2023 Frugal Living Challenge

Soontobeoap

Wow @KajiKita I think  I will try that with my swede. 

KajiKita

Soontobeoap said:

Wow @KajiKita I think  I will try that with my swede. 

I’d be interested to hear how it goes 😊

KK

Kerry_Woman

Have done the totals for each category and am happy with how much less I had spent.  Food was also under budget. This month I dealt with quite a few frogs that I kept putting off.  Have used up some toiletries.  I still have enough to keep me going for a while.  Am still at my bank admin job and I bring in my own lunch.  As there are just a very small amount of shops where I work, it  has saved me temptation in buying things.  Also I have restricted as to where I shop at the weekend. Have sorted out my budget for next month.  Have a works do tomorrow night with ex work colleagues as things have changed where I used to work. Also will probably have another lunch or meal with an ex work colleague later on next month.  Going to be mindful of my spending for these dos. I do owe £10 for the deposit for the meal tomorrow to a friend/ex work colleague who kindly paid the it for me. Got tomorrow off as annual leave as I am going to a free event in London for administrators. Planning to do another free event locally in April. 

mandy47

Hoping March is a more frugal month for me. Overspent in Feb. All for a good reason though DDs 30th birthday. Makes me feel old . There was a meal out, a day out and of course a pressie and card. Made a cake as requested by DD. 
DH birthday this week but that's all sorted, so back on the straight and narrow with my budget.

Soontobeoap

Finished month £400 over what came in. Didnt think that was too bad with £555 spent at dentist. Anyway £121.50 was refunded for various things so just under £280 over. Much better than I thought it would be. I am really digging my heels in this month as dentist wants another £600 at the end of this month. Took a few teapots that I have to auction house today. That was a new experience and it will be fun to see what happens at auction later in the month. Decided to save money by missing the girls lunch on the mainland this month. We meet every month and there is plenty of fun to be had on Island so saved £30 on ferry fares and meal. I have turned out a couple of dresses that I havnt worn for 5 years to take to dress agency next week and I have a couple of wooden toys that the grandchildren are too old for that I want to list on the Islands Wightbay selling platform. So hopefully a few pennies to be made there. We have sent off our has and electric metre readings so we should get our 6 month bill soon. I guess it is too much to hope that we have been paying way too much. 

willow_loulou

@Soontobeoap your dental costs are astronomical! Can I ask what you have had done? 

I’m private (my one real extravagant necessity) but my poor son is desperate for work done and needs an nhs asap. 

willow_loulou

I’m working unpaid overtime today. Yeah I know! But I get a day off in lieu so I am going to take a day in the summer before the schools break for a day out somewhere. So I’m going to look at as many events I can get feee tickets too as possible! Exciting!

mum had picked me up some seeds she wants me to grow for her, so I get extra veggies this year I wouldn’t normally try. She’s not got a growing space anymore and really wanted some decent veg. So fingers crossed I can grow it okay! 

Soontobeoap

@willow_loulou I had root canal treatment under an old crown. First session was exploritory, exrays and anti biotics, 2nd treatment removing old crown and burning down old roots so that they dont give me any more pain, then building tooth up slightly. Wait 2 months to make sure treatment has worked 3rd treatment 2 appts one in morning to size up crown, then he makes it and I go back in an hour to have it fitted. Middle appt was an hours work. He is an extremely good dentist and can make most things on site. ( only thing he cant make himself are dentures!) but expensive. It is impossible to get an nhs dentist on the island and difficult to get a private one so I dont want to lose him. 

Cherryfudge

I understand where you're coming from @Soontobeoap, I spent a lot on a private dentist when my usual one let me down. Yes, it was astronomical but but pain free and ten years or so later the repair still holds good.

Then he left the country and since then I've flitted from one dentist to another!

I think dental health care should be a right not a privilege but alas it's not so. Odd when you consider it has repercussions for general health.

Madbat60

Just caught up.  I looked at my spending for February and it was a lot less than January so I'm pleased with that.  DP is doing a fabulous job growing loads of veg.  We will have lettuce in 3 weeks 😊