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

MrsGreenhill when I've tested it out I'll let you know, it'll be a few weeks though. I've a lot going on at the moment. The influencer I saw posting it is also a single woman who watches her money wisely and owns her own home and I figured she wouldn't lead people astray, it was an Amazon affiliate link

Happy New Year! To old friends and newbies

I’ve fallen off the thread recently too- elderly parent, DH having to work extra hours and just a bit too much to do. Have had a good rest over Christmas though, but need to visit DParent today so back to the grind of this.

We have lots of short trips planned already for 2025 (forgoing longer trips due to Dparent), but looks like we’ve already paid or saved for most of it.

I need to decide soon whether to pay for some car repairs or to replace the car. I always struggle when to decide the best point to do this, before it becomes a money pit.

Betsy my go to protein powder is natural nutrients. They are based near me and and the best I’ve tried

edited to add link https://naturalnutrients.co.uk/

not sure about dairy free though but the team as lovely as well

Hello everyone, I'd like to pull up a chair and join (I've been a lurker).

I need to get a grip on my spending and stop the dopamine hits. Our debt is spiralling out of control again and it worries me daily, not helped by me not working due to poor health but I'm hopefully going back to work soon which will help, but only part time and low wage.

I have been keeping a spreadsheet for 3 months now that I made logging every single purchase and it's helped SO much as I have a 'was this necessary' section. The first month about half of my purchases were 'no' but in Dec I was much better so I'm going to keep it up as it helped.

Nessa that's a great idea

Nice spreadsheet Nessa. If you did a Y or N in the Needed column, you could set a filter, and analyse the percentage and cost of needed versus unnecessary/discretionary buys.

£5.23 in Sainsbury's yesterday - potatoes, chicory, fennel. A nice evening with friends - lots of food eaten, and drink taken, but all of it, apart from veg, was in the Christmas shop, so no new expense. We have some chicken and potatoes left over today, so I'll do something with that for dinner tonight. So should be a NSD.

I did notice yesterday that the first daffodils are in the supermarkets, so I will get the Christmas decorations down this weekend and start getting the house into its new year/here comes spring mode. Also will plant tulip bulbs in pots - bit overdue this year, tsk, tsk.

DH went for his fitness assessment this morning, and will get his meal plan this afternoon - doubtless some shopping will be needed, as I don't imagine left-over Turkish delight, frangipane mince pies, posh chocolates and biscuits are on it.

I am interested in the dehumidifier purchases. I have been thinking about one of those window hoovers, as we have wet windows in a couple of rooms in the morning - single pane glazing.

May I join?

I am fortunate enough to have a good income from my pension but I was brought up frugally and in the past have had awful, superstressful periods of being pretty much penniless and having to be really strict about what's spent and where.

I pay for some of the finer things in life now by being frugal where I can, where it's a habit, where it's a bargain, where you don't notice the difference! I'm not very acquisitive and I hate "tat" so I've never been in the habit of spending on loads of rubbish but nonetheless I do seem to spend a lot more than I can really rationalise right now so it would be nice to get back into the habit of analysing my spending a bit more.

My frugal speciality area is the kitchen, I have v little food waste and am v good at magicking up nice meals from leftovers.

I'm guessing NSD = No Spend Day?

Correct & LSD is low spend day
For me I don't count regular expected expenses such as children's activities as a spend but do count changeable expenses, everyone's different. I don't love shopping so a day in town can be spendy then because I'm getting it over with

Yesterday free parking because Christmas
€4.50 calendar
€10.99 book for ds
€16.05 food for dd & I ds didn't want anything
€89.50 back to school runners dd aftershave ds blister plasters for running for me a beanie cap for me(almost identical to one bf got me & I shrank in the wash!) and a boomerang for ds
€14.28 groceries

Got paid for concert tickets I sold yesterday I've already donated that money to the charity house I stayed in last weekend

Back to porridge this morning

I am trying to see how long I can get through without going grocery shopping

I am about £600 short this month as have a hefty tax bill due at the end of the month

If desperate I have family I can ask to sub me until next month but I am going to try and see how far through the month I can get without going to the supermarket. I am an olio food waste hero so get left with lots of bits which don't get requested so that makes a big difference

Let's see how far we can get.

Hello all! Been following this for a while and think was on it last year - certainly on one of the no spend / frugal threads.... which I then fell off.
Now that Christmas is done, and all the family have returned to their own homes, I'm doing a much needed declutter and have the headspace to work out what my frugal plan is for going forward. We have, quite non-frugally, just hired a cleaner. My thinking is that I am working, doing a job I really enjoy, and I don't want us to spend our time off cleaning - it's such a time suck. Plus the decluttering is now at the stages where there is less surface mess and more need to chuck out what has been put away for all eternity in the "top drawer", never to be found or used again.... so if I have someone to work on the clean, I can work on the clutter without getting distracted by the cobwebs.
The frugaleers thread is one that keeps me a bit more on track and conscious of my spending. So thanks to all that post and it's nice to be here.
happy new year!

I didn't know charities did that! It sounds like a good idea. Was it comfortable?

(My mother used to go on a number of retreats and it's made me think of her.)

It's a great facility opposite the hospital & is like a hotel, one room available per family who have someone in intensive care or palliative care. All they ask is a deposit for room key and that you strip beds and Hoover and clean all surfaces before you leave. I've donated to them before but never needed the facility until now.

