Keep calm, we can cope.

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
What’s happening moneywise at the moment is scary. But a lot of us oldies have been there, some more than once. We’ve had recessions, austerity and now I really don’t know what to call this with the cost of living going up and up. But by supporting each other we will get through this, keep our heads above water and our families warm and fed.
So fellow frugallers please feel free to add your ideas, experiences and expertise. Or even if you just want to chat please do.

cuddlymarm

So ways I’ve found to save money is very little waste. Leftovers get frozen, we batch cook and I have a menu plan ( but it’s changeable if something needs using up) 
When my boys were young they filled up on bread and jam. We would have cheap meal nights, egg and chips, beans on toast, etc and towards the end of the month we might have mix and match night, someone might have fish fingers, another sausage etc odds and ends left in the fridge and freezer.
Frozen veg often cheaper and no waste. 

Supermarket brand loo roll, shampoo etc is cheaper and often as good.
Also this year I’ve joined the Payment a day thread. Even a few pence a day in a jar will soon build an emergency fund to buy milk, bread or even school shoes ( mine always seemed to grow out of or damage theirs when I could least afford)
I really feel for young families, with endless calls on their money. 

Anyway enough of my waffling
Night night
Cuddles 

Dizzycap

Have a look at the Frugal Living Challenge for 2025 - Link Below   

There are some fantastic ideas from those of us who have been living frugally for a number of years ENJOY!

FRUGAL LIVING CHALLENGE 2025

Brie

The bliss of left overs is that you can end up with better soup than what you can buy in the shops.  Tastes better and is healthier generally as you can put in what is good for you.

cuddlymarm

We call it fridge bottom soup, with every batch different 😋
If you have a smart meter some of the companies offer cheap electricity on Sundays, so we have the washer on, hoover up, the slow cooker on, wait to shower during this time etc but still only do what needs to be done. Curtains, blankets etc will be done when they can dry outside.

MayDogsandCoffee

Dare I say I am fairly comfortable, reasonable wage, no dependents and thanks to MSE and being tight I have paid mortgage off.  I have had very difficult times were I have worked all hours at two jobs just to make ends meet for about 10 years.  I regularly batch cook low cost meals using slow cooker.  I don't spend and hate shopping.  I do think people have lost the way with essential and nice to have which is why some struggle now.  You are right, we can cope and it just takes a bit of common sense adjustment.  PS: After being diagnosed with Coeliac one of my favs is egg and chips - why have I gone so long without that cheap easy tea???

Christianne1957

We both retired last year & now have the wonderful luxury of time to implement a whole range of money saving strategies.

We do as much as we can for ourselves and accept that, whilst it would be grand to live in a beautifully decorated & furnished house, we are content to be happy with what we have. 

I've found home baking using recipes from my Mum's trusty "Bero" cookery book to be a good saver  - I cut cakes into portions before freezing so I can just take a couple of slices at a time because leaving a entire cake out would guarantee it being scoffed in a day (!) 

PipneyJane

Thank you for starting this thread @cuddlymarm.  I’ve been thinking about the topic all week.

It’s fair to say that I spent all the 1990’s in debt.  My ex from that time had the attitude that what he earned was all his, while I had to keep the household afloat and, if I was present at any event - meal out, pub visit, holiday, whatever - I had to pay his bill too!   I paid all the bills: mortgage, utilities, housekeeping, the works.  I started to keep a record of every spend, in my Filofax, and made a list of goals, the top of which was to double my salary in 3 years.  It seemed to me that everyone else was living the good life and had good things, while I was bouncing along the bottom of my overdraft, living in fear that the cheque I just wrote would bounce.

What happened?  Well, my employers gave me a training contract (accountancy), I got qualified, changed jobs twice, doubled my salary, made my escape from the ex - sold him the house - met my DH and turned my life around.  It was during that time that I learned the lesson from my signature:  it ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it - that’s what gets results.

