2023 Frugal Living Challenge

2Scratters

cw18 said:

From what my OH says, I believe that's the case for combi-boilers, as the boiler takes a while to fully kick in with the water heating.

@cw18 Sorry I did not explain fully - Yes you are right, this is applicable to the combi boiler users we have that system and was speaking from experience. Thanks for clarifying that for others. 
@willow_loulou thanks for the prompt of using a handpump system to get the last bits out. New purchase pending  Could make better use of getting water from the bath. I have just made a purchase of a new larger water butt to add to our system. I certainly gave a good going over checking for weeks in MP or tbay for a "local" pre owned purchase.  Should have left this to DH as he found the last 2 at very cost effective prices too. (1 was given to our son) This new one will fit the need less intrusively and that will be us sorted. We will then have 2.
We had no rain for 6 weeks here and I really want to catch as much as we can. (that's in winter)
I have been frugal in collecting a free small chest freezer - just needs a good clean and DH is going to tidy it up a bit more by painting it. (his idea not mine!) I was hoping for it to live in the workshop - clearly he has other ideas 

2 Scratters xx

willow_loulou

Had a bit of a day, resisting the urge to get a takeaway took more will power than I ever knew I had! 

The online olio no longer works for me - they emailed to say I’d need the app. Last time i tried to use it there was a fee, does anyone know it’s it’s still that way? I get so little most of the time I’m not prepared to pay

I’ve found a co op garage on my travels that reduces food to pence rather than just taking pence off so that’s good. I now have onions to chop and freeze. 

wort

I hope this may be helpful to those who have a loyalty card on app. Take a screen shot of the card in the app, then when at the store you don’t need to connect to WiFi as you can go into gallery for the pic. Then scan the pic. Hope that makes sense !!

Debsnewbudget

@willow_loulou
you so not pay for Olio, they want you to pay something when you join and encourage it, but its not compulsory. 

cbsexec

I have to update olio every so often.   Sometimes I have to input a code from an email.  Don’t pay anything tho.  

Frugaldom

Hi fruguys and gals, what a busy lot you are.

Olio - still free but the only option now is on app so computer users lose out. I've updated mine and it seems fine. Managed to get a few bits and pieces this week so it's more make do, mix and match meals to save on food budget. More soup making.

Supermarket prices for UHT milk have all gone up and there are restrictions on amounts when ordering online for home delivery. How excited were we to find M0rris0ns UHT milk on Amaz0n at a cheaper price and free delivery on orders over £20! Quite incredulous!

We've started thinning out rogue spruce trees to make space for more native trees.  I'm hoping to use the thin logs as fence posts and to build windbreaks and enclosures. Sitka spruce, for those not familiar with forestry, is a non-native conifer that's farmed commercially for the likes of the paper industry. It grows very quickly and drowns out ground level plants and native broadleaf trees. The less Sitka we have here, the more space for planting edible hedging, a food forest and wildlife woodland. Last year I tried planting potatoes, which grew and have rhubarb, blackcurrants, raspberries, blackberries, sloes, hazelnuts and strawberries growing. It should make a great community food garden in the future.

Celery - I've planted the bases if 2 lots of celery to see if I can get them to regenerate. Should be ok as long as we don't get a sudden deep freeze or more snow.

Debsnewbudget

I managed to get a dehydrator from FB marketplace.  I thought it would be ideal for left over fruit from my Olio collections.  Up to now the mango has done well, but strawberries not as well. Its going to be trial and error, but hope its useful.  Its got 5 tiers and was £15.

Soontobeoap

Used my bus pass and caught the bus to the hospital for xrays today. Saved £6.00 on parking plus petrol costs. Have pr!cked out my tomato plants and put into bigger pots. A lovely spring day here. 

2Scratters

Sadly I am a bit excited looking forward to receiving the larger water butt 700ltr which is due sometime between this wednesday and next tuesday. Space has already been allocated as is to be used along with a 250ltr already insitu. I'll let DH work out the best way to set them up. I can see us having to empty the 250 one!
The free little chest freezer we collected last week has come clean and looks grand. It cools very well too. Also got a bag of compost from the same location. We need a conversation about what else we need to grow. Need to collect some local free manure if there is some about. Things and changes in habits and ways of being frugal are coming together slowly. 

mumtoomany

For all those looking for water storage. We have an old container that was used for something in the food industry, don't know what. The local vegetable shop sells them from time to time, for around £40. It contains 1000lts when full and has a tap on the front. We run the rain water off the barn into it and use it for the animals. 

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx