Amigos actively attempting austere actions August 24>

[Happierwithouthim]

Link to last thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/cost_of_living/5007277-familiar-friends-in-frugalityfeb-24?latest=1

All welcome, the vibe is frugal life to make the things that matter possible, which is different for everyone, some of us have overcome debt, separations etc. All are friendly and we're sometimes chatty, sometimes quiet.

Don't lurk, join in

Happy Christmas everyone! I have been a silent watcher of the thread for a while, but plan to hop back on in 2025, when I relaunch my financial plans for the next phase of life.

In 2025, I should: reduce my costs (because DS finishes university - no more student rents - last payment in April); increase my income (because I round the corner of a Big Birthday, and qualify for the first slice of my pension - but not until October, unless I opt to take it a bit early). Am I wishing my life away to be devoutly looking forward to these dates??? I feel like I will have so much more flexibility month by month, but I haven't bottomed out the tax effects yet, so shouldn't spend it all in advance.

It's been a spenny year, rounded off by a spenny Christmas - all pleasant stuff, and hasn't involved debt. But I have dug into savings, and my emergency fund needs some attention in 2025.

See you on the other side, frugaleers! I enjoy this period of the year, and will be setting financial goals, among others, over the next days between Christmas and new year.

Happy Christmas y’all

Merry Christmas everyone!

I know I dip in an out of these threads but it's still a lovely place to be 🙂

I think we had a fairly simple frugal Christmas, I think every year I try to make it more simple and actually it gets better and better!

I didn't buy lots of food and actually we haven't eaten that much so there's lots been put in the freezer for the next few days and weeks

We've been to the cinema this morning, bargain kids morning thing for only £2.50 so £15 for 6 of us rather than the usual £8 each which would be almost £50 for 6 of us which isn't really good value.

Hope everyone is well!

Hope everyone had a happy Christmas, it was just me and DH, family are descending tomorrow for a couple of days. We didn't overdo it, obviously money has been spent, but nearly within budget, and half of the savings are still in place. Which is brilliant considering we've had car repairs, a new cooker, a new mattress and a new telly this year. I am determined to keep this up next year.

I have too much food but nothing new there and I’ve never cooked for 9 before. Leftovers will be eaten

Was given lots of leftovers yesterday. Plenty of veg for DH to make into bubble and squeak. Leftover beef was frozen with gravy for a couple of meals in future. Turkey diced and frozen for curries.(and some given to the cat too!)
Regretfully the ham won't last that long - it's too good!! Xmas Pudding will be sliced and microwaved to have with fresh cream as we go. That was made by GDD on stir up Sunday and was delicious.
The Mulled wine is no more!! 😋Not even started the cheese yet although DH and I shared a melting cheese pot with crusty bread for lunch.

We have been given multiple boxes of biscuits so will not need those for quite a while and given quite a few bottles of booze which will see us well into the summer at the rate we drink!!
Might see if I can count how many days before we actually go shopping for food.

We're having a pub lunch with an old friend and her new man today, so will be spending something on food; but otherwise, lots of leftovers/pre-Christmas shopping left in fridge, cupboards, freezer...Had a big pot of cacio e pepe last night, and Christmas ham plus fried-up mash/celeriac/baked fennel leftovers at lunch time. Ddog is very happy with the ongoing meat-feast.

January sees renewal of house insurance, pet insurance and annual boiler service, so that will be expensive. So far, the cheapest house insurance, by about £600, is to renew with our existing provider. Haven't done much research on pet insurance yet. House insurance renewal and boiler service will come out of funds set aside, and food expenditure should be relatively low through January (although DS is with us for most of the month, and requires hot protein at every meal, it seems).

I am planning lots of NSDs in January, February and likely March as well, in service of saving for new glasses, paying the balance on my tax bill, clearing the balance on my PayPal credit bill by April. I will be doing a lot of reading, decluttering and cleaning, and home workouts!

Other short term goals are to get together another £2k by June to pay my share of the holiday balance, and build my emergency fund back up to £5k by the year end.

On the strategic spending side, in April, I plan to start a 3 month course with a personal trainer, which I will be paying in 3 instalments of just under £400 a time. This is a lot for me, but I think investing in health, strength and fitness in a big birthday year is worthwhile, and a good way to spend money that was previously earmarked for DS's rent.

What's on other frugaleers' horizons for 2025?

@BigSkies2022 that sounds very organised. I think investing in your health is well worth the money aswell. Health is wealth as they say.

Frugal horizons for 2025 here are mixed. I think I mentioned in a pp that we recently had an unexpected car bill for £1k which wiped out our savings that we had earmarked for repairing some storm damage and also for boiler service and minor plumbing work in the house (not important or urgent). So now we have to find that money from normal monthly budget which will be interesting.

We are going to have a look at our TV and internet package we pay alot and I'm sure we can haggle it down. We barely watch TV tbh we only watch iPlayer or netflix!

I want to have a look through the pantry as we have so many jars and packets I'm sure I can cobble together some meals in Jan and we also have quite alot of Christmas food in the freezer. I've got lots of offers on ocado shop coming this week lots of reduced meat I'll put in the freezer.

Also I'm hoping to possibly get a job this year after a very long time at home!

Another one checking in. But will stay in. Life is calmer. This thread is a nice place to be.

Another one with too much food, but nothing apart from a few deserts that folk kindly donated to the Xmas meal and won't get eaten given none of us have a sweet tooth will be wasted. The copious amounts of cheese and wine.... will be consumed...

