Friday 1 December 2017

What do I mean by frugal?

When I first started this particular blog, I called it 'My 30-30 Challenge' because I was aiming for a pound a day, to go with the Facebook group I help to admin, Feed Yourself for a Pound a Day.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/651859231575794/
(take a look - you might like to join and see what it's all about)

For several months I kept this going, managing to stay under a pound a day with the use of garden produce, savers brands, yellow stickers (not too much though) and making it myself.

However, after a few name changes and changes in 'style', Real Life got in the way, not financial but other stuff and then I developed (unrelated) health issues.  As well as that, I had a loaded freezer that I wasn't making inroads into in any great way because it would break the £1 bank.  THis was, obviously, rather silly!.

So, out of all that, The Frugal Factor was born.  I didn't want to move too far away from the roots of this blog but it's a bit more complicated now.

So - what do I mean by frugal?
  • I mean making the very best of what I already have and not buying food for the sake of buying food - and that includes yellow sticker food.  If I don't need it, it is a waste of cash, whether it costs £10 or 10p
  • I mean minimising waste.  Using leftovers creatively, cooking sensible portions, freezing things in single portions or free flow in bags - they all help to reduce waste.
  • I mean looking around for new ideas and recipes - making things from scratch, reading frugal blogs, contributing to running our frugal Facebook groups . . .
  • I mean keeping the two smaller meals vary low cost (usually).  Porridge costs pennies so I can add a bit of fruit and not feel I'm being too spendy.  Home made bread, home made soup, home made egg based meals - they're all great value and delicious too.
  • I mean cutting unnecessary snacks to an absolute minimum.  Yes, I know I plan two snacks a day but I would usually have them with a meal; now I have split them off from meals to have between times.  Better for my health at the moment as I find too much food at one go = ouch!  


What I don't mean.
  • I don't necessarily mean the cheapest.  For example, the cheapest sausages are high in fat and low in meat.  Not great.
  • I don't mean skimping and scraping.  Goodness knows, some do have to and it's hard, very hard, but I am fortunate enough not to need to.
  • I only count food in this blog, not other expenses.  However, I have found that by focusing on this element of my spending, I am automatically becoming much more careful in all other areas too which really can't be a bad thing.


Each day I roughly cost out my planned meals in my head and if it comes to between £1.50 and £2.00, I'm happy.  Even £2 is only £14 a week, around £60 a month and £730 for the whole year.  If I generally stick to that, then the occasions when I do go over will be more than balanced by the times when I go under.

So that's what I mean by frugal.
What do you think?




2 comments:

  1. That makes it sound do-able. I like your explanation. I will try to follow while I am away - free WiFi permitting!(also frugal!) And come January I will try much harder to follow your example, to empty the freezer, cut spending, use allotment produce, and be healthier.

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  2. If you manage to empty your freezer, you will be doing an awful lot better than I! :-) Have a great time away!
    J x

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