Frugal Living - how are you managing?

Remy said:
Oh, I went to the Grocery Outlet store. They had Amy's brand soup, lentil only. The regular was $2.49 and the light in sodium was $1.99. I got the latter. I can add a little salt.

And a can of cream corn. I want to make that potato, creamed corn soup again.
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I make my own lentil soup.. it's so cheap to make, and I make a BIG pot and freeze it..

I boil a Bacon or gammon joint.. then take it out when it's cooked.. and add lentils, and anything else I have to hand to the water .. like a chopped up potato or 2.. maybe some barley.. or some butter beans... Then I chop some of the cooked bacon into bite size pieces and throw it back in the pot, and cook it for as long as the lentils need cooking.. about 30minutes..

I freeze the soup in portions.. and when I reheat the soup for a dinner , then I'll add some type of green veggies.. like spinach or broccoli...

with the rest of the Bolied bacon..I make other things..like Bacon and egg pie or Bacon and onion Roly Poly suet roll
 

Alligatorob said:
Wow! We also have gas heat, our electric bill goes down in winter. And gas is a lot cheaper, here.
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well ours was until this year and the Russian /Ukraine war... now it's gone through the roof.. up 54 % in April, and will rise again in October.. making the projected average anual Bill around £3,500- £4,000 ..people are sick with worry about how they will pay their bills.. and it's sparked off lots of strikes among the workforces demanding more money. Currently the Postmen are on strike.. last week it was the railway workers and train drivers.. both of whom get handsome salaries as it is.... In Scotland it's the Dustmen.. who haven't emptied a trash bin in 9 days..

Trouble is those of us on a fixed income..pensioners et al..get no rises and if we do it's pennies .. we can't strike for more money and the Uk Govt already pays the lowest pensions in Western Europe.. despite us paying the highest monthly Insurance and tax all our working lives..

I should stop now.. otherwise it'll all keep me awake..
 
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Pepper said:
I have this terrible habit of shopping at CVS, which I hate, and forgetting the $5 coupons they sometimes sneak onto my receipt. I do it over and over and then am forced to condemn myself and make excuses for my behavior. Leaving coupons home shouldn't be an option for me anymore. I can't stand the regret!
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I do that too. I firmly believe CVS counts on that. They are giving a perk knowing less than 20% of those who receive it, will use it.
 
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hollydolly said:
well ours was until this year and the Russian /Ukraine war... now it's gone through the roof.. up 54 % in April, and will rise again in October.. making the projected average anual Bill around £3,500- £4,000
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Wow, I guess the gas markets are less international than oil. Harder to transport it, but there are LNG tankers... I suspect our gas prices will probably rise too, don't know. Both the US and Utah are net gas exporters.

Are y'all working on getting gas from somewhere else? I suspect Russia and the Ukraine won't be coming back soon. Seems like there should be gas in the North Sea. And surely in North Africa and the Middle East, do you have pipelines connecting?

We have been able to significantly increase our gas output using fracking technologies, is that being done in Europe? https://www.api.org/oil-and-natural...ing/why-is-fracking-for-natural-gas-important

Edited a few minutes later. I looked into it and there are things going on with Middle Eastern and North African gas, but I suspect it will take a while. Best to have multiple sources I guess. https://www.arabnews.com/node/2130916
 
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@hollydolly It appears Europe's gas problems are in part self-inflicted. This article says Europe has more recoverable gas than the US, but most countries have banned fracking. If that were not true y'all would not be having these problems... https://www.bloomberg.com/quicktake...e, the Netherlands,,output from the North Sea.

I worked much of my career in the environmental business, in oil fields. And I believe the anti-fracking stuff is mostly nonsense. Fracking can be done safely, it should not be banned.
 
Alligatorob said:
@hollydolly It appears Europe's gas problems are in part self-inflicted. This article says Europe has more recoverable gas than the US, but most countries have banned fracking. If that were not true y'all would not be having these problems... https://www.bloomberg.com/quicktake/fracking-europe#:~:text=Germany, France, the Netherlands,,output from the North Sea.

