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Frugal Resolutions for 2013

51 replies

Buddy80 · 03/12/2012 14:39

I will try to...

More batch cooking
Buying in bulk (Tescos have a great deal on Daz washing powder, just bought 10 boxes and got £10 cashback from cashback site)
Hanging washing
More effort to re-use instead of recyling IYKWIN

OP posts:
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Mum2Fergus · 03/12/2012 16:55

Great idea for a thread! I hearby resolve to:

  • more/better meal planning
  • stick to my weekly budget
  • not let clutter build up
  • have my house deposit in full during first half of 2013
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RarelyUnreasonable · 03/12/2012 16:58

Meal plan and batch cook
Check utility bills for cheaper deals
Sort out savings accs for the DC
Pay back at least 50% of debt

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Fluffycloudland77 · 03/12/2012 17:16

Leave BT in June 2013 (bastards)

Use car less.

Try and get more work.

I cant think of anything else....I'll have to wait and see what you all come up with and shamelessly copy them!. And learn to spell shamelessly properly.

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SoftKittyWarmKitty · 03/12/2012 17:19

Oooh, good thread! In 2013 I'm hoping planning to:

Meal plan every week (rather than just when I cba)
Earn more money, preferably by increasing my income streams
Pay back as much of my debt as possible, at least 50% by this time next year
Get some child maintenance from the CSA Hmm

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RarelyUnreasonable · 03/12/2012 17:37

Oh yes, go back to work from ML!
And go to aldi instead of Waitrose

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roguepixie · 03/12/2012 17:49

In 2013 I hereby promise to:

  1. Not to overshop ... I DO NOT need 4 boxes of polenta, apparently!!
  2. Walk for 45 mins a day - thereby negating one bus journey a day.
  3. Get into yoga Xmas Confused on the Wii so I don't need to spend at classes.
  4. Make birthday and Christmas presents.
  5. Meal plan ... and stick to it.
  6. Find a new job that pays me a little and gives me job satisfaction (not asking for much there, huh?)
  7. Check contracts and utilities so that we are getting the best deal.


...am sure there are more things ...
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2Old2BeAChristmasElf · 03/12/2012 18:04

I will try to stick to my budget each week and make some stock for my new business venture Xmas Grin

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AdoraJingleBells · 03/12/2012 18:28

Do more batch cooking, and more cooking from scratch in general. Used to do it all the time but well off the wagon the last few yearsXmas Blush

Get back to shopping a few times in the week instead of once as OH wants me to do so that I don't end up with limp veg.

Switch DD's pocket money back to cash

Stop driving hither and thither doing everything for everyone (need to save my own energy as well as petrolXmas Wink

Walk the dogs daily, although I need to walk faster than them so I'll have to do my power walk first nothing to do with me not being fit enough to run with the dogs

Take my water bottle out each day, already started reusing bottles for DDs in school. They must have a 500ml bottle of water 4 days per week for sport.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 03/12/2012 19:41

I'm going to make laundry gloop for once worn items and towels.

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ElectricSoftParade · 03/12/2012 19:57

Have started to go through our paperwork to change providers and save a bit.

Went through my wardrobe as it was just stupid. I am wearing the same clothes in rotation but cannot close the door properly. I have enough of everything and have vowed not to buy any clothes in 2013 apart from underwear and a pair of black flipflops. My downfall is that I love the charity shops and we have 4 down our very small high street. I will avoid and I will not spend.

I know there will be more and will take inspiration from the posts here.

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noisytoys · 03/12/2012 20:16

I am buying no shoes at all in 2013 and only the bare essential clothes.

Get a job

Get no more debt. None. And pay off some of the debt I have

Be grateful for what I have and don't worry about what I don't need

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crunchernumber · 03/12/2012 20:19

Marking place. Will be back later!

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ElectricSoftParade · 03/12/2012 20:21

What is laundry gloop please?

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Buddy80 · 03/12/2012 20:29

Thank you everyone Smile

Just thinking of a few more...

Ah, yes, make better use of the things I've already got. For instance, the old (and broken) cot bed sides are going to be re-used. One for an indoor, over bath clothes Airer. The other for a trellice for my peas.

No more false economy, must make myself realise that working like a Victorian housekeeper won't work more than a couple of months...play the long game Smile

Look up free courses, either at local college or on-line.

Get organised and look up free days out and put 'em in the calendar.

OP posts:
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Fluffycloudland77 · 03/12/2012 20:31

Gloop is grated soap water and soda crystals.

One bar makes 9ltrs.

