Frugal Living, costs...

Ive been doing a bit of working out of our living costs, to see what we get as incoming, and what goes out ...
Basically last year we had 5,500euros incoming last year... and our 'must do' expenses were -

Electric , 45 euros bi monthly (ave)
Water, 20 euros bi monthly (ave)
Van insurance 220 euros per year
Van tax 45 euros per year
MOT (equiv) 29euros per year.

I wish there was some way of getting off the grid but for us solar is out of our pocket range completely at the mo, so I have cut it to the bare minimum. But as Ive said before we dont have tv, or computer at home, no electric gadgets, apart from a washing machine and a freezer, so we keep it low...


A tip for grocery shopping I was given years ago and still use a lot is this.
Look at your cupboard, and freezer, everyone always has far more food stored than they generally use, so write down what you have, work out a weeks menus just from your storecupboards, and then PUT ASIDE THE MONEY YOU DIDNT SPEND.
If you usually spend 60 euros a week on food, save that money as if you spent it...
If you work out in your head your general meals you eat on a regual basis, and then each week buy the odd extra thing, a pk of sausages one week, a extra loaf of bread for freezer, just the odd stuff here and there, you dont notice it in your shopping bill (if you dont go mad) and then very soon within a matter of weeks with careful planning, you'll be able to have a shopping free week and save that money!
Whenever we get a reasonable amount of dosh come in, I always bulk buy something thats cheap, flour, pasta, rice ect... so I always have a basis for a meal.