2025 Frugal Living Challenge

Katiehound

If you are making dog treats with peanut butter don't forget that xylitol is toxic for dogs.

Aldi had (probably still have!) very reasonably priced 100% peanut butter. (I bought so much at the time that I haven't needed any more for ages!!) Absolutely no additives.

MayDogsandCoffee

@Prudent I have heard a lot of people going back to the 'old school' Dunlops - the posh expensive wellies don't seem to last 5 mins these days.  I have really big calves so really struggle to get knee length which limits my options, and they need to be comfortable enough for very long walks.  
@Duchess2 I always have some sort of soup on the go.  My colleagues now know that when I say I am making soup for lunch it is not coming out of a tin I don't bake but can batch cook.

I am still doing well budget wise, probably because I can't be bothered to go the the shop, esp when the weather is bad.  Although this week I have a charity quiz to attend and will no doubt buy some raffle tickets.  It will be a good night out, inexpensive and all monies are donated so well worth it.

For some reason last night I had a hankering for egg and chips !!  Can't remember the last time I had that but I really enjoyed it - the simple things..........

MissRikkiC

I use that system but virtually using Monzo @SparFuchs it’s very handy!! I love your enthusiasm for it 

Cas

Katiehound said:

If you are making dog treats with peanut butter don't forget that xylitol is toxic for dogs.

Aldi had (probably still have!) very reasonably priced 100% peanut butter. (I bought so much at the time that I haven't needed any more for ages!!) Absolutely no additives.

And some of them add salt so we only ever buy ,the ones made with 100% peanuts. I use it for peanut butter fudge so I have to share the jar with the dog! 

kayannie

Cas said:

Katiehound said:

If you are making dog treats with peanut butter don't forget that xylitol is toxic for dogs.

Aldi had (probably still have!) very reasonably priced 100% peanut butter. (I bought so much at the time that I haven't needed any more for ages!!) Absolutely no additives.

And some of them add salt so we only ever buy ,the ones made with 100% peanuts. I use it for peanut butter fudge so I have to share the jar with the dog! 

Lidl have 100% peanut butter too.
KA

Frugaldom

I've just caught up again.

Wellies - Dunlop's all the way. I buy about 6 pairs at a time as soon as I spot a sale so usually pay less than £10 per pair including P&P and volunteer is same size so this is workwear. (Tax deductable.)

Aldo peanut butter 100% is what we use to attract the badgers and pine martens to the feeding stations when we have the trail cams set up. By letting our wildlife watchers know about this, they will bring along a jar when joining us on an overnight watch. 

Cash is King - As we aren't near a bank, I tend to hold on to any cash but there's so little of it about that I end up using cashback CC for almost everything except DDs.

Good luck with transferring ISA to premium bonds. My 2025 savings target is a monthly challenge to buy premium bonds and set aside savings in the 5.5% account that I'm using to save for DGDs 21st birthday later this year. 

I've still not been grocery shopping this month/year so will forge ahead with the freezer and cupboard campaign in the hope of a good Olio bounty soon. I'll need to buy more lentils soon as winter soup-making is in full swing but aside from lentils, we really just need milk.

Frugaldom

I'm still formulating my 2025 mini-challenge list but I do want to reintroduce 'Phil the Pig' and possibly also the 'Billie Can'.

RavenRover

The pressure is off of me for a few months as I have managed to get another part time job of 24 hours, so nearly at full time.  Will continue to be as frugal as possible to put as much money into savings as possible just in case.  It is a community project, quite a big one in my town, so potential for it to be long term if I behave/ am lucky.  Fingers crossed. Thought of having to sign on gives me the heeby jeebys!!

As for buying food, not needing to thanks to well stocked cupboards at the moment thanks to my survivalist mentality when last job ended and the delightful Olio.  @Frugaldom if I was closer you would have loads of extra food.  One of the more unusual things I received on the extra  collection i did this week was 20 big blocks of ready made pastry and 19 packs of tenderstem broccoli!

Prudent

@RavenRover congratulations on the new job, that is excellent news. You will be able to plan for the future as well as the day to day pressure being off. 

It looks like another dry and windy day here again so I will continue working through the washing and outdoor jobs. Yesterday I got the car washed and a big load of clothes washed. Today I am going to wash bedding and wash some of the windows. I am no longer able to blitz all the windows at once so do a few at a time. 

Frugaldom

@RavenRover That's brilliant news, congratulations! Better still that the new job is in your hometown; fewer travel expenses. Re the Olio, we have had several packs over the past weeks so it's been added to everything as no space in the freezer. It even tastes ok in lentil soup. Hope you can manage a meetup when the better weather gets here - maybe we can arrange it with @Prudent at the same time. (And anyone else who can get to our patch in Southwest Scotland.)