2020 Frugal Living Challenge

I'm in again - and hoping to be more active in the challenge for 2020. 2019 has shot past, and I really don't think I've done particularly well (although I am holding my head above water despite my car having needed a number of repairs this year).

I need to get some savings sorted, as I was told a couple of years ago my central heating boiler probably won't last much longer and the car is being nursed from one MOT to the next. My next bill is going to be a new battery for my house alarm though. When we had a power cut a couple of weeks ago it went off immediately (back up battery should stop that), and the battery's been making some high pitched hums since then which I can hear from my bedroom and is causing me problems sleeping. It's coming up to 18 years old, so I guess it's probably done it's time?!?!?



In 2020 I want to make serious inroads into my personal food mountain (I'd love to be able to get all my ambient groceries into my kitchen cupboards - and even then I'd have a lot for a singleton as I have a large family kitchen!), but I do need to train myself to stop buying things just because they're on a good deal and will get used 'eventually' I also have quite a stockpile of toiletries and cleaning products (mostly bought on special deals or store closing down discounts), so shouldn't have to buy much along those lines (I do need a box of washing powder, but my last box from A1di has probably lasted me 12 months so it won't break the bank). And I want to really, really take serious steps down the dejunking road - hopefully bringing in some extra pennies while I'm doing it.


Things are still manic at work.


An office transfer in July means I no longer have commuting costs (I can walk/run/cycle) and the commute is quicker (if I use the direct route), as well as not being at the mercy of road works/snarl ups because of accidents etc.. It also means I can fit in additional exercise (brisk walking, slow running or cycling) as my commute instead of needing additional time for it - all those things are good Since my office transfer I've lost 11lb, and the only thing that's changed is that my commute is no longer done in the car!



But in the 20 weeks I've been there they've changed our start & finish times twice (so I still haven't learned them, and have to check a note in my phone every day!), and they're now talking of changing contracts for a good number of us as there are 7 different contacts running in the office (25 staff I think) with each of those contracts being for a different number of hours. Rumour I heard today is that anyone under 31 hours a week (I'm currently on 27.5) will be made up to 31 which will take us down to 4 contracts. Whilst the extra money (finger in air calculation says £30/week take home) will be useful, I really don't want to be working more hours by starting 40-50 minutes earlier every morning



Since the office transfer I no longer get 2 days a week off work (which were very, very rarely 2 days together), but instead I work 5 weeks of 6 days and then get a week off instead. This is working well for me, and is the main reason I wanted a transfer to this office above the others I could commute to without a car (it's the only office in the area that operates this way, and there aren't many left in the country do it). Single days got lost (by the time I got up and organised to do anything it was time to be clearing up again!), but with a full week I can do several hours a day at a task and start to see a difference - and I can even go up to my parents place in the Lakes (which they can no longer cope with) and do jobs up there for them.


I'm next off Christmas week, then I have a week of annual leave late January and a rest week 2 weeks later (both of which I plan to use for jobs around home), then I have 2 weeks off together in March (one leave, one a rest week), and plan to spend a few days during that time in the Lakes (spring clean and some minor repair jobs - such as a curtain rail that's coming down which my fella plans to sort out).


I'm hoping that across those 5 weeks I should manage to get a reasonably accurate food inventory completed (started it on my week off earlier this month, so I already have a good selection of stock pile put to one side to use between now and the end of March). Christmas week I plan to do a full stocktake of my freezers (again), and this time I need to train myself to keep it updated (only takes a minute or two each time I take something out/put something it, but I always leave it until 'later' and then forget).


And I also need to set 5-10 minutes aside each evening to update my accounts, as trying to do it weekly (which is a habit I quickly fall into) sees me losing patience and very quickly giving up completely. I think I'll probably have to set an alarm on my phone to remind me, which is working for several other daily/weekly tasks I have to do.

I am in for 2020. Having come back to posting regularly I finally feel like I am getting back on track and want to keep it that way next year too.

I have already had a chat with OH about finances next year and there are a couple of goals we want to make progress on. One is our FIRE fund and the other is to start saving to give our 3 nieces cash gifts for their 18th birthdays. The first one is 6 years away and the youngest is 11 years away so we have plenty time. We don't have any kids of our own and feel like we'd really like to do this for them as they decide about college/jobs/driving lessons etc.

I joined part way through 2019 and cleared all my debts, for me 2020 will be about saving a deposit for a house. Hopefully I can keep up the frugal living throughout 2020

Can i join please?

Hi I only joined in a couple of months ago, but I'm doing better already.

I'm definitely up for 2020. No debts but the car is getting a bit long in the tooth, I would like a holiday and to increase my savings.

No pressure then. :rotfl: