Frugal Friends Facing Forward with Fortitude

[Happierwithouthim]

Here's a friendly space for new and existing frugal friends.

We have all different types of incomes and lifestyles but with a common goal of making the best of the money we have.

Many of us have experiences of becoming debt free or being in difficulty with money for one reason or another so there's no need for embarrassment, just join in, post as little or as often as you wish.

Some record daily spends, some record only spends that are unplanned, some don't record spends at all, the choice is yours!

A balance to be had but in general I think friendships aren't valued as much as they should be. There's been a lot of studies/literature on how important they are to health, wealth, and happiness. And there are opportunities to spend quality time with friends that don't cost money - video calls, walks, museums, journalling or sharing creative pursuits. Even for example you and a friend both committing to a YouTube workout and then comparing notes and keeping tabs on progress. I too am trying to make more time for this.

@Happierwithouthim happy workaversary!

Spends
£50 cleaners

Woo hoo! I found €85 in a pocket in my handbag. And I won €10 in the lotto.

Amazing!!! Congratulations Tayto!

No spends yesterday but will need £50 for the cleaner who comes tomorrow.

A new long warm puffa coat I ordered from Monki arrive today. Reduced from £95 to £29.50 using the H&M members card extra discount.

6 eggs and 2 pints of milk. £3.79 from a little village shop. Total spends for January so far £5.04 as planned on bread, eggs and milk. I will have to do an Aldi run tomorrow though as I am busy on Saturday and don't want to run stocks down too much because it makes me anxious.

Discovered £13 in top cash back. So transferred that to my account and threw it at credit card.
sunmitted invoices to insurers today re dr and osteo. So should get that back in a few days. Win.

Done some more surveys and am now up to a £10.50 balance.

Ordered home heating oil - €560 for a half-tank of oil. It's come down a bit in price thankfully.

Sorry, I've been posting a lot but not commenting on anyone else's posts. I need to do some laundry and take down all the Christmas decorations. I'll be back for a read later. DD did a big pot of chilli yesterday, so I don't have to cook dinner today 'cos there's leftovers. She's a good 'un, if I do say so myself.

@Happierwithouthim you may already be aware of it but the income tax changes announced in the budget came into effect from 1st January, so hopefully we'll see a bit of an increase in our take home pay going forward https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2024/0104/1424623-2024-income-tax-changes-take-home-pay-usc-prsi-budget/

I'd forgotten that tayto thanks for reminder, we're getting a small wage increase too.
Do you claim single parents tax credit?
You raised her well

I've spent the morning sorting my wardrobe & found 4 presents ds didn't get from Santa, I was only aware of one of them!

Ds's wardrobe is done too & too small clothes in a bag for charity, dd has been threatened with no phone for tomorrow it's rather focusing her attention on cleaning her room

Washing machine has been going all day

Excellent find and win @Taytocrisps !

Ok. So, I've taken down the tree and stand and packed it all away into its box. At some point over the weekend, I'll get DD to hold the tree box together so I can tape it around the edges. The baubles have been packed away into the bauble box and it's gone back upstairs. That bauble box was the best buy ever! Saves so much time. I've just to pack away some of the larger decorations into a plastic crate (gingerbread lady, angel, carol singers, Nutcrackers etc.) but that should only take about 10 or 15 minutes. So much dust on all the shelves! Like every year, I'm amazed at how spacious and empty the sitting room looks with everything taken down. A quick cuppa and then I'll finish it all off.

£40 on joggers, £15 hair and £28 boots all for ds

no other spend. Left over ny beef is now a chilli

Bloody hell, you lot can talk! But I prefer that to when the thread is quiet.

Great monetary find Tayto.

Pretty steady away re spends, and certainly nothing that's not essential. I'm very glad to get back to normal in truth.

£100 ish Ocado. But used quite a few price match vouchers.
£20 Boots, again essential items only and a 3 for 2 of a conditioner I use. I tried no conditioner but my very curly hair went like straw so it's a no go!

Turkey chilli again for tea, the Christmas food seems never ending but we are eating far more healthier post the Christmas splurge.

£25.80 for the dentist this morning. £9 on lunch treats from the local shop for DH, GCs and I couldn't not join in!! 😁

chile that is a good list of free / cheap socials. Thanks

tayto top decoration removal. I have done one of our 3 trees (don't ask). Our bauble box was my overlocker box. Looking how many baubles are on the 2 remaining trees I need to be on the hunt for another box.

