2023 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugaldom

Welcome back to those who have been MIA, I hope any problems are quickly resolved for those of you experiencing difficulties and well done to those who have completed their budgets. I'm way behind on this front.

Switched suppliers for my cylinder gas to get free delivery and £5 off per cylinder. They are slightly smaller but work out cheaper per kg than Cal0r.

Managed to claim some Olio (checkout the olio app for no strings attached free food in your area) so I'll be making more soup for the weekend. 

I've been given a portable gas cooker with a connector for a red cylinder. Does anyone know if I can simply replace the connector/regulator with one that fits a blue cylinder or do I need to stick with red? 

RavenRover

@Frugaldom My understanding is that it is only the gas mix that is different and should not affect the cooker.  When I got my camping cooker it came with a butane cannister but read somewhere for using in winter get butane/propane and never had any problems.  Maybe best to check with a camping shop too though. 

RateTartExtraordinaire

Asparklierblonde said:

  

Reminder that there is a free £200 from Nationwide if you switch to their current account. They get good customer service reviews and are more ethical than a lot of high street banks. May be helpful to someone, I am going to use the money to pay for logs.

Reduced hen and cockerel numbers by a further 8 today, further lowering feed bills. Full budget being done this week for 2024.

Thanks. I hadn't spotted this one. I actually qualify because the rues allow for previous customers:

• This must be the first time you've got one of our switch offers on a sole or joint account since 18 August 2021.

   

Asparklierblonde

No problem, glad to help.

I also thought I should add to my post with my budget on - what is my why? Living on £9k is tight, so why do I do it?

I work full time and earn less than the average national salary (apparently, I just had to google that!). So money has to be carefully kept in check. The savings I make from living this way are ploughed into our house. It is very old, very high up and has never been properly loved before, Very, very slowly this work is getting done. For example, the sitting room woodburner is totally broken, it is still safe to use but messy and awkward. It needs to be replaced.

We have an open fire in the kitchen, which needs to be converted to a multi fuel stove. Our kitchen has the original stone floors and is COLD (9 degrees this morning). I need to be able to simmer coals overnight to keep the temperature up in there, both for a basic level of comfort and the fabric of the house.

So all savings from frugal living go into the home. I also really, really enjoy this way of life. I don't like spending money on things that don't last. I despise our throwaway culture.

I have a (very very small) group of like minded friends, online and in person, who share my values and adopt the trading mentality of old, e.g. eggs for veg. Last week was lamb for logs.

Find your why. Remember this life shoots by - lead the life YOU want, not the one you think you should. x

joedenise

@Frugaldom - stick with the red cylinders - they are far better in winter than the blue ones.  I definitely wouldn't be swopping them over.  If you really want to you can you just need to change the pigtails.

AnimalTribe

Asparklierblonde "So all savings from frugal living go into the home. I also really, really enjoy this way of life. I don't like spending money on things that don't last. I despise our throwaway culture." - snap

Frugaldom I found this link about red v blue gas bottles I hope it works.

https://www.caravantalk.co.uk/community/topic/137508-blue-or-red-gas-bottles/#:~:text=Blue is Butane obtainable virtually anywhere but get,bottle. Red is Propane. You cannot just interchange.

I’ve sorted the DVDs and I’ll sort out the dogs flea and tick treatment, but other than that I’m having a lazy day, going for a walk and out to lunch.

AnimalTribe

The dogs flea & tick treatment is sorted. The tasks I've set myself today are to tidy out a cupboard and to check the interest rates on my savings accounts. I'm slowly getting organised.

Frugaldom

joedenise said:

@Frugaldom - stick with the red cylinders - they are far better in winter than the blue ones.  I definitely wouldn't be swopping them over.  If you really want to you can you just need to change the pigtails.

I only have blue cylinders, no red, so my question was can I simply change the regulator from what's on it and use the oven with my blue cylinders. I think the answer is yes as I found a similar camping oven online and it's advertised as butane or propane. The caravan was propane but it's now sold. Huts are butane (for now) but I'll look into getting a red cylinder at some point. I know they stopped doing the little ones. Was just trying to save money as I already have a spare regulator, hose and butane cylinder.

MingVase

Frugaldom don't mess with gas cylinders pet, stay safe and keep yourself right. Red is propane and doesn't freeze, even in minus 12 or more. I used it for cooking for 30 years in the old house.  Also I believe the red one screws on and the blue one just clips on?

joedenise

Frugaldom said:

joedenise said:

@Frugaldom - stick with the red cylinders - they are far better in winter than the blue ones.  I definitely wouldn't be swopping them over.  If you really want to you can you just need to change the pigtails.

I only have blue cylinders, no red, so my question was can I simply change the regulator from what's on it and use the oven with my blue cylinders. I think the answer is yes as I found a similar camping oven online and it's advertised as butane or propane. The caravan was propane but it's now sold. Huts are butane (for now) but I'll look into getting a red cylinder at some point. I know they stopped doing the little ones. Was just trying to save money as I already have a spare regulator, hose and butane cylinder.

@Frugaldom - You can't just use the spare regulator you have as they are different for the red and blue cylinders.  You'll need to buy/acquire a different one to use the red bottle.