2025 Frugal Living Challenge

Nelliegrace

We are having a second year of No New Clothes or Shoes. We have more than enough.
(January 25, I did get a new, decorous swimsuit in the sales, the wretched lycra crumbles to dust, so I have a back-up.)

I am not going to buy any more of the lovely vintage linens on eBay this year, or any more yarn.

Living within our means comes naturally after so many years. 
The Grocery Challenge is a reminder to buy basic ingredients for a healthy diet. 

2Scratters

I too am here for 2025. Same as some others keeping up with the thread and reading and some sharing from me too along the way. We are in the process of changing some of our (lazy)eating habits just because we are fortunate to have some spare money this needs to stop our aim is to do more home cooking and not eating the UPF that is out there and do a lot better for our health too. I will be aiming to more better with my time as I procrastinate a lot! I will be recording NSDs too and work harder to achieve better than last year. 

2 Scratters xx

Tjh1412

Count me in for 2025, looking to move from my little starter flat to a proper family home, and maternity leave really put a dent in my overall financial plans. Aiming for a total spend of £5k this year on everything, excluding housing and childcare costs as those I cannot frugalise; hoping this gives a good balance so can still spend on what's really important to me along the way. Sustainably frugal is the dream!

zcrat41

Hello, I’d like to join for 2025 please. Long time user of MSE and fortunate to be in a good place financially. However, bad habits are easy to creep in and I’m not happy with our families weight or busyness. Both of those things can be solved by focusing on simplicity. Think that’s going to be my word of 2025. 

We have a quiet weekend and then a short break to Scotland next week which I’m hoping to use as time to reflect on what was good about 2024 and what to focus on in 2025. 

Today I am going to try and get back on board with TOMM and also have some healthier meals. Had a roast dinner 3 days in a row now which has been gorgeous but I’m now feeling rather stuffed. 

Sweetbriarrose

Hello and welcome Zcrat41, possibly a stupid question, what is? TOMM.

Chieveley

The organised Mum Method. It is guided cleaning/ housework app?

makingmehappy

Count me in for a very frugal year. I'm trying to get organised and financially in a good position to retire within the next couple of years. 

Thank you for the thread @Frugaldom.

Kittencat

I will join this also.

We are very wasteful with everything, money, food, clothes, things. 

This needs to change which is why I'm here. 

gesdt50

Hadn't realised a new thread was starting so soon,"IF you want a genuinely fresh food thats really good for you and fresh and cheap as chips, then now is the time to get in season Omega rich fish like sardines, herrings as they are seasonal -supermarkets have doubled and tripled the price on some tinned sardines; asian type shops and foreign fish counter served fish mongers do these types of healthy fish for extremely low prices when in season omega rich fish is in season, have personally seen herrings for £2 a kg  in a few London fish mongers, wouldn't be surprised if these can be found cheaper in coastal towns and Bradfod and Leeds -supermarkets will sell you farmed bass for ten times the price for a dry protein fish that has virtually no healthy fish oil omega

Gem-gem

Good afternoon, 
I would like to join the challenge for 2025. I have been following the thread for several years and have picked up many tips along the way.

In July, I took early retirement. My focus in retirement is to: improve my fitness levels and wellbeing and spend quality time with my DH and family. 

For the next 6.5 years, until I take my occupational pension, I am living off my savings so I need to make every penny count. 

My DH and I both put money into our joint account. For this challenge, that money will not be counted. We grow our own, cook from scratch and batch cook. We buy reduced food and when out use the to Good To Go app. We have reduced UPF foods to a minimum.

I have allocated £6k for my own wants and needs. Included in this:
Health - Gym, dentist, opticians and Benenden
Beauty - hair, toiletries etc
Clothes - 66 coupons
Tech - incl. phone,
Adventures - days out, holiday, travel
Chocolate! - Hotel chocolat subscription.
Presents - Christmas and Birthday
Wool - crochet

I use the gym around four times a week. (I swapped work for the gym). I have a half price rolling membership. My friends and I either socialise at the gym (exercising together) or at a country park - walking. Cheaper than having a meal out. 
I use the library instead of buying books, a bad habit that I got into during lockdowns.
i don't drink tea or coffee and only visit a coffee shop on holiday. I have a quarterly hot chocolate subscription which gives me one hot chocolate drink per week. It has a fraction of the sugar to other chocolate drinks. I pour the sachets into a container so two sachets makes three drinks. The rest of the time I drink water. 
My DH and I like going to listen to classical music, we purchase the cheap seats, take our own snack and water. We only upgrade if we go to see something eg Cirque D'Soleil. For birthdays / Christmas we buy each other experiences eg a spa day. 

We don't have a tv licence or any tv subscriptions. 

I normally do two boot fairs a year to help keep down the clutter and to help with the pennies. Our emphasis is now not to bring the clutter in.
I recycle wrapping paper and make tags from cards. I also make my own birthday and Christmas cards. 

I am going to start the year with a no spend month and see how long I can keep it up for. This also includes our household budget.
I look forward to hearing from you all.