2026 Frugal Living Challenge

ET22

Decided on making a "nature journal" with pics of flowers and leaves and trees etc, find out what they are called and what date in the year I found them. Its free and brings something inspiring into my life. The only money i want to spend for a while is the odd 10 pounds local coach trips to scenic places.

Been back to the library to get the Lord of the rings trilogy. Also i took back the last book and so didnt get any charges for late renewals, I have now come to my personal realisation that even if it is from a charity shop and i dont NEED it,for me it was more about the thrill of handing my bank card over. I dont have lots of clothes, but my financial situation is that im on benefits paying a mortgage so I reconsidered a trip to a local charity shop today. Didn't go. went for a long walk, watched you tube and will read a book. The frying pan will have to wait, I can manage for now. ive got one that looks a tad scruffy but it works :-)

ET22

oh, forgot to say, i changed my internet provider from vodafone to plusnet. its a bit cheaper and also get a free gift card for 100 quid

Frugaldom

Good evening to all. 😊

@ET22 I'm also in the scruffy frying pan club but after seeing the prices even in supermarkets for large and cheap... I'll make do with the old one for a little while longer.

Placed my August order for home delivery as there was a £1.50 slot for later this week but oh, my goodness, how prices keep escalating. Even with the benefit of Olio, I'll be lucky to keep within my £100 a month budget. I've spent extra in the local village store for ice creams, biscuits & crisps etc for friends & visitors and I keep forgetting to deduct stuff like coffee, tea, sugar and milk for Frugaldom project.

I planted some beans but they don't seem to have germinated even after soaking them. I also planted a bed of potatoes but had to cover them in straw. I need to find my gardening mojo but it sometimes feels so pointless when there's so little time & energy for tending veg beds.

Cherryfudge

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82084077#Comment_82084077

I'm a keen car boot buyer - and it's so easy to spend unnecessarily just because things are a bargain! Your post is s good reminder that we can enjoy what we already have, not just the acquisition of new things. In the winter when there aren't any car boot sales, I sometimes look through my bookshelves for the summer's car boot bargains (books being a huge weakness) and take one down to enjoy it properly. Going for a walk could be even better, as you get daylight and exercise as well as the changing seasons and possibly meeting people to talk to.

ET22

@Cherryfudge , i just went and counted my jumpers for the winter. I've got 4 thick ones and a massively heavy one i use more like a coat in winter because its baggy too. I love it , don't care what i look like. My daughter bought it for me from a car boot sale and its the best thing ever.

What I do need to find is a couple of bar soap holders with drainage to keep them dry between washes. I bought a shampoo bar from Lush weeks ago and its really good, lathers up really well, it is likely to last longer than a bottle of shampoo too which get messy. Maybe poundland or somewhere cheap might have them. I only use bar soap now too because it lasts longer.

I also worked out the cost of running my washing machine on the 20 degree eco wash for 1hr 40 minutes which was about 12 pence and the dishwasher full load on a 3.30hr eco wash was less than 30 pence. The dehumidifier also only costs 5 or 6 pence an hour. Chat gpt can work it out based on the electricity provider tariff and the make or model of the machine.

I like to think i try to keep costs down. But there is always something new to learn which is why i like coming on here.

Prudent

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82084077#Comment_82084077

Have you watched a Youtube Channel called Molly Ella? She does some good videos on how slow frugal living and nature inspire her journals. It is a beautifully narrated channel which resonates with a move away from the endless cycle to buy and own 'stuff'. She lives in a tiny home and manages with remarkably few of the things we think we need.

Prudent

I have to blush at my own post above as I have been on a wee buying spree on Vinted. I have noticed how cheap out of season clothes are on there. I like to buy a specific pair of Hotter boots which are £100 at full price and usually about £80 with promotions. I live in these boots from early autumn until late spring so they have heavy usage. I probably need to invest in some new ones every three years or so and then the older ones are used for walks. This year I needed to replace two pairs (I usually work with two or three pairs). I found one pair for £17 and one pair for £20 on Vinted. Both were brand new and still in the box. I have also bought a couple of cardigans and a jumper. I badly need jumpers, so I will look out for a couple more. All brand new M&S at £3 each plus delivery. My workplace used to call this 'spend to save ' budgeting…so that is my excuse!

ET22

@Prudent , Thankyou . I’m always in YouTube looking for things to watch and things to learn 😊. I’ll give it a go today.

If you need things and need replacements and can afford it , and they are really good quality , it’s a bargain. It is spend to save !
and if you fancy a change and can afford it then why not 😊

maryb

Prudent, you prompted me to look on Vinted and I found a pair of M&S cord trousers new with tags in one of the colours I was looking for.

Nelliegrace

@ET22 Is this any good? The rack can be removed to clean, then clicks back in.