Such a great service.

I'm in Ireland but I guess other countries have similar

€5 recycling bags

Thank you 🙏. Will give these suggestions a go. Today’s spend was around £50 in the supermarket - essentials plus a lunchbox and shaker bottle so I can start taking food/shakes in once I’m back at work after annual leave.

I’ve been really tempted to find another (better) job as mine is very boring but have realised that the staff discount is really helpful!!

Happy New Year everyone, I was on the Sensible September threads but they seem to have fizzled out of late.

This year is going to be financially very difficult/stressful. I can only control what's in my own abiulity to control though, so I've spent the last few days doing a budget, moving money into designated pots.etc.

I'm finding comfort in being organised, I've spent time being ruthless with my clothes and have about 12 items left, to do a capsule wardrobe. I have ordered a new coat, gilet and trousers, and have two cashmere jumpers sat in a basket. I think I need one more pair of black trousers and some loafers and that should be my capsule collection done. The simplicity of not having to think about what to wear shall hopefully bring a sense of peace.

So hard to focus with the kids still on Christmas break. Just pottering around sorting as much as I can in advance. Made a list of cards we need for next year ready to order, shouldn't need any Christmas wrap or anything like that as I've sorted through it all and packed it away. Task for later is to go through all my toiletries, list what I have so I know when I will need more, and order when a good deal is on.

No spending planned until Monday (petrol) as much as the car will take, and a birthday present for DH, he wont say what he wants though and is impossible to buy for.

@BetsyBanana I use MyProtien for protein powder. I've tried a fair few and I find the taste and quality the best here. My favourites with water is chocolate smooth or golden syrup, it thickens up well and is very drinkable. I use the blender though.

MyProtien have 30% cashback on Topcashback today only, and an extra 10% off your order with their code TOPCASHMP and it says it bumps up sale prices to 70% off everything ontop of the 10% extra off. It's the best time to stock up, if you're looking for best price per kg.

Thank you psuedocream3 really appreciate it xx

Making a return - think I last posted in August.

Goal is to spend less than £140 or £20 per week on my credit card which is paid off in full every month. That covers grocery, non grocery shops, eating out and any social activities.

The bills for both November and December have been much higher than that!

Quite a challenge as it's DSs 19th birthday in January. I got some clothes for him in a sale earlier in the week which I paid for by debit card but we likely will pay for a meal out too.

Today has been
£31 hair cut including tip
£15 nail removal for DD who is back to school on Monday.
£2.15 Coop
£3.33 Coop

Good luck with the frugaleering in 2025!

I'm having a VLSD here. Nothing so far; I'll part with £2 at the table tennis club later.

Tomorrow will be a lot more as it's the supermarket run. But I have my list!

The last three of months have been humongous. I've paid for a holiday last October and big holiday in March this year; bought a new washing machine and dishwasher; got a new fridge freezer and an electric piano on order; got through Xmas; oh yes, and had some new doors and windows in my house! I'm not even totting up how much all that comes to, but the windows, doors and white goods weren't frivolous. But once I've got the piano and fridge (both of which I've paid a deposit for but will need to pay the balance) then hopefully things will settle down and I can start to build up savings again.

Could I join please? I'm starting a new frugal life after my husband left 6 months ago, now that I have control of the finance.
He pays maintenance so the children won't miss out, their clubs etc are covered.
I've booked a summer holiday and some time away at Easter which we all need so I'm going frugal to put everything towards those.

I am doing a no spend January. I have planned the meals for the whole month as I used to do week by week.
I'm going to track all of my expenses and cur back where possible.

My youngest is growing like the clappers so I'm going to get all the too small clothes on vinted, although I suspect that will be slow during January.

Hello all, first post on this thread.
I want to curb buying stuff and actually need to declutter.
I got a couple of bits in the Lakeland sale including some pizza trays as I usually just put them on greaseproof paper. I’ve nearly dropped them on occasion.
My latest money saving/eco friendly action is to use bar soap in the shower. Not the supermarket bars full of filler but proper soaps. They last ages, lather better and work out cheaper.
In the downstairs loo I have a reusable soap dispenser and use soap tablets.
I’ve bought Purdy and Figg glass bottles and cleaning concentrate so less plastic and clutter.
Im not buying any clothes unless I have physically tried them on as I’ve got loads of online mistakes.

I use proper bar soap. It’s better for my body too.
I get smol refillable kitchen spray and washing up liquid. I’ve tried lots of their stuff and these are the two that stuck. I hate pod washing. Laundry as can’t use less and powder cleans better imo

spendy day as predicted and more to come. £54 petrol, £44 Ikea, £83 decathlon, £22 hobby craft, £10 m&s

Evening.

Lovely to see so many new, old and returning faces.

Spends today
£40 shopping, although the online shop arrives tomorrow, Included some non alcoholic drinks for Dry January, I'm a bit bored of peppermint tea! Also a big pack of chicken breasts.

I've also booked our holiday for September so I need to work out the monthly budget for that to cover it. But it's nice to have something to look forward to during winter.

I'm another one that finds comfort in being organised, and actually get a bit anxious when I'm not!

We are not going out this weekend and so the only spending will be said online shop.

Traitors tonight. First series we've watched. I'm hooked!

Started out as I mean to go on with online Tesco shop of £80 or so. Tends to be around 120 if I let myself loose in the supermarket…though this week isn’t bad as we have so many snacks in still.