2025 Frugal Living Challenge

fionaandphil

Those look lovely gifts @Gem-gem and way too advanced for me!

Frugaldom

kayannie said:

peewhyeff said:

Gem-gem said:

Hi, not sure if anyone has already posted this but Savers has granulated sugar 1kg for 89p. I have been Informed that other shops are selling it for £1.09

Home Bargains sugar is also 89p.

89p at B&M too.

Thank you. I managed to order some at £2 per 2kg from 'Morries', which is best I can find. We don't have any of the discount stores anywhere near us, unfortunately.

@Prudent (and others) I've found the 5.5% Bank of Scotland, 12-month regular saver account available again but it's still capped at £250 per month and won't allow a lump sum transfer in. Still, 5.5% isn't all that bad for those of us who can't save much or don't have the income to fill an ISA 

My biggest 'win' was finding out Lidl has the 28p spaghetti in stock so pal is picking me up half a dozen packs to keep the cupboard stocked. Supermarket cheapest was 75p

Quantaqa

Hello all, Thank you for the info re the 89p bags of sugar at B&M. I am going to stock up to set aside for jam making.  I'll also take a look in Lidl for the 28p spaghetti, thanks Frugaldom.  

Ths past few weeks/months DH and I have been redecorating the bedroom.  It's now finished and looking around it I realise everythning in it apart from the carpet and bed has been bought second hand.  The curtains were from Gumtree and came with free matching cushion covers.  The bedside tables we bought recently from someone on Gumtree and the lamps were also from Gumtree (about a year ago).  The chair and chest of drawers were bought recently, as part of the re-do, from a local furniture charity. We are delighted with everything and the room is looking great.  This is quite a big change for us as previously we would have bought new.  It's taken a bit longer to find everything that would work for the space but worth it in that we spent significantly less and what we bought is good quality (the curtins in particular are excellent quality and hang beautifully, not ones we could have afforded new) and the room is unique.  

Frugaldom

@Quantaqa your newly done room sounds like a frugal living haven. There is something very satisfying about creating something unique without spending a fortune.

I managed to get my end of year accounts figures together over the weekend so everything is ready to submit to HMRC. It looks a bit grim as far as earnings based on national minimum wage but frugal living means it's enough to live the lifestyle debt free and still save a little. Now being in the 60+ age bracket means turning all thoughts and plans towards retirement. I've no pensions other than State, but that's another 6 years away so there's plenty of time for that ever elusive big premium bonds win.  

I still haven't claimed my free bus pass.

2Scratters

Good Evening Peeps,
(I started this post on saturday night and now its monday! )
popping in to say that I have excelled myself and am fluffing up my feathers. For the first time in my life I have made jam. I am so chuffed too, only 3 ingredients and not too sweet too. H/G Rhubarb with some squeezed orange juice and jam sugar. I am amazed at not burning the pan which is something I do frequently so nothing stuck. I bought the orange in specifically, still very cost effective. I will have another do at is as have plenty of fruit from previous years to get used up. Jamming tune now in my head 
Have a good week all.

2 Scratters xx

Nelliegrace

Well done @2Scratters, I love a dollop of homemade jam on plain Greek style yoghurt. 
Raspberry jam is an easy one to make. 

Prudent

I am sorry for the long absence. This year has been so busy and eventful. Thankfully lots of the things I do wind down over the summer holidays. I am looking forward to space to walk, garden, quilt and embroider and hopefully have some days out. The only bigger 'job' on my list is to get a new bedroom carpet, bed and possibly change some of the furniture. I am hoping to buy only the carpet and mattress new. I enjoyed reading your post @Quantaqa on your bedroom. 

@Frugaldom I find the regular savers ideal for small amounts. I tend to cycle them, opening a new one when one matures. You will enjoy your bus pass when the time comes. I am using mine this weekend to go to the Royal Highland show as the parking costs a whopping £15. I was gifted the tickets.  It is amazing how those small sounding adjustments can save so much money. Two tickets @£43 each, plus parking, and petrol (less the petrol to the park and ride) would be £110. I am very much looking forward going and will report back on the ponies and goats.

I haven't had much time to do anything like jam making or other frugal hacks. However I haven't spent much either and I am currently well within budget for the month. My car insurance is due and I was pleasantly surprised to find it about 15% down. 

Gem-gem

Good evening everyone, 
Well done @2Scratters on your jam making. I find that once I have stewed the fruit that it is better to turn the heat off before adding the sugar. Then I stir the sugar in until it has dissolved. Only then do I turn the heat back on. It helps to stop the jam from burning. 

Life continues to be very busy. Had four days with my Dad who lives in Somerset. One of those days we spent at the Gardener's World Live. Not a very frugal day. However, we did take breakfast / lunch with us so we only had to buy food for dinner. 

Yesterday, after driving home, which took 4.5 hours, I then spent the rest of the day picking and preparing fruit. I picked: 4.5kg of gooseberries; 1kg of blackcurrants; 1 large tub of raspberries; 2 large tubs of strawberries. 

Raspberries washed and frozen.
Gooseberries 3 kg topped and tailed. 1.5kg shared with neighbour, they will share their pears later in the year. 

Blackcurrants placed into the slow cooker and stewed. They were then mixed with stewed apple and today I made two pies and one pie with a crumble top. Tomorrow I will make another couple of pies. 

Strawberries were washed, sliced and sorted. Two small tubs frozen for ice-cream. One tub frozen to make jam later. 

Today, not only have I made the fruit pies and cooked breakfast and dinner. I have also spent a couple of hours gardening, been to the gym, went shopping for the home baking and for DM. Two loads of washing done. Bathroom cleaned and hoovered through the house. 

kimwp

When I went to put the kitchens scraps on the compost heap this morning, all the cherries inside the net I spent 2-3 hours putting up had been eaten. No idea how the culprit got in and out. The sleeved branches seem to be ok so far.

Something has been stripping the blackcurrants too, they've always been fine before, so I hadn't netted them. So my crop has been severely depleted! 

Quite a few stems on my oldest blackcurrant were almost dead, no leaves or berries (or some dried berries), wondering if I should have been watering it, but I think I haven't had to before unless it's been really hot. I'm so absent minded and forgetful at the moment though I can't rely on my memory. 

The kitchen rep seems to be leaking too, all feeling a bit overwhelming at the moment.

Nelliegrace

So annoying @kimwp. 
One year a neighbour volunteered to water the plants in pots when we were away for a few days and when we got home he had stripped the garden of every bit of fruit, including four large blackcurrant bushes and every cherry he could reach from the neighbour’s tree.