2026 Frugal Living Challenge

mandy47

@dND we're definitely better prepared than many thanks to all the contributions on here. Always a place to turn for advice. What a team we have!

Frugaldom

Good afternoon fellow frugalers, I don't know how we've gone almost three quarters of the way through yet another year! Scary!

I need to count up my grocery shopping but know for a fact I don't and couldn't spend £200 a month to enable me to take advantage of Santander offer but I did catch the 8% regular saver as advertised for Lloyds, Halifax, BoS and am still chasing that elusive maxed out status on premium bonds. Each small win is a step closer.

Rain returned here again so it's a bit strange seeing sensationalised news claims suggesting the whole of the UK is suffering drought conditions when it's mainly England. If I could send you guys some rain then I would happily do so. We are so lucky in this country that we have so much free water. It's still fairly warm so that, unfortunately, means we still have the midges.

Apples are slowly growing and the blueberries are beginning to show early signs of ripening. A friend harvested done rosehips and brought them along as treats for ponies and goats. Olio was good last week with enough to cover two main meals plus the usual baked goods and some yoghurt. Best rescue was fresh apricots, so I've been having them as snacks.

My pound coins collection is mounting up nicely and I've even had a few £2 coins. The children are no longer interested in the spare change coppers... Is anyone else finding they aren't worth saving any longer?

weenancyinAmerica

No one seems to be collecting anything but new-themed stuff - no stamp collecting or coin collecting, nothing that we collected when we were young. Postcards are out because of computers. Not even sure about doll collecting or the like either.

PipneyJane

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82104748#Comment_82104748

@mandy47 that’s good news! I am very relieved for you. My DH has been going through something similar, for the best part of a year. In his case, the “pool” collapsed, so his job is safe, but it’s not nice having the threat of redundancy hanging over you for months.

@Frugaldom we have three rules in this household:

• Never spend a £2 coin
• Never spend coppers
• Never spend 5p pieces

All three go into their own moneyboxes, which get cashed in when full. It is taking longer to fill up the moneyboxes, but the harder thing is getting them banked once full. We routinely bag them up in official bags and quantities, but Lloyds won't accept more than 10 bags in a day. DH and I have been known to count out the bags, then each of us goes into the branch to bank a batch. Meanwhile, the other person is lurking around the corner from the branch, so that it doesn't look like we're breaking the rules.

This rule came in during/pre-Pandemic, because I remember convincing the bank staff to accept more than 10 bags when they first reopened after the first Lockdown because "..we need it to pay bills..". They let us do it "..just this once…".

• Pip

Frugaldom

@weenancyinAmerica I know a commemorative coin and postcard collector, if that counts. 😁

@PipneyJane I have resorted to spending mine whenever cash is an option. Almost all my transactions are by card / online so I now try to spend the coins in the village store and drop any change in their charity tin. For me, now, it's a bit like celebrating the success of perpetual frugal living. Having been through previous times of huge debts, the uncertainty of homelessness and ridiculously low income, I think I'll make my new 'hobby' giving away whatever the children don't want. 😁

RateTartExtraordinaire

Hi all,

Thanks for the great tips on the making the mascara and nail polish go further. I will have to try those.

Frugal things done recently:

Made elder berry and apple jam - not very much, just from what I gathered when pruning back the overgrown alley behind where I live. I saw a few recipes online and tried one without straining it as the health benefits are better if you keep the skins. Equal quantities of berries to sugar, lemon juice and an apple. It was a bit messy so had to be careful. Annoyingly, I saw a tip afterwards from freezing them on the stalks and then just popping them off with a fork! I'll have to try that next time. Anyway, the result is very tasty, although it does have quite a few little pips, which might put some off but I don't mind them. Otherwise, you can strain them out. The elderflower cordial I made in a few months ago went down very well. I made three little bottles and one big one. The little bottles went first. I gave one to my mum and one to my partner's mum. I'm saving the big bottle for Christmas!

I have done a couple of cashback deals on bank switched. I'm in the process of switching my donor bank account to B of S. I'm planning to do the H S B C switch deal next.

My partner has now got the frugal bug! I am glad he has finally arrived to the party :D He has made a spreadsheet to compare prices at different supermarkets for all the products we use. This has resulted in doing the shop in three different places each week. It is quite time consuming, but he doesn't mind making extra trips.

I need to 'wear something blue' to an event and I don't have anything. I will have to starting looking in the local CSs. I've been told it can be accessories or nail varnish. I have navy stuff but it has to be a particular London football club blue. I may just ask around and see if I can borrow something from a friend.

The car window wash spray was not working well. Trickling out with no force. A neighbour popped out while I had the bonnet open on the car. He was very helpful. At first I thought the pump might have gone, but we could still hear the pump working. I managed to order a new nozzle and checked the pipe for blockages and replaced a valve. it is working now. Phew! Avoided a trip to the garage.

Spending:

I have finally contacted some local plasterers to get an idea what it is going to cost me to repair the lath and plaster ceiling which is sagging. I've been living with it, but I do worry it may fall on someone's head. So I'd better get it sorted. No idea what quotes I'm going to get…

I have a couple of friends trying to tempt me on holiday next year. I may wait for the plastering quotes to come in before I commit to the holiday.

Frugaldom

I've just checked the Sainsbury's online offer and discovered that our address is within the new delivery area. We got the leaflet through the door offering the £18 off £60 shop so I signed up and found a weekend delivery slot for £1! I registered my Nectar card, which is currently points free, and saved a further £5+ on card offers. I'll see how it goes with the delivery as I ticked 'no substitutions'. Am I right in thinking their stores own basics are now branded as Stamford Street or is there a more basic than that version that's just not available online?

maryb

Stamford Street is their value line, nothing cheaper. Often price matched with Aldi but you get Nectar points. Basic Nectar points take forever to accrue but if you go on the Nectar website they have offers for extra points plus bonus Nectar prices. You have to actively choose them, they’re not automatically applied. I don’t buy everything in Sainsbury’s but even so I found I was getting enough points to get an extra £2.50 voucher about once a month doing this

fionaandphil

You need to check the app each week Frugaldom and activate the bonus points and prices to make the most of the Nectar points. Sadly very few double ups on now - I used to keep mine and buy all our Christmas wine with them! I now try and save them and use them in January for a 'free' month.

annieb64

Popped into Sainsbury's on Monday to pick up a new toaster from Argos and some cereal.They had sides of salmon better than half price so had to buy one.It is now cut up and in the freezer.