some point - but my Mum doesn't have a clue how to get any info from them.   They weren't given any kind of gadget to watch from indoors, and neither of their phones were smartphones.    I don't have (nor want), and neither does my OH nor either of my sons.   So I'm totally in the dark with trying to get info off them.

My Dad had changed their energy provider about 3 months before he died, and he always ran accounts on-line so we have no history of usage for the property at all !!!

CraftyLittleLisa

SuperSecretSquirrel said:

CraftyLittleLisa said:

This year I was really ruthless and to really see what I had I took everything out and spread it round the flat and then before I put it back I tried to figure out whether it was worth keeping or not.  It actually worked really well as I managed to re-organise things a lot more logically.  I can also get to things easier, there is proper worktop space and best of all I can actually see what I have instead of things hiding behind junk.  

This has to be the best way to declutter! I love to see everything all spread out, then get on with making some ruthless decisions 😁

I'd love the opportunity to spread the whole household contents out over an empty warehouse floor (like the Stacey Solomon TV show) and have a proper clear out!

Then, as you say, when you're done sorting, you have a blank canvas available to you to put all the things you're keeping away logically, not just put them back where they usually go. Now that's my idea of a fun Saturday night! 🤣

I absolutely love that programme.  I even got hold of one of those portable label printer machines so I could "sort my life out" completely.

Thrifty_Taylor

Welcome back @Bluegreen143! I remember your posts from previous years ☺️
Take care @MazzieD, sending a gentle hug.

Been reading all posts, but haven't posted myself much. I live on a Scottish island with my family. Hubby is a househusband & last year was diagnosed with renal failure, so will be travelling to Aberdeen next month for tests, ready to go on the transplant list. Our boys are 19, 17 & 13. I am a support assistant in a school & have a sewing business that I do in the evenings & at weekends. I don't earn a huge wage, but we get by. Paid off our mortgage last summer, but now need to save up for building an extension, as our house is very small! I'm currently isolating (halfway through) & feeling ok, so as I'm stuck in my bedroom, I'm working through decluttering it, as it's been the dumping ground for years!! Finding lots to donate, throw away or sell, any money raised will go towards the building fund. A few years back, I sold lots of things on our local selling page, most things for a few pound, but I put it all in an envelope, rather than just in my purse, & managed to raise over £2000 which went towards tarmacking our driveway.
We're quite frugal by nature, but good do more. Especially with energy prices creeping up! We have a heatpump, but only switch it on when it's cheap rate electricity to heat water for a bath. Have a multifuel stove too. Going to try & make more presents this year, it'll use up some of the very large stash of wool & fabric I've got, & save money too. Currently making a bag from a pair of black jeans & lined with red material with white hearts on it. The friend it's for actually sent me the video, as thought I'd like it.lol

For fans of tuna, I was introduced to tuna, pasta & apple, in my teens. Can be eaten hot or cold 😋

Sorry for the long post. You're all very inspiring!

CraftyLittleLisa

MazzieD said:

Onwards and upwards, the next few weeks are going to be really challenging but it's just a matter of trying to sort out how to manage with a chest injury.

I don't know if anyone else saw the on-line article (think it was the Daily Exp*ess) about how to reduce the cost of using a Combi-boiler.  Basically the factory settings are high for heating and hot water so reducing the settings on the boiler for heating to 55 degrees and 50 degrees for hot water will reduce your gas bills.  Only difference is that it takes a bit longer to heat up.  Always check after you have had a boiler service as well, they usually restore the factory settings   The lady who shared the tip reckoned she saved over £100.  I've  got a Combi-boiler and have just done this to see how much difference it makes.  

No idea if it works for other types of gas boilers but HTH.

Thanks for that tip.  I have now turned my hot water down.  My heating was already on 50 and that has been fine with me for ages so it obviously shows you don't need it up as high as they say.

CraftyLittleLisa

I had a mini success today - I sold some fabric on.  Only a few pounds but nonetheless a bit more for the kitty.

joedenise

joedenise said:

We use a local plumber/CH engineer to service our boiler.  Way cheaper than BG who would probably condemn it as being too old! 

We paid £65 this year which was cheaper than the guy we used to use who had moved away from the area.  This is in the South East.  I suspect it's cheaper further north.

spudsmum

RateTartExtraodinaire said:

I have an old style gas boiler (coming up for 30 years now!). I used to get it serviced every year when I rented the house out as a legal requirement. I put in a carbon monoxide alarm about 5 years ago but I haven't had the boiler serviced for a while.
How much do you pay for a boiler service?
I have an emergency fund for if it goes.

£60 here. I haven't had mine done this last year just didn't get round to it - and tbh when he came last time he said it was on its last legs. It's about 20 years old so living on borrowed time. 

Jellytotts

Frugaling continues here, olio has continued to provide some great stuff for us.  This week we've had easy peelers, pears, chillis, cucumber, tomatoes, gluten free bread, lettuce and 18 eggs.  All very much appreciated and will be used wisely. Shopping wise, aside from groceries that we've needed, not a single penny has been spent.  2 weeks worth of grocery budget have been sent to the credit card bill and some rounding up has gone as overpayment to the mortgage.

I filled in the application for our local food pantry yesterday so waiting to hear back from them, I expect there's a big waiting list but it's worth a go.  Had the rent request in for the allotment too so I can now get that put aside.  I've got my beds all planned out, sorted my seeds and am raring to go....hurry up spring!

Being very mindful of heating/electric usage and the main oven hasn't been on for over a week now...I love my halogen oven!  Tonight's dinner is a combination of the last 2 nights meals where I tried to only cook "enough" but managed to eeeek out another small portion of each....added together with a side salad they'll do wonderfully (and most of it was made with olio free stuff so even better).

cw18

Thrifty_Taylor said:

For fans of tuna, I was introduced to tuna, pasta & apple, in my teens. Can be eaten hot or cold 😋

A good many years ago I was introduced to a mix that included tuna, rice and apple.  I know there was something else, and I did have the recipe - but I've since lost it!   Really should try my friend G00gle to see if I can find something that sounds similar.....

Only ever ate it cold - sometimes solo, sometimes with a side salad.

Sweetlittledaydreams

@Thrifty_Taylor when I'm having a bad day I always daydream about moving to a Scottish island and starting again. I'm sure I'm thinking of it with rose tinted glasses as I've only been to a few islands on holidays so the reality of day to day life might well be very different!
Currently day dreaming about Skye, Bute or Orkney because I've just this week started a new 12 month contract ... and I'm not sure that I like it! But it's making me more determined to save like crazy so that I'm not in the position of having to work full time to pay the bills, because quite honestly 12 months of this feels like it could be a very long 12 months, never-ending whereas doing half the amount of hours would maybe be tolerable. Hopefully it'll get a bit better but at the moment I'm not sold just yet.
Get paid at the end of the week and really going to try and save as much as I can this month. Have already paid the water bill, and this is my first full month of having a smart meter so hopefully the bill will be a bit lower because I have been cautious. But it has been pretty cold at home.
Agree with the above posters that a declutter feels good, I'm in need of one and will be a bonus if I can sell some things.