January Frugaleers thread brings no judgment just friendly banter & advice for like minded folk

[Happierwithouthim]

A place where all are welcome regardless of income, level of debt or reason for being in debt or debt free.

We're friendly, full of good advice and open to new ideas where to shave off expense and how to live your best life on the income you have.

Over the years we've celebrated debt payoffs, babies, leaving jobs, getting different jobs, bonuses, and we've been there for each other through difficult times.

New posters welcome always & I hope posters who have fallen off thread will rejoin too

Nightmares about the bill Betsy. Sorry no advice on assessment

the Tim burton exhibition looks good. But works be ££££ for us to go

nsd here today

Today's been spendy here too.
£9 Starbucks
£15 out for Breckfast with husband
£10 home bargains dog food/toddler potty training aid
£27 in the range whoops.
We're having pizza for tea which will be £15.
Hopefully the rest of the weekend will be cheaper!
Going to fill it up with visits hopefully I spend less that way 😆

@SuperSaver23 and @BetsyBanana - no ADHD diagnosis here, only suspicions based on long acquaintance with my own habits and responses. What can I say? I give myself a lot of space to manage my own reactions, I make lists, I use Pomodoro techniques to get through exams and get a lot done, I take good care of my health, my sleep, my environment, and I go with whatever obsession is currently grabbing my attention! That might be exercise, or financial control, or decluttering. I don't prompt anxiety by pushing myself into social situations that leave me feeling drained. I have a lot of choice around these matters, so I'm lucky in that regard.

£73 on food shop today with voucher. It was in the shop, not online as I had a voucher. It was a very boring shop because for once did actually stick to the list! Going on Friday even when I’m knackered might be a way to spend less 😜
Good news, DP got back pay of £400 which I’m adding to our holiday fund. Also bought ticket to Cardiff for weekend away with friends. £65 from Yorkshire to Cardiff which was a bargain, there was some kind of sale on.

@SuperSaver23 don't beat yourself up, just start again with a new day. ADHD makes it hard.

I'm doing reasonably well. My unnecessary spends have mostly been well considered and have actively increased my enjoyment of the day.

The runners in running clubs, are you proper runners who are fast and have all the kit? I'd quite like to join the one near me but I often see them out and about and they look intimidating. Maybe I only see the fast ones?

@marthasmum waves from the Yorkshire borders!

Morning. I've been reading but not posting as we've had a bit of a busy week. Every time I sit down to post - something comes up!

I'm behind on life admin too, but will catch up over the weekend hopefully.

Spending has been minimal. Just food and a birthday card, and some postage costs sending a couple of presents. My Chase account tells me what I have spent this month compared to the previous month, and although comparing January with December is a bit 'apples and pears' it's generally useful and still shows we have reined in our spending following Christmas.

Nothing too much on the cards this weekend to spend on. Family round tomorrow, so my online supermarket shop was a little higher, but we are not going out for a meal, so overall cheaper,

I've also cancelled a needless subscription in good time for its renewal. I need to review our broadband supplier now we are out of contract too.

Thanks for the podcast recommendation, looks interesting.

I have run pretty much all my adult life. A run A LOT. I absolutely promise that pretty much every single running club I have ever run for are open, friendly, inclusive and supportive of all abilities and experiences. Even my coaching group (I don't get there a lot these days), which do comprise of seriously 'fast cats' are still absolutely lovely and just as supportive than those lesser blessed with speedy genes. Flashy kit is definitely the exception and not the rule, although folk do like to chat running trainers at any club I've ever been at😁

For those people who recall my pantry inheritance, I've just made granola using some fairly "aged" ingredients (euphemism for several years beyond BB date) and it's fine. Even though I forgot to put the sugar in to make it clump (it resembles lumpy bird seed).

We're finally approaching the end of the coffee store we inherited and will actually have to buy some coffee beans. We're nowhere near using up the tea stash.

Dried food can store remarkably well.

I did wonder how the pantry was going hack

Bread needed today
Hope you get caught up need. I hate being behind

Supersaver it was just one day, some days you will manage to be more frugal than others and everyone does frugal differently, don't beat yourself up.
Dh is away again so I'm home alone again. After my kitchen sort out and stocktake last weekend, I've already tackled the bathroom cabinet, my bedside cabinet and dressing table! I've organised some things using small boxes of varying dimensions that I've kept as they might com in handy.... Now they are repurposed and I'm feeling quite happy. The sort out has revealed some decent moisturiser & hand cream and some foot treatment potions, so I am going to try to get them used.
DH doesn't like fish so I am cooking a fish pie which will do me for 2 nights at least. Our food costs so far have been much less than usual through using things up.
I'm still waiting for the Roasting Tin recipe book from the library, but i made one of her meals last weekend and loved it so I'm optimistic. It did need 3 tins though so slightly misleading!!
I used the last of the Christmas cheese up on Thursday in a frittata.
I've had my annual leave dates approved in the new job I'm starting in March so am going to browse ferry crossings and accommodation this afternoon....

