Hello Dear Reader,
I’ve moved. If you’ve found me without me giving you any clues then well done! Life in all it’s thriftiness/ish has continued. Hopefully, there won’t be the problems with commenting or who can read the comments that my previous format had issues with.
We’ve had the usual week of doing our very best to not spend any money! I capitulated and bought new work shoes. I could have carried on with the shoes I had but they were looking decidedly down at heel and I have a professional role and should look so too. Quite rightly so, nonetheless, I searched online with Clarks, found the shoes were half price(reduced to £22.50) and had them sent free of charge to the local shop where I could try them on and then pay for them if I liked them. I did and now I look smart and professional again but for half the price.
More thriftiness throughout the week. We’re eating very simply. Lots of meals where I cook once and then we eat that for lunch for the next few days too. There was a lot of turkey cottage pie, carrots and broccoli this week but it kept us going. Some weeks, it’s soups, this week it was mince and mash. I don’t mind and it saved thinking about lunch for most of the week. I could tell you about how we don’t eat out, don’t eat takeaways, don’t eat ready made food but then you know that. I succumbed to a £2.25 pack of Sainsbury’s sushi of Friday as I needed a ‘lunch on the run’ as I had a lunch time opticians appointment. I’m studying a lot recently so bought some single vision lens glasses and bought some from their cheapest £25 including the lens as it’s not great to sit in front of a screen for hours with my vari-focals. Totting that little lot up this week…..£49.75 makes a hole in our savings but some things, with the exception of £2.25 on sushi, are needs must!
The sun came out today and didn’t it make a difference! My furry friends had another trip by car in their dog carriers. Very little moaning from them today and they settled really quickly. Normally, they have the back seat to themselves so they are doing well to be contained and in their little crates. We went to Hannafore beach at Looe which is enough of a drive for the dogs to have ‘crate training’ but a treat for them at the end as they love to get their paws in the sand.
We’re being proper tightwads this month as we’re saving for the wood burner in our Huelgoat home. I always install a wood burner where ever we go. It’s a massive initial investment but it soon pays for itself. It’s much cheaper to get the work done there than here as it’s so much more common to have one as the sole source of heating in your home. Ours here is a dinky 5KW stove but there it will be a 12KW monster to heat the whole house and will be the sole source of heating and clothes drying. The downstairs is open plan and the stair case is open tread so the heat will circulate. (Modern wood stoves have a double burn system so they’re virtually smoke free and not sending particles into the air. Wood is also carbon neutral and renewable.)
Here, we also need to pay for next years wood that gets delivered tomorrow and will see us through next winter. I always buy it a year in advance and stack it away what’s more, I always stock up when I’ve been paid as a form of security as I always feel better when the bills are paid and this is sort of our heating bill.
Not much else to report this week. Although it’s a delight to drive to work and back in the day light, see the daffodils in the gardens and hedgerows and there’s also a glimmer of blossom here and there.
So, from trying our best not to spend any money to me blowing money on work shoes, glasses and sushi……it’s been an expensive week. Note to self: must try harder next week!
I hope you leave a comment, even if just to say hello, tell us about your thrifty week or what you think of the new format.
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxxxxx
It’s not like you are throwing your money away on something you don’t need. Comfortable shoes and eye glasses are a must for your health. I consider both to be an investment. Sushi is not my taste, but you have to treat yourself once in awhile. Glad your fur babies are doing well traveling in their crates.
Maggie in USA
LikeLike
The photo of the beach is a proper delight, thank you. I like the look of this new site!x
LikeLike
The daylight was glorious, that was four in the afternoon
LikeLike
Found you! And I don’t think you have been particularly spendthrift (except for the sushi and, for goodness sakes, we all need a little treat now and again).
LikeLike
Having read your blog for a number of years, I’m glad I can post without having to sign into Google.
Love your recipes and love your outlook on life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Gill x
LikeLike
I’m glad it’s easier for you to comment. I love to hear from readers.
