As we were on holiday last week in Wales (even though we didn’t go crazy with our spending), we need to be frugal for a bit. In addition, as I said in my post from Wednesday, we caved in and bought a new dishwasher and microwave from AO.
In truth, I have been too busy catching up with myself to spend much, so it’s not been that hard to be frugal.
Football
I’m not really a big spectator when it comes to sport. I just don’t find it that interesting. However, with England making it to the World Cup semi-finals, like many other people, I found myself drawn in.
We decided to have a cheap night in watching the footie. We bought some wine and beers from Lidl, as well as some crisps and chocolate. It was so tense and exciting! Even though England got knocked out, they put on a good show and we enjoyed our evening.
Fakeaway
We really fancied a takeaway the other night. It was so hot! I really couldn’t be bothered to cook. However, I stuck to the plan and made a quick and healthy stir fry instead. I chopped up lots of veggies and used a sachet of sauce from the larder, purchased from Aldi. Once they were fried up, I tipped in some prawns from the freezer and served it with noodles.
Sometimes I have to remind myself to be frugal, but really this took 15 minutes to make and was so much cheaper than healthier than a Chinese takeaway.
Walking, not driving
I am continuing in my bid to walk more by parking 10 minutes away from my office and having a walk in. This also saves me some money on petrol! Every little helps!
This walk is really enjoyable. It sets me up for the day as I go in and helps me unwind walking back. Ideally, I would like to park further away but have yet to find anywhere safe and suitable to leave the car. Working on this!
Decluttering for a boot sale
It is time for another of my regular declutters. I just don’t know where all the ‘stuff’ comes from! The plan is to get enough together for a boot sale next month. I need to spend a bit more time going through the attic, though. There is stuff up there we don’t know we own. It needs to go!
I have cleared out about 4 bags full this week, although haven’t had as much time as I had hoped. Little by little. We might as well make some money from our junk.
‘New’ sandals
Whilst I was going through and decluttering my wardrobe, I found a pair of lovely leather sandals I had forgotten I had. I did actually get them from the boot sale – if I had spent a lot I definitely wouldn’t have forgotten about them. They are gorgeous quality, soft leather from Italy. Because they are purple I think I didn’t immediately have enough clothes that would go with them, but now I seem to have plenty.
I have found them so comfortable and cool to wear in this heat. So, effectively I have a new pair of sandals for free.
This is why you need to do a regular declutter! It saves money as well as giving you a feeling of control.
Have you managed to be frugal this week?
As ever, I am linking up with Cass , Emma and Becky in this week’s Five Frugal Things I have done this Week linky.
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Margaret Powling says
The only decluttering I do, Jane, and I do this every so often, is my book collection. I have few clothes, don’t visit boot sales so I don’t buy anything unnecessarily and I never (I say that mentally underlining the word ‘never’) buy knick-knacks for the home. As you had a declutter not that long ago, how have you managed to acquire more things which warrants another declutter already? I’d have thought your house would’ve been pared down to the bone by now, ha ha!
I’m delighted you had a good holiday in Wales. I couldn’t watch the match, it was so nerve-wracking! Instead, the TV was on and we mooched around the house doing various jobs that needed attention in the slightly cooler atmosphere of the evening! I swept and steam cleaned the kitchen floor, wiped down all the windowsills (windows open all day has meant all kinds of dust and grit has come in), cleaned the shower room and finished some ironing! Thank you England for spurring me on, ha ha!
As to takeaways – do you know, not since I was much younger, I’ve never craved a takeaway. I think this is because we learned that they never lived up to expectations (and were grossly overpriced!) and often left a nasty, greasy after-taste. If it’s too hot to cook, then we eat tomatoes (whole) with a little sea salt, crusty bread, a hunk of cheese (I usually have three or four kinds of cheese in the fridge) and an apple, and anything else that’s handy, even some dates and nuts. Yesterday we had hot smoked mackerel with soy and honey, coleslaw, beetroot salad and new potatoes. It was just a case of putting the various ingredients on the plates and waiting for the potatoes to cook. Preparation time 10 minutes, cooking time for new potatoes 15 minutes. Job done. Faster than driving to town for a takeaway and much nicer. I also keep cans of tinned fruit in the cupboard – they might look a tad old-fashioned, but they are great when you just need some fruit but the fruit you recently bought still isn’t ripe enough to eat.
Well done on walking that extra ten minutes to your office each day!
Margaret P
shoestringjane@outlook.com says
You are so right about takeaways rarely meeting expectations. As for the declutter, it never seems finished and with my limited time it is an ongoing job. I will get there
Margaret Powling says
Don’t, whatever you do, Jane, throw the baby out with the bathwater. I know I’ve harped on about this in the past, but our clutter today will be family archive material by the time your children have children or grandchildren of their own. Just think, with so much now being sent via email and text messages, there will be few letters and journals for historians in the future. Keep some things, even shopping receipts, utility bills, and so forth, for your grandchildren. I have my grandparents’ receipt for their carriage and pair to their wedding in 1897 and their dog licences for the family pooch and even the list from the hardware store of all the things they bought for setting up home, even a yard broom (not a yard long, but for sweeping the back yard – and for Americans reading this, I do mean a back yard, i.e. concrete or paved area outside the back door, not a garden.) Our lives are enriched by family memorabilia, don’t throw it all away.
shoestringjane@outlook.com says
That’s a lovely idea actually! Not chucking heirlooms though, just stuff that’s cluttering up the place
Becky says
Yes good on you for walking! #5frugalthings