2018 Frugal Living Challenge

PennyGrabber · 1 January 2018 at 11:36AM

Good morning everyone!

Today is the first day of the rest of our lives!

I have a goal for the year, but I have broken it down to given myself a more manageable monthly goal. I've started my journal (a free diary from oh work) and made a list of frugal activities for today. One 'big' task is to set up the to-sell box, so that whenever my children or I are sorting out, we can add to that box and I can sell it (or give to charity). Everything in its place...

One really simple thing that will help me to be more frugal is to have a tidy and clear house... I needed a needle a couple of months ago, so went out and bought one as I had no idea where one would be in the house (I am a crafter, so should've known!). Anyway, I needed one again two days ago, but thought I'd look where they lived first. Bingo!! I know this is obvious to most, but I've been really ill for the last God knows how long (20/30 years), and so this is something I'll be working on this year.

Will go out and buy bread and milk today. Can't do a normal shop as aldi is shut. May even walk there, thus saving fuel money too. I'm kinda loving being frugaller than I used to be!! (Yes, I know that's not a word, but still...!)

PG x

PlaysNicely · 1 January 2018 at 12:49PM

:wave:

Happy 2018 to everyone!

We've had a good start with the frugal budgets, largely due to focusing on using up leftovers and aiming for no food waste to help cut the grocery budget. Our leftovers from Christmas Day / Boxing Day meals cooked for visitors have morphed into:
* Spicy parsnip (& misc root veg) soup - two days' worth of meals.
* Turkey & ham / cheesy leek pies (OH is the meat-eater) - plenty made so 4 meat and 2 cheesy ones into freezer too.
* Ham carbonara / cheesy leek carbonara.
* Veg curry (with added chick peas for me, added turkey for OH).

I should have been paid but it hasn't gone into bank yet so current aim is to make it to Thursday 4th Jan before doing any grocery shopping (local market day so ideal for cheap fresh veg). Weirdish meal plan:
Today looks like being a picnic of remaining cheese, crackers and chutney etc.
Tues - another carbonara meal probably;
Weds : have a job lot of OH's homemade pickled beetroot which has been opened, so may be recycled into a beetroot curry with any other use-ups.

Still using up Christmas pudding, may look up how to make Xmas pud ice cream as I think there's some vanilla knocking around the freezer.

Totally agree with what you're saying PennyGrabber - I've made myself a cupboard rule for 2018: check the cupboards before putting anything onto a shopping list, just in case the necessary item (or usable alternative) is already there, as I think whilst my OH's not working, the key to our frugal budgets is going to be reducing spending where possible (even if there is a budget for it)!

Hope everyone's doing OK and has a great day, PN x

FrankieM · 1 January 2018 at 12:56PM

Morning All

I'm feeling a little fragile this morning. A lot of alcohol was consumed last night and not much food eaten until a cheeky kebab at just before midnight..lol

But I still have money in my purse and tbf that may be my spending money for the rest of the month so probably just as well. Just as well also that I'm doing dry January and no takeaways! Cause there's not that much in the purse

Still, a new year, a new week and it's a Monday (my favourite day)

My son is coming back from Uni for the week. I don't think he's got food or money until his next loan payment..a very timely visit to his lovely mum. lol

So, it's bolognaise that I made earlier in the month and froze and I've done a 'menu' for the week.

I'm also aiming to lose 1lb a week. Weight loss has been an ongoing challenge for me so I've decided to make it as easy as possible. Almost so easy I can't fail. So that's also part of my frugal plan. Good, healthy food, organised and batch cooked when needed.

Back to work tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it. I'm not great without a routine.

Hope you all have a good day xx

DawnW · 1 January 2018 at 1:43PM

Not a NSD today as I needed milk. My brother has been staying since before Christmas and he and OH go through gallons of it in tea (I don't like / have it in my drinks personally). Also had to order DD2's birthday present (her birthday is on Friday).

I too am on a use up mission, made 'pizzas' from a stale half loaf, sliced, buttered, topped with a couple of spoonfuls of chopped tinned tomatoes, and on this batch, some chopped red pepper, some flakes of ham and grated / chopped cheese. V. popular lunch, and you can top it, after the butter and tinned tomato stage, with whatever you have / like. They need about 15 mins in a hottish oven to melt the cheese

Also made a pot of lettuce and potato soup which will do for lunch another day - used up a pack of 2 lettuces that hadn't got eaten, plus I chucked in the last few frozen peas from a bag

Dinner will be a toad in the hole made with a pack of veggie sausages from the freezer, that I got in before Christmas for a young 'vegetarian' visitor, who decided she would rather have fish fingers :rotfl:

I have had to start a shopping list, but will try not to go before the end of the week. There won't be a lot on the list, but unavoidable things such as loo rolls, fresh fruit etc will be needed.

Can't add any NSDs yet, but I am going to count the items I sorted out and bagged up for the CS to update my Decluttering total

Ladykernow · 1 January 2018 at 1:59PM

Happy new year!

Nonnadiluca · 1 January 2018 at 7:21PM

Can I just ask if you would count a gift card purchase as a spend?
I received a £50 M&S gift card before Xmas for fixing my gas and electricity for 2 years at £49 a month, down from £56, which I was pleased with. I have used it today to get some things that were needed and long awaited and had the added bonus of being in the sale.
Do you think I should include it in my budget or count it as a freebie?

Penny2myName · 1 January 2018 at 7:36PM

I did the £4000 for a year back in 2009 and was pretty close to it,now I really need to organize myself again, so would like to join the new challenge. The only hick up for me is I am no longer a single parent, but a married woman with no dependents, though the husband will not willingly join in the challenge so I need to do it based on myself only and not as a household. Since all the household bills come out of my account, that bit is easy.

bustiblondilocks · 1 January 2018 at 8:05PM

Total daily spend £4.94
Saved over £5 on December 18 food budget by buying RTC Christmas puddings!
Also bought cereal.
Quite happy with the advanced planning

Smijil · 1 January 2018 at 8:47PM

I would like to join we are going to be on a very tight budget due to having our 2nd child in Feb, 1st one is 4 so starts school in Sept 2018.
Pretty stressed about how much we will have to live on as I recently got made redundant too.
Thanks

Smijil · 1 January 2018 at 8:58PM

So today I am starting with £50 week for food £20 week petrol we will be living off my maternity allowance of 140 a week my husband's wage covers the bills and mortgage.
I have gone through our freezer and wrote down everything in each draw and taken note of what we already have so this week I have spent £37 on food. This includes bits for mine and my husband's lunch my daughter is at a childminder so her food is included.
Baby due end of Feb so maternity starts end of jan. I am freelance due to being made redundant a week after I found out I was pregnant so hopefully I can find work for January to make extra money to pay credit cards off.
I want to try to pay off debt as well so need to be very frug8.
Any tips please let me know
Thanks

2018 Frugal Living Challenge

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