2024 Frugal Living Challenge

Prudent

bamboo_socks when I left a reasonably paid career in 2016. It felt like jumping off a cliff, even though I knew I spent far less than my salary and had carefully worked out budgets. Now I have no regrets, health comes first and having been an MSE forum user since 2004 I know that I can have happiness without loads of 'stuff'. The last few years have been more challenging, but wonderful threads like this help us all.

I am just tossing around a proposed budget for my priorities:

Eating healthily: Last year I budgeted £200 a month for myself and other half for food and cleaning products. I think I will continue with the same this year, but to use the full amount as I have a £500 surplus. This will allow me to buy better quality food.

Getting out into nature: Not sure. Helpful suggestions are needed. I love to be outside, but I have a fluctuating disability so walking can be limited. Last year I did things like sketching or collecting natural items for crafting.

Stays near my unwell daughter: A key priority £500 minimum, ideally more. Unfortunately, she lives in the highlands where tourists push up the cost of temporary accommodation. Travel over the winter can be unpredictable, so I don't usually travel up until the spring. Last year I managed to get a grant of £350 to help with costs. I don't know if this will be possible again. 

Nature-friendly garden and allotment: £0? This is joint with other half. I do the planning and purchasing and help where my health allows. OH does all the heavy work that I can't do. Last year OH and I got two 'one-off' grants £1,000 for a polytunnel and £400 for other items. We have £240 remaining of the £400. I have bought this year's seeds. I am hoping to use the remainder for compost and netting. We got a second-hand shed for free and just paid for new roofing felt and wood stain. 

Visits to family members who live a long distance away: Not set this yet. Some significant birthdays in the family plus ill and ageing relatives so will be the most tricky area to keep down.

Crafting for relaxation: £250 plus £50 gifted at Christmas for craft. £80 of this is my annual membership for an arts centre which provides workshops (included) and studio space.

London_1

Good morning chums this morning I shall be going to the local M&S where I am at the moment, to change a pair of joggers I got for Christmas to a smaller size, and also to buy a belt for my jeans.

 I dug them out to take with me while I was away as I had not worn them since last year.Forgetting that because of ill health I had lost a considerable amount of weight.
 Last year my youngest DD had bought me a pair of skinny jeans and they are really nice, but when I put them on this morning they are about two sizes to big for me, and I really need a belt to stop them falling down So apart from changing a pair of joggers to a smaller size and buying a belt thats about all I will do today in the shops I have a couple of gift vouchers so the belt won't cost me anything and if I see something I like I may use the gift vouchers upland treat myself to perhaps a new jumper or cardigan.I'm dreadful for shopping as I really am not keen on big shops .but I'm not going to waste the nice jeans DD bought for me so a belt should sort them out.

I'm hoping it wan't be too busy as I really am not keen on crowded shops at all.
Right I'm off to see what I can find Have a good day chums and keep in the warm and dry if you can I believe there is a storm on the way

JackieO xxx

bamboo_socks

@Prudent Thank you for this! I admit up to now I have been relaxed (too relaxed!) towards my budget, having had to control every penny in the past. I think it will be worth it for my mental and physical health, I'm glad it has been beneficial for you too.

Frugaldom

Stay positive, @cuddlymarm, and know that there's always someone around these forums for a chat. If you are debt free on the roof over your head and have a certain income, no matter how small, things can be made work and still afford to live outside the box. Wishing you and OH well for your 2024 frugal journey.

Frugaldom

@mumf Sending you a share of my best wishes for 2024. Take care and make frugalling fun.

Frugaldom

Prudent said:

I want to join, please. I have lurked on this thread for quite a few years and now it is time to dip my toe in the water.

I live with significant health issues and last year I lost three friends who are a similar age to me. My aim in joining will be to review and refocus my spending on things that promote good health and well-being. I am not setting an overall budget for household expenditure as I review that regularly and I am happy with it. I would like to work on how I can best use my remaining budget for:

Eating healthily.
Getting out into nature.
Stays in another area to spend time near my daughter who is also very unwell.
To continue creating a nature friendly garden and allotment.
Visiting family who live a long distance away.
Crafting for relaxation.

A dream (but perhaps not possible within my budget) would be to spend time with horses. I grew up on a remote croft with horses and goats and still hanker after time with them.

Hi Prudent! Are you the same Pru from several years ago when I was doing my house buying challenge? Nature, horses, goat, wildlife, escape to the country, sanctuary... I can offer all of these things at Frugaldom if you can ever get here and are well enough for cabin camping. 😊 Welcome to the 2024 challenge.

Frugaldom

Welcome to all our newbies and just a wee reminder that it will be the 2024 challenge starting soon, I'm guessing the couple of you saying 2025 mistyped. 😊. Please take some time to read through 2023 thread as we aren't finished there yet. Good luck to all and don't forget that there's no competition here, just a basic way of living within your means to the best of your ability while clearing and then  avoiding debt. We try to make it fun. Frugal living isn't about the level of income-based poverty because for some of us, we don't even reach the destitute level on that scale. I checked.