£20 in Aldi this afternoon to feed the gannets. Money has also been spent on new charging cables and entries for art competitions.

Beans on toast for lunch and sausage and sweet potato traybake for dinner. Still using up the christmas food. Took down the tree and packed it away, I have left a token single decoration to remove on 12th night. Silly I know, but its a little nod to tradition.

Picking up BFF from airport and out to lunch. She insisted on paying as I was taxi service, so my spends were 13 on parking and a tenner tip in the restaurant (my good karma binmen's christmas card)

Second no spend day. But forgot to take my card out to get cash for the cleaner but will head out first thing to get it.

Taking the kids away for the weekend which will likely mean a spike in spending. Am planning to take as much stuff as possible to minimise costs.

nellie I am the same with regard to Xmas decorations. I gave in to DP’s pleading to take them down before 6th and am now crossing my fingers no bad luck will befall us 😀

DP and I have had a big declutter of books and taken them to local oxfam who were really pleased (i mean big, at least 100 gone!) I’ve been through lots of other stuff and I have to say it’s been quite cathartic and inspiring. I always stop short at going through sentimental stuff - letters etc - as that feels too hard. I did make a start on throwing some but then I actually stopped and thought: I don’t need to throw any of this away, I need to keep it because I’m lucky to have people in my life who have written me all these lovely letters over the course of it. And as for stuff - we all have enough clothes, we have enough books, we have enough homewares, we have DVDs and sky and prime for entertainment, we have art stuff and craft stuff and two cars and a fridge and cupboards full of food. We have loads of everything, and we’ve trimmed that down which is great, and I really need to think long and hard before I buy more. So I’m hoping frugaleers will hold me to that! I don’t think I spend a lot on ‘stuff’ as most of it is from charity shops, so I don’t think I’ll save loads by buying more carefully, but hopefully I will save by thinking about what I actually need this year.

Ok. I've gone back as a far as NYE.

Happier that sounds like a lovely catch up with your friends.

Wolf lovely to see you. I was thinking of sending you a PM - I was hoping you were ok. The NYE dinner with your friends sounded like a lovely evening. Sorry to hear about the house insurance rise. Is that because of past issues with floods? Sounds like you're well on course for your DS starting university.

2024 and Nellie some super frugal meal planning going on there.

Sing I can't believe the Caglets are well into their teens! How did that happen? And Cageltini is six! If I've read your posts properly, you and your husband are going your separate ways. Wishing you all the best going forward. For me, the hardest bit is trying to sort out DIY stuff. It's a nightmare trying to get workmen out to do jobs. I wish I had some plumbers, electricians, tilers etc. in the family. DBunny is very cute.

Unescorted that's brilliant about the savings. Sorry to hear about your NYD. I use Excel a lot but I was left scratching my head. Hope you managed to get your function working.

Rum that's awful about the leak from above! Will your/their insurance cover any damage? Glad to hear you had a nice evening out on the 30th. Sorry to hear your Ex is causing you stress. Have you seen a counsellor? Just all that stress isn't good for your health.

em Catface is so cute. DCat2 (very anxious and nervous cat) sat on my lap for the first time ever just before Christmas. We have DCats almost four years now. I was chuffed! She hasn't done it since but I took a photo so I know I didn't imagine it.

Sandy good work on the sales.

Half sorry to hear there are issued with the renovation, especially when it cost you so much. Sounds like you've put a bit of thought into possible forthcoming expenses - nice ones (new front door/expensive holidays) and not so nice ones (legal/tribunal costs).

Festive sorry to hear about your family member being unwell. Sounds like you've worked out all the likely increased costs resulting from that, and you're being proactive.

Lavender well done for recognising there was an issue and taking steps to fix it before it got any worse.

martha I know what you mean about socializing. Sometimes I get annoyed with myself for committing to things. But I must admit, I do enjoy the lunches/nights out when I go. I guess it's a case of everything in moderation. My friends were talking about a night out in January and I was thinking, "But we only just met up in December (and it was an expensive restaurant)". I'm going to explain that I'm saving hard for my holiday and invite them here for a home cooked meal and some wine instead. They can stay over so nobody has to drive home. Well, not until the next day. One of them seems to have a lot of disposable income and gets frustrated when I bring up the subject of money and how I can't afford x, y and z. Thing is, it only seems like yesterday that we were in the same boat financially (penny pinching students).