Well that was pricy bread. Don’t have a DS who is turning into a foodie. I also need a magnetic block for his knives £30 at Lakeland to get free delivery. The board is £25

i agree frugality is not linear and sounds like those big spends will save you money in the long run

Ocado £106
Aldi £3.01
B and M £6

Happy enough with that.

I started listening to the financial podcast above and the 52 thing and found it really useful.

@NessaSmith £100 on cross stitch sound perfectly reasonable to me 😉

@2025Hackathon - I remember a thread months? ago about someone inheriting a massive amount of food and wondering what do do with it all. Was that you?

A NSD Thursday and so far today, but yesterday I spent over £200 on a few new pairs of jeans and bras but to be fair i was getting a bit desperate. These should keep me going a while but bloody hell bras are expensive!!!, and dh filled his car with petrol so not a cheap day.

Melancholist I'm an 11 min mile average usually which is very slow compared to the rest in the club but nobody ever makes me feel inferior. My last run was 12 min mile and I got great support.
I've a good supportive pair of asics and supermarket gear

€70 hair cut & colour
€5.75 snacks
€5 parking

Spend on trainers and sports bra. The rest can be as cheap or fancy as you want for working out

I forgot sports bra

One advantage of being flat chested is that vest tops are cheap 🤣

Menu plan.

Sunday - fish pie (family round), carrots, leeks, broccoli
Chicken broth with crusty bread
Harissa shepherds pie (chicken mince).
Fennel, veggie sausage and courgette lasagne.
Aubergine alla Norma
Mutter paneer and spinach curry.
Salmon and cauliflower caponata.

Most recipes from Mob, which is a website I use a lot for recipes. I have a subscription as cooking is my thing, but that's not necessary. Cauliflower caponata recipe available online - mine is an Anna Jones recipe, who is probably my favourite source of inspiration.

We'd eat a lot more vegetarian recipes but for DH, who does prefer his meat and fish based meals. It's a compromise.

Need I think putting on the sports bra sets me up psychologically. My dog has made off with one of my 1000 miles socks, I've to go searching to see where she put it, she doesn't chew so it'll be fine

well, I've completely lost track of spends this week now. I had been trying to do it and factoring in DH's spends, but we are using a CC to rack up points (not sure for what?! Travel maybe?) and he is the main card holder and I can't see what he spends and then I forget to ask and then just forget in general! We always pay the CC off on full every month though.
Haven't spent anything non- necessary though this week.
Will try to sit down with DH and YNAB today as he needs to do his tax return. Hopefully that will give us a better idea of where things have gone this past week. Want to start saving for a holiday this summer.

Thank you for the podcast recommendation and the other tips I read on here. Although all our situations are so different it’s intersecting to have a kind of benchmark for what’s essential spending and what’s frivolous.

We had an unexpected ££ as the TV gave up and we had to buy a new one. I think it's terrible how something costing upwards of £500 lasts only a few years, but it's just out of warranty, so that's that.

Need 😂

i don’t run any more since having DC but still need a decent sports bra for gym classes.

can you log online to the CC captain and see the spends? Use his log in?

NSD yesterday I think. Yes it was.
DD and I get a Greggs treat in the was to the farm in a Sunday which is about £6

Thanks for the podcast recommendations @BigSkies2022. I’m not diagnosed ADHD but I have wondered and your description of what you do is eerily like me.

also a massive impulse spender though I would characterise it as being decisive😂

broke the no spend streak yesterday, €58.70 on brunch with my mother. €19 on groceries and €40 on some decor etc and checking out the Amazon cart. I did save quite a few items for later in the cart and only checked out what I need.

today I will need a few more groceries at least. But as long as I avoid a takeaway for dinner I’ll be happy

Actually €10 parking
Bf's sister treated me to Chinese

Today
Returns €25
Dunnes Click & Collect approx €60
Parking possibly but will try get some free.
Need to buy a replacement remote control while I've still got prime!