2023 Frugal Living Challenge

Debsnewbudget

i have made a few jewellery pouches as gifts
really easy to make 
look on You Tube for circular jewellery pouches, need 4 circles of material and some cord 

Debsnewbudget

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7agOS62xMs

Frugaldom

joedenise said:

I think you'll find that because the house is being heated during the day it's unlikely to kick in overnight even being set at 5c.  When we go away we leaving our heating on 12c as otherwise our house insurance won't cover water damage and we're not prepared to not keep it on.  The other alternative is to turn it off and drain down - no thanks to that.  Having said that we go away for a month at a time (in our motorhome) and the heating never seems to come on in that time judging by the app which goes with the CH boiler.

If you are ever in SW Scotland, Frugaldom is licensed for overnight parking for self-contained campervans and motorhomes (up to 7.5m) We are totally off-grid but have a tank for emptying toilet cassettes and soakaway drains for grey water. 😊

Frugaldom

Madbat60 said:

Evening all
I've managed to survive my first 4 weeks post retirement in one piece.  I decanted my peapod wine into a demijohn today.  It smells like wine.  Just got to wait for it to clear.  I've pickled beetroot, made chilli jam with the last of the tomatoes and our chilli's, 
made tomato and chilli sauce for the freezer.  Thing that strikes me is I'm really busy.  Being frugal is a full-time job.  I need to start making Christmas presents.  I'm going to make my son's girlfriend a tote bag, with a matching make up bag and fill it with lots of girly things.  I'll also make one for the other ladies I have in my life.  I love being creative.  Trying to avoid the heating being on.  It's quite mild in the south east, but the fire has been lit at night. 

Frugal living is definitely like a full-time job. 😊

Frugaldom

It's the last minute dash to get more winter preparations done before the clocks go back so I've been chopping logs, splitting sticks, collecting & drying cones and trying to keep access into the woodland area clear, ready for a few more trees to be thinned out this winter. I'm glad it's now log burner weather as it means making the most of it for warming water, making the porridge overnight and getting back to one pot cooking for meals.

We sold our caravan as soon as the huts were completed so now have 3 off-grid cabins for friends of Frugaldom and family members staying to learn more about off-grid, frugal living. They all have log burners fitted now, just finishing touches to be done to complete them. 

Next year marks 25 years of frugal living challenges for me and 10 years since buying the land so there are several reasons to make 2024 extra special. 

Is anyone taking part in this year's National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November?

Frugaldom

Spotted this on FB Which? page and thought it may be handy for those of you with children

joedenise

Frugaldom said:

joedenise said:

I think you'll find that because the house is being heated during the day it's unlikely to kick in overnight even being set at 5c.  When we go away we leaving our heating on 12c as otherwise our house insurance won't cover water damage and we're not prepared to not keep it on.  The other alternative is to turn it off and drain down - no thanks to that.  Having said that we go away for a month at a time (in our motorhome) and the heating never seems to come on in that time judging by the app which goes with the CH boiler.

If you are ever in SW Scotland, Frugaldom is licensed for overnight parking for self-contained campervans and motorhomes (up to 7.5m) We are totally off-grid but have a tank for emptying toilet cassettes and soakaway drains for grey water. 😊

Thank you.  I was aware of that from reading the thread however I don't think we'll be visiting Scotland for a holiday in the motorhome as we are in the South East so it's cheaper and easier for us to travel across to France which, when you think about it, is absolutely ridiculous.

Madbat60

What a fabulous offer @Frugaldom.  We are planning on pottering around Scotland next year.  DP wants to go to Jura to the distillery and I want to visit  the places my ancestors lived.  My family worked in the gunpowder factories in Tighnabruaich and later lived in Greenock. It's always sobering to remember where you come from.  My Granny was one of the first women to vote.  She would've have been delighted to see her youngest granddaughter own her own home.  

zaxdog

Madbat60 said:

What a fabulous offer @Frugaldom.  We are planning on pottering around Scotland next year.  DP wants to go to Jura to the distillery and I want to visit  the places my ancestors lived.  My family worked in the gunpowder factories in Tighnabruaich and later lived in Greenock. It's always sobering to remember where you come from.  My Granny was one of the first women to vote.  She would've have been delighted to see her youngest granddaughter own her own home.  

I recommend you visit the Colintraive Hotel for a meal when you are in the area. I live in the village and the food is amazing. Basing yourself in Tarbert might be best for your plans? Should be easy to find a rental as sadly its on the list of dying villages due to second homes.

Frugaldom

Any regular frugal living challengers with campervans or small motorhomes are welcome to come and park up overnight at Frugaldom, just give me your username when you get here so I know it's ok to chat about the lifestyle - those who don't live it often don't understand it and think of it as being a cheapskate thing. 

Committed myself to the free NaNoWriMo writing challenge last night and plan on attempting it while cabin camping, so totally off-grid, relying on firewood, rain water and solar charger for light, mobile and laptop. 

Today I'll be chopping up 2 old wooden deck chairs to add to the wood pile and if the rain stays away, I'll collect more spruce cones to dry for kindling. I've one egg left - the last one lid by our now solitary hen who lives alongside our surviving drakes. Hens for eggs are not frugal when they live for 14 years as pets but only lay regularly for the first couple of years or so. 😆