2025 Frugal Living Challenge

Gem-gem

 @sams247 I hope you get a good bargain with your next car that you choose and that it give you many miles pain free (£££).

@Frugaldom, Thanks for the heads up on the bank account, I will have a look with my DH. 

@Prudent I have one regular saver with Nationwide that pays 6.5%. The most I have run at the same time is two. When I was working and earning a decent salary I used to put £500 away each month. I have thought about front loaded regular savers - putting in max for the first 6 months then £1 a month for the second half and have more of them. I wondered if this would net me more ££££.

DH and I gave both moved two EA isa's into a FR isa as he thinks the interest rates are only going to go one way. He put his into a one year. I put mine into a two year. I am so thankful that I fixed a small amount last year at 5.5%. Wish I had put more into it when I did, but none of us have crystal balls. 

DH has hit the jackpot in Morrison's and Sainsbury's today. Fish cakes, cod fillets, salmon, braising beef, chicken all half price. Also got a 20% discount on dairy free custard. 

Our cauliflower for today's Dinner was free from Lidl and DH bought me home a free Pastel de Nata. The potatoes and other veg were still those we got cheap at Easter. The runner beans were home grown. 

jennypennysaver

Gem-gem said:

Good luck @startin_again in your quest. Are you looking for big items or just the smaller items? 

Which region of the country do you live in eg Surrey, Northumberland? 

We have bought two lots of the cheap vegetables: carrots, swede, potatoes, parsnips and broccoli. We had some time tonight for tea and I have started to chop up and freeze the carrots and swede. The potatoes and parsnips will be blanched and frozen. 

Also bought a large gammon for 1/3rd off. This I will cook, slice and portion up before freezing. 

We have stopped using gravy granules and oxo cubes. I am getting there with making a tasty gravy. It looks a lot paler. 

DH and I walked into town and back, saving petrol / bus fare. It is just under a five mile round trip. We went to the gym and then checked the shops out for bargains. We found a couple of 5ps and a penny on the floor plus £1.06 in a coin changer. I did go up to a lady who had forgotten to take her 2p change and gave it to her. She thanked me and promptly put it into a charity donation bucket. A few years ago, I found a wedding ring, an engagement ring (both in Tesc0) and both were reunited with their owners. One wanted to give me a reward but I told them to make a donation to a charity. I was just happy that they got the ring back. 

Spent a lovely late afternoon watching Foyle's War and added a couple of rows to my blanket. 

Been reading through the pages of posts plus lots of other things on the forum generally and would love to join you all please?

@ Gem-gem ~ you are possibly my long lost twin, contentedly crocheting a blanket with Foyle's War on tv in the background    that is my idea of heaven 

Gem-gem

Welcome @jennypennysaver, I'm sure @Frugaldom and the others will be along soon to welcome you too. 

Yes, I like a gentle drama especially those set in the 1920's-1950's. My fascination for the social history during the war years started when I had to teach it. Before then, I enjoyed studying the social history of other eras when I did a history A Level. I also love watching Agatha Christie programmes especially those with Joan Hickson and David Suchet or Peter Ustinov. I also think part of my fascination also comes from visiting my aunt, uncle and paternal grandparents, it was like stepping back in time, a bygone era. I remember in both places hearing their ticking clocks, that chimed on the hour. The old fashion washing machines, mangles etc. Happy times. 

I was born at the beginning of the 70's, I still remember many of the old ways. I was talking to my DM and DH about how I am pleased that I grew up in a world pre internet etc. (My DH is 13 yrs older than me). 

Prudent

Welcome @jennypennysaver, it sounds like you will find plenty of kindred spirits here. There are several crafters in the group and many of us draw inspiration from old ways of doing things. Like @Gem-gem my OH is thirteen years older than me and he loves all the dramas series about life from the 1920s through to the 1970s. 

@Gem-gem I have the NW saver too. I usually run around eight to ten regular savers which are mostly recycling existing savings as they tend to pay more than fixed rate bonds etc. As one matures I use that money to fund the monthly payments on the others. I think quite a few people on the ‘regular savers’ thread in the savings section of the forum do the same. I also use them to reinvest any PB wins. While interest rates have been good they have returned more than investments for me, without the stress of the volatility. I don’t put a lot of ‘new’ money in now as I am on a low income following ill health retirement nine years ago. I have always been a dedicated saver, seeing it as a vehicle to buy the freedom to make my own choices about how I spend my time. When I worked I always aimed to live on 40 percent of my income. I was a single parent so I had to learn to be frugal to achieve that. I also did extremely well at that time from the comping board on MSE. 

sams247

@Gem-gem I love a Pastel de Nata, and a free one would taste even better!

So I found a new car.... its smaller than I wanted but (hopefully) more economical to run.  I had to totally clear out my savings and even my little ISA to get the deposit together but at least I had that to use.  And saving can re start next week....

Frugaldom

Welcome @jennypennysaver It is always good to see newcomers joining in the frugal fun. Some of us have been here for a very long time and live frugally as a lifestyle choice nowadays so there's plenty to read. Have fun!

Great news about your car @sams247 and here's to your new savings startup.

