The Frugal Life

On Valentine’s Day 2008, millions of people around the world bought expensive gifts and treated their partners to expensive dinners and days out. Of course, I’m generalising now because some may have been frugal and some may not have celebrated Valentine’s Day at all but regardless of how much you spent last year, you will probably be thinking about how you can cut back this year.

If you are looking to save money on Valentine’s Day then why not be frugal with the following tip. You’ll save a fortune!

• Cook your partner a meal at home. Buy a few candles and make your favourite meal from scratch. You’ll save a fortune by paying supermarket prices for your restaurant meal!
• Invest in a few bath salts and have a romantic bubble bath together. This is incredibly cheap but one of the most relaxing and romantic things you can do together on February 14.
• Make presents for each other that demonstrate your love without spending a penny. As corny as it may sound, photo albums, mix CDs and other similar items are incredibly thoughtful without being expensive.
• Choose ecards over real cards or make your own. Valentine’s Day cards are very expensive if you buy them from stores so choose the cheap but no less expressive options instead.
• Borrow a DVD from a friend or rent one rather than going to the cinema. Dim the lights, invest in popcorn and away you go!
• If you want to go away but don’t want to pay Valentine’s Day prices then just delay your Valentine’s Day by 2 weeks. You’ll be able to book into a hotel or go on a break for half the price by delaying it for a few days.

Just a quick tip for everyone today to kick start any savings plans you may be putting into force in the near future…

Save your pennies!

If you have a quick scount around your home then I’m betting you can find numerous pennies laying around on windowsills, in old purses, in unwashed jeans, on the floor, down the sides of sofas etc… You get the picture! I have to say that my car is a magnet for loose change for some reason so you may want to look there too. Simply go around your home and pick up any loose change you have and then put it in a money jar. The best ones to use are the tin ones that you cannot open unless you actually use a can opener on it. You can put any coins you like in there over the course of a few weeks. I usually put all my 1p, 2p, 5p and 10p coins in a jar once a week. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it soon mounts up. When your jar is full count it out, bag it up and put it in the bank! You’ll start saving money without even realising it!

British Gas announced that they were cutting their energy prices by 10% a couple of weeks ago, which was definitely welcome news after most of us having to scrimp and save to pay our bills in 2008. Although the cut will come into force when the worst of the winter is over, any saving is better than no saving at all! This is why I’ve chosen to write a blog about how you can shave money of your heating and energy bills in the coming years.

The following tips will give you a firm foundation to work from and save money on your energy bills. Some may only shave a few pence off but every penny counts!

• Only charge appliances when you are on hand to switch off the power! How many of us have charged our mobile phones overnight? I certainly have but that will cost you more money in terms of your energy bills because your mobile, Nintendo DS, laptop or any other appliance you charge will continue to eat electric when the battery is full. Charge them when you are there so you can switch it off as soon as the battery is full!
• Switch the plug sockets off when you’re done. If you have boiled the kettle, used the toaster and switched off the computer, switch the socket off and unplug the appliance because leaving the socket live will cost you a few more pounds over the course of the year.
• Ban standby in your home! Never leave the TV or DVD player on standby as it takes energy to power it. It may be convenient but it can add a lot to your energy bills over time.
• Make the most of an open fire if you have one. Coal and wood to burn is much cheaper than relying on gas central heating so make the most of an open fire or burner if you have one. With Valentine’s Day coming up, an open fire and some candles can also be incredibly romantic! Bonus!

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!

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!