2024 Frugal Living Challenge

suzeesu2000

Cas it’s probably both of those things and it’s also middle of the month when folk discover they still have two weeks to payday and, as the saying goes, there’s a lot of month left til payday! 

I’m envious of anyone getting yellow stickers, watch a lady on YT who almost entirely buys yellow stickers. Sadly being housebound I just have to watch you lovely ones getting all the nice bargains grrrrr🤣

Cas

@suzeesu2000 I thought that's why it would be busier because Jan is such a tight month for so many people and they'd be looking for yellow stickers. Usually when I spot them they're in other folk's trollies and baskets. One of the FB groups I'm in is full of people and their YS buys or Clubcard or Nectar card deals and I've no idea how they manage to get them! The only YS I keep an eye out for is clotted cream for Mum as she loves the stuff. 

Prudent

Madbat60 so sorry to hear all your news. I find the Benefits and Work website so helpful with advice on filling in PIP forms. Some of the advice is free, some requires an annual membership which is £20, but if you sign up for the newsletters you get discount codes. I think I paid £11 this year. For me, it is money well spent. You maybe able to find a free local advisor through CAB etc.

Looking forward to catching up with the thread. I have been unwell this week  and travelling back and forward to the hospital. So I have been prioritising basic things like getting down to the allotment to feed the birds in this cold weather. I am looking forward to catching up with the thread. I am hoping to do some cooking today and a bit of sewing. I have another appointment this afternoon but thankfully it is local.

Florafauna

Feeling very pleased today as I cashed in my penny jar by paying for my shopping using the self check out at M & S, I then used my Boots points to buy my hair gel and then bought milk at the co-op using points.

Prudent

I have added an unknown extra amount to my Outside (O) budget. The allotment amount was a grant and can only be spent on things for the allotment. Connecting with nature is so important to me that I have decided to add my own budget too.

In the autumn I attended a pain clinic course. One of they key things they suggested was too look at what mattered most to you and find a way to achieve that at some level, even if not at your 'ideal' level. I have been thinking therefore about more ways I can connect with ponies, wildlife and nature in general. I kick started that today by beginning a small monthly donation to a project that meets that criteria well, hopefully with the aim of a bit more involvement when my health improves. 

Frugaldom

Fabulous bargains, Cas, I am like several others who sekfin see any as I so seldom get to a supermarket. It's home delivery prices here or local village store plus whatever Olio has available.

Prudent, my sentiments exactly... Do what you want to do at whatever level feels achievable to you. As time marches on, energy seem to evaporate. I'd every intention of retiring at 60 but that's definitely not happening. I'll definitely be applying for my bus pass later this year and then hoping I can manage a day off now and again to make use of it.

No further personal spends here since the logs were delivered and car filled with petrol. Friends visited in their motorhone and brought biscuits and doughnuts so that's the carb intake sky rocketted again. Oops.

suzeesu2000

We have a new venture in the village of a “pantry”. You have to join but that’s free and then you pay £5 per visit and come away with a minimum of £15 of groceries per week. How good is that? As I can cook and wish to adopt a more frugal lifestyle - especially as DH is 63 next week and I am heading towards 60 - now would be a good time to get our house in order.  I am more than happy to preserve food in order to get it so cheaply. 

I also didn’t realise how brilliant the Ninja air fryer is for dehydrating either. Dehydrated some celery and it was excellent. Highly recommend it. Once the garden is gifting some fresh veg I will be using it more, along with freezing and other preservations, we should be able to eat from the garden right through, please keep your fingers crossed for succes and fine weather - not too hot but plenty of nice sunshine. Thank you 😁

Florafauna

@suzeesu2000 we have a Pantry where we live that operates on the same lines. The value is brilliant and it helps stop food waste. They should be everywhere.
You'll love being part of it. Frugal day for me today planned. Swimming, coffee with a friend and then cooking/knitting /pottering

Prudent

@suzeesu2000thank you for the tip about dehydrating celery. I never seem to use a full head before it starts turning brown.  What else do you dehydrate?

We have a larder near here but it hasn't been as good recently. Sadly the fresh stuff only comes in once a week and it disappears within an hour. This week I was at the hospital at that time and missed out. They also have 'store cupboard' type stuff. You have to buy ten or twenty items but you can't double up on anything. Mostly this doesn't work well for me as the majority is ultra-processed foods which I am trying hard to avoid. Now and again I will do a shop, a few weeks ago they had lots of different kinds of beans in and that worked well. Some weeks it has been excellent though.

fionaandphil

Thanks for the tip @suzeesu2000 I wouldn't thought to dehydrate celery but I'll add it to my list for today. Wet here so we are having a bit of a sort out and prep day with a few treats thrown in.

Hope you all have some nice things planned.