I worked much of my career in the environmental business, in oil fields. And I believe the anti-fracking stuff is mostly nonsense. Fracking can be done safely, it should not be banned.
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yes..many of us know this..but knowig it isn't going to help us find the money for the bills, when the govt will not entertain the idea of fracking..
 
hollydolly said:
Our utility bills have risen 54 % in April.. and will rise again in October.. it's a terrible situation where the majority of people will be in real danger of heat or eat.. never before in the history of this country have utility bills risen so high... so everyone is looking for the best way to save money , especially now winter is coming.

I have gas central heating ( Boiler) .. which also heats the water, but I can do with the boiler just coming on for an hour in the morning.. to give me enough hot water for showering, and cleaning..rather than having it coming on twice a day .. and also I can keep the heating off , by staying upstairs where it's the warmest place in the house.. and if downstairs, have a fleece blanket on me , or if it's very cold then a Single duvet.. while I;m sitting on the sofa watching TV..

I have 2 chandeliers in my livingroom.. and 4 table lamps.. . I rarely have the chandeliers lit.. and usually always rely on the 4 remote control lamps.. but now, I've started just having one lamp on in the evening..

I use a cordless Vac most days.. it takes a short time to charge, and can be used everywhere in the house.. I only use the Miele.. about once a fortnight for a thorough clean..

I've bought a flask so I can keep the boiling water in there for tea throughout the day.. it keep the water hot for 8 hours.., so I only need to boil the kettle a 1/3rd of the time , ..
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I think I read somewhere that you have a home in a warmer climate, would you not like to spend the winter there rather than having to pay the exorbitant prices expected in the UK.. I was shocked to see that on the news.
 
I have always been pretty frugal, old habits die hard. In the winter I heat with a gas fire, and I am mental where hydro is concerned. I never leave lights on, at night I read with a book light, night lights everywhere. Instead of using the oven for cooking I use a convection toaster oven. Only use the oven if I bake, it seems to take a long time to heat up to the required temperature. My gas and electric bills are equal billing rather than pay as you go, it makes it easier to budget then the companies adjust them in the fall. I am expecting a huge increase.
 
I use my Chase Freedom card to pay for everything, including utility bills. I just redeemed my points for $200 worth of Kroger grocery gift cards.

Our electric bill is reasonable, even during 2 months of triple digit temperatures, because we had our windows replaced a few years ago. I'm glad I spent the money when I was working so I can enjoy the savings in retirement.
 
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palides2021 said:
ny other tips?
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If you own your house;
Insulate

Food:
Bulk, canned, frozen
Garden....big time (if you can)

Most everybody can do this;
Eat at home
...and when you do, finish those leftovers

Nothing much more expensive than;
driving to the store
buying the food
driving it home
putting it in the fridge
eating half of it
putting the rest back in the fridge
throwing that away a week later

Oh, and if you can;
Hang yer clothes on the line
Dryer time is expen$ive
 
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The use of heavy curtains is a good idea.
~If you eat meat, eat less and incorporate it into casseroles or make it the side dish rather than main dish. I hardly ever eat meat anymore.

~Unplug your device chargers and any appliance that you can when they are not in use if it's not a hassle. Or turn off the power strips they are plugged into. I can do this with my microwave, the power strip my NuWave oven, electric dryer and countertop dishwasher are plugged into and sometimes do it with my T.V. Charging plugs/cables use what is called "phantom electricity" even when nothing is charging. HDTVs pull a lot. The first year I started unplugging, I saved close to $200.

~Shop sales and stock up when you find great prices (exception is fresh produce, unless they are freeze-able items). It helps to know the sales cycles. Also consider buying in bulk if you can. This can be done via wholesale clubs (Costco, BJs..I heard Sam's is expensive), Walmart and Amazon. DollarTree.com requires bulk buying (cases with 6 - 12 units, according to the item), which I gladly do for items I use regularly. After all, each unit is only $1.25.

~Make full use of reward credit cards, if you are inclined to use credit cards at all. I have several and admittedly although I have to note which ones to use where, it's payed off. My notepad app has my list of which cards are paying 5%, 3% and 2% and during which months. So far this year I've gotten back $1,138 in cash back rewards and bonuses. Banks are now rewarding people to open charge accounts with them. I put all except my utilities and carrying charges (aka HOA fees) on my credit cards (because their fees are ridiculous). Doing this doesn't cost me anything since I pay my balances in full each month. Besides my bank and credit union wouldn't pay me to write checks or pay online using my checking account.

