2023 Frugal Living Challenge

cw18

SecondStar said:

It’s a little 1 bed bungalow. It’s 10k within budget, and could be negotiated a bit more. It has a lovely big garden, it has parking nearby, it’s within my search areas. It is lovely, but it is miniature.

31 square meters of miniature.

Can it really be that small?   That's less than a third of my back garden (which I know the size of due to having it turfed as we bought it), and about half of one floor of my house (if I remember the measurements for the rooms vaguely right - I always work in feet, so had to try and recall that and then convert).

Definitely depends on how much 'stuff' you need / want, but I know I wouldn't be able to do it - even f I cut back to the absolute minimum I'd want to take of my current 'stuff'     Even cutting back on belongings I like to have space to really move - and to be able to do yoga/pilates, or dance around to music.  I don't think I'd have that luxury if I only had even just one floor of my house - I certainly wouldn't with half a floor.   And I like a roomy self-enclosed kitchen too.   That's more important to me than the size of my bedroom.

Soontobeoap

@SecondStar. I can only speak from experience. 9 years ago we downsized to a small victorian terraced house after our children had left home. We moved away from the area and have no regrets. There are 4 things that I think it is important for you to consider. 

1)We needed to downsize half of the furniture that we took with us and we had, already downsized to move. Are there any important bits of furniture that you couldnt bare to get rid of? 

2)I bought more craft stuff and so built a craft cabin in the garden (once a crafter always a crafter). Is there room in your garden?

3) Think about whether you will want people to stay and where you would put them.

4)are all of the bungalows around it the same size? With a big garden has a precedent been set to extend? As you save more money you might be able to develop it if your circumstances do change. Just gives you piece of mind if you are not sure about size. 


If you can see yourself living there then go for it girl. It will be your own little bit of England. 

We have no mortgage, the bills are much cheaper and the neighbours are lovely. We are living the dream. Hope you do too. 

Sweetlittledaydreams

Back from holiday, had an amazing trip but over the 4 days total spend was around £820 😱 that includes flights, transport within 2 countries plus hotel room, food, drinks and presents and tickets to multiple tours and shows but even so writing it down it seems like an awful lot! Worth it though for some absolutly amazing experiences. Shall be upping my frugal game for the rest of the month though to make up for it. 
I also try to avoid dairy so tried making oat milk a couple of times - you soak porridge oats overnight in water then blend it in a food processor, strain the liquid through cheesecloth which is then your 'milk' and add some vanilla essence for taste, but I have to say mine never turned out very nice. However I think if you can manage to make a nice batch it would be significantly cheaper than buying it, you could make small amounts at a time plus the left over oat pulp can be used on your skin as an exfoliator and leaves it lovely and soft. 
Reluctantly I will have to send my availability to my 2nd job tomorrow so that I can pick up some extra shifts, even just an extra couple of shifts a month makes a real difference. 
Putting off doing a food shop for as long as possible by using what I've got in the cupards until pay day anyway. Made enough tonight to cover another meal too, which might make up for how much I've had the heating on today, just over £6 for gas and electric on the smart meter today, but we did have sleet earlier and it was trying to snow so it's been cold enough to justify it. Will be out for most of tomorrow so doubt the heating will be on for more than an hour tomorrow so it should even out.
Going to set myself some saving milestones for this year to try and keep myself on track. Last year I drew a picture of a house with coins surrounding it and coloured one in each time I hit a target. It might sound childish but it was a visual reminder that the hard work was to let me overpay my mortgage and I found it motivational.

SecondStar

@cw18 Oh, I don’t think it is actually, I think my maths is wrong haha.

The living room is 3.38m x 3.25m, bedroom is 4.27m x 2.59m, and kitchen is 3.48 x 1.93m.

So 3.25 + 2.59 = 8.42, 3.38 + 1.93 = 5.31. 8.42 x 5.31 = 44.7m squared.

Is that right?

cw18

SecondStar said:

@cw18 Oh, I don’t think it is actually, I think my maths is wrong haha.

The living room is 3.38m x 3.25m, bedroom is 4.27m x 2.59m, and kitchen is 3.48 x 1.93m.

So 3.25 + 2.59 = 8.42, 3.38 + 1.93 = 5.31. 8.42 x 5.31 = 44.7m squared.

