2018 Frugal Living Challenge

datlex · 15 September 2018 at 2:44PM

Just been re-reading through all the posts. It is noticeable how much quieter the thread gets as the year has progressed. But I suspect that it is because life just continues, people have had their holidays etc.

I have been in my bungalow now for a few months and I am loving living here. I have reviewed my budget- the back garden is badly overgrown and has some rubbish in, to the extent it will take more than a strim to get rid of it all. Hence, I am saving up to have it cleared. I also have a second bedroom/ dining/spare room (It doesn't currently have a designated purpose). I need to get furniture for that or move old furntiure from main bedroom and get new for the bedroom, hence am also saving for that. I am also overpaying by £10 a week on my mortgage.

I haven't actually had a holiday away this year- we've had visits by and to family. We have one more next week. Then no more breaks until Christmas/New Year when I have two and a half weeks off!

I'd forgotten some of the items earlier on here- the bin collections for example. How on earth do you folk on fortnightly collections cope? We are on weekly collections here for black bins. (non recycling household waste). Our waste gets turned into electricity- hence the weekly collections.

The bulky waste collection was also concerning- here it is £10 for up to 5 non electrical items. There is no limit on how often you can arrange a collection. If you have electrical items it is £10 for 2 items. Only difficulty is things like curtains rods over 6ft- they won't take them.

I'm still debt free it has been tempting to get back into it in order to get things done on this place, but I know it will be worth the wait saving up and I will likely be able to afford something nicer if I wait.

This week I have £19 left to spend plus money already set aside for weekly takeaway and not a lot extra to buy before pay day.

I have decided on one frugal measure though- a plate rack for my bench: my plates are too big for the cupboards (doors won't close fully)- so it was either a case of smaller plates or saving for new kitchen cupboards. (I will need a new kitchen eventually- but I want time to save for one that will last). It occurred to me that if I got a stand, I would save quite a bit of money. * Update- realised I had a suitable stand that baking ware was on, so reallocated the use of it. Baking ware doesn't actually need a stand.

FrankieM · 24 September 2018 at 6:54AM

Helloooo

Sorry about the lack of posting for ages and ages.

It's been a frugal money nightmare here the past few weeks.

It's been an expensive couple of months with birthdays and meals out but I also managed to smash my phone, break my freezer and get a parking ticket.

So, it's real frugal living from here to the end of the year. Earning a bit extra but also looking very seriously at my spending and pretty much trying not to (spend that is)

My phone was covered under insurance, so only excess to pay. I've borrowed a freezer from my DD. It's a lot smaller than my original but I'm giving it a go because there's a small one being stored and if I can get on with a smaller one then I can have that. And my parking ticket..well, my ex DH gave me a tenner towards it as I was dropping him and DS off when I got it.

On the plus side, I saved all the meat by squishing it into the freezer on my fridge freezer and made all the frozen veg into soup (well it's more like baby food..pretty thick!)

I've also found some random Ikea curtains, which I'm going to try to line with something and put up.

I've spent the last couple of weeks on the Oldstyle board, reminding myself of where I can save money and that we all find our own 'simple life' . It's where I first started on the boards and it feels like getting back to my roots.

Have a good day everyone

cw18 · 24 September 2018 at 2:33PM

datlex wrote: »

I'd forgotten some of the items earlier on here- the bin collections for example. How on earth do you folk on fortnightly collections cope? We are on weekly collections here for black bins. (non recycling household waste).

Those on fortnightly are lucky.

My green bin (garden and food) is fornightly, apart from Christmas/New Year when we miss the collection we're due one of those weeks.

Brown (glass, plastic and tins), blue (paper, card and tetrapacks), and black (everything else) are collected once every 3 weeks.

I regularly see people moaning on the council FB page, but it's not a problem for me even though my blue and brown are half sized. My brown, blue and black only go out a few times a year. - so far this year brown has been Jan, June & Aug, blue has been May, and black has been Jan and Aug, The green only goes out during lawn mowing season, when I struggle to get everything in it even if I only mow the lawns and leave all the pruning & weeding alone!

Kerry_Woman · 24 September 2018 at 8:42PM

Trying my best this month. Achieving NSD's. Will be going over the food/household budget this month. Am buying items for the flat that are either bamboo/stainless steel. Recycling plastic items where possible. Joined a fitness centre, pay as you go. Been swimming twice. It is a nice swimming pool, shower and changing area. Waiting to hear from decorator/painter as to when he can start. He has given me a very reasonable quote to do the whole flat and has good reviews. Planning to sort out the flat by the end of the year. Did end a very toxic friendship a month ago. Life has been better without that friendship and financially better.

