2023 Frugal Living Challenge

willow_loulou

@wort my car is my biggest expense. I spend more on it that I do heating and lighting my home! But being disabled I’m reliant on it so I try not to moan and just be grateful I can afford it! 

A taxi just over a mile cost me £5 a few weeks ago. It’s really a last resort these days, I’m quite surprised they’re able to keep going. 

Bluegreen143

Taxis are definitely more expensive these days, before I had kids I didn’t drive and got taxis a lot but I find the price has shot up these days. That said, for occasional use for eg the supermarket it can work out cheaper than running a car. 

If my work was in the city centre and easily commutable by public transport (it’s not, I need to drive there) it may well be cheaper to have a public transport pass and get the occasional taxi. Tbh I work from home 75% of the time anyway. But we like being able to easily visit family and go on adventures out of the city too. 

willow_loulou

Just opened my post, had a life insurance thing from my union. I get a free £5000 that I renew for free yearly. Got me thinking what other benefits I might be missing. So that’s tomorrows job. Thought I’d share in case anyone is also a union member and wants to check it out. 

cw18

Don't worry.   Running a car isn't cheap, but that kind of taxi fare isn't great either.   My road tax is £165/year, MOT another £50, and insurance around £350 - but losing those would only cover 7 single taxi trips.   I'd also have to pay buses/trains the opposite direction, which would hopefully be covered by the cost of fuel for 7 return trips (around £80).

My son would struggle commuting for work if I have up my car.    He priced up insuring my car (I considered signing it over to him before all this work was needed), as most of my mileage is only done because I have a car - and if he had one but I didn't, then I'd be on his insurance with a view to being able to borrow it when I want to visit the family.   But for him to insure it in his name is £2k+, against under £100 to add him to mine as a named driver!    It's ridiculous.......

Madbat60

We are a three vehicle family. I've got a little Kia that is dirt cheap to run, my son drives long distances for work and my partner has a camper van which he uses for work and we go on holiday in. We will eventually go down to one car. I'd find it hard to be without a car where we life. The buses are dreadful, I'd struggle to get to work as I work nights.  If I go to London I'd go by train but I find public transport extortionate.  It's much cheaper up North where my partner comes from.

willow_loulou

So this months food budget (pay day today) is a little scary. 

I have started a fortnightly veg box again as I was finding veg selections was limited in Aldi. 

I have £120 left this month  - 25 of that needs to go in petrol so I’ll not be driving much and I need to keep £10 back in case of very cold weather and I need more on the electric meter. 

Olio isn’t being overly sustainable as an alternative so it’s definitely a top up. 

I’m taking it as a challenge, I never used to struggle prior to the last year if I had this kind of budget. I could easily feed us on £20 a week. 
Thankfully I do have a reasonable store of rice and noodles.  Must get some tinned tomatoes though. 

willow_loulou

So of course my fridge freezer breaks down. £279 for a new one delivered and the old to be taken away. 7-7 delivery slot because a morning or afternoon slot was another £25! I’m outraged! 

So yep that’s on the credit card I wasn’t using again until my other payments were done with. 

😓 so tired of not making ends meet when emergencies happen. 

Looked at getting a second hand one but getting rid of the old one would have been impossible. 

Sigh. 

Madbat60

@willow_loulou that is so frustrating. My life is like that at the moment. I went to the butchers yesterday and bought some things I never would including heart and liver. DS and DP will eat both.  

wort

@willow_loulou too late now but our council will do a 1 large free pick up per year, also we have a scrap metal van than comes around that people leave things out for. Hope that helps if you need disposal again. It’s so naughty that all these extra charges are added on.

QueenJess

wort said:

@willow_loulou too late now but our council will do a 1 large free pick up per year, also we have a scrap metal van than comes around that people leave things out for. Hope that helps if you need disposal again. It’s so naughty that all these extra charges are added on.

That’s good. Our council charges £60 a time for anything they have to pick up.