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2025 Frugal Living Challenge
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LOL. I wonder what happens to the seeds ?
Sept 24 : £32000
May 25 : £14000
June 25 : £13000
July 25 : £120005 -
President Herbert Hoover (United States, campaign of 1928) promised "a chicken in every pot" because chicken was such an expensive meat, everyone would be richer if he won. We had the Great Depression instead.8
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I tried making passata last year and it was full of seeds. This year has been much better, so perhaps it depends on the type of tomato and the number and consistency of the seeds? We haven’t grown much this year except for the ongoing glut of courgettes. I mainly grow small tomatoes which work well in curry, lasagne etc. I find they are taste less acidic than tinned tomatoes.7
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@Quantaqa we didn’t make it to the Trossachs. The heating was installed on the hottest day of the year so far. We filled the fridge with cold drinks for the fitters and then headed to places we could be inside as we had to be out of the house for eight hours. I felt the Trossachs wouldn’t offer enough cooler options. Hopefully the flip side of this is that the new hearing system will mean we be warmer this winter.7
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My no spend week went well. First spend was yesterday for groceries and today DH used the car wash.
@Prudent, I'm sure a new heating system will mean a nice cosy winter for you. DH and I are having a day out to the Trossachs tomorrow. We are getting a picnic sorted today. DH is making sausage rolls and we have a loaf on the go in the bread-maker for sandwiches. I'll do Chocolate brownies or cookies once the kitchen is free and we'll take flasks with cool drinks in them. The plan for tomorrow, at the moment, is to drive to Trossachs Pier and do a walk then have our picnic. I'll use my umbrella like a parasol to stay out of the sun while we're on our walk as I am liable to burn if in the sun too long.
Today we are just enjoying a day at home and in the garden. Beds are stripped and bedding in the machine being washed. It'll be hung out to dry on the line this afternoon. If time I'll do a quick tidy in the summerhouse as well.
Frugal Living challenge 2025
Grocery Challenge August /£180
Save £12k in 2025 Challenge - Goal £30k
August NSD Challenge - 5/15NSDs6 -
maryb said:Hmm knowing me I'd grate my fingers and you wouldn't be able to see the blood!2025 Fashion on the ration
150g sock yarn = 3 coupons
Lined trousers = 6 coupons ...total 9/66 used
2 t-shirts = 8 coupons
Trousers = 6 coupons ... total 23/66
2 cardigans = 10 coupons
Sandals = 5 coupons ... total 38/66
Nightie = 6 coupons
Sandals = 5 coupons ... total 49/663 -
Good evening to all. The great cabbage debate rages in as the first of my cabbages should have been ready to pick by now but none are white cabbages and despite the netting, they are being attacked relentlessly. Now waiting to see how a friends crop is doing as they have opened a market garden & nursery. Currently, a 90p cabbage from supermarket makes 2 decent sized bowls of slaw if I add 2 big carrots, 2 apples and a good helping if grated cheese. I've been having that along with diced tomatoes & cucumber served with bread or oatcakes for lunches.
This past year has seen a lot of olio rescued food coming out way, much if it for the animals but a fair percentage being utilised for shared meals, with our 'lafies who lunch on a budget' get together becoming a weekly event. As a result sharing home produce, yellow sticker goods and Olio freebies, my grocery budget has been kept down, despite luxuries such as ice cream, biscuits, crisps and sweets. Spends to date is £643.32 out of my predicted £1200. I have a few extras to buy this month as I have a visitor staying for a fortnight but I've also been babysitting grandkids every week through school hols so DD sends lunch plus extra milk with them.
Luxury spends... £36 in total for a portable, rechargeable shower, shower curtains and hooks as I'm finally getting around to rigging one up at Frugaldom. It's been so warm and dusty here that a quick off-grid shower will be a well earned luxury. It should recharge off the leisure battery, which is charged by a solar panel.I reserve the right not to spend.
The less I spend, the more I can afford.
Frugal living challenge - living on little in 2025 while frugalling towards retirement.8 -
Good evening everyone,
Two no spend days in a row clocked up. Will be many more before the week is out.DH and I had a few days away in Wigan and Liverpool. Sadly, we were both hit with a gastric bug (luckily not vomiting). DH was in quite a bad way Saturday night, this resulted in us getting a cab one mile back to the hotel!!! (We didn't know what he had at this stage as he thought he was developing a migraine and mine started later that night). My DH has only had around five cabs in his whole life. We both managed to get home on Sunday without incident and are staying at home riding it out.I once had norovirus hit me on the way home from an holiday in Portugal. I managed to get off the plane before it really kicked in. I have never vomited so much. The journey home by train was horrendous for me and I felt sorry for anyone who in the same carriage.On Saturday, I had a few hours to kill whilst DH was at football so I went to Waterstones. They were selling their book of the month for half price (£5) and if you bought it you also got a free barista drink in the cafe. A hot chocolate was £3.40. I never knew that this was the deal if you buy the 'book of the month' in a Waterstones with a cafe. Did anyone know about this? Not sure if this is only available if you have their points card. So I sat in the cafe and read the book that I bought with me (one that my lovely aunt who had passed away a couple of years ago bought). I don't buy many books these day for myself as I now use the library, but the book looked interesting and it seemed like a good deal. I will read it and hopefully sell it, which will make it even cheaper!Today's food - porridge with oat milk and raspberries from the garden. Homemade soup with homemade bread. Tonight, rice pudding made with oat milk and vanilla.2025 Fashion on a ration 0/66 coupons
2025 Frugal challenge7 -
@Gem-gem I hope you and DH are both fully recovered from both the bug and the shock of costly cab ride. 😊
Yesterday was a non-frugal day for me as I had to dispose of half a water melon and some cooked chicken. With no fridge at Frugaldom, the heat had got too much for things even although left in the shade in a coolbox. There are several of us staying here just now so I'm going to concentrate on one-pan cooking and 'bowl food' for the rest of the week. Slaw, pasta, rice, cous cous... Then a kitchen shop from home on Friday.
My recent micro-business set-up has cost a total of £334 in total for the 12-month licence, public liability insurance and preparing basic amenities for waste disposal. We are off-grid so the only source on site is harvested rain or river water and the only waste disposal is a tank and a soak away. I've recouped £135 of the £334 and expect another £25 in today or tomorrow. I know it doesn't sound much to most people but the aim is to offer an experience to be remembered at an affordable price. There will be on-going running costs but these will, hopefully, be covered.I reserve the right not to spend.
The less I spend, the more I can afford.
Frugal living challenge - living on little in 2025 while frugalling towards retirement.10 -
I managed to only spend 1.50 on a bar of chocolate for my partner after he went above and beyond picking up loads of stuff I had bought at auction (business account) .Sept 24 : £32000
May 25 : £14000
June 25 : £13000
July 25 : £120008
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