2024 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugaldom

I love the cat mat @suzeesu2000, well done on going the DIY route for something unique and useful.

Welcome to our newcomers - anyone can join us and share the journey into frugal freedom.

@AnimalTribe I'm pleased to see someone else dies banana bacon, do you soak it in soy sauce? 

For anyone not aware of banana bacon, it's the banana skins scrape clean of banana, soaked in soy sauce then fried like bacon.

A$da order placed at cost of £43.01, which includes £1.50 delivery. It's mostly milk, coffee, sugar, flour and tins as I have plenty of everything else in to last the next month. I always try to have a stock of UHT milk as we've no shops nearby and no fridge at Frugaldom other than a toolbox sat outside. But now i have a plan - a mini challenge to create cold storage this year! There's an old sub floor level, block built, disused generator room attached to our barn. It is now completely empty, just needs cleaned out as it's not been used in years. I don't know why I didn't think of it before but if I added a bit insulation and some shelves, it would make a fabulous, secure cool store.

Edited on - @sda total corrected as UHT semi-skimmed OOS, making it £36.11

Challenge Balance = £3,963.89/£4000

Cas

nannygladys said:

Cas - your breakfast sounds like something I would have 🤣🤣

I hate food going to waste so after the mince pies are finished there's some mini stollen and after that panettone. Panettone slices toasted and served up with Greek yogurt, fresh berries and a sprinkling of toasted nuts is amazing! 

Frugaldom

@Elisheba - Scotland trips? Maybe you could manage to pop in for a visit if you ever turn left over the border and into Dumfries & Galloway. I love meeting fellow frugalers.

natnat13

@London_1 thank you for the tip re Chase, I will have a look. I use tandem for savings which is 4.65% and you can separate money into virtual pots. Main bank (first direct) doesn't give me any interest so I'll definitely have a look at it. 

I have spent no money in January so far apart from DDs. I will need fuel this week, thank you for the comment on fuel efficient driving, another thing to think about. All these little efforts will add up I'm sure! Will also food shop on Saturday which I always meal plan for. Me and DH doing dry January so that'll help keep the shopping bill down! 

London_1

I woke up to a nice refund from my previous mobile supplier.I changed supplier just before Christmas as I only have SIM only on my phone and got a deal with double the data for over £2.00 a month less so win-win  I knew they owed me a couple of pounds but they actually refunded me £12.99 so I'm pleased with that its been popped into my food budget pot, so budget has increased slightly this month, but its day three and nothing on my shopping list to buy and the weather looks a bit rainy again so another NSD today  

JackieO xx

ladybird1106

Had to food shop yesterday as we had run out of bread, milk and a few other items. Managed to get my sister 6 gluten free pies at 69p each so dropped those off. Couple of ys items. Reduced Veggie sausages for breakfast, which I cooked off in the oven as it was on for jackets last night. A minute in the microwave 😋
Love 🐞

mumtoomany

Good morning everyone. Did a food shop yesterday as we needed milk, fruit, bread, etc. Managed to get quite a bit of reduced meat, 3packs of sausages and some sausage rolls at 70% off. And, in the cash and carry, two x two chicken breasts, five pork steaks, and a kilo of sliced boiled ham, £5 for the lot. £51.91 spent in total. Probably won't need anything other than milk for a week or two. 

We are debating buying a new three piece. We bought two, three seater, sofas, an arm chair and a foot stool a while ago. So long ago, when we went to order it DD3 was in the buggy, around 18 months old. She will be 25 next birthday! We have away the chair and stool when we moved here ten years ago. The suite came with two sets of covers. Around 15 years ago these were replaced with a new set. These new ones are now in a bad state, having been patched. The springs, some of which were replaced several years ago have stored breaking again. Buying more springs and new covers again is probably going to cost more than a "new" second hand suite. We're thinking of maybe a leather one. The dog, who likes to roll in sheep poop, often climbs on the sofa, when she can get away with it. Watch this space.

I've withdrawn the shopping money in cash, it may stretch a little farther that way.
No other money spent. 

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx

TheScarletPixie

We're still eating from out stores and I'm refusing to buy anything unless it's absolutely necessary, so far 2 nsd's this year!  We are back at work tomorrow so I'll be busy in the kitchen later making bread, yogurt, some kind of fruit crumble or flapjacks for lunches.  

I found some old towels yesterday whilst decluttering and have cut some up to use as cloths in the kitchen instead of kitchen roll, the rest will be going to the local dog rescue centre.  I'm also diluting cleaning products to make them last longer, once they are used up I'll be back to making my own.

Hubby doesn't want us to take down the Christmas decs until 5th Jan as he thinks it's bad luck and we really don't need anymore of that!  

Have a lovely day everyone 

RavenRover

Siebrie said:

RavenRover said:

I'm in again.  My budget for the year is 20k which I feel is way to0 high but I do have a long drive to work everyday-120 mile round trip- so have to make savings elsewhere.  Scary that my feul bill is around quarter of my salary before rent and council tax!!

Have you looked into fuel efficient drivng? It boils down to 'don't touch the brake pedal!', and it really saves on fuel. By anticipating you can just ease off the gas pedal, but try to move that one as little as possible, too.

I do.  Luckily my route is  a straightish road which runs alongside side a motorway but it is usually v quiet.  I use cruise control a lot.  I can get between 50+ miles to the gallon 😃  Use more feul once I travel around the area I work in as it is wee back roads.

RavenRover

I should also add that unless it is an absolute have to, I don't use the motorway as I can can use double what the normal journey would be.  You can just see the needle moving down rapidly.  If I stick to the quiet road I can get 4.5 return journeys, if I use the motorway,  if I'm lucky I can get 3!!