2025 Frugal Living Challenge

Quantaqa

My decluttering continues.  DH has been in the loft and got a selection of old electronics that have been up there for years.  An old PC, laptops, various cables, external hard-drive etc.  He's done whatever need to be done to wipe the PC/Laptops.  A total of 12 items if the various entangled cables are all counted as one.  We'll probably do more electronic stuff next month too (or maybe later this month) as there is an old VHS video recorder there, PC monitors etc to go.  Then there is loads of old CDs and cassette tapes as well.  We've made a start at least.  Long way to go though.

sams247

@mandy47 sorry to hear your news, what a good friend you were, visiting etc., I'm sure the end days were better for you being in them.  Frugal challenge is an added extra to life, when crisis happens its about taking care of yourself and doing whatever you need to do to get through.


I have started to declutter my lounge now.  Truly.  Not just tidy up but actually get rid of some of the things I just move from place to place. I am trying to be ruthless and determined and its already making a difference, both to how it looks and to how I feel.  Some stuff to charity, some on Vnted.

And a NSD day today, used up stuff in fridge for all meals.  

Prudent

Hang in there @Sams247. I was ruthless this time and I am really pleased with the result. I am only buying things that are on my list of needed purchases now so I don't just fill the space.

I have started getting the allotment ready. This morning OH moved strawberries from tubs to the ground and I have started the big job of cleaning and reorganising the polytunnel. The strawberry pots were in the polytunnel last year and we found them quite a tie with all the watering required so we have decided to plant them out. We are having a much stream lined year with a focus on fruit, flowers, herbs and some salad. OH likes to grow some potatoes in pots too.  We over committed last year and we stopped enjoying the plot. I have just rescued a buddleia from the reduced section of the garden centre to attract some butterflies to the plot.

Over the weekend I have done a tidy up and stock take of the food cupboards. We had a trip to Lidl for a veg box and to replenish the things that are running low. The veg boxes often seem to have lots of peppers. I have discovered that adding roasted carrots and cannellini beans to a roasted pepper and tomato soup makes it extra tasty. We also got three boxes of vine tomatoes today, three packets of new potatoes, lemons, lettuce and bananas. Dinner this evening will be cheese, pepper and tomato omelet with new potatoes and salad. 

Frugaldom

Sorry to read your news @mandy47, you've a lot on your plate at the minute so don't forget to breathe and look after yourself, too.

Our compensation cheque arrived from Scottish power after our almost 5 day power cut, nothing from BT for the week without a phone or fortnight without internet, though. The Scottish Power money should cover the costs for a couple of months, although last month was quite high at almost £118 as the fire hasn't been getting lit in favour of switching on electric heaters.

Shopping amounted to £123.01 plus Id to fill the car with petrol, which was another £44. 

GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE PREMIUM BONDS HOLDERS - Nobody came knocking on our door today (Monday) so here's hoping there's a £25 listed on their site tomorrow. 😄

Frugaldom

Better late than never - completed my February mini challenge of getting the stone chips laid at the hut today. Woohoo! No more tiptoeing through mud to get to the door.

March mini challenge is to finish planting the hedge at Frugaldom and plant some trees, which need fenced off from ponies to complete a project. 

I had a small premium bonds win, which allowed me to donate £25 to another wildlife project.

Quantaqa

I'm rather excited after getting my first Premium bond win.  I hadn't even checked as I wasn't sure when I would be in the draw as I only opened the account recently (mid January I think) but after seeing the Premium Bond thread on the highlighted on the home page I thought I'd log in and see.  I've won £275!  I am delighted.  I'll use it to buy more PBs.

Gem-gem

Quantaqa said:

I'm rather excited after getting my first Premium bond win.  I hadn't even checked as I wasn't sure when I would be in the draw as I only opened the account recently (mid January I think) but after seeing the Premium Bond thread on the highlighted on the home page I thought I'd log in and see.  I've won £275!  I am delighted.  I'll use it to buy more PBs.

Well done Quantaga on your first PB win. I hope it is the first of many. I won £100 this month. I am running at 7.5% over the year. 😀

Prudent

Goodness, well done everyone with the PBs. I have been on a rubbish run for about nine months. OH has done well though.

Most of my time just now is going on getting the allotment set up. We had a wee trip to a large garden centre today which turned into an unfortunate saga. They do a loyalty card scheme where for £15 you can have two free drinks a month and enjoy some discounts. We have had it in the past, but didn't bother last year. We signed up for a card and made the payment which is to be taken off at the end of the month. The card didn't work in the cafe. They let us have the coffees and then went to sort out the issue at the customer service desk. I was told the card wasn't working, that they would void it and issue me with another one. Thankfully I went into my online account to check when I got home as I had two active cards and £30 due to come off. It wouldn't let me cancel either, apparently because I had two. This is our second saga with the local branch so I phoned up and cancelled both. On a happier note I rescued some lovely perennials from the sales section and they are looking happier after being planted out at the allotment. I also got some seed compost and potting on compost. The heated propagator has come down from the loft and I am ready to get started. 

I really need to re-do my budget as our council tax has gone up a staggering 13%. 

fionaandphil

Gosh that is massive Prudent! Ours has arrived today and its 4.58% so not too bad, we were expecting worse.

I'm also thinking about the gardening now the sun is out.  I was in L1dl yesterday and they had the lettuce with roots on so I bought one, split it and planted it in the greenhouse to get us going.  I'm planning on planting some lettuce seeds as well this weekend, which will take over once the L1dl lettuce starts going over.  They also had quite a good range of seeds so I've bought some other things that we use and will get them in this weekend - just have to clean the greenhouse and move the barbecue out of there!

I don't have PBs but did get a tax rebate today - I've been waiting nearly a year as its from 2023/24!  I am hoping to go back to submitting my own again this year as I would have had the money back months ago if I had.

In frugal news I've had the washing out a few times this week so hopefully the electric bill will be much lower this month.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that the good weather will continue and we will also be able to switch the heating off completely.

Gem-gem

Good evening everyone, 
I have spent the past two days weeding the raised beds and boxes and getting them ready for the vegetables and salad plants. I have also been removing all the dead leaves from the strawberry plants and discarding fruit plants that are past their best. 

It has been so lovely being in the warm sunshine. I have also put three loads of washing out on the line - feels great thinking about the money saved.
On a cooking front, the slow cooker has been on - cooking steak and kidney. It has now been frozen ready to go into pies. YS beef used. 

Tomorrow, we are off to Lord's Cricket Ground for a tour. DH's friend got him free tickets.