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ElectricSoftParade · 03/12/2012 20:34

Thanks Fluffy. What proportions do you use? Thanks ESP

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Ghostsgowoooh · 03/12/2012 23:42

Ok I like this thread

Lets see,
I'm going to budget properly next year and sort out my bank account which is in a mess.
I'm supposed to be moving next year if my house swap is successful so I need to declutter and sell what I can
Sort out some saving accounts for the kids. Two have them two don't and put a pound a week in them. It doesn't sound much buts it will be all I can afford
Can't think of anymore just now

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AdoraJingleBells · 04/12/2012 01:55

Ghost a pound a week is a good savings plan for the DCs, it all adds up. Mine get about £10 a month, allegedly, from GPs but they never get to save any as it goes into OH's account despite them having their own accounts, they do get to spend it, when he can spare it, but that's not teaching them the right habits, IMHO. We're abroad so as people talk about giving them money I hoard their "credit" to transfer when I visitXmas Grin

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Fluffycloudland77 · 04/12/2012 08:17

Laundry Gloop off the money saving expert site;

Laundry Gloop

Equipment req.

1 v. large saucepan (stockpot is ideal)
1 wooden spoon
Jug
Bucket or similar v. large plastic storage container with lid.

For the gloop:

1 bar of ordinary soap, finely grated (c. 100g in weight if you are wanting to grate up unloved mini soaps that have sat in the bathroom for years.)
8 oz (250 g) washing soda
8oz (250g) borax or borax substitute (not essential but stops gloop from foaming and acts as deodoriser)
9 litres hot water.
A few drops of essential oils (not necessary, but adds a bit of scent)

Method.

Grate the soap as finely as you can. Old, hard soaps seem to grate the best.
Put grated soap in the large pan and add one and a half litres of boiling water. Bring this to a simmer on the stove and stir until dissolved. When the soap has dissolved, add the washing soda and borax together and stir until this is fully dissolved.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow this to cool SLIGHTLY then pour into a bucket or other large receptacle, pref. one with a lid.

Add up to 8 litres of hot water, pop lid on and allow to set in a cool place.

Mine took about eight hours to set.
When set, it will look like blancmange.
To use:
Add a small cupful directly to the DRUM of your washing machine (not the dosing drawer) with the laundry.
If you have v.smelly laundry you may wish to add a scoop of Oxy -clean type granules to the dosing drawer.
Each washload will cost me about 2p, I calculated. It would have been 1p if I hadn't used the borax.
The borax is actually borax substitute - there's no need to order this from the States, it's made in the UK by a company called Dri Pak. They do mail order.

I'm not going to use borax though.

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SoftKittyWarmKitty · 04/12/2012 10:26

noisytoys I love this: Be grateful for what I have and don't worry about what I don't need

I also love the idea of putting a pound per week into savings for DS, I'm skint but even I can afford that Xmas Smile. In fact, I might even do it for myself.

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Bakingnovice · 04/12/2012 20:02

Mine were:

Sort sky bill by removing channels we don't watch
Switch energy supplier
Meal plan
Withdraw weekly cash budget and try not to use card

I am soooo happy to say I've achieved the above. My new goals are therefore:

Sell my spare things on eBay or fb.
Get rid of the bags of clothes/shoes by ringing the clothes for cash people
Stick to meal planning and batch cooking
Use topcashback for home insurance due in jan
Help in laws with their ppi claim
Sort kids accounts where the trust fund money is (??) if its still there!

Well done everyone.

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SantaIAmSoFuckingRock · 04/12/2012 20:17

ive copied these from all your posts.


More batch cooking
Buying in bulk
More effort to re-use instead of recyling IYKWIN
Check utility bills for cheaper deals
Sort out savings accs for the DC
Use car less.
Get a job
Get no more debt. None.
Withdraw weekly cash budget and try not to use card
Sell my spare things on eBay or fb




i'm also going to use the car far less. actually i'm going to sell the car for something cheaper to run/tax/insure.

i already use laundry gloop

buy less junk food. - I am a slave to my cravings. i will have one more KFC before new year though Grin

i'm going to 'need' less. as in stop myself from buying that new water filter jug because i think i need it when actually i've been drinking unfiltered tap water for ages and it's fine

i'm going to bake my own bread and cakes.

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nkf · 04/12/2012 20:21

Earn more.
Speed up debt repayment.
Learn even more budget recipes.

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umiaisha · 05/12/2012 11:05
  1. Get up early and walk kids to school, saving petrol and getting a good work out.
  2. Start making an effort to stop wasting electricity, water and gas. Also need to shop around for good energy deals.
  3. Stick to food budget and stop wasting food.
  4. Cut down on eating out, coffee and cake out.
  5. Get even more use out of our merlin passes
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ghosteditor · 05/12/2012 11:17

I've realised that despite bulging wardrobes I only wear the same few items of clothing, so have had a huge cull (2 large black bin bags) - and have only hoarded a few likely items for eBay selling. I feel so much better! So, planned capsule wardrobe it is for 2013 Grin.

Try out meal planning, increase batch cooking.

I'm intrigued by laundry gloop but have no where to store it really.

Buy more of my clothes from eBay I think!

Do yoga DVDs instead of sulking that I can't make classes anymore.

Smile

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