2023 Frugal Living Challenge

AnimalTribe

I’ve started to look at my budget categories – Council tax, phone, insurance, TV, and off-grid utilities are already the best deals available to me. I’ll comb through the discretionary spends and grocery budgets next.

Chests of drawers now done and I’ve begun sorting out the DVD collection. There are some boxed sets I won’t watch again so I’ll ask DH to list these on eBay and there are some DVDs to add to the charity bag. DH has £20 in loyalty points, so less than expected but still useful.

Asparklierblonde

Annual budget prepared and revised. My year starts now, same as last year.

My budget for everything, including council tax which I estimate will be approx. £2,200 next year, is £9,000 on the nose.

Doing my budget has highlighted how my biggest expenses are heat and light. Not surprising in a 250 year old house on top of a moor! I also include car running costs, food, a very small budget for clothes, internet, home insurance and Netflix. Happy to provide a full breakdown if anyone is interested.

Spreadsheet done and away we go once more x

Glittering_M

Thanks @Frugaldom , stressful time right now.

Also got job worries to add to the list as I now need to be in the office everyday so this will greatly increase car costs. I'd really like to find something else but unfortunately, there aren't many jobs going in my field as it is quite niche! 

In terms of budget, excluding cars, council tax and gas & electricity; eating out and groceries are our biggest costs. I've got out of the habit of meal planning so I really need to sort that out. I just struggle with motivation. 

I'd really like to just have 1 car between my partner and I but they aren't keen! 

mumtoomany

Hi all. Am working on my budget for next year. OH starts claiming his state pension in January. Having survived the first half of this year on around £700 per month and the second half on around £900, after another small pension started to pay out, we will feel rich next year. Might even have to pay tax! We will be able to have some money for ourselves each month. That will be a novelty. Still going to be frugal andjoin in here. Also continuing to add money to savings. 

I'd love to see your brake down of spends, @Asparklierblonde, as we have somewhat similar lifestyles. 

I'll post my budget for next year once it's finalised.

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx

Asparklierblonde

@mumtoomany and anyone else who wants to see it, budget below. Two children of 10 and 11. 

·       Car Insurance (£300)     

·       Car costs of MOT, service, fuel and final AA payment this month (£848.80)           

·       Food (£1,100)   

·       Electricity (£1,000)         

·       Coal (£200)       

·       Wood (£200)    

·       LPG (£900)        

·       My mobile (£20)             

·       Daughter mobile (£72)  

·       Internet (£650) 

·       Home insurance (£300)

·       Netflix (£59.88)

·       Council Tax (£2,200)      

·       Animal feed – we have reduced numbers of poultry a lot (£500) 

·       Everything else to live off (£649.32)

 

Total: £9,000. Hope this helps xx

Florenceem

Asparklierblonde - what about water rates?

Asparklierblonde

Florenceem said:

Asparklierblonde - what about water rates?

We are off grid for water, it comes from a spring x

nannygladys

joedenise - I'm so happy to hear that, I will be filling my new little freezer up after all🤣

AnimalTribe

Glittering_M sorry to hear about the job worries – I hope it improves.

Mumtoomany the increased income sounds good I hope you’re able to use some of the first months extra for a little treat in celebration.

I’ve looked at the rest of my budget categories.

I’m happy with: Petrol, gifts, days out, charity, health & personal care, house maintenance & repairs, wild bird food.

The dog budget is mostly OK, but I’ve found a cheaper and better wormer and I’ll be checking to see if I can get a better deal on flea & tick spot on.

Since I’m trying to reduce the stuff in my house I’ve decided on some buying rules for next year. 

Clothes and shoes – I will only buy socks as I have an overstuffed wardrobe.

Entertainment – I will buy one DVD item a month, the rest of the budget remains unchanged.

Gardening – the only thing I will buy is compost (if I need it) – I have so many pots and seeds.

Crafts – the house is filled with so much stuff already – only buying glue if I need it.

Books – as I’ve mentioned I’m only going to use up a book token.

That leaves groceries. I will join the grocery challenge next year.

I am clearing the house out bit by bit, and I’ll sort out what I have in each of the above categories as I find it – I hope that makes sense.

Tidying – today I’m sorting out more DVDs.

mumtoomany

Working on the new budget. I think we should have about £1320 per month coming in, from January. The following are things we already pay. 

Bills, this includes electric, Calor gas, water, TV licence, house insurance, phone and internet. Council tax.              £350. 
Car, petrol, tax, MOT, any parts needed to keep it in the road.                                                                                              £200.
Animals, feed, vets, etc.                                                                                                                                                                 £50.
Food and other groceries. Mostly just for us, but contribution from DD1 for things they use.                        £100. +£25 from DD1.

I'm thinking of upping the food budget to £120, I'd like to go back to butter, rather than margarine!I

The bills break down as follows. Electric £65, TV £6.50, phone/internet £40, all these monthly. Annually, gas £700ish, house insurance £750ish, Council tax will be around £1200, for the year.The wood shed is full! So no word need next year. All the bills, other than the phone/internet and wood when needed, are halved with DD1. The above is our half.

We should then have around £600 per month spare. Some of this week be used by dadtoomany for his hobby. He likes to buy VW campers, fix them up, then resell them. Some will go into savings. Some will be used to fix things in the house, would be good to have more carpets. And of course some will be needed to buy books, wool, things for the grandchildren. We may even get to go away more, maybe in a camper.

See how this goes. 

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx