Frugal Plans for 2012.

@hvedra (1619)
January 4, 2012 4:28am CST
I can't have a no spend year this year, but I can have a selective spend year. We do have some home repairs and possible major purchases to find money for during the year but we should be okay for little things and personal things like clothes. If I can I will get one of the mini-ovens from Lidl, if not from somewhere else. I was looking at a Remoska but the initial outlay is quite high. We only have to use the big oven a few times a year. Because there's just the two of us most things that get roasted or baked are small so a mini oven will be enough. We don't throw dinner parties and our one regular house guest isn't a picky eater either. Between the slow cooker, mini oven and the hob we will manage fine. I suspect the big oven will become the storage space for the bakewear and other items. Other than that, I don't think there is anything we are in need of unless something implodes. I've chucked the recently arrived seed catalogues in the bin because I can go to Wilkinson's or Lidl for vegetable and flower seeds for pence. I've got some left over from last year and, thankfully, most of our big expenditure on fruit trees and bushes is done with so the garden and allotment should be cheap this year (apart from needing a new shed). I've got enough books in the "to read" pile for quite some time so no more books. If I get through those I shall use the library. We don't need any more DVDs and there is usually something on catch-up if we want to watch anything. We don't need any clothes now having replaced a fair amount of underwear this year. Most items of clothing should last three years. Really well made things even longer. Going twelve months without buying any new thing that isn't a genuine replacement is easy unless I lose a lot of weight (or gain it...). I'm going to continue to declutter. There's a box full of stuff to go to the charity shop as we've had a crockery clearout - and a trip to Ikea. Charity shops seem to have moved "upmarket" and rarely sell odd bits of crockery or cutlery. When they do sell crockery it seems pricey. I can buy a perfectly good new mug from Ikea, Wilkos or similar places from 60p. Sometimes I do look at things in the charity shop and think "what do they mean set of three mugs?" because those are somebody's odd ones they have donated - so I think £3.50 is a bit steep for them! Apart from breakages we are adequately kitted out. What are your frugal plans for 2012?
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7 responses
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
5 Jan 12
In January, 2011, we had a house fire. We were fortunate because my sister had plenty of room for us, but we were gone from our house until the middle of August. All the money the insurance company gave us for items lost in the fire, went to the repair of the house. I charged on my credit card as though there was no tomorrow. A lot was for things needed. Most was for things wanted. I haven't maxed out the card, but I've come pretty close; so my new years resolution is to not spend any money unnecessarily. I may get things needed, but that's it. I have always kept my resolutions, but this one is going to be hard. Unfortunately, I just like to spend money. I need to get out of that habit.
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@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
5 Jan 12
i am hoping to have a non necessity shopping free year this year, which means i will only buy items like food and whatnot. i have visited the library for a number of years and order what i want to watch online so all i have to do is pick it up. if i need anything, i visit the thrift store first.
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@brew2x (3094)
• Philippines
4 Jan 12
We (me and my husband) really need to save up now since we have so much in mind for the future and money is definitely needed for our plans to be successful. Like you it is impossible for us to have a no spend year this 2012. We have a baby and we don't settle for less for his needs. So definitely we have to be frugal on some other things. I have so much clothes and we have decided to separate them by what I do wear, what we can donate and what we can sell. We already gave out some of the clothes to charity before Christmas. We are not yet finish separating my clothes, once we are done we would put up a garage sale. We have replaced some appliances in 2011, I must say it was an expensive year for us. I hope we won't encounter some need for repairs of appliances replacement this year. Our microwave is actually not working now but we can live without it.
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@mensab (4200)
• Philippines
4 Jan 12
wow, you have the year all planned out. i admire your frugal plan for the year. i only wish i could have those kind of plans laid out for me. well, i plan to travel this year. so that will cost me some amount of money. but i will cut my entertainment and recreation budgets such as movies, music, sports, books, etc.
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
14 Jan 12
My plan for this year is to get back on track with using coupons. I did so very faithfully for a couple years...paid for a trip to hawaii with the money i saved...then slacked off last year. I also plan to get back to looking for free samples - i really like having the little shampoos conditioners deodourants lotions and toothpastes for travel or for guests. I've been feeling alot like all people ever do is buy more more more....and you end up with so much stuff you either never use or use once and stick in a closet. Now i seroiusly think about things before i purchase them...can i afford it...will i use it...will i use it more than once? Also have gone back to knitting and making crafts in spare time rather than going out and spending money for more stuff to do...to watch etc. Cut back on my satellite programming - actually dont have it at all right now. Need to cut back on my cell phone usage especially during day time hours.
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@celticeagle (158943)
• Boise, Idaho
5 Jan 12
I am going to down size in my clothes and books. I have alot of momentos i don't need and that my kids won't want when I am gone. Better to get rid of now. Alot of bill receipts that I can do away with. Takes up alot of drawer space that i could use for other things. Alot of catalogs i have saved too that i can get rid of.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
4 Jan 12
Funny you should mention catalogs.....I got a bunch and was so tempted to order something that last night I threw them out. I do need to get my house painted again and that's a big expense. But this year I am going to try to cut back on buying so much crafting stuff. At least until I use up a bunch of what I already have.
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