2025 Frugal Living Challenge

sams247

Gem-gem said:

Good evening everyone. 

I am currently away down at my Mum's helping her to declutter ready to move on Tuesday. My DB and I have emptied the loft. So far, this has resulted in three runs to the tip. One run to a charity shop. Two car loads ready for bootfair and a room full of stuff to sell hopefully sell online. (I started decluttering at my DM two years ago and did a couple of boot fairs last year. 

I love a good boot sale, I am hoping to do one in March but I also like to browse them and see what bargains I can find.

I am slowly decluttering my flat in the hope I can move this year. Some to charity shop, some for boot sale, and some I just put to one side knowing really that next time I pick it up it will be to put it back in the cupboard  

Gem-gem

Apart from selling books and DVDs online through well known apps I have never sold anything else online or used Faceb00k or Eb@y. 

With a boot fair I like the fact that you receive the money there-and-then. I know that you will receive more online but I feel that there are too many risks. The downside of course is that it can be very cold at the beginning of the season. 

Talking about putting things back in the cupboard, my DM started to rummage back through a bag and wanted to retrieve items. I had to remind her that these are the ones that she chose to get rid of from the duplicated items. I asked her - which ones would she get rid of instead. 

The plus side of all this decluttering is that I am not spending any money. 

Prudent

@Gem-gem, that is a plus. I took three boxes of books to a book exchange yesterday and three full bin bags to a charity shop last week and came away with nothing.

The decluttering is continuing at a good pace here. I have another full bin bag ready, and also hope to fill one today. I don't think I have ever been so ruthless with my choices. My criteria this time is 'Would I want to pay a removal company to move this item for me if I moved?'. Ideally we would like to move to a bungalow at some point but very few come on the market in the village. At least the thought is keeping me motivated!

As I work around the house I am making a list of small DIY jobs. We are going to repaint two of the bedrooms, replace the curtain rails and one of them needs a new carpet and new bed. 

mandy47

Had a free night out last night. Attended a birthday party. I gave a lift to friends and they each bought me a drink as a thankyou. They said it would have cost far more for a taxi. I didn't expect it so was a nice gesture. 
Todays meals from freezer and cupboards. 
Sourdough prooving in the kitchen.
I've made a shopping list for tomorrow and there's only 7 items on it. Hardly worth going but they are needed items. This month's shopping budget is looking good.
January I saved nearly £200 on shopping, bills and survey sites. I've rounded it up to 200 and added it to retirement fund. 

MissRikkiC

Laundry liquid made yesterday with my 4 year old who helped and asked me lots of questions why I was making it when I could just get some from the shops. I enjoyed explaining to her why if we could make the same thing as well and knew what was in it, would we pay more money to get it from somewhere else. We have about 5.5 litres and so far so good! Saving of approx £10  vs what we usually buy including the cost of the materials we bought to make it with and we do about 7-10 loads of washing a week. 

Nelliegrace

I spent £3 on second hand books, enjoying a pleasant browse in a large bookshop, and warming up by the stove. The rest of the day was frugal, I took a large flask of coffee and some homemade cake, which we had in the car. We used our National Trust membership and we were not temped by the beautiful items in the gift shop. We had a lovely walk in the gardens and through the snowdrop woods. 

Yesterday we used the members’ birthday voucher at our local Dobbies for a free hot drink and cake each. 

sams247

Nelliegrace said:

I spent £3 on second hand books, enjoying a pleasant browse in a large bookshop, and warming up by the stove. The rest of the day was frugal, I took a large flask of coffee and some homemade cake, which we had in the car. We used our National Trust membership and we were not temped by the beautiful items in the gift shop. We had a lovely walk in the gardens and through the snowdrop woods. 

I must make more use of my National Trust ard, I got it as a gift and in the summer I went to lots of places, but many of the houses close for winter.  I am also always tempted by the cafe....... taking my own cake etc is something I must do from now on.  

I'm fortunate that my village and the next one along have well stocked book bus stops, I read a lot and take books from one back to the other.  I get some good cook books from there too.  

Prudent

I love a book exchange too. There are quite a few National Trust recipe books available. I won one years ago, but I think baking specific ones have been published since then. 

I am still deep in decluttering. I am starting to feel the benefits though. I got a baking tray out of the cupboard and it was much easier to find the one I wanted and pull it out. 

Yesterday we went out and bought paint to paint two of the bedrooms. Wickes have most paint offer just now. Dulux emulsion is reduced from £22 a tin to £15. We saved £38 on four 2.5 litres tins of Dulux emulsion and a five litre tin of Crown emulsion. 

Duchess2

Ooh thanks Prudent. I am looking for paint atm. We are decorating the lounge this half-term. I’ll go and have a look in Wickes. Every penny counting.

Gem-gem

Good evening, 
Haggled with our broadband provider this evening. We are paying £28, new price quoted £47. Haggled new price £27. New contract 18 months. 😀
Dentist / hygienist today - already paid. 

Gym
Housework 
NSD for my own account. 

Small spend on joint account - vegetables. 30p YS Brussels, 60p cabbage; 20p carrot. 

Dinner - beef and mushroom stew with dumplings (from freezer) and vegetables.
Six cards - birthday / Mother's Day / new home / get well card - up cycled - put new blank insides into the cards and found envelopes that matched. 😀
Valentine's Day - DH and I are not going to take part in a commercial / consumerism event. We believe that when you marry your wedding anniversary replaces the need of Valentine Day. My DH buys me YS flowers all round the year. 😀 Who says romance is dead?