2026 Frugal Living Challenge

MePlus4

Coming out of the frugal shadows with a suggestion @Frugaldom not sure what your project is, but could you reach out to local home educators? Teenagers and parents would likely join in and would give the home educated kids experiences too whilst fitting in with the education requirements. Lots of home ed families are very frugal so would fully embrace a frugal project i'm sure!

MrsCD

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82088170#Comment_82088170

Ah, I get it, thanks. Just back into RL after hols so it's taking a bit time to catch up with everything!

butterfly2507

i've got an email from @pple music today telling me that they'll rise their prices … from 16,99€ to 19,99€ 😱 turns out i actually subscribed to a family plan when i was supposed to have an individual one. now that it's changed i will only be charged 11,99€ per month, thank god haha

Debsnewbudget

my daughter has just been round and I was explaining my problem with the kilner bottles

To which she just took off the metal bit that had the plastic on ……….

They went in the oven no problem then

She did make comments about how she would have to tell her brother that mum had done something silly again

PipneyJane

Does anyone else have an account with Coventry Building Society? They have a loyalty offer, where you can make £300 by switching a current account to the C0-0p Bank (which they now own). Fortunately, a month ago, I opened a second “sacrifice” bank account at my main bank and moved two direct debits to it. It’s now going to serve its purpose and transfer to the C0-0p. I will have to transfer in - and promptly transfer out - £1,500 a month for three months, plus make 5 debit card payments, but the hassle is worth it for £300.

The only thing the application process didn’t do, was ask me for my Coventry account details. However, as all my other details are the same, I’m assuming that won’t matter. (I used the link from the email they sent me.)

In other news, I spent money yesterday in order to save some. The battery in my 4-year-old iPhone 13 Mini has been deteriorating. It got to the point where the phone would be flat by mid-afternoon. Rather than spend £799+ on the latest model iPhone, I had the battery replaced for £110 at our local phone place. (It’s an official Apple battery.) As long as they still supply it with software updates, that means this phone will last me another 4 years. It also means that I don’t have to buy a phone that is larger and won’t fit in my pockets. Win-win.

• Pip

Prudent

@PipneyJane I am kicking myself over the Coventry offer. I had a 'burner' account for years and did quite a few transfers. I closed it last year when I felt I had run out of options. However you have given an idea. I run two currents accounts with my main bank (and another with Nationwide for the £100 annual bonuses and linked savers). The second account with my main bank is my grocery account which gives me an easy way to keep track of my grocery spends. I will transfer a couple of direct debits to it. I am not sure how long these will need to have been active for a transfer, but it may come in useful.

dND

Due to a vet visit this later this morning I made an early trip to my local L1dl. As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm or in this case a nice, fruit heavy, veg box. 😁 I alway look out for the fruit heavy ones as fresh fruit is where I cut back on groceries. The only 'problem' for me in this box is the carrots as they are not a go-to veg for me but I will think of something for them. 🤣

I was looking at the Coventry offer; I don't have a sacrificial account and I'm with FD for my main account and really don't want to lose that. As a state pensioner I would never qualify for an account with them again. The monies in (and out), would be difficult, it's almost 2 month's pension, and I know I would find it stressful continually shuffling the money around. But, I may set up an account somewhere else, I have a couple of savings accounts where I think I could open a current account so maybe that will be my winter project.
Something I've realised over time is that you need money to save money, be that having money to shuffle or having enough to bulk buy when you see offers etc.. Following the frugaling tips I can definitely do the latter. 😁 Dxx

Cherryfudge

@dND , could you set up standing orders between your accounts on staggered dates so that enough goes through each account each month but you don't have the problem of trying to remember?

boultdj

@dND do you bake? If so grate the carrot up to use in cakes, same as beetroot it adds sweetness.

dND

@Cherryfudge That's something I will look at over the winter; I don't have the headspace at the moment. 😁

@boultdj I have a jar of dried grated carrot already and I'm currently up to my ears in courgette/marrow so that's the cakes I'm on at the moment. 🤣 My current thought is to roast them with the shallots I got along with some baby beetroot from the garden and anything else in the bottom of the fridge that needs using up. I like to have some vegetable bases in the freezer ready for the upcoming casseroles.

Dxx