2023 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugaldom

2Scratters said:

Backing up on Morrisons, they have 2kg bag of sugar at 1.45 Purchased last week.

Thank you for this and to @SuperMoose for the porridge oats update. I'd spotted the sugar price and got 3 bags but I'll now stock up on porridge oats as well. This is great networking via the forums. 

Olio madness here has meant several of us managed to pool resources with our visiting vanlifers; there's now enough food to keep us all fed for the week.

I'd to order a cylinder of gad for the caravan as I've got volunteers staying so that's another £105 off my budget total.

Kitchenbunny

Spendy day today. The weekly shop came to £29.34, which was a little more than I expected. The shelves are getting quite bare of some items! Difficult to find bagels for DH’s lunch so I’ve warned a switch may be coming 😂 I spent another £1 on birthday cards for throughout the year (the 4 for £1 ones at one of the high street shops) but really feel I could make way better than the expensive ones. I’ll give that a thought or two. 

I’ve been ticking over at making around a £ a day, either on surveys or finding the odd scratch card with a low amount that I meant to claim at some point in recent history. It’s not too bad but there haven’t been masses of surveys lately. 

Going to collect a bag of loose change from my sibling and pay it in on their behalf. I don’t know why but I’m feeling banking loose change is important right now and I love actual cash anyway. 

I’ll update my annual grocery spends so far when I next power up the lappy. Happy with how I’m staying out of the shops this far and happier still staying off the fizzy drinks!

Frugaldom

@snowbird20 I had to read your post twice just to let it sink in and get past my shocked reaction. But I'm still shocked at how expensive your health insurance and TV are in the US. That is unbelievable! I don't even know anyone who earns that amount a month. It's definitely a different world across the pond and makes me grateful that out TV licence is only about £13 a month and our health care & prescriptions are free here in Scotland.

Millie2008_2

NSD here (mostly because I'm ill and housebound )

pelirocco

spudsmum said:

Not much good to report this weekend. 

Did my food shop and managed to come in well under budget at £34.97. 

Done some decluttering in the spare room and identified a few things I can sell. There’s a nearly new sale for baby things coming up next month so I’m thinking of getting a stall there. I’ve made decent money in the past. 

Thought I was doing well with less than 2 weeks until payday and over £100 left in my budget but unfortunately I spoke too soon:

1: husband informed me he needed some oil for his car and also 2 new tyres urgently. I tell him to check on his tyres/fluids etc regularly so I can put money aside to replace stuff as needed but no he’s waited til now to say he finished off his last bottle of oil when he last checked it before Xmas so he has none and tyres are right on the limit so he’ll need to go get two new ones tomorrow. That’s £120 at least that we didn’t budget for! 

2: same husband has just purchased train tickets for a business meeting. Again he didn’t check and just dived in and booked the first ones he saw - costing £130. His company will only reimburse £60 because there were plenty of tickets available for that price if he had looked properly. So that’s another £70 I have to find from somewhere. 

3. Eldest son has just informed me his shoes are leaking. 

This always seems to happen as soon as I try to start being careful with money - sigh! 

Feeling completely fed up now! 

I find it invaluable  to have budgets to cover everything I know I will have to pay throughout the year
I have a Monzo account with various pots  that cover everything from insurances to gifts to even having a pot for new glasses that I tend to buy every 2 years
It makes a huge difference 

florianatwobob

Re hanging washing up outside at this time of the year - if it’s not raining/damp it goes outside. Mostly because I hate waltzing the airer round the kitchen/bathroom. 

Underwear and socks often hang up in the kitchen on the knicker chandelier. I do take it down when cooking after a memorable experience where my clean bras ended up smelling of fried onion. Most disconcerting having that waft up from your top at work. 😂

snowbird20

Frugaldom said:

@snowbird20 I had to read your post twice just to let it sink in and get past my shocked reaction. But I'm still shocked at how expensive your health insurance and TV are in the US. That is unbelievable! I don't even know anyone who earns that amount a month. It's definitely a different world across the pond and makes me grateful that out TV licence is only about £13 a month and our health care & prescriptions are free here in Scotland.

no one here can afford that, either.  I happen to be in that (not) sweet spot between working years and retirement age.  Once I turn 65, my health insurance will drop dramatically.  Like to about $300 a month.  And, yes, the price of cable is outrageous.  I'm taking steps to reduce the price.

otb666

To person asking about Tea bags, I have gone back to Tea pot and strainer, it means i get several cups and zap in microwave if gone cold.  Got cheap Tea leaves from out of date retailer.  I dont tend to hang washing outside as too may showers I just use clothes horse in kitchen and open window vents up

spudsmum

pelirocco said:

spudsmum said:

Not much good to report this weekend. 

Did my food shop and managed to come in well under budget at £34.97. 

Done some decluttering in the spare room and identified a few things I can sell. There’s a nearly new sale for baby things coming up next month so I’m thinking of getting a stall there. I’ve made decent money in the past. 

Thought I was doing well with less than 2 weeks until payday and over £100 left in my budget but unfortunately I spoke too soon:

1: husband informed me he needed some oil for his car and also 2 new tyres urgently. I tell him to check on his tyres/fluids etc regularly so I can put money aside to replace stuff as needed but no he’s waited til now to say he finished off his last bottle of oil when he last checked it before Xmas so he has none and tyres are right on the limit so he’ll need to go get two new ones tomorrow. That’s £120 at least that we didn’t budget for! 

2: same husband has just purchased train tickets for a business meeting. Again he didn’t check and just dived in and booked the first ones he saw - costing £130. His company will only reimburse £60 because there were plenty of tickets available for that price if he had looked properly. So that’s another £70 I have to find from somewhere. 

3. Eldest son has just informed me his shoes are leaking. 

This always seems to happen as soon as I try to start being careful with money - sigh! 

Feeling completely fed up now! 

I find it invaluable  to have budgets to cover everything I know I will have to pay throughout the year
I have a Monzo account with various pots  that cover everything from insurances to gifts to even having a pot for new glasses that I tend to buy every 2 years
It makes a huge difference 

Thanks. I have different pots to cover different expenses which I pay into every month when I get paid.

Unfortunately 2 unexpected car repairs in quick succession followed by having to replace the car when it couldn’t be fixed economically cleaned out both my car pot and my emergency fund last month and I won’t be able to start building it back up until I get paid this month. Normally I’d be prepared for expenses and it wouldn’t be an issue but it’s not always possible to plan for any eventuality and it’s been a super expensive month 

I try to make sure every penny has a job but I find it’s a hard balancing act between making sure you have enough in each pot and not putting too much in a pot and having money sat there ages that isn’t getting used and could be better put to use elsewhere eg debt repayments.

I’m not sure what the answer is really but if anyone has any thoughts/ideas I’d really appreciate it. 

Floss

@spudsmum have you thought about pausing your debt repayments just for 1 month to recover the emergency fund, you have had 2 expensive unplanned car repairs after all?