Spreckly's frugal February

Thrifty tips, ideas, news & experiences on anything around the home to shopping to re-cycling etc.
Post Reply
User avatar
Spreckly
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5826
Joined: 26 Mar 2011, 14:21

Spreckly's frugal February

Post by Spreckly »

My frugal attempts have fallen flat on their face today.

Our usual Friday shopping trip into town, where we chase round like lunatics, trying the beat the Traffic Warden in our hour's free parking. The grocery shop is never extravagant, last week I seemed to have run out of everything. This week was a smaller shop, but we needed layer's pellets and corn, and called at the Farm Shop on our way home.

Tomorrow we are travelling to Newark, so our fuel allowance will be hammered, and OH has to travel to a meeting on Monday, so again, more diesel will be used. But we have done little mileage in January, so this should compensate.
Freeranger
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3171
Joined: 17 Apr 2012, 10:13

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by Freeranger »

What's that expression about life being what happens when we're busy making other plans?!

I suppose the way to look at it is that you have to do all these things, so how can you do them most cheaply. I'm sure your frugal spirit will win out. )t'
User avatar
Linda Pattison
Lively Laner
Posts: 81
Joined: 05 Dec 2012, 15:42
Gender: Female

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by Linda Pattison »

Gosh sometimes being frugal means having that bit of extra for unavoidable expenses! Our entire December was like that, and since you are already looking hard at your budget, you will be able to cope. Fuel for travel or heating is a colossal expense, and once you are ale to control your routine it will lessen. Some places cannot be reached by bus or train or on foot, c'est la vie! +f+
One of your fb DTL admins with Manda Powdrill and Christy Poole.
User avatar
manda
Moderator
Posts: 17241
Joined: 04 Aug 2007, 04:22
Gender: Female
Location: New Zealand

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by manda »

The thing is Spreckly where you have been frugal will offset where you can't avoid the spend...sometimes the frugal bit is not about saving money as such but taking some of the sting out of spending ...just think if you hadn't thought about your spending you could have had a big shop then still had to do all the other things so it's still not a loss :-D )t'
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)✰
(¸.✰´¨(¸.✰ Manda

Living our version of the Good Life with 4 dogs, 6 cats, a cow, a few sheep, Angora Goats and ???? chooks.
Don't get your knickers in a knot..it solves nothing ~ just makes you walk funny
User avatar
Spreckly
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5826
Joined: 26 Mar 2011, 14:21

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by Spreckly »

At the weekend we received what appeared to be a hoax email from Bee Tee, informing us that our useage was becoming very near the limit, and we would have to pay extra if we exceeded 10 GB's. We contacted them, and it was no hoax. So I have been leaving the computer on, but not downloaded into Outlook Express or the Internet. We think watching Iplayer and Youtube may be the reason.

My middle son (IT expert), says they have been caught out also. We wonder if it is to frighten us into getting a larger package.
clunie
Learner Laner
Posts: 33
Joined: 27 Jan 2013, 17:19

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by clunie »

We got caught out too when we switched to them and that was due to our son sitting watching stuff on Youtube - lots of comic stuff! Luckily it didn't cost too much to upgrade and as we use the net a lot for job applications etc we decided that it would be worth it.

I know how anoying things like this can be especially when you are trying so hard to save money.
good luck with things Spreckly. :-D
User avatar
Spreckly
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5826
Joined: 26 Mar 2011, 14:21

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by Spreckly »

We do not appear to have made any huge strides so far this month. Yesterday we had the cavity wall insulation installed, which caused problems, as the men were careless, but hopefully the firm's insurance will cover the damage.

We have been having home made soup most lunch times. I save a bit of potato, and veg from the evening meal, chuck in frozen tomato, onion, mushroom, and it is quite tasty, not to mention filling. Left over roast or jacket potatoes are also thrown in, though we get little left over.

OH picked up a wheelbarrow full of branches which had come down in the churchyard yesterday. We had also spotted a large branch down when we returned from our weekly shop on Friday. Yesterday we went to pick it up, but someone else had seen it. However, this morning OH found some equally large branches down in the field at the bottom of our garden.

We changed our car insurance policy two weeks since, and are saving quite a large monthly amount by so doing. Couldn't believe we could reduce it so much, and we will get a meerkat!! If it is a duplicate of the one we have, I shall put it in the raffle at the next church coffee morning.

We are still using shampoo from when I was an A...on Lady, I bought loads.
Mrs B

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by Mrs B »

I have 4 meerkats Spreckly and they are just gathering dust so if you want a particular one let me know and if I have it I will post it out to you.
User avatar
Spreckly
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5826
Joined: 26 Mar 2011, 14:21

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by Spreckly »

That is so kind of you Mrs B. I think mine will gather dust also!
User avatar
MissEllie
Legendary Laner
Posts: 7706
Joined: 29 Oct 2011, 13:03
Gender: Female
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by MissEllie »

I'm another meerkat fan (we've got 5) and have saved a fair bit of money each time )t' sorry to hear you had bother with the insulation Spreckly, hope it's easily sorted.
The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don't have
Woody Allen
nuten
Learner Laner
Posts: 1
Joined: 14 Feb 2013, 07:13
Gender: Male

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by nuten »

Hello,

The grocery shop is never extravagant, last week I seemed to have run out of everything.* - *- -* - * -* - -* -* *
User avatar
Spreckly
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5826
Joined: 26 Mar 2011, 14:21

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by Spreckly »

Just bought our first lot of diesel since the beginning of the month - £60, which has filled the tank three quarters full. It has of course gone up in price. We only make necessary journeys all year round, apart from caravanning in the summer.

Had to spend over £260 at the vet's on Thursday when Nation had ten teeth removed. It was now or never, and should really have been done sooner.

Weekly shopping today we spent twenty nine pounds on groceries, plus extra for peanuts and fat balls for the birds.

Last week I bought a bag of redskin spuds for nine pounds and fifty pence. Elsewhere they are ten pounds. Had been buying a largeish bag from T....co, each week for 99p, but couldn't get any cheap bags last week.

We still have meat stuff in the freezer. I daren't run the meats out, as we have no nearby shops, and if the weather turns worse, we don't easily get out of the village.

We shall need some more coal next week, and our log supply is getting low again, oh dear.
Tonight we are having plaice, which was reduced, OH having sausages, with potato, and carrots, swede and parsnip left over from last week.
Freeranger
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3171
Joined: 17 Apr 2012, 10:13

Re: Spreckly's frugal February

Post by Freeranger »

£260? Eeek! It's a good job we love our pets - I hope Nation's fully over the extreme dentistry.

You've been doing pretty well, by the sound of things, Spreckly.
Post Reply