2025 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugaldom

@dND That butter looks fab, did you save the buttermilk for anything? I haven't made butter for many years and last time I did, it was shaken in a jam jar, the way we were taught while at Girl Guides many, many years ago. 😁 How did you manage to upload a photo? I can't work that out but it may be because I'm on mobile.

Nelliegrace

DH was told that he is too old for his life insurance now, so that will be a small saving each month. I suggested that he saved it towards his funeral, but doing the sums, he said it would have to be an unattended cremation in a few years. I am so glad we didn’t need to claim it.

We bought Seville oranges from Sainsbury’s, 1.5kg for £3, and two large lemons 30p each. I have the 3kg of sugar needed. Sainsbury’s granulated cane sugar is £5 for a 5kg bag, though I stocked up when it was £3.50, when I made jam for WI. I have cooked the oranges whole in the pressure cooker and I shall make the marmalade tomorrow. It is a lovely way to spent an afternoon in January. The marmalade is tasty too. These were from last year. I fill several jars with the hot Seville orange marmalade, then add a teaspoon of treacle to the pan so the rest is Oxford marmalade.
I reuse jars but use new lids. 

Ten and a half pounds of marmalade made for £5.10. 

Bluegreen143

@Frugaldom this is how you add photos on mobile. Click the button I’ve highlighted then select “choose files” and it’ll give you the option to choose from your photo library.

lilian1977

Morning all

Just back from Copenhagen, a REALLY expensive place! Spent about twice what we had anticipated, ugh. So this month now needs to be even more about knuckling down, using what we have, decluttering and just getting through, as I don't want the holiday to push me further into debt. Away again in April, but will have to use some of that saved spending money to pay off what we spent in Denmark, then try and pay that account back before then.

Frugaldom

@lilian1977 Hopefully you enjoyed Copenhagen and made some wonderful memories that can be enjoyed and shared in the future. Holidays are a major luxury that for those who love to travel can be a great incentive for frugal living and saving, especially when free from debt. I'd always recommend a budget of double whatever you think it's going to be, then any leftover balance can carry forward to the next adventure. I hope the overspend hasn't rocked your budget boat too much.

@Bluegreen143 Thank you, but that function doesn't seem to work on my mobile. All I get is the option to link a photo URL from elsewhere. I'll try linking to one from my blog or social media and see if that works. Maybe there's some sort of popup blocker on my phone that's preventing me from seeing photos? Must investigate.

mama67

@Frugaldom click on the choose files above URL option once you’ve clicked the photo icon then you should be able to download from your phone. 

dND

Frugaldom said:

@dND That butter looks fab, did you save the buttermilk for anything? I haven't made butter for many years and last time I did, it was shaken in a jam jar, the way we were taught while at Girl Guides many, many years ago. 😁 How did you manage to upload a photo? I can't work that out but it may be because I'm on mobile.

It was a lot of trial and error and in the end a bit of a miracle! 🤣

Like you there was no way the add photo option would work, I've spent hours trawling through the apps setting photo access etc.,  on both my old phone and my new phone, but all to no avail.  I was emailing the photos to myself and then saving them on the laptop and could use the picture insert button there.

This time, I went into my phone photos and did a copy and past into MSE.  I complicate it as I find the phone screen too small and far prefer writing on the laptop, so I saved the post on the phone as a draft and then picked it up on the laptop to write, preview, edit and post.  Longwinded but shorter than emailing. 🤣😁

Buttermilk in the fridge while I decide what I'm going to use it for - If I can't decide today, I'll freeze it.  The pots are being washed ready for garden duty so the only waste will be the lids. 
Dx

Quantaqa

@dND, that is the best TGTG Bag I have seen.  I stopped usingTGTG a while ago as the contents of the bags wasn't great.  I might sign up again and see what I get now.  Your butter looks amazing.  I have tried making HM butter before but I have no idea you could freeze it so thank you for that info.

dND

Quantaqa said:

@dND, that is the best TGTG Bag I have seen.  I stopped usingTGTG a while ago as the contents of the bags wasn't great.  I might sign up again and see what I get now.  Your butter looks amazing.  I have tried making HM butter before but I have no idea you could freeze it so thank you for that info.

I was rather impressed too 😁  usually it's way too much salad leaf, I've had up to 6 bags and one bag does me 3 meals!  But I generally feel I get the cost of the box back from my local A1di.  I've had boxes from elsewhere which have been rubbish - and by that I mean stuff that is going off/inedible yet other people, using different branches, get good ones.  It seems to be very dependent on the individual store. 

Re. the freezing, I tend to work on the principle that just about everything freezes.  There is a chance that the consistency changes, i.e. stilton cheese becoming crumblier but there is usually something you can make with it.  I love the challenge of inventiveness. 🤣🤣 Dx

Frugaldom

@mama67 That used to work but no longer brings up access to my photos since changing my mobile. It has to be something in the actual mobile app settings or the phone itself that's blocking access to my photo albums. I'll keep looking.