Prudent

Frugaldom said:

Prudent said:

I want to join, please. I have lurked on this thread for quite a few years and now it is time to dip my toe in the water.

I live with significant health issues and last year I lost three friends who are a similar age to me. My aim in joining will be to review and refocus my spending on things that promote good health and well-being. I am not setting an overall budget for household expenditure as I review that regularly and I am happy with it. I would like to work on how I can best use my remaining budget for:

Eating healthily.
Getting out into nature.
Stays in another area to spend time near my daughter who is also very unwell.
To continue creating a nature friendly garden and allotment.
Visiting family who live a long distance away.
Crafting for relaxation.

A dream (but perhaps not possible within my budget) would be to spend time with horses. I grew up on a remote croft with horses and goats and still hanker after time with them.

Hi Prudent! Are you the same Pru from several years ago when I was doing my house buying challenge? Nature, horses, goat, wildlife, escape to the country, sanctuary... I can offer all of these things at Frugaldom if you can ever get here and are well enough for cabin camping. 😊 Welcome to the 2024 challenge.

Yes I am the same Pru! That all sounds incredibly appealing. I am probably not well enough for a cabin yet. I usually pick a static caravan when I go away to other areas as they offer me enough but tend to be cheaper than a cottage. 
I am looking forward to the 2024 challenge, thank you.

RavenRover

Prudent said:

bamboo_socks when I left a reasonably paid career in 2016. It felt like jumping off a cliff, even though I knew I spent far less than my salary and had carefully worked out budgets. Now I have no regrets, health comes first and having been an MSE forum user since 2004 I know that I can have happiness without loads of 'stuff'. The last few years have been more challenging, but wonderful threads like this help us all.

I am just tossing around a proposed budget for my priorities:

Eating healthily: Last year I budgeted £200 a month for myself and other half for food and cleaning products. I think I will continue with the same this year, but to use the full amount as I have a £500 surplus. This will allow me to buy better quality food.

Getting out into nature: Not sure. Helpful suggestions are needed. I love to be outside, but I have a fluctuating disability so walking can be limited. Last year I did things like sketching or collecting natural items for crafting.

Stays near my unwell daughter: A key priority £500 minimum, ideally more. Unfortunately, she lives in the highlands where tourists push up the cost of temporary accommodation. Travel over the winter can be unpredictable, so I don't usually travel up until the spring. Last year I managed to get a grant of £350 to help with costs. I don't know if this will be possible again. 

Nature-friendly garden and allotment: £0? This is joint with other half. I do the planning and purchasing and help where my health allows. OH does all the heavy work that I can't do. Last year OH and I got two 'one-off' grants £1,000 for a polytunnel and £400 for other items. We have £240 remaining of the £400. I have bought this year's seeds. I am hoping to use the remainder for compost and netting. We got a second-hand shed for free and just paid for new roofing felt and wood stain. 

Visits to family members who live a long distance away: Not set this yet. Some significant birthdays in the family plus ill and ageing relatives so will be the most tricky area to keep down.

Crafting for relaxation: £250 plus £50 gifted at Christmas for craft. £80 of this is my annual membership for an arts centre which provides workshops (included) and studio space.

I don't know if this is helpful or not, but for your visits to daughter and family would car camping be an option.  If you Google or Facecloth it, you may get some ideas there.  I would be lost without mine now.

mumof3.12kindebt

Yeahhyy I'm so excited for 2024 !

We are a family of 5. 2 adults 3 kids a dog and a cat. 

Our budget would probably seem high to most all my money has a 'job' I'm also a cash stuffer and I've gained alot more control over my finances in the last 16 months due to this. It really works for me. 

I want to overpay my mortgage this year. The one category I don't have a spending limit is on making memories. Days out weekends away etc time with friends and family. But I will be doing lots of no spend stuff throughout the year. I also plan to side hustle as much as possible. 
I am doing a no buy year. 
And I'm following frugal living challenge for 2024 because I want to be as careful as possible when it comes to our budget 

We will follow the buyerarchy triangle as much as possible and I also plan to massively declutter. 

As a basic rule if it's a want not a need it can't be purchased. 

I'm going to keep a record of everything I'm tempted to buy in 2024 screenshot it take a photo or whatever and see how many Items I didn't bring into my home in 2024 and how much money it saved us ❤️

My why is 
I want to spend money & time on what's most important to me. And not waste money or time on the things that aren't important or isn't things my future financial self won't be thankful for 
And also because I want to stay debt free. 

Currently my only debt is my mortgage 

I'll catch up on posts now 

Looking forward to following all your journey this year