LikeLike
Hi Froogs Some weeks you can blow a small fortune, weve just installed solar panels and a clever little device thats sends any extra watts that we produce to heat the immersion £7400,but a worthwile investment for our future. Next week a further £3000 on insulating the roof.Must try harder the following week!!
LikeLike
Hi Viv, sounds like a sound investment to me xx
LikeLike
I have read your blog for a long time and am striving to be like you. I have just retired and need to get used to not having a monthly pay cheque which is hard but I realise that there is a difference between need and want and regret not saving more when I could. Anyways, there is no time like the present so meal planning, quilting and lots of fresh air here I come!
LikeLike
Loving the new format. I would also say that glasses and shoes are essentials and you could have spent so much more than you did!
LikeLike
The glasses are really ‘on trend’ surprising for the price
LikeLiked by 1 person
Relieved to see you back. Have been missing my Frugal Queen fix!
LikeLike
Relieved to see you back - have been missing my Frugal Queen ‘fix’!
LikeLike
Loving your new blog look although I never had any problems posting. Like you I need to be smart for school so need to spend money on decent clothes and shoes. But i never pay full price ;-)
LikeLike
I love the new format - so much easier to comment. Professional dress is a must but a lot easier/cheaper, I think, these days. Having taken early retirement last summer, I’m enjoying making my home clothes last as long as possible! I’m really enjoying reading about your home in France. Xx
LikeLike
Thanks Kate, it is reasonably cheap to get good work clothes
LikeLike
Have missed reading of your adventures in life and frugality. Good luck in your new inter web home :)
LikeLike
Could you be persuaded to write a guide to going it alone blogwise? You aren’t the only one getting a bit fed up with blogger
LikeLike
Hi - just go to WordPress and follow the instructions to move your old blog over, I just did what it told me to do. Good luck xx
LikeLike
Love the new format. Looks great. And here is a note so you can see if it is working from the US.
LikeLike
THANK YOU THANK YOU for the new format! I have always wanted to read the entire blog from the beginning, but the previous format was not very - ahem - accommodating of this wish! Have been having a lovely read, and will continue to do so.
LikeLike
So happy to find your new place. I was a bit perturbed when I found you gone. Thank heavens for other social media (your Twitter and FB).
Love the new format. Photos of your walks are always one of my favourite things. Beautiful part of the world you live in.
LikeLike
Glad you are back. We are currently trying to find our own place in France so really enjoy reading about you working on your Huelgoat house.
LikeLike
Hi Froogs
Have lurked on your thread for years but never posted as I didn’t want a Google account thiingymado.
A girl after my own heart who ‘says it as it is’, I find your blog so insightful and inspiring. I cleared my debt of £50k and it was blogs like yours that kept me focussed during that time.
Liking the new thread and looking forward to reading more about the life journey that you, DB and the curries are taking.
May good luck and fortune follow you
Thanks for what you do.
LikeLike
did you mean “furries” are taking. lol
LikeLike
Love the new format. It looks beautiful and is a lot easier on your readers.
Your little dogs are so adorable! They look like they’re really enjoying their trip to the beach.
LikeLike
Love the new site,can comment now!Enjoy reading your blog.
LikeLike
So nice to read about flowers appearing…we’ve had snow three times in days!
LikeLike
I’ve enjoyed following your blog for quite some time but this is the first time I’ve commented. I really like the new format and how easy it is to navigate.
Like you, I mostly cook from scratch and try to cook once and eat twice or more. My husband and I are both retired and because we’ve always been careful with our spending we’re at a point where we don’t have to stress over spending, although old habits die hard and we’re still watchful. Today I made a large pot of chicken soup from a couple of lots of chicken bones from my freezer - delicious.
LikeLike
Absolutely beautiful pictures. New shoes and glasses are necessities.
LikeLike
I’m glad to see you back, as well. I’d love to see some spring flowers, but it’s still early for ours.
LikeLike
Glad you’ve got a new blogging home!
LikeLike
Forgot to add: welcome to WordPress. So much more friendly for commentators than Blogger.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good luck with your new blog home and the French house too!
