The Frugal Life

Has anyone else noticed just how expensive cleaning solutions are becoming, even in the supermarkets? Many now boast of a new added ingredient, unique formula or power that seems to have raised the price to incredibly expensive levels. I stocked up a while ago but I thought I’d try out household items to see just how effective they are and three stood out above the rest.

Lemon juice appeared to be the best for cleaning stains off cutlery and cutting through grime on stove hobs. Vinegar is fantastic for cleaning windows and brings them up to a really nice shine but salt made the most difference in the kitchen. of course, it won’t actually kill bacteria or germs but it will cut through just about any stain going. I used it with a damp cloth in the outdoor sink and it fetch the stubborn dirt right up. I wouldn’t recommend using it on delicate surfaces though. Stick to metals and other surfaces that wouldn’t be damaged by it because it is quite abrasive. Using salt on staiins would definitely save you money though and make use of household goods!

I wrote a blog recently about saving money when shopping for groceries, so making the most of your budget in effect. However, after sorting out my refrigerator earlier I have another frugal tip for you, and one that will make more of an impact on your budget than focusing on your grocery shopping - start saving money on food at home!

I went through my fridge about 10 minutes ago and was astounded and appalled by the amount of food I had to throw out. My husband is terrible for buying food that we already have or opening a new packet when one is already open because he doesn’t look. When you’re trying to save money that is never a good thing, as it proved when I threw a dustbin bag full of food out. There were molding jacket potatoes (that cost £1), an out of date packet of ham that had 2 slices gone from it (£3), half a block of moldy cheese (£1.50), 4 yogurts (£1.50), olives (£2), soured milk (75p), Satsumas (£1) and a half used bottle of mayo (50p). All in all, i threw out food that we paid £10.25 for. That’s really bad and incredibly wasteful.

As a result of my horror, my frugal tip of the day is to start at home and use everything you possibly can. I could have added the ham and olives into a pasta bake and had the cheese on a sandwich for lunch. The milk could have been used on cereal and the yogurts eaten for breakfast or dessert. I’m going to plan meals from now on and monitor what is in the fridge. I’m also going to sort out a rotational system so all new food goes to the back and the old food remains at the front until it is eaten. I’m also going to make a resolution to throw food worth no more than £2 in the next 2 weeks and work downwards from there!

The moral of the story - save some of your budget by sorting out your refrigerator!

Did you know that in the UK alone there is £860 million just laying around in the bank and building society coffers? That;s right, they have over £860 million of our money just sat around gathering dust (and maybe a little interest) in their vaults. That money is actually in dormant accounts, which are those accounts that have not been accessed for some time. It may be that the people have forgotten about the account or a relative may have set it up in their names and passed away, but right now it remains unclaimed.

The question is do you have dormant bank accounts that you could access right now to help the household finances? Whether you know you have or have no clue as to whether you have or not, you can search for your accounts via mylostaccount.org.uk. It’s a free service that will search the entire records of institutions to locate dormant bank accounts for you.

To date, the highest amount claimed is £10,000. How you would not miss that mony is beyond me but apparently someone did. You can search online so it is worth a little effort. After all, even if you only find a few pounds it’s better than nothing! I have no idea as to whether other countries have these services but it really is well worth looking into if you ask me.

Every time I go into a supermarket these days it looks like prices have gone up. Sure, various items and products are heavily discounted but other foods seem to be more expensive to make up for it. That may just be me but I am really making a concerted effort to save money on my grocery shopping these days. My old budget really is no longer affordable if we want to save enough to get a mortgage within a few years so I’ve picked up some hints and tips in trying to reduce mine that may help you to save money on food!

• Firstly, make a list. If you go shopping without one then you’re committing a cardinal sin against frugality! A list will have everything you need on it so if you stick to the maxim that you’ll save money if you only buy what is on that list then you’ll find your bill far more affordable at the end of the trip!
• Search for coupons online. If you routinely buy the same products, take a look around the Internet to see if there are money off coupons available for them. It might only save you a few pence but every little helps! Avoid buying items just because you have a coupon though because that will elevate your bill.
• Shop online. You can keep track of your budget by shopping online as you shop and save money on food that would have been spent on items that you do not need.
• Try discount supermarkets and own brands. Buying from cheaper stores or purchasing supermarket own labels rather than big brands will also save you a lot of money and yet you will still be able to get everything you need.
• Avoid offers. This may sound a little funny because offers are a good thing… and they are if you need the item that is on offer. If you do not need it then don’t buy it. Don’t let the pricetag tempt you! However, if you routinely use something that is on offer then stock up. Toilet rolls, toothpaste, sugar, coffee etc… all are items that keep for some time so stocking up when they are on offer will save you a lot of cash!

It has taken me quite some time to get this blog going as a result of a heavy workload. Still, we have to do what we can to keep a roof over our heads at the moment I guess! Hopefully this post, as long overdue as it is, will save you some money on your grceries. Saving money on food is something we can all do by snapping up bargains and avoiding traps so use the tips above as a quick guide to safeguarding your disposable income and living a frugal life!

I’ve seen so much in magazines, on TV and on the Internet about being frugal in recent weeks that is seems like a major economic trend rather than a personal lifestyle choice at the moment. Everyone seems to be turning to frugality to relieve their own financial woes and make the money they do have in every household stretch that little bit further. Frugality is most definitely the way forward for me and my husband in order to help us reach our own economic goal. That goal is getting out of the house we live in now and into our own house within 3 years (depending on the lending trends of course).

I hate living where we live at the moment. I don’t like the house or the area but we rent it off a woman I used to work with so we can do pretty much what we want. Unlike with our previous landlord, we can have pets and decorate as we see fit. We also have one of the cheapest rents available around here so I’m not going anywhere until we buy our own home! However, to do that we need a decent deposit so that is what we are going to save money for this year and next… and why we need to achieve a frugal lifestyle to do so!

I’ve actually written a motto on a piece of paper and pinned it on the board in the kitchen. It reads:

Everything is good for something!

I truly believe that. After all, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure so unwanted items can be sold on Amazon or eBay, or even traded on Tradeyourstuff or Music Magpie. Any leftover food can be thrown together in some sort of dish, even if its a stew or broth to be frozen and eaten later. Every broken item can be used for parts, even if it is only nails or screws the ca be used for repairs later. Everything has some sort of use so waste is not an option. It can save money or make money.

Tomorrow we start with the tips and recipes!

Hello all and welcome to my second Today.com blog - The Frugal Life!

I’ve only just been able to apply for a second blog but the timing could not be better. Every January I try to make a fresh start with resolutions that I’ll stick to but last year that all went a little wrong. My 2008 resolution was to start saving toward a mortgage with a view to moving into our own home within 3 years but last year was a nightmare for my husband and I. He lost his job and struggled to find a new one so I was working 18 hour days to try and make ends meet. As I’m a freelance writer I effectively reached burnout and damaged my health but 2009 is a new start. My husband now has employment, I’m back to working normal hours and this year I am determined to start saving for a mortgage with my ultimate goal being £4,000 in savings by the end of the year.

To achieve this, I’m aiming to live the simple life and thus be frugal. As such, my journey and progress will be documented here. Not only will I post frugal tips to help you save money but I will also post tips as to how you can make a little extra on the side. After all, in such tough economic times every little helps!

Thanks for visiting. Please check back to see how I’m doing once in a while because I’d love to see you here!