2023 Frugal Living Challenge

Millie2008_2

I'm not doing terribly well with grocery shopping, as I'm not well enough to tackle Lidl/Aldi, so relying on local Tesco Express and mini Waitrose.
Having lots of NSDs though....
Plan for when I'm feeling better is to look through the freezer and plan some meals and head to Aldi for a stock up shop of basics

Cas

KajiKita said:

mama67 said:

Cas said:

Time for my weekly check-in ...

• Our smart meter hasn’t been working properly since mid October and EDF are dragging their feet about fixing it.  They’ve sent out an engineer but he couldn’t fix it and thinks that the meter itself needs to be replaced. Meantime DDs are based on estimate readings so DH will chase up EDF again next week

Cas, can you not read the actual meter dials and send a reading in that way??

I do. Our so-called ‘smart’ meter ceased to function when we switched provider on moving in. I now submit meter readings from it. All the models are slightly different so you may need some guidance on what buttons to press but sometimes there are videos online about it. 

KK

We've just received our latest bill which said it was based on an estimate so DH had a look at the smart meter only to find out it's completely goosed and not displaying any meter readings whatsoever.  He's going to have a look at the meters themselves to see if we can get actual readings that we can submit meantime. 

Treasurequeen

Have only £60.00 left of food budget this month. A few online purchases needed but have used voucher codes and gift cards. My landline handset gave up the ghost so needed to get a new one, I can’t believe the prices of handsets £60.00. I also ordered a food flask as I reasoned that it would save me money in the long run. 10 NSD so far this month which is good, I’m aiming for 10 each month. 

Seed catalogues turned up this morning so will be planning what I want to grow this year. 

Debsnewbudget

My electric meter sends readings but the gas has given up so I submit a manual reading every month, its in my diary ! 

spudsmum

spudsmum said:

2Scratters said:

@spudsmum you are doing a great job with having the pots running as it is.
This is a hiccup in that process and that you did have some money saved.
If, as you say you feel there may be a pot with too much sat in there for too long, consider halving that balance (if safe enough or whatever you are comfortable with skimming off) and pay some debt off.
It is great to have the money there and it not be needed but as you say every penny needs to work and if that means splitting/skimming a pot and using towards a debt then it means it's worked twice as hard for you.

2 Scratters xx

Thanks @2Scratters that’s definitely something worth thinking about

In other news - only spent £1.44 up to now this week - on paracetamol and bananas - no other top ups have been needed.

Eco pantry tomorrow so hopefully I’ll get something decent for my £2.

Been in my garage stash and used up a tin of ham and some soup that had been in there for ages - made a chicken and ham pie (without the chicken but shhhhh nobody noticed  )

Also used up the dregs of an old spice blend that was languishing in the back of the cupboard to make a curry. 

In not so good news - I got a message from my sons school to say he needs some revision guides. I need to pay by the beginning of next week and he needs 3 seperate ones at £6.20 each. There’s another £20 gone - it’s never ending! 

Just need to tread water until next Friday when husband gets paid - things should feel a bit easier then.

Well so much for treading water until payday. 

After all the issues with my car over the last few months (2 breakdowns in November and December followed by having to scrap it and buy another which cleaned me out financially) my husband went out in his car today and it promptly broke down! 

Seriously you couldn’t make this stuff up - starting to think I am cursed 

Cas

Debsnewbudget said:

My electric meter sends readings but the gas has given up so I submit a manual reading every month, its in my diary ! 

Looks like that's what we're going to have to go back to doing this too. Sometime the old ways are the best!  

DiamondLil

@nannygladys - I DH strawberries at 60c.

cw18

Cas said:

We've just received our latest bill which said it was based on an estimate so DH had a look at the smart meter only to find out it's completely goosed and not displaying any meter readings whatsoever.  He's going to have a look at the meters themselves to see if we can get actual readings that we can submit meantime. 

The meters that are tucked away in a cupboard are your smart meters.   The gadget that you can move around the house (which I'm assuming is what you're saying your DH has declared as goosed) is an IHD (In Home Display).    It sounds like the connection between your smart meter and your IHD is as goosed as the connection from the smart meter to your supplier.

IF the smart meter is showing a reading, then my OH suggests you keep an eye on it over the next few days to make sure that reading actually increases.   Some meters just stop clocking usage, and your supplier can them bill you based on what you've used in previous years.

Cas

Thanks @cw18. The sender unit that sends the readings to the IHD and also to EDF isn't working. Engineer has tried 4 different ones and none of them are working so he thinks it's the actual meters (both of them!!!) that aren't working and may need to be replaced 🙄 So we're waiting on another engineer to come out to try swapping out the sender unit again and if that still doesn't work then they will look to decommission the meter(s) and replace it/them. We got the electricity reading tonight from the meter because it's in the porch and DH will check the gas one in the morning (as it's outside and it's too dark and wet and windy at the mo). Thereafter we'll keep an eye on it to make sure the readings are increasing.  

nannygladys

DiamondLil - Thanks for that, I'm going to see if I can acquire some ys strawberries 🍓 to have a go😃

Had my first shop of the year yesterday all from a list (which I kept to) and meal plan that I hope I keep to 😀 it came to £19.19 so within my budget and should last over a week with what I have in. 
On the yogurt front, my daughter bought me a yogurt maker years ago, I use full fat uht and a couple of tablespoons of live yogurt, I usually make half the amount as theres only me, but it gives me the freedom of adding what I like to it and using it in cooking. I've also drained it through muslin to get a quark type cheese and use the whey for scones, porridge etc it takes about 8 - 10 hrs plus cooling down time and tastes lovely.