Right, I think I've caught up with most people. A big, warm welcome to all the new posters - you'll be part of the furniture in no time.

Tayto you are so good at the round up!

i am dying to take the decorations down here but DD6 (and asd) won’t hear of it until 12th night. Sigh. We’re actually off to the panto on Saturday and i haven’t even started the cheese so Christmas hadn’t finished here at all 😂

Need I. Did. Not. Know. You. Are. Curly. After all these years that passed me by - I am too so usually take note 😂. I would not leave the house without conditioner, I’d look like a dandelion clock.

So unfrugal here I can’t look you lot in the eye. Sone budgeted for - the two billy bookcases (but £45 delivery!!!! Robbery!!!) with some other ikea storage bits, and some not exactly budgeted but still considered spends. I have long planned to get myself a proper home office setup once installed in my new woman cave box room (‘study’ sounds very pretentious 😉) so I bought a big monitor, for ultimate spreadsheet joy, a laptop stand and a new ergonomic mouse as mine has been temperamental for the last year. I have also bought a cable which I hope will connect screen to laptop (but that was not as obvious as I hoped so time will tell whether I bought the right one!). And a pretty mouse mat because I’m shallow. All in all I’ve spent almost £500 on that lot. Ouch.

I am also about to book an air bnb for May half term. £1200 for a 4-bed house so DM can also come, seems pretty good. Her mobility is declining so I reckon we’ve only a couple more years where she’ll come with us on holidays and I don’t want to waste them 😕. The DC adore her and are huffy if we do anything without her, luckily DH doesn’t mind at all (she’s very easygoing and helpful too!).

Food spends are more reasonable than of late, £128 for tomorrow’s weekly shop delivery though I still need a cauliflower and chicken thighs, OOS. My cooking mojo is returning, hurrah! I need to find some new soup recipes for lunches. Veggie is fine but DH is not keen on smooth carrot/squash type soups as too ‘watery’ apparently. And I am not keen on soups based on sweet veggies like carrots and sweet potatoes anyway. But anything else goes if anyone has any favourites? This week was leek and potato, have pencilled in nigella’s lentil and chestnut and also minestrone so far.

My sourdough starter looks decidedly inert after 8 days of TLC. Sigh.

🤣 at the dandelion clock analogy @HalfWomanHalfChocolate. Love that your DC love your DM so much. How about Ribollita? That's a solid type of soup.

Enjoy the weekend away @tuttifritti

Think today will be a NSD. I'm working and then have an appointment in the afternoon. Dsil is coming to cut DH's hair (free).

Hi all, just catching up on thread before I get out of bed for my first day back to work
Spend yesterday was €5 approx on bottle of 0% cider at book club

My electricity bill came through and I'm in credit by €34.65 because the government credits of €300 covered it, however it's higher than usual so must check if that's usage or rate related, possibly out of contract.
I've €120 in electricity pot on YNAB so I'm going to put that towards credit card. The government are giving me one more credit

Tayto that's great about dcat, I want to get remaining kitten neutered but he or she isn't tame so catching her is proving difficult

half some sort of pastina? Or what about a pho?

It was usage, 100 extra units used & unit price was actually lower than previous bill.

Blue cheese and broccoli soup is nice!
im looking for ideas to use a to of jackfruit. I don’t particularly like BBQ or pulled type dishes.

Half I've been doing versions of Joe Wicks soup method. Roast tray of veg for 3o mins - so far done mushroom onion and garlic, butternut chilli onion and yellow pepper, root veg, and then blend with stock. I added cream to the mushroom one. So far working well although needs some by-eye adjustment of stock volume to get the right texture

Exhausting week at work I'm literally on my knees and working on my day off today. The house is a shit heap so needs sorting.

There's been no food shopping but I did succumb to a pizza on Wednesday after an awful day. Also bought ddog a new equafleece. A win with uncle Ernie has paid for both - first pb draw and the money (not lots and came from a death in the family before I get booted off the thread) is only in there until the new tax year so I was pleasantly surprised to win something.