2025 Frugal Living Challenge

Frugaldom

Had a rejig of my budget so it includes everything household plus car. Some of my expenses are self-employment related and, therefore, deductible but I've included them anyway. Things like extra mileage in the car and a second mobile contract for work-related as I need access to 2 separate networks because we are so rural. Keeping this in mind, the budget isn't all that different to previous years. I can no longer do the £1 per person per day for all meals but with the help of Olio and homemade/homegrown, I can keep spends to a minimum.

Here's how the budget looks now:

Groceries - £1,200 

Council Tax - £1,235

Heat & light - £1,200

TV licence - £169.50

Mobiles, landline & internet - £960

Insurances - £400

Clothing & Footwear - £50

Car costs - £1,200

Everything else - £585.50

Total - £7,000

(£134.25 per week or approx. £583 per month)

This is for a household of 2 with H paying his own car costs and personal spending. 

Council tax for 2025/26 not yet announced for 2025 but there's a bit of play in the 'everything else' fund.

Hope this helps someone. 

Prudent

Thank you @Frugaldom. I usually do a mini recap budget in the spring too because some costs rise with the new financial year such as council tax and phone & internet contracts. I had a text yesterday about my mobile costs rising. I have a sim only contract and usually can find a better deal when the costs go up. Council tax is non negotiable and it looks like my council will follow lots of other Scottish councils and go for a 10% increase. Gas and electricity will go up too in April. I am in contract until May. I might change providers at that time. I changed to British Gas for a good deal just before the energy crisis and then got locked in when it became hard to change providers for a time. I have about £400 of credit so I will look at using that up and then moving. I know I can move before but I would rather not have a fight to get the money back. Food is also still increasing. The last two weeks there has been no Olio and one of the weeks I missed out on the community shop and Lidl veggie boxes. It felt a different world without these budget hacks. Thankfully I got two excellent fruit and veg boxes yesterday and the community shop had some good deals this week.

Overall I think we are still seeing the steady creep of the cost of essentials above inflations. I live on a small ill health pension that rises in April in line with the inflation rate the previous September. Last September was the low point for inflation so my increase will be 1.7%. This means more of my income will go on essentials and it will be yet another year with less discretionary spending. This is not a pity party, I am grateful to be mortgage free, have a secure pension, savings and years of MSE tips behind me. However it is concerning as it is neither good for individuals nor the economy for people to have less surplus. I live in a small county that has some significant poverty rates and I can see the changes in the area and can sense the despair and lost ambition. 

Frugaldom

@Prudent I think there seems to be a general air of despair all around us at the minute. Our area has so many major planning proposals and applications pending that they are dividing the communities. From wind farms and solar farms with battery storage facilities to a vast holiday park with spa, and now the possibility of designating the entire area to National Park status, with all that entails - they can't even agree on the boundaries for that. (Scared to mention anything anywhere either way for fear of reprisal.) All 3 of our nearest town pubs are for sale, there are plenty of empty commercial properties, much of the available housing is being snapped up by incoming money that locals can't compete against and, meanwhile, we have farms not earning enough to make farming at that level viable so diversification brings even more holiday accommodation. We need incoming money to keep the towns functioning but there aren't many career opportunities available and many moving here are in financial positions whereby they don't need or want jobs. By the same token, I have seen many changes in local villages with community this, that and the other setting up, many competing for limited funding to survive. I sometimes miss being part of the whole community sharing thing as there are so many great little networks but the majority seem to be about making money via lifestyle or hobby businesses - £30 to £60 per person for a couple of hours, for example, tying knots in something, be it yarn, willow, foliage, string - not exactly for those whose budgets are stretched just living a frugal lifestyle while working long and/or unpaid hours. I'm definitely not looking forward to all the upcoming price rises, hence my bigger than usual budget. 

Frugaldom

Good morning frugalites

It's absolutely monsoon-like here so I'm sheltering from it for some brief respite. No shortage of water in the tanks today, that's for sure. This post is pure procrastination to delay the inevitable of going back out in the horrible wind and rain. I may light the hut stove so it warms the place up for coming back in to get dried this afternoon. I love what I do but sometimes we all need a break from the daily routine when it's so relentless, 7 days a week. I know many if us on here are in this similar situation, whether it be caring fulltime for relatives or caring for animals.

Challenging myself to live a frugal lifestyle on minimal budget while being accountable is part of what makes this all possible, so thank you for being here, even those of you who seldom or never post. I know you're reading this and I'm wishing you well.

In other news, the pond is filling up with frogspawn, the badgers and pine martens are still visiting every night and the manure heap is composting nicely, ready to be dug out and decanted into the old wheelbarrows and tubs where I plan to plant the tatties soon... But not on a day like this. Stay safe, folks.

kayannie

I'm one who follows you but rarely posts. I know it's  not much consolation, but the weather's dreadful in N.W. Wales too. I envy your frogspawn, we made a pond last year but are in need of some frogs!
KA

sheilavw

me too! A reader but don't post much. It's windy and rainy here in the North West

retiredinfrance

Im also just a reader. I love the posts and the idea of frugal  living. The weather here is now warm and sunny and yesterday was the warmest February in France since recording this feature first in 1930. We will maybe have drought later on- or torrential rain and floods- climate change !

fionaandphil

Oh Frugaldom, I feel for you on a day like today, don't envy you at all - its miserable enough walking out to the garage to get something out for tea for tomorrow and its only drizzling here!  I hope you get a bit of relief from it, and if not, that the warm hut and animals compensate some.

We are just back from half term holidays, spent slightly less than we had set aside so that will be put aside for extra costs over the summer for DS going to college.  It occurred to me that he may need more clothes and will need bus money and stationery etc, so I have set up a pot to pay for those things.

I hope that you all manage to stay safe wherever you are.  Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

DawnW

Windy and rainy here today in SW England if it is any consolation, though yesterday was pleasant.

sams247

So.... holidays.  I've not take a holiday in a couple of years due to cost mainly, but I have a stressful job and a generally busy life and I am feeling the need for a break.  Ive been visiting various friends and family as holiday but I think I need a break where I can just chill.  I just wonder what you all feel about holidays, and what you do.  I live alone so not sharing costs.  How to holiday decently being frugal.  I'm mid sixties so camping for me is a hell-no option Not due to age but due to comfort......
I did housesitting for a while but caring for the dogs, cats, guinea pigs and chickens was great but not a rest really.  I need to unwind, I need to take some care of my mental health and think a break will help.  
I rent as part of my landlords home so no to a home swap.    I have been thinking!
So, what do you all do?