2025 Frugal Living Challenge

Prudent

What a wealth of good advice on here. There is always something new to learn from the Frugal community.

@Arrietty and @RavenRover, I used to have the 5/6 week pay cycle every Christmas when I was working. I am happy that my work pension pays at the end of the month as normal.

@mumtoomany I have been ill for about ten days now and I am pretty sure it is covid rather than flu. I can't smell anything and I am still breathless climbing the stairs which happened when I had covid. I am completely behind with my Christmas food shopping, my cupboards are more Old Mother Hubbard than festive feast. I did venture out this morning with OH driving but only a small shop in managed Lidl and Farmfoods. I caught up with buying store cupboard items a bit and did make a start on the cheap veg. I won't buy much though as I am too wiped out to stand and do food prep. I got five packs of the 99p 350g mature cheddar in Farmfoods and also some of their 39p jars of peanut butter. My mind is still mush from the virus and I didn't think to get some peanut butter for @Frugaldom's wildlife. Hopefully I will be able to get out again in the next few days.

@Gem-gem what recipe did you use for the bread maker Panettone? I would like to have a go at that.

 

daisy_1571

Ive just posted this on another thread, might be helpful here.  When I first started proper budgeting,  I had a line called January where I used to put £2 a month to give us a little cushion in January.   Gradually it increased a bit but over time but even £22 might make a difference to some peoples January though if its a helpful idea.  £2 maybe isn't too much to set aside each month


Dxx

mumtoomany

Thanks for the heads up on the peanut butter, @Prudent. I'll bob into farmfoods next week. We both felt wiped out. OH was troubled with his balance too. 

Hugs, mumtoomany.xxx 

kayannie

Well, I am going to be a lot better off, financially, from January. I've received a letter from DWP informing me that due to celebrating my 80th birthday next week,  my state pension will increase by 25p a week!
I am grateful for any extra as I only have a state pension, but i do wonder how much it cost the DWP to print & post that letter!
I can't decide what to spend it on!
KA x

suzeesu2000

kayannie said:

Well, I am going to be a lot better off, financially, from January. I've received a letter from DWP informing me that due to celebrating my 80th birthday next week,  my state pension will increase by 25p a week!

I can't decide what to spend it on!
KA x

Acapulco or the gaming tables at Monte Carlo? 🤣 And Happy Birthday x

Gem-gem

Prudent said:

What a wealth of good advice on here. There is always something new to learn from the Frugal community.

@Arrietty and @RavenRover, I used to have the 5/6 week pay cycle every Christmas when I was working. I am happy that my work pension pays at the end of the month as normal.

@mumtoomany I have been ill for about ten days now and I am pretty sure it is covid rather than flu. I can't smell anything and I am still breathless climbing the stairs which happened when I had covid. I am completely behind with my Christmas food shopping, my cupboards are more Old Mother Hubbard than festive feast. I did venture out this morning with OH driving but only a small shop in managed Lidl and Farmfoods. I caught up with buying store cupboard items a bit and did make a start on the cheap veg. I won't buy much though as I am too wiped out to stand and do food prep. I got five packs of the 99p 350g mature cheddar in Farmfoods and also some of their 39p jars of peanut butter. My mind is still mush from the virus and I didn't think to get some peanut butter for @Frugaldom's wildlife. Hopefully I will be able to get out again in the next few days.

@Gem-gem what recipe did you use for the bread maker Panettone? I would like to have a go at that.

 

The * ones who add after 55 minutes. 

RavenRover

Managed to tackle both Aldi and Lidl in my extended lunch break today.  Thought the shop would be in carnage mode, but they were surprisingly quiet!  Stocked up on tatties, carrots, swede and shallots which will keep me going for a couple of months.    Checked my email during my lunch break and my "boss" from my other job - I'm self employed in that one- has told me to go up to our hall as he has left me a hamper the same as we had arranged for each property in the community!  Well that left me gobsmacked. ❤ He has also donated extra food from his family and a couple of extra hampers to the food bank I am involved in❤

kimwp

@RavenRover, what a nice surprise!!

I'm interested, how will you keep the veg from wrinkling/moulding?

Prudent

@RavenRover what a lovely thoughtful gesture from your boss.

Arrietty

Morning all,

finally, the Solstice is upon us and despite a grey blanket of sky I'm feeling very cheery.

Mainly, because I survived the night having eaten a butter basted chicken thing which I found in the freezer dated 'best before 18 October'.  This is all very well except I know that I didn't purchase it this October so it must be at least a year old  . It was delicious, however,  and went very nicely with my veggie biryani which also came from the freezer.

The birds are enjoying the remnants as I type - let's hope they also survive.

My main concerns about an early payday are that I may be encouraged to spend money unnecessarily on extra gifts  (I was pretty safe when it was due on Christmas Eve)  and that I have a whole 5 weeks until the next one!

In frugal news, I have been fairly successful with car costs in that I have managed to get Service, MoT, Insurance and Road Tax for a total of £608.93.  Not sure if I'll be able to repeat this price next year but as my plan is to put £50 away each month towards the costs, it would be very handy if I can.