FrankieM · 25 September 2018 at 6:59AM

Morning

The curtains I have are two single ones, so that's two windows done. I just need to buy curtain poles and curtains for the lounge room. As well as some kind of fleece or lining for the curtains I have. I've got a good idea of what I doing/getting.

Last winter was colder in the house than I was expecting and it feels 'good' to be thinking about it now before the cold weather hits so that I can be cozy in my home this year and not be spending a fortune on my utility dd.

as it is they've put it up by £10, I'm assuming that's based on last years usage statement so I'm hoping to reduce it again in a month or two when I've shown that I'm not using as much.

I really need to relook at my supplier. I find the fact that they just put your dd up all the time really annoying. It'd be nice if they at least gave you the year to see how you go though I guess it saves you having a big bill.

Treasurequeen · 25 September 2018 at 6:59PM

Fallen off the frugal way lately been a costly few months. Have started buying presents for Christmas in the summer so have spread the cost slightly. I have started buying foods for Christmas that have a long best before date so they are stored away. I've noticed prices are increasing slightly for the seasonal stock already.

My cash isa interest rate has gone down but I noticed that I was entitled to my banks loyalty isa as I have been with them for 11 years now, that pays more interest. My isa only contains my emergency fund but interest counts so I will transfer my old one into the new one when it goes live in a few days time.

I bought a draught excluder for a few pounds in charity shop as my front door is letting a cold draft in. I can't alter door as it is a fire door but the draught excluder will help with the draft. For some reason there is a massive gap between door frame and the door. I have also got my old draught excluder out from storage to put by my patio door as that too is letting a draught in. All cracks in window will be corked at the weekend.

shish100 · 25 September 2018 at 7:56PM

Sounds like everyone is battening down the hatches for winter.

One of the jobs for the weekend will be to tidy the log store and chop up any oversized pieces that have been given to us. Then I will have an indication of how much more I need to buy to see us through the winter.

I am also going to be doing a survey of my cupboards, fridge and freezer. Then I will prioritise eating what has limited life left in it. Then a bit of batch cooking. Batch-cooking makes life easier after work especially in the winter when I feel like hibernating.

FrankieM · 26 September 2018 at 6:59AM

My 'frugal ways' have taken quite the battering Treasurequeen My own fault really as I've budgeted for money before I've received it and frittered £20 here and there and they really add up!

Talking of battering down the hatches for winter, I've got at least one slow puncture on my car so I'm getting that looked at today and I gave the heating a blast last night to see if it was working okay and the downstairs rads don't heat up so I'll be on to the landlord to get that fixed.

My list is firmly made for the winter things I need for the house so I'll be buying what I need soon and getting the house as cozy as I can.

I also need to stock up on winter things for the car so I need to get a list done.

I'm also a big fan of having home made frozen meals stocked shish100 I'm working my way through the meat that defrosted slightly but then it'll getting the freezer stocked up, knowing that there's always something I can eat.

nannygladys · 26 September 2018 at 3:23PM

Hi everyone, its been a long time since I came on the forums so not much frugalling has been happening as I tend to go off the boil unless Im accountable, I know ….!!! no excuse really, but Im having to cut back quite drastically for the next few months (no debt but no savings either) as I have a couple of big bills coming in and I only get the state pension, I will be on poo hill if Im not careful, so from today the frugalling starts again - I cant afford any debt.

I got paid today so I thought 'lets get going, I can do this' and hopefully I will get back into the swing again and actually be a better person for it. (no more waste)

So Ive taken gas and electric readings and submitted them to the utilities company and I can compare it again on next pay day, I have got out of the habit of doing this and my DD has gone up!!

I have made a loaf (well the breadmaker has!) as I have the ingrediants in and made a pot of tomato soup with home grown toms, celery from the freezer and everything else from my cupboards. Not sure about tea, but as Im not going out Im sure I'll find something. My freezer and cupboards are full of food, so I'll be using a LOT from them!!

So here goes, my journey starts again and to be honest I don't need any more winter clothes, no household items and I have no excuses for not doing it!!!!

Nannyg

PS Looking forwards to being sensible again

cw18 · 26 September 2018 at 4:45PM

FrankieM wrote: »

I gave the heating a blast last night to see if it was working okay and the downstairs rads don't heat up so I'll be on to the landlord to get that fixed.

Could be as simple as air in the system. I bleed my radiators a few times a year, otherwise some of them stop heating as they become full of air instead of water.

2018 Frugal Living Challenge

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