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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Frugaility changed your life?

126 replies

Buddy80 · 31/07/2009 08:39

Dramatic title, but love to hear from all of us who are frugal. I adopted being frugal about 5-years ago, firstly just for fun and then when I saw how much I was saving, it just took off from there. Started as a set budget for housekeeping, baking own bread, thinking of a re-use for most things, looking at cheap or free days out. From there, it's really kind of expanded and the savings have been massive. I've kinda got lazy over the last few months, but still trying!

It is funny that your lifestyle does improve and you find yourself taking better care of yourself. As you have leftover cash, you are less likely to spend, as it's your savings! Also having more cash, you are in a position to pay for things up front, like car tax ? saving 10 odd quid a year. Another thing I noticed, which was shocking, is that I have been really careful with the electric usage (heat is by gas). I started turning things off at the plug socket when not in use, etc. As you may know, some appliances use a lot even when switched off. Anyway, I got my electric bill the other day and we had saved £150.00 last winter.

But, it's not all about buying the cheapest. As a rule of thumb, I tend to buy cheaper where it is a disposable item, like value shaving foam, but will spend more on better quality meat.

Any others?

OP posts:
Buddy80 · 05/08/2009 16:11

Spending diary: No, not yet. I must do. I know that we can get back on-track with our spending. Esp as a lot of good meals can be done in the slow cooker.

Thats pretty impressive for a fortnights shop.

OP posts:
amigababy · 05/08/2009 16:35

I'll be watching Economy Gastronomy tonight BBC2 8pm to get some food/cooking tips, see what I can save there, though reading the Times blurb, a lot of it looks like plain old common sense.

FimbleHobbs · 05/08/2009 18:07

Heres my latest frugal tip:

I meal plan then use mysupermarket.co.uk but don't get it delivered - I use the print shopping list facility instead.

Then I can go shopping knowing I am at the cheapest shop buying the cheapest things, and have a rock solid list to stick to so I don't have to waste time dithering in the shop over the best value pasta or whatever.

It also saves on the delivery charge.

I also save cash by making sure I am out when the window cleaner wants paying but sadly this doesn't work indefinately

oneopinionatedmother · 05/08/2009 18:16

embrace your friend : the potato

delicious,nutritious and by weight extremely cheap.

together with his friends carrot and onion ( thank you Tesco's) can be made into homely stew, spicy curry, warming peppery soup.

also : value noodles (10p) and pasta (56p ?) combined with these for variety.

going mostly veggie saves a packet too.

pudding: 27 p value choc bar, 16p value roll...46p sponge (over two days)...

at the end of the day: console yourself wit h value cider (£1.21)

MiniMarmite · 05/08/2009 19:22

I'm not great at being frugal in general but I do get about 5 meals from one chicken and do think I save money on bread (if you compare like for like)

mygreatauntgriselda · 05/08/2009 19:37

We take home made sandwiches and bulk buy cartons of juice/crisps so we can picnic on a budget rather than using cafes on days out

Tescos is great for special offers - shop online as I tend to just buy the things I need (rather than being tempted by attractive packages)

E bay Queen when it comes to clothes for me and DCs

Go on Sun newspaper £9.50 Holidays - they are such good value and are always fantastic for the kids

When going abroad visit places where friends have invited us to stay, so we can be generous with pressies, as we've saved on accomodation and only ever do cheap flights (easyjet/ryan air etc)

oneopinionatedmother · 05/08/2009 19:42

i might add: you can save a packet by just not buying stuff.

although i always used to buy clothes from ebay/ charity shop, it saves far more simply to be content with the floordrobe selection I have.

another don't buy is Delia's Frugal Food. for starters, the £18 price tage for the book itself is a waste, and flicking through I note hat in actual fact some of the meals are by my lights expensive.

also: don't use the drier, hang things outside: driers are very hungry on electric.

I might add: after 6 months of it i am heartily sick of it and ache to eat seafood pie followed by taste-the-difference cheescake, having stuffed the washing in the drier to save time and sat down in front of our 390 watt TV whilst swilling a BOTTLE of chateauneuf du pape down my profligate neck.

Theinvisibleone · 05/08/2009 20:41

I use white vinegar diluted with water as a cleaner, saves a fortune, and works!

DoomBar · 05/08/2009 21:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

chickbean · 05/08/2009 21:44

I would really value knowing when different supermarkets have offers on certain things - is there a thread for this? Like Sainsbury's have a half-price offer on all baby wipes and toiletries at the moment. I always stock up when I see them. Yes, I know I should be using a wet flannel ...

mumblecrumble · 05/08/2009 22:02

Becoming a bit cliche now but growing veg is seeming quite frugal this year.

We have a TINY concrete/gravelled yard. Over the last 3 years [in between working and mummying] I have enjoyed a bit of pottering in the garden and made desicion to make as much edible as possible.

Each year, as I get a bit more experienced and collect seeds, cuttings, pots and make compost we are eating more from the garden and therefore less from the shops.

