2022 Frugal Living Challenge

Floss

RTE, when you have settled on your HRT which may take a few months (and you may change brand / type until you find the one that suits) ask if they will dispense 3 or 6 months-worth rather than 8 weeks, my GPS were very happy to do that with my patches, my coils were always free as they are contraception! Ideally try for this near to your prepaid expiry date 😉

angela110660

re starting off seeds. I saw a garden mag yesterday on sale that had quite a few packets of veg seeds attached. Might be a goodbuy? Can't recall what it was called but was in Sainsburys.

Primrose

I subscribe to a Kitchen Garden magazine monthly by post.  We get four free packets of different veg seeds nearly every month so perhaps it was that one?

Primrose

We,ve just discovered we have mice in iur garage whixh serves as overflow storage for grocery tinned and packeted grocery items and veg. Apparently now is start of their breeding time so look out for their tiny little black droppings and out down bait. .. When I parked my car in there the little perishers climbed into the bonnet and nested in there, chewing all my electrical wiring. Had to have the dashboard partially removed to replace it. Cost me a fortune so beware.  They may be tiny creatures but can do an awful lot of damage!

Frugaldom

wmf said:

Lovely to read all your posts. So inspirational. 

Anyone heard from @Frugaldom? Maybe I’ve just missed posts. 

Sorry for being MIA. I have no internet other than my mobile while out here at Frugaldom and even that is patchy as it's only a 3G phone and the local signal is being phased out in favour of 4G

All is well. February is really frugal and fitness orientated so I am attempting to do 28 days off grid. Chopping logs, splitting sticks, planting trees, cooking on camp stove or logburner and rationing water. Hut windows have fleece blankets velcroed on at night for additional thermal insulation to help cut down on condensation and breakfast porridge is ultra frugal... Soaked overnight then warmed up in the morning with some boiling water... No cooking needed.

Spending... Not much, although an extra £85 approx on extra insurance on the yard for having camper vans parking overnight. Fun with frugal friends while hoping to lose some flubber. 😆

Primrose

Rianam said:

peony40 said:

I agree with the food prices, I noticed this morning that the bread I bought yesterday has gone up 11p overnight.

What seeds have you bought?  I am going to try container gardening this year, I have health issues so can’t manage a traditional vegetable garden.  

I did try to quote but for some reason it doesn’t work on my iPad.

Tomato, lettuce, peppers and cucumbers. 

Will all start them off in the kitchen next weekend. Any surplus tomatoes go in bags in the freezer. 

What will you try to grow in containers?

Rianam. If you're sowing your tomatoes and cucumbers to grow outdoors, don,t sow them until early April. I know this feels late but after growing them for30 years I,ve  learnt they just grow too leggy, it,s too early to transplant plant them outside until early June and they never recover enough to provide a good crop. Patience really does pay off and avoids disappointment. 

Peppers can be sown indoors now as they,re very slow germinators and can take up to 30 days for seedlings to start appearing. 

Rowan9

Good to hear things are going well Frugaldom. I’d forgotten the off-grid in Feb. I’ve read your threads and challenges for many years. Really glad it’s in OS forum section now and so good to have so many posts. 

spudsmum

Good day yesterday. 

Took the kids to cinema using some discounted tickets, I found and had some lunch out (not 100% Frugal but as cheap as we could make it) I long for the better weather so we can take picnics. Sadly with a child who has ASD there's no way we can go out without factoring in substantial food of some description - staying home isn't an option either as after a full week wfh in isolation it's necessary for my mental health.. So I just have to suck it up really.

Popped to Lidl for a few bits and Asda for the bits I couldn't get there - eldest has cooking at school so needed Filo pastry and spices I didn't have   

Shopping still came in £33.87 under budget so that's £83.87 for the month so far. Trying to decide whether to put it on my cc or put it aside for the inevitable price rises later in the year. 

Reasonable day here so might get out in the garden - need to prepare my raised beds. I have 4 large ones but the neighbours cats have had a field day so that won't be a pleasant job. Didng grow anything last year as lost motivation but hoping to get something going this year. I have a bag of sprouted potatoes in the garage I can put in - I've had reasonable success with those in the past - not sure what other seeds to get though. 

RateTartExtraordinaire

Floss said:

RTE, when you have settled on your HRT which may take a few months (and you may change brand / type until you find the one that suits) ask if they will dispense 3 or 6 months-worth rather than 8 weeks, my GPS were very happy to do that with my patches, my coils were always free as they are contraception! Ideally try for this near to your prepaid expiry date 😉

Hi Floss,
Thanks, I will! Having a 6 monthly supply would make such a difference cost-wise. 
It has been a real battle just to get a prescription at all. I was let down by the first doctor who just sent me for a blood test and nothing else. The second doctor sorted out my first prescription and was good but she left the surgery before Christmas. I hope I can find someone at my GPS that will agree to give my 6 months-worth.

Part of my frugal challenge has been to work smarter. My job was so stressful and when I added up the hours I worked at home I was earning less than the minimum wage. It was also making me sick with migraines and skin conditions and on top of that them the menopause hit! I finally found a medication that hits those 3 day migraines on the head, but there are only 6 tablets in a packet. 

I am earning less but am happier and healthier!

EskarinaWeatherwax

Hi all, busy few days so not been here much but wow, so much happening and @Clutterbug07 your Magic Bag is a winner!

A few frugal wins here. I joined the new local community pantry and got 15 items - a bunch of tins plus 3 stalks of sprouts and 3 bags of radishes, vegan mayo, crisps - for £5. And while my kettle cannot be salvaged the emergency fund was ready to help! 

I still need to try the community pantry that's round the corner from me - fingers crossed I make it on Friday!