Dry weather is bringing us closer to drought situation at Frugaldom with many of the water tanks now empty. We have had to start carting buckets of water from the stream for some of the ponies and looks like we will need to cart some from the bigger burn for goats and the other ponies.  I'm grateful we have that as a fresh water source as the big open water troughs are being used to french the veggies and fruit trees each night. 

@Prudent I had another look at the savings accounts with entry into free draws to try a comparison but with Premium Bonds being so random, the free draw prizes look a better option when the cash in the account is attracting interest at the same time. Halifax site has all the details of which regular savings accounts are included. My aim now is to gety regular saver increased to get an entry into the draw but as you know, I'm on limited income with many  overheads. A nice premium bonds win would solve the problem. 

This afternoon I checked out the new fruit hedge that we planted last year - 40 individual fruit bushes bought for £1 each, if I remember correctly. All 40 of them are thriving despite being planted in one of the driest areas of Frugaldom. The early morning frosts keep the ground wet and plants watered but I think I'll plan a mass watering with some diluted 'worm juice' this weekend; that should give everything a feed as well as a drink.

Next thing, I need to start stocking up on sugar for jam, jelly, juice and 'fizz' making.

jennypennysaver

Gem-gem said:

Welcome @jennypennysaver, I'm sure @Frugaldom and the others will be along soon to welcome you too. 

Yes, I like a gentle drama especially those set in the 1920's-1950's. My fascination for the social history during the war years started when I had to teach it. Before then, I enjoyed studying the social history of other eras when I did a history A Level. I also love watching Agatha Christie programmes especially those with Joan Hickson and David Suchet or Peter Ustinov. I also think part of my fascination also comes from visiting my aunt, uncle and paternal grandparents, it was like stepping back in time, a bygone era. I remember in both places hearing their ticking clocks, that chimed on the hour. The old fashion washing machines, mangles etc. Happy times. 

I was born at the beginning of the 70's, I still remember many of the old ways. I was talking to my DM and DH about how I am pleased that I grew up in a world pre internet etc. (My DH is 13 yrs older than me). 

@Gem-gem thank you. Yes I’m drawn to those times too and have always loved Agatha Christie since reading the books in my teens. I remember being totally able to escape into them. Now I love David Suchet as Poirot. And I love his apartment and that style! I’m a 60s child tho only just! 

jennypennysaver

Frugaldom said:

Welcome @jennypennysaver It is always good to see newcomers joining in the frugal fun. Some of us have been here for a very long time and live frugally as a lifestyle choice nowadays so there's plenty to read. Have fun!

Great news about your car @sams247 and here's to your new savings startup.

Dry weather is bringing us closer to drought situation at Frugaldom with many of the water tanks now empty. We have had to start carting buckets of water from the stream for some of the ponies and looks like we will need to cart some from the bigger burn for goats and the other ponies.  I'm grateful we have that as a fresh water source as the big open water troughs are being used to french the veggies and fruit trees each night. 

@Prudent I had another look at the savings accounts with entry into free draws to try a comparison but with Premium Bonds being so random, the free draw prizes look a better option when the cash in the account is attracting interest at the same time. Halifax site has all the details of which regular savings accounts are included. My aim now is to gety regular saver increased to get an entry into the draw but as you know, I'm on limited income with many  overheads. A nice premium bonds win would solve the problem. 

This afternoon I checked out the new fruit hedge that we planted last year - 40 individual fruit bushes bought for £1 each, if I remember correctly. All 40 of them are thriving despite being planted in one of the driest areas of Frugaldom. The early morning frosts keep the ground wet and plants watered but I think I'll plan a mass watering with some diluted 'worm juice' this weekend; that should give everything a feed as well as a drink.

Next thing, I need to start stocking up on sugar for jam, jelly, juice and 'fizz' making.

@Frugaldom thank you. I’m enjoying reading all your posts and you all seem lovely. It’s great too, reading about life in your neck of the woods. And worm juice! 

Quantaqa

Hello, welcome to @jennypennysaver, I'm sure you'll get loads of tips and advice on the thread.  Best of luck in yout frugal plans.  

@sams247, what a shame about your car but great news that you've got a car and been able to put a deposit down on it.  I had to get a new (to me) car back in January as my car was written off after someone ran into it.  I was gutted at the time but the newer car runs much more economically so I've been able to reduce my petrol budget by £30 per month which I am delighted about.  Hopefully your new car will also save you some fuel money too.

I got my RAC renewal in yesterday and was shocked that it was £190.99 for the year.  I phoned them and am delighted to say that I got the quote reduced to £130.99.  

sams247

Quantaqa said:

@sams247, what a shame about your car but great news that you've got a car and been able to put a deposit down on it.  I had to get a new (to me) car back in January as my car was written off after someone ran into it.  I was gutted at the time but the newer car runs much more economically so I've been able to reduce my petrol budget by £30 per month which I am delighted about.  Hopefully your new car will also save you some fuel money too.

Thank you, yes I'm hoping this car will be economical for me, the tax is certainly lower, insurance a little bit different, but it all helps.  Im off to visit family this weekend so that will be a good trial for it fuel wise.  I am actually really sad to lose my other car, some good memories in that car, had lots of fun with grandbabies travelling around in it.