2023 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugaldom

Thanks for all the rhubarb comments... Scotland can be at least a month behind England and Wales on growing season so precise dates are irrelevant here. The rhubarb was fine, although now starting to go woody and spindly. I use the leaves for mulching around fruit trees and bushes.

I'll take a look at Chase for banking - I'm assuming it's the same as Chase Manhatten, the US bank?

mama67

Frugaldom said:

Thanks for all the rhubarb comments... Scotland can be at least a month behind England and Wales on growing season so precise dates are irrelevant here. The rhubarb was fine, although now starting to go woody and spindly. I use the leaves for mulching around fruit trees and bushes.

I'll take a look at Chase for banking - I'm assuming it's the same as Chase Manhatten, the US bank?

Yes run by JP Morgan. 

I the current account with attached savings accounts cash back on all payments plus a rewards scheme for a year. 

Fee free for paying abroad as well. 

Recommended by Martin Lewis as one of the ones to get fir holiday spending. 

roundtuit

Hi.
I've read the thread from beginning to end and I'd like to join you please.
I've recently switched to Al for my grocery shopping- except for my macaroni cheese ready meals which are cheaper to buy from the village C00p. 
Inspired by you I've just bitten the bullet and phoned my Broadband provider asking for a better deal. Those sort of phone calls make me incredibly anxious so it was long overdue. My bill will be reduced by £12.59 / month. I expect that I could pay less by switching providers and taking advantage of new customer offers but I need to balance my MH needs against any monetary gains. 
My estimated gas bill for June / July was just over £60. Overestimated and it wouldn't accept my meter reading online as it was 'too low' (even though their estimate showed that my gas use had quadrupled compared to the same period last year - I don't think so!) So that was another phone call made - new bill is just over £20. Thankyou very much. Most of that is standing charges. I have no idea if they vary much - but again I'm averse to the hassle of swapping around. 
So I guess I aim to be as frugal as possible within my comfort zone parameters- more or less (still feel sick from ringing the broadband provider!)
Rxx

cw18

@roundtuit  Welcome aboard.

Well done on making those calls.

You're unlikely to save more than pennies a year by switching energy provider at the moment.  Some are starting to release fixed price deals, but many of them seem to only be available to existing customers (and the ones I've seen haven't been worth scrambling for either).   Other than those, all the providers are charging the Ofgem cap - or so close to it you woudn't notice.   But within any provider there are vast differences depening on how you pay - Direct Debit (budget or variable) has been the cheapest for many years, pre-pay is now (I believe) being brought in line with those tariffs, and pay on receipt of bill (by any method other than variable DD) is by far the most expensive (would put my bills up by 9 or 10 percent!).

willow_loulou

Welcome @roundtuit really well done making those calls. They’re not easy at the best of times are they. 

I agree you’re unlikely to save money swapping providers - the standing charge is set by area for the maintaining of supply etc so it’s pretty set regardless of supplier. 

roundtuit

@cw18 and @willow_loulou thank you for the welcome.

I've paid the electricity bill today - first payment needed since the government credits went on the account as the credits were more than my monthly usage. Part payment of £12.62 was required to clear my account. I've taken onboard what you said about paying by DD being cheaper, but I'm sticking to payment on receipt of bill for now....that way I'm in control of what's paid and when. Paying the electricity by DD would save me less than £1 a week so I'm not tempted to change.

I resisted the temptation to pop into the village C00p to waste money on messys that I don't need after working out that I can manage with what I've got in until I do an Al shop on Monday. I had some eggs that need using up, and tomatoes gifted by a friend, so a tomato omelette for lunch. 

I'm wary of becoming too obsessive but thinking before I spend is a good habit to get into.

Rxx

Primrose

"I'm wary of becoming too obsessive but thinking before I spend is a good habit to get into."

I don't see that as a bad habit at all.  A lot of people wouldn't,t be in debt now if they,d been indulging in that habit while back,

Treasurequeen

Last lot of Runner beans have been picked along with camomile, lemon verbena, lemon balm  and peppermint which will be dried to use as herbal teas. With my home insurance I get 25% off drinks and pastries in Nero which comes in handy when I meet my friend once a month. I have also bought my calendar and diary for next year. I know most people use their phones calendar but I prefer a paper diary and calendar as my phone has a habit of wiping my calendar when it updates. I have  joined two free online book clubs that each meet once a month in the evenings. 

Have been using shopmium app a lot lately so far have got dog treats free, a large jar of  branded coffee for £2 and cereal bars for 25p. Have been doing surveys in the evenings and have cashed in £20 as supermarket vouchers so far which will go towards Christmas food shop. Cashed in cashback too which was another £20. Saving club card vouchers as well as boots points which will be used for toiletries. 

I have lowered my mobile package even more so only pay a few pounds a month. My broadband deal ends in December so will look at removing a few add ons from it. I’ve lowered my tv subscription saving a few pounds a month, it all adds up. 

cw18

Had a chap round to do a full energy survey on my house today - part of the new boiler application.

Sounds like I don't qualify for any additional cavity wall or loft insulation, but he 100% confirmed my boiler qualifies.
I've heard nothing back on the paperwork I submitted (pay slips and such), so assumed that was clear - but the chap today said the system has me down as an NHS referral due to a medical condition    He's marked that as a query, but I think I'm going to get in touch with the guy who signed me up for it so see if he can also get the office to rectify that - and check they they don't need any more paperwork from me.

Got confirmation from him that it will be a combi-boiler    I absolutely HATE those things (only ever used them when visiting other properties, but none have worked well), and it means I'm going to have pay someone to put a radiator into my airing cupboard as I rely on the heat from my water tank to dry my work uniform during the winter (can't be washed until Saturday evening and I normally do it first thing Sunday, but it has to be dry for 6:30am Monday!).   Still, one new radiator should be a LOT cheaper than a new boiler.   But, if the system's anything like the others I've used, I'm going to have to get into the habit of collecting the water I have to run off before the hot comes through the taps (and possibly the shower too!).  I'm on a water meter, and I've wasted loads of water at my daughter's house trying to get the hot through to the kitchen sink or bathroom basin, so it's fortunate she doesn't have a water meter.    But my Mother does, and she's been having problems getting hot water from her combi-boiler too.

Debsnewbudget

We have fitted a greenhouse heater into our bathroom cupboard and it dries things brilliantly. 

Needs electricity but might be cheaper than fitting a radiator

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314478093486?chn=ps&var=613052601877&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1Y0UMTpztTKOovboM3dalVQ72&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=613052601877_314478093486&targetid=1816459697005&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9046520&poi=&campaignid=19097601017&mkgroupid=152525099668&rlsatarget=pla-1816459697005&abcId=9303862&merchantid=550393663&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0bunBhD9ARIsAAZl0E1uZot830PB_lGto-JiTpXDR8OdxpFrEJKFIl9gQNKM_ljP5Pf8dAUaAnjxEALw_wcB

Sorry not sure how to put smart links in