Thrifty Living in January

 Hibernating is very good for the bank balance, as is eating from the freezer, and spending was nice and low. 

Income was the usual State and County Council Spouses Pensions, some interest from savings plus just under £20 from Ziffit for a box of books.

The Council Tax and direct debits for charity, broadband and phones plus diesel for the car (twice, once at beginning of month and once right at the end when just under half full) and the monthly electric bill  came to about £360 and I also bought another 5L of screen wash for £2.99 - really needed after all the rain and muddy roads. 

Food spending including restocking things like bags of bread flour and trying different sorts of coffee grounds for my new machine (which I'm loving) although I did buy some items that made 10 more meals for the freezer for February and March which I posted about mid month.

Personal spending was low, (although it's surprising how the £1.50s Keep Moving Group and £3s for swimming add up through the month) until  I had a morning out to Bury St Edmunds last week. Before that there was just a couple of coffees and cheese scones, exercise group, swimming and a new pair of reading glasses because the pair I keep in my handbag for using when out, fell off  my head at the exercise group and snapped the frame - I got some snazzy jazzy coloured ones for under £20. One second-hand poetry book bought for £2.80 (and then some other second hand books for £6).

My morning out took me to Bury St Edmunds for a change of scene and a tour of charity shops where I found 2 tunic tops - one a Joules and the other from Next and spent £21. Very expensive compared to charity shop prices of the past but I rarely see any a good length and it will save me buying new next winter, plus I found a few books - that was the £6. I'll write about them later. I had the bargain breakfast in Greggs for £2.85. (Bacon roll - with plenty of bacon - and large coffee)

Then had a much needed hair cut right at the end of the month - but as usual just had the cheapest available.

There's a market stall in Diss every Friday that has wild bird feed much cheaper than anywhere else so I stocked up on a ginormous bag of dried meal worms - which still wasn't enough for the month due to the blinkin'  starlings -  and a couple more suet blocks. I shopped at Morrisons while I was there and regretted it - should have gone to Aldi first because Morrisons prices seemed to have gone up again and there were several gaps on the shelves.

The window cleaner turned up on a cold day, always good for a chat as he knows everyone and everything about this village and actually lives in my last village so knows all about there too. It might be called gossiping but I think of it as gathering information!

Some money was spent on the garden because I went out to get a couple of bags of Multi Purpose compost and one of seed compost so I'm right ready to start, my seeds arrived earlier in the month. I bough a new Niger seed feeder for the birds while I was there as I'd got some Niger seed left and nothing to put it in. Perhaps I'll now see Goldfinches.

Finally it's MG's 4th birthday next week so there was a birthday present to buy.

Frugal things done this month

• Nothing bought in January sales
• Choosing the right days to do the washing and hang it out (tumble dryer used just twice during January) and finishing on radiators.
• Mixing milk half and half with water
• Batch cooking pastry cases to go in freezer
• Reading library books and books from my shelves all month
• Using bread-maker for all bread.
• Checking through clothes to see what I need to look for in charity shops this year
• Avoiding buying things like alcohol, jewellery, makeup etc
• Managed to sort the boiler again when low water pressure stopped the heating from working
• No longer buying coffee sachets 
• Back to drinking tea once a day instead of  one of my coffees
• Able to get ½ dozen free range eggs  for £1.25 from a farm when I go swimming -instead of £2+ at the supermarket.
• Made sure money in Building Society had a bonus added for the next year when the old year finished.
• Moved some money into ISA
• Only using dishwasher every other day.
• Shutting curtains as soon as it's dark to keep heat in.
• Getting up late enough to not need lights in the morning!
• Not going far so using less diesel in the car.

In February I have to buy heating oil and pay the half year bills for water supply and sewerage and as the boiler has ceased up YET AGAIN (hot water OK but no heating -just like last time)there will be a repair bill for that. Still no car boot sales so I might have a morning out to a different town for the charity shops. I'll still be eating lots of my home made ready meals from the freezer and there's no Council Tax in February which helps - although I expect we will hear it's gone up when it starts again in April. 

Thank you to everyone for comments about the Mistle Thrush photos. I was lucky to be in the right place to get a good photo.

Back Tomorrow

Sue