2023 Frugal Living Challenge

willow_loulou

I’m disabled so pots are easier for me, I’ll plant on the beans and pumpkins but everything else I do need to have at a higher level. No budget for raised beds currently 

patentgirl

Just a thought for anyone who loves a magazine I get all mine through local library here in Kent ours is Libby not sure if that a national app but can view unlimited magazines as well as  12 books never a wait for magazines I view all the food /house and too many more to mention!  free and frugally you need to contact your nearest library to get a password in case anyone not aware.

carolbee

patentgirl said:

Just a thought for anyone who loves a magazine I get all mine through local library here in Kent ours is Libby not sure if that a national app but can view unlimited magazines as well as  12 books never a wait for magazines I view all the food /house and too many more to mention!  free and frugally you need to contact your nearest library to get a password in case anyone not aware.

I use that, as m in Kent too. A real money saver!

Cherryfudge

I use Libby as well and I'm in North Yorkshire so I'm guessing many regions use it. There's also Borrowbox which I think is for books as opposed to magazines. (They changed the system and I'm still confused).

nmaria

Just done meter readings again. We are keeping on top of it. The problem now is just how to get the credit back from the energy company…..

Elisheba

In Oxfordshire you can get magazines on PressReader and Libby, and books on Libby and Borrowbox. In Worcestershire you can only get books on Borrowbox. Bit of a postcode lottery in how much County Councils want to spend on their libraries. 

cw18

nmaria said:

Just done meter readings again. We are keeping on top of it. The problem now is just how to get the credit back from the energy company…..

Phone and ask.....

In the past, I've always found that if I have all my facts and figures to hand they're more likely to give me what I want - be that a refund or a drop in payments.   Assuming you're on a DD Budget scheme (like me), then....

I general have my actual usage for the last 12 months.
Costings for that usage at todays prices (or new prices if they're about to go up and I already know what they'll be)
What that means my payments should be to cover the annual bill (divide the costings by 12 - and I then normally round up to the next £1 or £5 depending on how I'm fixed financially, but I find a round £ easier to budget for)

If that payment is close to what you're paying now, then they should release a credit balance fairly easily
If that payment is considerably more, then they may 'suggest' you leave enough credit to bring the payments down to (or towards) your current payments.   But you're within your rights to ask for it all in return for an increased DD.

However, some providers (I know Bu1b are one and Sh3ll are another) work on payment in advance - when I moved to Sh3ll they took the first payment almost immediately for this reason.   So you have to leave the equivalent of one months payment on your account.

My Mum has a variable DD account with Bu1b, and they said she could request the £200 alternative fuel payment to be paid into her bank - but her Bu1b account had to remain in credit by one months payment.    I called on her behalf (named and approved contact), and asked what that meant for her as they take the payment when each bill is created - only she has more than enough credit on it now that they've not had to take a payment for several months thanks to the government monthly instalments (so it could be argued that her monthly payment is zero ).   The person I was speaking to started to 'ummmm' as she clearly didn't know, so I pointed out that taking the full £200 out still left a credit of more that the largest bill on the account over this winter.  That very quickly got an agreement to refund the full £200, which means it can now be used to pay the LPG company.

2Scratters

Has it been only me that was looking forward to the water bill arriving?
As we have collected water from our large shed roof for the re purposing of saving having to use water coming in. Was hoping to get it about the £100 mark not quite got it that low but is another £17 less than the last bill. Just need a bit more rain. We actually ran out of winter water and are in the NW predominately a wet area. Am now looking for another water butt to collect. For the price, some may say what's the point but have actually enjoyed the effort. In the last 2 years we have seen a gradual reduction on the metered water bills which I am so pleased with. In reality keeping it under £240 p.a will be the target.
Need to keep in mind if we were to become reckless the bill  would rise very quickly as the waste charge would also match the metered water water that comes in. Will keep on trying to keep more of our money in our pockets. 
This has been a tough task to get DH totally on board with, now there are some good figures to evidence the effort his is more accepted of the effort. We need to purchase a
new kitchen basin as the previous being in pale colour has become stained in the scratches and we have been unable to get it to a decent state. As we have a large deep sink (old fashioned - deep enough to bathe a child) we do only half fill it but a modern basin keeps that water usage in check
Small wins all add up in the bigger picture.

2 Scratters xx

Soontobeoap

We have just had our gas/electric account for the last 6 months we were £78.00 in debit. Our payments were put up substantially to cover this winter with the rises but having done the maths we thought that they were about right. Anyway we must have been doing something right as they are cutting our DD in half to just under £100 a month. 2 happy bunnys here 

cw18

2Scratters said:

Has it been only me that was looking forward to the water bill arriving?

Was hoping to get it about the £100 mark not quite got it that low but is another £17 less than the last bill.

In reality keeping it under £240 p.a will be the target.

You mention being in the NW, so you're probably with the same water company as me (cover 'from Crewe to Carlisle' according to their blurb).

I only have myself to worry about most of the time (OH is normally here every other weekend), and as of yet the only water I collect is in two butts connected to my house downpipes which is used in the garden.

My bills have been creeping down for the last few years.

March '19 to Feb '20 was £178.50

March '20 to Feb '21 was just over £173 - but that included the first lock down when I was showering when I got in from work every day (instead of twice a week), so be as low as that was fantastic

March '21 to Feb '22 was £163

And the last 12 months was £159.50.    The only thing I can think of that I've changed this last year is my washing machine!   My previous one was probably 23 years old - I know I'd had it a few years before we moved in 2001.