Making leaf mould
I like to use any free resources around me to save money and one of the ways that I get free soil for my containers that I grow my vegetables in, is to make leaf [...]
How my ‘no spending’ times have changed.
Phase 1 Ever since I have had a family, I have had periods of time when I have intentionally not spent any money. These are called ‘no spend’ weeks, or months. In the old days [...]
23 tips for self catering holidays
We tend to go on a lot of self-catering holidays out of season as it is possible to find really cheap, last- minute deals. We have seen a lot of Britain in this way. Life [...]
Why I still preserve food for winter
One of my older pals who popped in when I was making pickles the other day, and picking and freezing berries, said that she didn’t know why I bothered preserving these items of food for [...]
9 cheap ways I add extra nutrition to my meals when on a tight budget
I have become a lot more conscious about my nutrition and what I eat as I have got older. I want to stay healthy as I age, and am aware that the NHS is not [...]
Batch cooking with short crust pastry to stretch meals and save
Today was bread making day and when use the oven, I don’t want to waste any energy and so I cook a few things at the same time using the same base ingredient. Today it [...]
Organising a wedding on a shoe string
My daughter and her partner are extremely frugal, even though they are both on good wages. This way they can spend their income on what they want and therefore have a camper van and do [...]
Summer breakfasts using what we have
What we eat changes, depending on the seasons. When I am planning my shopping and food budget, except for buying oats which I use for baking, I don’t really factor in the cost of breakfasts. [...]
Another typical week’s menu
My last weekly menu plan attracted a lot of FB comments and seemed to be helpful for ideas to some and so I thought that I would put my planned menu for this week up [...]
Meal plan for a typical week
Each week I make a meal plan but I do not have set days for meals as how we feel, and what we are doing changes, and we might not want to eat what is [...]
How debt impacts on your health
After being ill in 2009 the first thing that I wanted to do was to get rid of all my debt. I had not realised how much it had impacted on my health and caused [...]
Onion Powder from waste
I hate waste of any kind and so make onion powder from the skins of onions and garlic, and the bits of onion that I had taken off when preparing onions to cook. I dehydrate [...]
Is the way we are frugal changing?
I have been frugal since I first lived on my own as a teenager, which is nearly 50 years, and so have a lot of experience of how to save money and make the most [...]
Things to do with a pack of bacon mis-shapes
In my 20s I was vegetarian for nearly a year but a bacon sandwich, passed to me on a long distance walk through the night, was my downfall. I love bacon but I know a [...]
Getting out of debt
WHY DO PEOPLE GET INTO DEBT? Debt can happen to anyone, especially in these unpredictable times. It can be because you lose a job, a relationship breaks up, you lose track of money, unexpected repairs, [...]
Afternoon tea
WHAT IS AFTERNOON TEA? Afternoon tea is basically a pot of tea with cream/milk and sugar provided, and a selection of savoury and sweet treats. The treats are usually small and they are often displayed [...]
Mother’s Day gift.
Professional flowers are expensive to buy for Mother's day, and the price seems to increase at this time of year. Even a nice bunch from the supermarket can cost over a tenner. I therefore liked [...]
Simple Living by the Seasons
Living my simple life, the weather and the seasons impact on my money saving routine, how are use my house, my frugal habits, and how I spend my time. I didn't really realise it until [...]
22 Things I don’t throw away any more.
In these times of rapidly rising prices the last thing that I want to do is waste food. Any left overs I will turn into another meal, but once upon a time I would throw [...]
21 Cheap Sandwich fillings
I am always looking for cheap sandwich fillings and something different. I am putting this post on to remind myself of things we have had in the past so that I put some more variety [...]
16 Uses for fruit compote or stewed fruit
I make fruit compote every week as it is easy, uses up gluts of fruit, it can be made from frozen fruit straight from the freezer, and it is so versatile to have in the [...]
33 Frugal Ideas for breakfasts
I get bored of eating the same food regularly. I plan my frugal food spend around my main meals, and lunches are usually left overs, soups, sandwiches, something on toast or, in summer, salads. There [...]
13 tips for shopping in charity shops (thrift stores).
There used to be a real stigma about shopping in charity shops as people thought it showed that you were poor. It is more fashionable now with people being more aware of sustainability and looking [...]
11 Ways I reduce my trips to the supermarket
One thing that I love about my frugal life now is that feeling of independence from the world of consumerism. It didn’t happen over-night, but as my skills improved and my mindset changed over the [...]