LikeLike
Q
All good from a NZ regular
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m also trying to be tight. Change of job, less salary and being paid weekly instead of monthly takes some getting used to.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so glad you’re back. Also too, your archives now have the year on them, your other site didn’t, so, as I am going back through from the beginning, knowing I am on November 2011 is ace, I don’t keep pressing the wrong November. Thankmyouuuuu!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, yes, that always was annoying (about no year listed with month for old archives)
LikeLike
Glad you are on WordPress, Frogs, easier to comment on. Just one quick question, is your stove multi fuel or a wood burner only? We, hopefully , will be buying one later in the year . Tony
LikeLike
Hi Tony, here and Huelgoat, wood only. Thanks.
LikeLike
Yes, i can comment again!! Thanks Froogs :)
LikeLike
Love the new blog format!
LikeLike
Took a bit, but I found you. Worth the effort! Very nice setup. Look forward to keeping up with your adventures. :-D
LikeLike
Brilliant found you through bloglovin again, really happy with that. I have the same jacket as you and love it, got it for half price with sports direct online compared to the regatta retail shop last October. I know they are cheaper again in shops now due to spring sales. I think you did very well with the shoes and glasses. I love hearing about Huelgoat one of my favourite programmes is “a place in the sun” but for the moment I can only dream. Do you think you will miss going to different places on holiday? Or did you always stick to Brittany?
LikeLike
Hi, Frugal Queen, your new website is very easy to follow, and the photos are so clear and crisp, quite envying all that sunshine at the seaside.
Looking forward to hearing more about your farmhouse renovations in France, and how the gigantic new workburning stove works out. Roberta.
LikeLike
Lovely pics xx
LikeLike
Frugal Queen is looking good! I too have had a week where I spent money. I bought a new mattress. So like you an essential spend. I value my spine more than ever now that I am in my late sixties.
LikeLike
Love the new format Froogs! Good to hear the pets are doing well with their crate training.
LikeLike
LOVE the new blog! The photos look fabulous too.
LikeLike
Are there grants available in France for woodburners? They are quite keen on encouraging it to meet their carbon targets
LikeLike
I found you! Yay!!!
LikeLike
I ended up getting a takeaway lunch for free today due to wait. $5 saved! :). I also sold $400+ of items I had at home. Cash went straight into the bank to go onto my credit card. I’ve got one more item to sell, $500. It’s been posted online and I’m just waiting for takers.
LikeLike
I love your new format! Dog walking on the beach - doesn’t get any better than that. I bought some Clark’s sandals this past weekend for only $20. at Shoe Carnival - do you have those stores there? They were on the cheapest markdown rack waaay at the back of the store! They last so much better and are so comfy for work. Keep up the good work!
Michelle from Texas
LikeLike
Hi There Froogs - love the new site and so happy that I can comment so easily! Have wanted to a few times but it seemed a bit too hard. We are in Australia close to the Blue Mountains - today although it is Autumn we have had 33 degrees - can’t wait for cooler weather, crock pot casseroles and to put the fire on - you probably can’t wait for the sunshine! You have inspired me many times either by your great fuss free recipes or savings tips. Hubby and I are in our mid 50’s so are on the downward slope to retirement and your tips certainly help with the mindset we need to be in for the next few years. Love your photos and how willing you are to share a little part of your life with us.
LikeLike
Oh goody, I can finally comment! Have been reading your blog for a long time and thoroughly enjoy your no nonsense approach. Just completed my own Extreme Frugal Feb Challenge and didn’t spend a cent on myself apart from an extremely necessary physio massage to fix lower back pain (from not having regular massages, and not doing yoga - trying to save money). I think some things just need to be worked into the budget, if they can be afforded somehow, and I should not feel guilty about spending money on them:-)
LikeLike
Love my yoga class…i am not giving that up
LikeLike
Oh wow I often wanted to comment but could not work out how to…google defeated me…i have been readoping your blog for years and love it.
From perth western australia many thanks
LikeLike