2022 Frugal Living Challenge

Sweetlittledaydreams

So totalling up January's spends and I've spent a total of £1101.19 for the month including all bills and mortgage so quite happy with that as I was aiming for £1000 but have had 3 birthdays to buy for so hoping to get February's spends on target. Have managed to put a bit more into premium bonds, fingers crossed for a win in February.
Also got paid today which is good because I was getting worried with it being 11 days late. Went to the shops on the way home and picked up 8 bread rolls for 20p, will freeze half and use the rest for lunches this week. Also got a lovely pair of heeled boots for £6 for one of the charity shops and a pair of black jeggings for £7 at the weekend, was in need of jeans as i have pair of black jeans but they're not comfortable so I will either try and sell them of charity them.
My dream job has been advertised just 2 weeks after me starting a new one, so not quite sure what to do. It took about 3 months to get into my current posting so would feel bad for leaving them so soon but both career progression and financial wise it would be a good move for me I think. Oh dear! I don't like letting people down but I think I should be selfish this time.
Very tired again so off to bed soon.
I know February is going to be a stressful and emotional month so going to prioritise self care and allocate time and some money to looking after myself, and I have booked the first week of March off to recover and rest! 

fionaandphil

Grocery spends have come in at £110 this month, well below the £250 budget. We've made good use of the freezer and store cupboards and hoping to do the same again for February. I also spent practically nothing else as I picked up some extra shifts at work which kept me busy- win/win.

More expenses for next month though as its half term holidays and will need extra to cover that and we've also got a couple of expensive household repairs required.

Stay warm everyone 

Primrose

EskarinaWeatherwax said:

I’m still not quite clear about how I’m going to set my budget. I know where every single penny goes but can’t quite work out how to list it out here in the way I’ve seen other people do. I’ve realised the part of the problem I have is that my personal credit card pays for a few bits and pieces for my work (I run my own business) which I then claim back. It’s confusing trying to separate them out so one of my jobs for February will be to move those spend to the business bank account and away from my own personal credit 

Very sensible to separate your own business account and credit card from personal expenditure.  My OH is involved in a low of charity/community activities and has often, for convenience at the time, charged expenses incurred in them to our personal account or credit cards.

Not only does it cause confusion later trying to account for it, I suspect that over the years we,ve funded by default a lot of items which should have been cross charged  but were too time consuming  to bother about.  Efficient administration  is the key to not short changing yourself.

Primrose

Sweetlittledaydreams said:

So totalling up January's spends and I've spent a total of £1101.19 for the month including all bills and mortgage so quite happy with that as I was aiming for £1000 but have had 3 birthdays to buy for so hoping to get February's spends on 
My dream job has been advertised just 2 weeks after me starting a new one, so not quite sure what to do. It took about 3 months to get into my current posting so would feel bad for leaving them so soon but both career progression and financial wise it would be a good move for me I think. Oh dear! I don't like letting people down but I think I should be selfish this time.

Apply for the dream job.  You may not get it, in which case nothing is lost and you are still employed.  If you do get it you can tell your employer it was in "suspended animation" at the time you accepted their offer and you had moved on to accept the best offer available which was theirs.  This happens all the time in the employment world. 

Sometimes  such chances in life only crop up once. You owe it to yourself  to make the most of your chances.  Your feeling of guilty conscience does you credit but feeling guilty won,t pay your rent or your mortgage or your rising energy bills, and you spend a lot of your life in work so ensure your time there is as fulfilled and energised as possible.  It will make you a happier and less stressed person.

mumtoomany

Sweetlittledaydreams. I must agree with Primrose, apply for the dream job. If the boot was on the other foot and your present employer had to lay off people, would they keep you on because " they don't like letting people down" or would you have to leave? Go for it, you've nothing to loose.
Frugallity wise, not too bad a month. Little spent that we didn't anticipate, other than a new,(to her, from the scrap yard), engine for DD3's car. OH is fitting it now. She can't afford to replace  it herself, she only works part time, and needs it for work. She is searching for full time and picking up any extra hours she can. If we had no children/grandchildren, we'd be rich!
I'll do a proper round up later. Hope everyone is well, hugs to all, mumtoomany.xx

Sweetlittledaydreams

Thanks @mumtoomany and @Primrose your responses made me smile and I think you're both right. I have a day off on Sunday so will spend the day applying ☺ 
Going to pick up some chocolates this evening, my first olio collection, I'm excited! 

spudsmum

I agree with the others @Sweetlittledaydreams.

Life is too short - follow your dreams (especially when they make good financial sense too!) 

Beshki

We had a frivolous weekend away, as a treat. We could afford it (just) and it was much needed, so it’s fine. But time to be sensible now. We had some projects ongoing at home that were taking quite a bit of my money and they’re now completed, so that’s good. Still lots to do but in good time. Went to supermarket last night and picked up reduced burgers, quiche etc to freeze. It’s working out so well only shopping for what we need, rather than doing a weeks shop because that’s what we do on a Saturday. Saved so much ££. A good start to feb I guess.

mandy47

Just totalled my spending for January.
Grocery, includes pet food  £205.09
Prescriptions and various sundries including 2 birthday gifts  £82.14
Charity shop spend amazingly 0.00
Surveys and cash back + £80.86 

Grocery budget is usually £350 pcm
Savings going into rainy day fund.

Just posted some stuff on shpock, hoping to get Feb off to a good start.
Still got plenty tinned stuff but frozen meat (apart from turkey) is getting low.

mumtoomany

Spends for January:
Food:£165.17/£2640 Very pleased with this, well under for the first month.
Bills: £276.20/£3600, this includes the £100 for the chainsawing of the tree. 
Car:£70.57/£1200 Diesel and oil
Animals:£24.88/£600 Dog food and chicken food
Savings: £110/£1320
Clothes/mobile/entertainment: £29.95/£480, new wellies for OH! Chainsaw mishap. 

Other spends this month are:
A shower. £56, Silicon sealant, for the shower £8, Chainsaw chain and thing it runs on, £42, Petrol for chainsaw and chainsaw oil, £38.50, screws for barn roof, £13.50. new plug and adaptor for the radio, £10, parcel to DD2 £3.87. Also engine and starter motor for DD3's car £285.22. Total of £457.07, only £171.85 before the car parts.
 Total of variable income for January £351.99. 

A reasonable month all round, apart from DD3's car. Although there seems to be a lot of chainsaw related expenses! Lets see how February goes.
 Hugs to all, mumtoomany.