2022 Frugal Living Challenge

EskarinaWeatherwax

Evening all

I’m glad to see Jack Monroe’s price index being mentioned - it’s shocking how much the value/basics food is going up but as she points out, the ‘Dine in for £10’ is still the same. It’s hard not to feel those with less are getting hardest hit, again.

i’ve spent some of today working out some calculations about over paying my mortgage and I’ve decided I’m going to throw everything I can paying it off within the next 10 years.

And then, blow me down, if I didn’t get a message from a family member telling me that they are very generously put £1000 into my bank account to balance money they’ve given to another family member who needed it. Such a lovely, generous thing to do. That’s going straight on the mortgage!

i’ve also revised my budgets and think I can get my grocery bill from £200 plus £30 bulk buys down to £180 total. I’m going to give it a go anyway! I’ve also cancelled a subscription that I do like but I don’t use often enough to pay for every month.

I’ve just decided that if I want it at any point I can buy a single months worth but there’s no point having it there just for the convenience of it.

 I’m not quite sure what else to say

EskarinaWeatherwax

EskarinaWeatherwax said:

Evening all

I’m glad to see Jack Monroe’s price index being mentioned - it’s shocking how much the value/basics food is going up but as she points out, the ‘Dine in for £10’ is still the same. It’s hard not to feel those with less are getting hardest hit, again.

i’ve spent some of today working out some calculations about over paying my mortgage and I’ve decided I’m going to throw everything I can paying it off within the next 10 years.

And then, blow me down, if I didn’t get a message from a family member telling me that they are very generously put £1000 into my bank account to balance money they’ve given to another family member who needed it. Such a lovely, generous thing to do. That’s going straight on the mortgage!

i’ve also revised my budgets and think I can get my grocery bill from £200 plus £30 bulk buys down to £180 total. I’m going to give it a go anyway! I’ve also cancelled a subscription that I do like but I don’t use often enough to pay for every month.

I’ve just decided that if I want it at any point I can buy a single months worth but there’s no point having it there just for the convenience of it.

 I’m not quite sure what else to say

Oops, errant thumb meant I posted fr too soon!

I was in the middle of saying I don’t know what else to say as I’m still feeling a little bit blindsided by this lovely generous act. I’m sorry to hear that so many here I have an expensive troubles with cars and equipment. I wish you fortitude and hope for similar windows if possible

I’m fortunate in that I don’t need to drive so I don’t own a car but I am missing cycling and the extra range that gives me at the moment due to my injury.

I too am considering using what I think is a community pantry locally. The thread here has made me feel more confident about going along and asking. I don’t really know how it works but it’s on a Friday morning outside the local church so I’m going to pop along this week and ask and find out.

Thank you all for being so inspiring. It would’ve never occurred to me that I could pay my mortgage off in half the time until being part of these tried some forms so thank you for helping me see that it’s possible

Primrose

Eskarina...... I do encourage you to throw everything you can afford to into paying off your mortgage early.  Nobody knows what misfortunes  such as redundancy or ill health can come along in later life and having a secure roof over your head is so reassuring.  After a first redundancy in our early married life, we made it our main financial priority. When it happened again as a result as result of another  financial depression we were in our fifties and mortgage free.  I can,t tell you how much easier it made it to sleep at night!

What a lovely gesture from a family member. I,m sure they will be delighted their gift is being used so wisely!

Bluegreen143

@cw18 great news on your car! Got everything crossed for mine in Feb. She’s 12 years old and my husband would love to trade her in but honestly up til now she’s done so well - last year passed the MOT with no work - the mechanic even told us “that’s a great wee car you have there” 🤣 Red was thinking she’d fail badly and he’d get his new car! She’s dented in places and certainly not attractive but she gets us from A to B and I’d really like to get another two years before needing a replacement, to give us plenty of time to save up.

@EskarinaWeatherwax that’s such a lovely gesture from your relative, and you’re so sensible in how you’re using it! Most people I know IRL would be booking a holiday but you’ll be so happy you used it that way when your mortgage is gone.

General_Grant

willow_loulou said:

never_too_old said:

Afternoon all
Just thought i would let you know how i got on at the food share.I arrived about 50 mins after it started.Friendly greeting upon arrival and one of the volunteers offered to sit with my Grandchild as he had spotted the toys.I collected a few carrots.mushrooms,herbs,oranges and a big catering bag of flaked parmesan cheese. Had the choice of rolls,potatoes and cakes etc but i only took what i would use(Im going to freeze cheese in portions)
To top it all off had a free cup of tea before leaving.... I must admit i felt nervous going in but glad i did 

So glad it was good! Gives me hope for other opportunities here x

i got a free lunch at work today, a hot meal at that! It’s going to happen on at least the next couple of my in work days so I’m super happy with that. I’m so worn out when I get home it’s nice to just pop a ready meal or pizza in for my son when he’s home and I can go straight to bed. 

I’m really not sure how I’m going to manage next months budget with the ridiculous increases. I’m genuinely worried about managing the council tax when that restarts. I earn so little I was exempt from paying until a few years ago. Since then my income has dropped and their bills just keep increasing ☹️😬

Do ask your Council about paying in twelve instalments instead of 10.  Providing you normally start paying in April, though you'd pay as much for the year, each month is less and cumulatively less as the year progresses (till the final payment of course).

EskarinaWeatherwax

@Primrose @Bluegreen143 thank you! I am so pleased to be able to even think about it, and moments like this make it feel even more achievable. I’m still reeling though!

I’ve not been doing any eB@y selling in a Jan due to thinking people were broke, so I’ve a listing weekend lined up ahead.

I have a few possibly interesting things that I’d like to sell but am not sure if eb@y is the best place - a 1960s coffee set, 1960s picnic set in case, a (somewhat terrifying) china head doll with real hair. I’m torn between selling them for *something* which is better than nothing or trying to find specialists. Any thoughts?

willow_loulou

Jellytots & primrose- thank you x  I’m sadly definitely getting all I’m entitled too. I’m just glad I can do a few hours work still. So tired of the struggle. 

elbree

@willow_loulou, I agree with General_Grant that it's much easier to pay all 12 months of C tax but at a lower rate. 
Cw18 and Eskarina - congratulations and well done on wise choices! I've managed to save quite a bit this month by spending very little but now basically down to empty and still a week to go to payday. Of course, I could take some money back out of the savings but really don't want to! 

amber03

Eskerina if you can manage to pay extra to your mortgage to pay it off sooner then I would recommend doing it. Me and DH paid ours off just before I was 50. It was such a relief when the final payment was made. The thought that if something job wise or health wise we would always have a roof over our heads. I’ve tried to persuade our DS’s to do this but their generation don’t seem to get it, hopefully over time they may decide to overpay.xx

nannygladys

Willow_loulou -  I'm in a similar boat, I usually manage pretty well but with all the increases and potential increase in the ct it's getting a tad worrying. I pay ct on a monthly basis and have been for a few years, the g&e is the biggie for me, I keep it as low as I can by using blankets and having days of no heating but if it's going to double I'm not sure where the extra is going to come from, I'll manage somehow, I'm just hoping the canopy will hold out for as long as it takes me to save for it, if it comes to not saving as much.

Well, still eating out of stores and the freezer but I will need milk probably Wednesday, I seem to get through quite a bit of it. Today I haven't been out and eldest dgd came to visit as her college has an inset day, they were closed over two weeks just before Xmas for a deep clean, she doesn't seem to go very often either, just 3 days a week!! It's no wonder she enjoys her volunteering at the cs shop. 

Anyway I'll give over rambling, and carry on frugalling along in my merry little way.
Nannyg