Definitely also another one here that thinks it's almost a necessity to spend on health @BigSkies2022 when we reach a certain age if you are able. We went to visit my DF in his care home today..... Spend the money and think nothing more of it than how you'd like your life to be in that final decade.

Christmas was spendy, but not excessively so. The big outlay was food, as folk generally come here these days, given DH's disability, and we also commissioned pictures of the dogs in lieu of presents for each other. Which sounds grander and more expensive than the reality.

We've done a lot of big jobs in the house recently. The kitchen needs an update, but not desperately so, and so I've a long term pot I'm contributing to, to cover that, but think 3/4 years, even 5, when it REALLY will need doing. That's my main 2025 goal really.

Hope everyone is okay.

We're doing OK. DH has taken dinner to the friend to whom he usually takes dinner every 2nd Sunday. They're eating together today because Sunday will be one of DH's advance preparation days before his procedure on Wednesday.

Recent DH improvements:

• he finally contacted the future pensions forecast people (a mere 4 years of asking on my part and increasing helpings of rattiness whenever I asked for the last year)
• he chased up some of his older occupational pensions (7 years+ of asking).

We still have not had the budget talk but he did finally agree that we needed the conversation (46 weeks ago) which was the greatest progress on this in more years than I care to think.

2025, we very much need to do some external maintenance on the house (parts are long overdue so we're on borrowed time, I feel).
I'd like to think we could actually plan a couple of overnight trips somewhere. Much will depend on the health of various family members in addition to DH.

Sounds like we need a 2025 thread. Not to be frugal with this one 😂

i need to reinvest in my health so I think a pt is a wise spend. Need a roof & bathroom in the house.
and start saving for uni

Happy Christmas all! I’ve found the notes I made last December when I decided to get serious about paying off my debt. I’ve paid off £8053 in 2024! Feels like a big achievement even though at this rate it will be at least another three years to clear it all. First goal is to get the balance on the two big cards below £10,000 - going down to four figures seems significant.

Paying off £8K+ is a big achievement. Congratulations! May 2025 be at least as successful.

That’s excellent going snug

Paying off £8K in debt is an incredible achievement snug. You should rightly be proud. Well done indeed.

NSD today. A small top up shop will be required tomorrow for essentials only (milk, cheese, eggs, bread etc). We've 5 adults living here at present, 2 of whom early 20's males with enormous appetites. I am in awe and somewhat despairing of their food intake!

I need a few bits as well. And to return a parcel I ended up not gifting.

I've got to send a parcel that I forgot to send! Will do that tomorrow when I collect a prescription. Today we are having dinner at my DB's and I'll make a big turkey broth for lunches, get the top up shop and have a run, so pretty relaxed.

Have a good day folks.

I'm away from home at the moment and have been eating out quite a bit.
So today I went for a walk and to Lidl.
I had Indian night before last I've curry and rice left but not much chicken so I bought some diced chicken to make a meal from that & some fruit and pastries for breakfast today and tomorrow. Only lunch to cater for them or a snack maybe

Got some kitchen organisers for my kitchen presses too, just got two because I'd baskets in my old kitchen and I've drawer inserts got from ikea too.

Congratulations snug on your repayment achievement. Did you put your shoulder to the wheel with no let up, or did you allow yourself some rewards along the way? Paying that much back in a short time is a big reward of itself, mind you!

Waved DS off to New York yesterday, so using his absence to finish painting and sealing the upstairs floors and stairs. DH bought the Ronseal varnish, but we had everything else to hand. First coat down, and now perched downstairs, and need the loo! Really should wait another hour though...

Otherwise, a NSD today - DH made a tomato soup yesterday, so we've had that for lunch. Boeuf bourguignon from the freezer, and using up potatoes and cream for a dauphinoise tonight. Plan to watch The Split Christmas special!

Still checking house insurance, and sticking with the same provider is still coming out best, by over £200. About to check pet insurance.

Ooo good shout I have potatoes and cream and cheese to use

I needed fuel yesterday so an additional £48 spent.

Today I need to pop and get a prescription and I'll use the local shop to get a bottle of gin for a 30th birthday present. I have a presents money pot so it'll come from that.

It's the first day of the break where we are not doing something or seeing someone. Apart from a few household things I can't wait to do very little!! I'll probably menu plan and get the finances up to date etc too. Will post the menu plan later.

I took back a parcel and spend £60 in Asda but was stuff I needed and next years crackers and some new bath towels as dd has dyed her hair and my towels

Ah - been there with the towels! The dog will benefit from the old ones!

My top up shop was circa £60 too. I got more than I had planned though.

Menu plan (copied and pasted from my family message!) All the recipes are from Anna Jones Easy Wins or 30 Minute Mowgli by Nisha Katona. I often have to add meat or fish in order that DH will eat, otherwise we'd have more of these as a vegetarian option.

Spinach, chicken and chickpea curry.

Courgette cashew and prawn curry

Gin and tonic salmon, lots of green veg

Aubergine peanut and tamarind curry

Black bean nasi goreng

Cod with buttery green veg and herb braise

Cauliflower caponata, crusty bread

Chicken dinner

Tomato, butter bean and tahini cassoulet

I just sorted out my overspends on YNAB ahead of the changeover to new month.
Hair & beauty for December covered a multitude because I didn't end up getting my makeup done for Christmas party because I didn't attend.

When I get home later I need to categorise my big Tesco shop so that'll probably cause overspends again but I'll get it sorted.

Life I dyed the bath once dying my hair! Is her hair nice?