~Shop thrift/consignment shops. I've gotten unbelievable bargains on designer clothes and coats from my favorite one.

~If you regularly shop online, consider using Rakuten which will mail you checks once you've reached the $5 rebate due mark. I've been using it for years back when it was Ebates. I've gotten my checks when due me. Rakuten does not take your credit card information but simply connects you to the retailer that's offering various percentages off. If you are interested in using Rakuten, please let me know and I'll PM you my referral code. When you use my referral code and spend $25 (on the sites of whatever retailers you choose) we both get bonuses.
 
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In the past year I have cut or substituted many items. My friend colors my hair instead of using a salon. I get my dogs groomed every 12 weeks instead of 8. I switched to T-Mobile’s prepaid plan for a flat fee of 15/month, switched from cable to you tube tv and share the cost with a friend.

Raised the deductible on my condo and car insurance. Grocery shop once a month at Winco which is the cheapest. Just pickup milk, fruit, etc in between. Raised the deductible on my pet insurance.
 
I use the slow cooker instead of the oven when suitable. Leftovers!

Batch cook as others do, and helps me when I am in no mood to cook or short on time/organizing and also when my pain has reached a level where I do not want to do anything physical. I really should have a separate freezer.

Made felt liners for curtains and have those blackout curtains as well which also help with keeping out the cold. Made the felt curtain liners when we had an awful arctic wind chill advisory some years ago. The weather forecasters were unfortunately accurate. The relentless wind was bitter cold, more than usual, for at least a week.

Use draft dodgers at the doors and some windowsills. Insulated the garage door, the garage is attached to the kitchen.

Have used window foam insulation tape, hate it, it doesn't stick properly and windows won't shut completely. So, I stopped using that.

Bought the sticky rope insulation, which worked better, except it kept overheating from the sun, fell off, and would not stay in place. I also just taped up the edges with painters tape, which did stay in place.

Chinese takeout has gone up by $5 for the same meal as two years ago. We sometimes buy it on the lunchtime special, and there is enough in each entree to make two or three meals. Again, leftovers!

Have wanted to plant evergreens across the front yard to help with wind protection and sun shade in the summer. I did plant four arborvitaes, they provide some shade for the porch. Landscaping can be a money saver in the long run.

Use the 2nd spin cycle on the clothes washer which means less time in the dryer. Hang some of the clothes instead of machine drying. Usually use the cold water setting on the washer, saving money. Also, some years ago I bought dryer balls which shave a few minutes off the dryer time.

Tip: Get a warm furry dog or cat to snuggle up to, free heat!

Tip: Don't share your wine or champagne, one less glass to wash or you can drink from the bottle!

Tip: Don't drive yourself crazy turning off the lights, fans, tvs, etc. that your spouse leaves on when leaving the house. Turn them off, just don't drive yourself crazy.
 
RobinWren said:
I think I read somewhere that you have a home in a warmer climate, would you not like to spend the winter there rather than having to pay the exorbitant prices expected in the UK.. I was shocked to see that on the news.
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no, it's not possible for me to be there currently.....anyway, tbh I;ve spent winters there.. and contrary to popualr belief, it's really not that warm in winter, especially in the house where for obvious reasons there are no carpets.. there is no central heating , only reverse AC.. and there's no insulated walls..
 
Jules said:
This article in CBC news online reaffirms what @hollydolly is saying.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/uk-energy-costs-inflation-1.6562955
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yep and companies are now having to either close down or reduce their opening hours because they simply cannot afford the cost of utilities to stay open... Pubs are going to be killed in this country.. as it is we lost many (100's) pubs after they had to close due to the enforced 2 year Covid closure. The pub culture is the single most popular form of entertainment in this country. .. Now the prediction is for £10 or more for a Pint of Beer. :eek: There's no-one in their right mind would pay anything near £10 for a pint.. so this will finish the pubs off completely .

Last week our biggest Cinema Chain announced they were closing ..
 


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