Is that right?

3.25 + 2.59 = 5.84
3.38 + 1.93 = 5.31

So that makes it 31m squared.


Looking at the floorplan, it wouldn't work for me.   I figured there wouldn't be space for a dining table and that there was a chance it would be more of a lounge/kitchen (looks like a wide opening rather than a door - and that makes it harder to heat the living space), but I wouldn't want to have to walk through the bedroom everytime I wanted to use the bathroom either.   And more to the point, if I had visitors over for tea and biscuits I wouldn't want them wandering through there either

cw18

Is the kitchen sink really where it appears to be on that diagram?   If I couldn't stand square to the bowl, I don't think it would do my back any good.

Bluegreen143

I think I would rather have a little home with a big garden and slack in my budget than the other way round, but then it depends very much on whether you prefer to be inside with lots of hobbies and “stuff” or like to be out gardening. No point getting a big garden if you don’t much like gardening. I think you’re on the right track to look well under your budget though. 

Beshki

SecondStar said:

I need some help frugulars.

I appreciate that not every frugular may be a minimalist/downsizer/declutterer/tiny-house-dweller, but I’m sure there might be some overlap of interest?

I went to view the first house I’m interested in, after breaking up with my ex.

It’s a little 1 bed bungalow. It’s 10k within budget, and could be negotiated a bit more. It has a lovely big garden, it has parking nearby, it’s within my search areas. It is lovely, but it is miniature.

31 square meters of miniature.

I have others to view, and I’ll take a second view of this too, but I’m trying to decide in my head if this amount of miniature is ‘bijou, tiny-living, minimalistic, simple-life’ type of miniature, or if it’s just plain ‘too small’.

But too small, for what? For other people’s opinions on it? For the copious amount of craft items I don’t actually use? For the furniture pieces I’ve inherited and would feel bad for getting rid of?

I do want to own less things. I want to buy less things. I want a home that is easy to clean, and not stressful to maintain. But how small is too small, do you think?

We downsized from two large houses to one similar to that you mention. We love it and have never looked back :-) Much greater financial freedom, cheaper to heat, cheaper running costs, super cosy. And as for ‘big enough’ - there are so many clever storage options around, but mostly you’ll find it helps with your ‘living with less’ goal

Debsnewbudget

31 square meters of miniature.

This is below the minimum space standards for a 1 bed house, which is 39sq m 
it certainly could not be built today.

No one would be able to get a mortgage on it, as lenders only work within the national guidelines.
You might have problems reselling it.

kayannie

SecondStar said:

I need some help frugulars.

I appreciate that not every frugular may be a minimalist/downsizer/declutterer/tiny-house-dweller, but I’m sure there might be some overlap of interest?

I went to view the first house I’m interested in, after breaking up with my ex.

It’s a little 1 bed bungalow. It’s 10k within budget, and could be negotiated a bit more. It has a lovely big garden, it has parking nearby, it’s within my search areas. It is lovely, but it is miniature.

31 square meters of miniature.

I have others to view, and I’ll take a second view of this too, but I’m trying to decide in my head if this amount of miniature is ‘bijou, tiny-living, minimalistic, simple-life’ type of miniature, or if it’s just plain ‘too small’.

But too small, for what? For other people’s opinions on it? For the copious amount of craft items I don’t actually use? For the furniture pieces I’ve inherited and would feel bad for getting rid of?

I do want to own less things. I want to buy less things. I want a home that is easy to clean, and not stressful to maintain. But how small is too small, do you think?

My OH & I moved to a very small bungalow 2 years ago. We were both retired & the property was in an area we knew well & loved, having holidayed in the area for many years. 
The upside to a tiny home is that cleaning doesn't take long, leaving more time for doing what we love doing, walking, days out & gardening.
There are downsides too, having to be ruthless with our possessions as no room for them. Large furniture had to be replaced by smaller. Tiny kitchen, only room for an under counter freezer. On a positive note, it means I know exactly what is in the freezer. No room to dry washing indoors except in corner of living room.
I love looking in charity shops, car boots etc, but have to think twice now before I take more 'clutter' home.
Do we regret moving into our tiny home? Definitely no regrets!
KA