This year we have:

Lots of beans!!!! Got 6 plants for 50p from 'nearly dead' section of garden centre. They grow up and only take up about 30cm pots with little wigwam of random sticks.

Spuds - I wasn't going to grow as so cheap in shops but hubby got me some seed spuds for mothers' day. Got 2 big ice cream tubs full of lush new spuds from £1 worth of seed potatos [from pound shop]

2 desserts worth of strawberries got free as plants off freecycle

Rhubarb from plant given to us 3 years ago

As much lettuce, rocket and spring onions as we can eat and leeks and courgette from free seeds grown in little raised bed made from planks of wood and last years kitchen peeling etc of compost [swapped a bit with freecycler for some top soil]

Herbs that get bigger each year

Some carrots and beetroot - except I keep eating these before I get back through the back door.

I think plants are the frugallers best friend [as well as the potato!] You buy them tiny and cheap. Give them sun and water [relatively free!] Some earth [composting is free] and a little bit of time and love. There are always a few plant losses but generally they get bigger , more productive and more valuable. We have a bay tree and rosemary bushes that I 'rescued' as teeny tiny saplings that are now nearly as big as me.... Have you seen how expensive not dried herbs are?

ALso, feel a need to show dd where food comes from and its value.

Next year am thinking I will make space on top of dryer [never used in summer] next to sunny window for tomatos, chillis and aubergines.....

mumblecrumble · 05/08/2009 22:05

By the way... I do feck all gardening [disabled and busy!] and often wonder how the sods stay alive...

mumblecrumble · 05/08/2009 23:42

I just got 3 cauliflower plants on freecycle tonight!!!! yippeee!!!! Eve, if I get 3 caulis, I reackon thats about 2.50 saved....

JoesMummy09 · 06/08/2009 00:13

Buy less.

Lusi · 06/08/2009 02:34

Ahh spending diaries... When I first left home (17yo) I moved miles away from my family and got in a mess with money -I didn't know about benefits etc...the place I went to work for closed down and so got a part-time/casual job - some weeks it didn't even cover my rent. I used to make a big pot of stew (sometimes with cheap meat,more often veggie) and ate it every day for a week (it cost 50p to use the oven but the microwave was free). I did have a spending diary -I still have it and when I read it it makes me laugh...I supplemented the stew with cereal, potatoes, bread, butter, and.... big bags of crisps and (best of all) little plastic pots of chocolate mousse! (Jacket potato anyone? Tin of soup? - no pots of chocolate mousse!). I ended up having to go home with my dad paying the bills for me -(which he made me pay back a few years later - with interest...)
Over the next few years I had money (blew it), skint again (desperate times), rolling it (blew it) and then ill so skint yet again...and I became a mature student...
I found the best way of controlling my finances - I worked out approx (slight overstimate) how much my fixed costs (bills, rent, etc etc) were each week (living in shared house so little control over saving on bills) and then took how much was left in cash...and never took a card anywhere with me. I had to live on what I had - and any money left over at the end of the week went into the 'kitty' - I had varied income (PT jobs) so if it was £5 I had to do my best to cope on that- only if desperate (v. hungry) I took money from the kitty . After a few months I counted what was in the 'kitty' and put half in the bank (for emergencies) and had half to spend on whatever I liked -left a little in the kitty in case the next few weeks were bad ones.

Thankfully don't need to do that anymore - and have become more environmentally aware - the habits I got into have stayed with me...

I do always shop around for the best deal and wait for the sales - for DCs (especially younger) don't buy current size -buy bigger- no point getting a bargain summer outfit in September - better one big enough for next summer.

I always try to get second hand for most things (not usually clothes -except ballet/brownie uniform etc -where you can save a fortune)...e-bay is good for this.

I buy environmentally friendly cleaning/laundry products (not the cheapest!!!) but buy them in bulk/refills makes them almost the same as 'normal' branded stuff. And I use lots of vinegar and bicarb - also bought in bulk.

Grow herbs in my garden (thyme, rosemary, mint, sage, margoram -grow like weeds... parsley and rocket if you let it seed will keep coming up and strawberries ...)
Repair/mend clothes, toys, books, household items as much as possible (super glue, sellatape and duck tape...couldn't live without them).
Use rechargeable batteries
Go to supermarket with a list once a week and buy only what is on there - unless it is bogof on something that I would buy anyway and will use (DD1 always tells strangers that I once bought 4 huge bars of chocolate ..- I eat one a week and it was on bogof) don't really look at the reduced things - I think a false economy... unless it is something you were going to buy anyway (and you can freeze). my favourite is cheddar cheese -grate it and freeze it and then use straight from the freezer.
Make my own yoghurt - long life milk, a few spoons of milk powder and a couple of spoons of live natural yoghurt -heat up (to maximum of 46 deg C) and leave somewhere warm for a few hours -(in winter I leave on top of the radiator).. voila homemade yoghurt -which you then use a few spooons of to make the next batch. Flavour with jam or purees made from either pick your own (strawberries, raspberries etc)-towards end of season or reduced in supermarket (plums, peaches) freeze in ice cubes tray. (My DD2 says one of her favourite foods (better than chocolate ice cream!) is my yoghurt and a still frozen plum ice cube.
More environment than economy - I make washing up scourers out of orange nets wrapped together - actually prefer them to the ones you can buy (sad I know...)
Freecycle is brilliant - got a really cool 70s formica and chrome kitchen table from there - but I do try and offer things too...
Finally just because it is cheap (or free) you don't have to buy it...(not very good at this - have a houseful of pointless crap from the pound shop...)

