2026 Frugal Living Challenge

Sallyp2

anyone know if @nannygladys is ok?

ET22

was going to buy a book from Amazon but found a local library has it so I’m going there to borrow it instead. Was only 4 pound but why pay it when I can get it for free

Sallyp2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82030905#Comment_82030905

exactly 😊👋

Arrietty

Good morning,

weather has regressed here and I'm back to wearing my cashmere cardi's at work as it's so chilly. I think they turned the heating off when we had that little heatwave and expect us store the warmth like we're batteries 😄

I went to Sainsbugs last night to do a BIG shop and nearly fell over at the total of £119 😱 Admittedly, that was my first BIG shop since 15 April but still… I was shocked at some of the price increases. A bag of sugar cost £5.25 - I buy demerara and use it for everything and that will last me ages but the last time I bought it I think it was £3.50 for the same size bag!

I did end up buying quite a few things for the store cupboard ( like pasta and tinned sweetcorn etc) that I hadn't yet run out of because I thought I might as well because I can't imagine prices going down before my next visit in a couple of months!

I have switched to buying their own brand toothpaste because when I checked the ingredients, they're the same but theirs only costs £1 a tube! I only ever buy own-brand paracetamol and ibuprofen too.

My favourite quiches were on a 3 for £8 deal again so the freezer has also been re-stocked. I have plenty of frozen veg now and have been buying fresh multi-packs of peppers and flash-freezing them as that works really well.

Food has become my highest expenditure … costs more than keeping a horse!

PipneyJane

@Arrietty I am gobsmacked by how much prices have increased in the last few years. Everything has become much more expensive. I was listening to Martin’s podcast of last week’s BBC broadcast, when he quoted the changes in the typical power bill over the last 6+years - after the Russian invastion of Ukraine, it more than doubled! While it has decreased a bit, the Orange Cheeto’s recent actions haven’t helped.

My own records tell me that in 2014, we were paying £123/month for gas and electricity. This time last year, it was £182/month and that was fixed! In November, I used the MSE comparison and swapped to a fix with a different company, so we’re now paying £143.51/month.

Food-wise, we had the same Grocery Challenge budget (£120/month) for well over a decade, increasing it in 2020 by £20, then by a further £20 in 2024 and another £20 last July. It’s now £180/month. This is the money for supermarket shopping/general groceries, we have a separate Meat Fund for butcher shop spends. That has been £40/month for 20 years, but I’m seriously thinking that we will need to increase it soon because everything we buy at the butcher’s has doubled in price.

• Pip

suzeesu2000

Heavens @PipneyJane I thought out gas & electric were high but seems not. Ours, with Octopus, averages £85 per month and we have fans and/or AC running practically all night every night.

Nelliegrace

Our G & E bill for May was £71. It was £84 with BG in 2023. We pay for what we use each month by D. D. so we will be getting some interest on our savings towards the winter bills.

I am home all day, the thermostat will put the heating on below 17°C by day and 7°C at night. I have worn a few warmer layers these last chilly weeks.

Arrietty

@PipneyJane

It's a shocker isn't it and whilst I know there have been global events that will affect the prices of some products … I'm afraid my natural cynicism means Is suspect supermarkets are still taking advantage and trying out rises on different products to see which ones we will accept 🤨

I pay £85 a month all year round for my gas and electricity - I've never fixed my prices, preferring to be on the flexible Octopod tariff and the credit seems to build up in summer which usually covers the winter. They do tend to get a bit anxious in winter and increase my payments by some astronomical amount but I always readjust it back and so far (5 years) I've remained in credit, just not by the ridiculous amount they would like me to be!

In June 2021 I was paying £71.60 a month so I don't think my current payment is too bad. I have the hot water and heating set on timers to come on 15 minutes before I get up for an hour and then they're off all day and come on again about 15 minutes before I get home and then have another hour's boost about an hour before I go to bed. I never have to boost the water but when it's really cold I'm not shy about boosting the heating for an hour.

RateTartExtraordinaire

Hi all,

Just catching up with the last couple of week's posts. Energy cost are all relative I know. I have a 2 bed mid terrace and it isn't too bad in the south of uk for climate.

I've been pleasantly surprised though by my new energy supplier e. On emailing this after my reading:

'You're using an average of £10.65 less each month than your current Direct Debit (DD) payment covers, so from July 2026, your monthly payment is going down to £73.89, to keep your balance at a healthy level.'

I was with Oc to pus until recently and they were good to, but you always had to actively reduce the direct debit yourself.

RateTartExtraordinaire

I also have a L1oyds Club acc. magazine as my perk. I have found if you pick the right magazine and resell it on eboy you can make about £50 a year after postage and costs. 😉