2026 Frugal Living Challenge

Sallyp2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81999364#Comment_81999364

that looks really good!

mandy47

Wish they did Lidl boxes near me !

Frugaldom

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81998996#Comment_81998996

I only had the OJ because it was free via the Olio app. It's not in my budget to buy it but I do buy oranges and quite often get easy peelers, apples and bananas via Olio.

Wow! @Mollina_Girl that looks a fab veg box. My retirement plans are more and more tending towards a small house within reach of shops that offer bargains. 😁

@Prudent you are an honorary pony 'auntie' to a small herd of mud monsters. 😆

Viking_mfw

I am absolutely appalled at how much food costs now. I am very lucky to have a regular "Save Me" Olio collection and a husband who is tolerant of peculiar combinations.

Not a frugal weekend with the school May Fair and required outlay to allow children to partake in games and bring home rubbish. Thankfully minimal this year. In good news on the way home we saw a free pile which had a good small wooden chest which we are going to upcycle into a bedside table for the littlest who has recently upgraded to a lot of big boy furniture. Total outlay was £125 for a solid wooden wardrobe and bookcase which I think is pretty good.

Sallyp2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82001671#Comment_82001671

its not just food sadly, its insurance/s, utilities and general living needs & wants

Prudent

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82001690#Comment_82001690

Exactly this. I run three current accounts. One for household bills, one for groceries and one which is my main account and general spending. At the start of every month I transfer money to the bills account and my grocery account. This amount is now more than my entire monthly spending averaged in 2022, including running a car, holidays, gifts, personal spending. The worst bit is that we are considerably more frugal with energy use, I have to go to more stores to hunt out food bargains and spend more hours in the kitchen cooking from scratch. Some of the changes I really feel sad about our decreased gifting (now I only gift to very close family and friends) and less money to give to causes that I would like to support. I do however feel very grateful to have bought up my daughter in easier times, to have a final salary pension and to own my house. I also feel very grateful that I found the MSE community in 2004 and have learned so much.

RateTartExtraordinaire

We recently got an invitation letter from the NATCEN for a National Diet and Nutrition Survey. I thought it must be a scam at first but I did some due diligence and they are a reputable social research organisation who work with universities. You have to be invited so they must have done various postcodes.

So far both my partner and I have completed a food diary for 4 days for £10 voucher each (this was really good because I got the feedback and and found that I needed to up my fibre and lower my fat intake). We have both done a spot urine sample for iodine for £5 voucher each and have agreed to do a blood sample £30 and energy consumption urine tests for 13 days for an extra £25! Sounds a lot of hassle but apart from having to itemise the food which is homemade, it was a doddle.

So all in all, we will have earned £70 each!

If you are lucky enough to get one of these letters, and have the time and inclination, it's worth the time and effort. :) The vouchers come in the form of Love 2 shop, so we have been using them on the food shop as they come in.

suzeesu2000

Today’s frugal job was snipping tops of windowsill onions again. That’s the fifth ice cube tray of them in just a couple of weeks, they are growing so well.

My butcher told me they pay a man to take the bones away…..guess who will be asking for bones on her next meat order!

I already have a good supply of home made vegetable stock cubes in the freezer, they can double as a soup-in-a-mug too by adding boiling water.

Viking_mfw

Looking forward to making elderflower cordial next weekend and freezing it for future use. My husband in particular loves it but it is *so* expensive.

I do leave enough to turn into berries for the birds, don't worry.

Arrietty

Good morning all,

in frugal news and after much searching and trying on I have a dress for my ED's wedding … only £65!

In less frugal news, I had an annoying incident in my car yesterday which is going to cost a lot to fix.