LoveBeingAMummy · 06/08/2009 07:03

Don't buy seed potatoes, use the ones that have gone over in your house. Just shove 'em in the ground, water, when the flower dies dig up and eat. PLus the can be grown in anything so don't need a garden or even to buy the spud bags. A tub normally filled with flowers will do.

throckenholt · 06/08/2009 07:38

this doesn't always work - sometimes they spray spuds with something to stop them sprouting in storage - and then you get nothing when you plant them.

Bluemary3000 · 06/08/2009 09:51

I watched that grastro economy programme and it was useless and provided no tips at all, well may be a few recipes.
I cannot understand why that couple when they are seeminly struggling financially, spend so much food on their shopping. Their weekly budget is more than my monthly and I have me, DH and DD and 2 pets to look after!

Last year after having DD, I went through my monthly budgets with a fine tooth coomb, removed anything I didn't need to spend - £18 on the lottery, when I never won anything! etc etc and saved god knows how much. Swapped as many utility companies as I could and saved money there and now set myself a budget for food etc per month and go the supermarket with a list.

Its time consuming but worth it as I dont class myself or my household as frugal, I thinkwe are careful and looking after ourselves as now we have savings and dont have to worry financially when number 2 arrives in 7 weeks.

Its all just common sense and I cant see why more people dont take the time to do it!

marenmj · 06/08/2009 10:21

Mousey84, I feel your pain. Our last flat was terribly inefficient (both the kitchen and bathroom were utter heat sinks). The heating was all electric radiators (ex- economy 7 apparently, the e7 meter had just been bypassed, not removed).

From Now 1 to Jan 1 our electric bill was £508 and the power company charged us a £3 surcharge per month for the economy 7!

That was with the heat off in all rooms but the lounge and only for 2 hours in the evening in there. It jumped up to over £700 when we had the baby and had to keep the house warmer for her.

We've moved to a better built/insulated house and are much better off, both financially and physically as we are considerably less stressed. Not to mention warmer

marenmj · 06/08/2009 10:21

Now Nov

Louby3000 · 06/08/2009 10:59

Plant pot, bit of compost, bag of cut and come again slad leaves= delish salad all summer long! Cost £2.50. Less if you have an old pot/bucket/pan/guttering to plant into and you should be able to pick up discounted compost from your local council tip. If not, try Wilkisons or Tescos.
I used old fabric remenants to make my babies bibs. They look really cool, with contrasting thread in a zigzag to hem them.
The motto in my house when we were growing up and got cold was- "Would a jumper do?" before we were allowed to turn the heating on!

Mousey84 · 06/08/2009 12:26

I agree that the programme last night was not really suitable for those who already pay attention to what they spend. However, I doubt they are the only family in the country that overspend on food. I think the show was a good idea.

For those who grow their own food, coinks have a promo atm for seeds for price of p&p (and points off products that many buy anyway)

£20 worth for £1.99p&p and 10 points

£43 worth for 6.99 plus 30points

MamaKaty · 06/08/2009 12:26

Although it isn't any fun living frugally because there is no choice ( and I HAVE been there), I also get where Buddy is coming from - we try to live frugally now because I want to have enough savings so I don't have to work when we have our little ones. It can be very satisfying to know that you've got the best value for your money.
I love shopping for bargains in charity shops - I don't buy things that are old and grubby - some of them are full of lovely clothes for babies and children which look as good as new. We've furnished our nursery already for under £100!

fustilarian · 06/08/2009 12:44

A question about hot tanks:

The last house we were in had a lovely new condenser boiler which was so economical. Now we have a hot tank, and it is a real pain cos to heat it up you have to heat loads of water to get it hot, and then we never use it all in a day.... DP showers at the gym (not to pinch their hot water, just because its easier, and they have a power shower!), DD does not have a daily bath and I don't have a shower every day either. So some days we have to heat up the whole thing just for 2 bowls of washing up a day....

Any suggestions of ways round this?

Dragonrider · 06/08/2009 13:18

Theinvisibleone what does vinegar work to clean? I hate covering everything in chemicals and have been looking for an alternative. Do you think it would clean floors? Does it have any antibacterial properties do you know? I'm wondering if it is safe to use in the kitchen too.

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