I guess it’s an attitude and thinking through the following questions:  What do I need? What do I want? What do I have?  How can I make what I already have take care of things?  It doesn’t matter if the item in question is keeping a roof over your head, a yearning to travel, something to entertain you on your daily commute, or that jacket in the shop window that keeps calling to you…. What’s necessary is stoping to think: how do I make the best of this?  (For example, the jacket.  It’s made from a black, boucle fabric and didn’t come with a skirt or trousers, but it does team up well with the plain dark grey trousers from another suit, so I can wear those two together.  ETA:  Oh, and I spent my £50 Christmas voucher from work on it, too.)

- Pip

MayDogsandCoffee

Oh, Bero books - I still have both Grandma's books well used and taped up.  I think you can still get up to date copies if you send for them.  Agree @PipneyJane, have that plan.  I am hoping for early retirement so every pound saved goes to supplementing me to state pension age.  I was a bit of a collector (fine china) but after clearing an Uncle's house in lockdown I decided I don't need anymore 'stuff' and am slowly offloading to charity.  After years of travelling for work I am happy with a day trip - no long haul queues for me.  So long as I have a flask of coffee and my dog I am happy.

cuddlymarm

Good morning guys
Thanks for joining in 
I think it depends on what’s important to you at the moment and also keeping your feet on the ground at the same time. Think before you buy. Can you manage without, or if you can afford do you really want it, maybe leave it a couple of days and then if you still want it get it. Also if you don’t need to shop don’t, popping out for a loaf of bread often can cost you much more. A loaf in the freezer or dried or longlife milk can save you money in the long run.
As oldies our time and money is on our family, especially our little granddaughter and travel while we’re fit enough to do it. We both have had extremely scary health scares in the last two years and have realised we’re not going to be here forever. But it has to be affordable too so we make do with little treats, clothes only when needed ( I really only need a couple of t shirts at the moment as most of mine are washed out by being layered under jumpers all winter), stretchy food ( todays slow cooker casserole will do another meal too)
One important thing to say is if you have to say no to your kids don’t feel guilty, this is just a point in time and we will get through it. They’ll remember being warm, fed and loved much more than that toy or trip in a few years time ❤️

PipneyJane

cuddlymarm said:

Good morning guys
Thanks for joining in 
I think it depends on what’s important to you at the moment and also keeping your feet on the ground at the same time. Think before you buy. Can you manage without, or if you can afford do you really want it, maybe leave it a couple of days and then if you still want it get it. Also if you don’t need to shop don’t, popping out for a loaf of bread often can cost you much more. A loaf in the freezer or dried or longlife milk can save you money in the long run.
As oldies our time and money is on our family, especially our little granddaughter and travel while we’re fit enough to do it. We both have had extremely scary health scares in the last two years and have realised we’re not going to be here forever. But it has to be affordable too so we make do with little treats, clothes only when needed ( I really only need a couple of t shirts at the moment as most of mine are washed out by being layered under jumpers all winter), stretchy food ( todays slow cooker casserole will do another meal too)
One important thing to say is if you have to say no to your kids don’t feel guilty, this is just a point in time and we will get through it. They’ll remember being warm, fed and loved much more than that toy or trip in a few years time ❤️

I totally agree.  Re the black jacket, I must have walked past it half a dozen times, over the course of a month, before I purchased it.  Ironically, if it had been part of a suit, I’d have bought it immediately, because I wear suits on the two days I go into the office.  However, this way, I can wear it and utilise something else that I have in the wardrobe, that might otherwise have not get worn.

(You may/may not know that I was severely ill last year with lymphoma.  A beneficial side effect is the weight that I lost meant that I went down at least one dress size, so I get to “shop” from my wardrobe a lot and wear clothes that I haven’t worn in years but liked too much to give away.  Most enjoyable.)

Some of the best treats don’t cost much money: I’m on the BBC’s mailing list for show recordings.   An afternoon out to watch a live classical performance, only costs the Tube fare into Town.  (I love live classical music.)  We’ll take re-filled bottles of water and a snack. Or we’ll go to the evening recording of one of the comedy programs and splash out on a £3.60 meal-deal each from MrT’s (selecting the expensive fruit smoothly (£2.50 each) and >50% nut filled bar (£2.55 each) to accompany our £3-ish sandwich, thus getting the most value-for-money from our £3.60).

- Pip