A lovely frugal day

 I took DIL and little GD 5 miles to a beautiful bluebell wood and apart from the petrol spent nothing. It was so peaceful.

I received some free goodies from the Olio food waste hero across the road:- chocolate hot x buns, blueberries and a packet of swoodles (sweet potato noodles) which are new to me but I'm happy to try. Then later before Sainsburys closed I did the 5 minute walk there and spent 90pence on 9 yellow sticker items which would have cost £15.20. I also tried a new recipe from Jack at Bootstrapcooking. It was pesto made by blitzing a 10 pence packet of salad leaves with some wild garlic gathered locally along with a couple of bits from the cupboard. I mixed it with some pasta and a few other left overs and it was delicious. I'm stepping up the frugality with all the rising prices. 

Budgets past and present

I decided as everything was going up to write out all the new outgoings. I have 19 expenses including regular bills and extras. I keep a spending diary so everything is written down and then at the end of each month I can see what I have spent on each category. 

It started me thinking about my parents' much simpler budget. Everything came in and went out in cash. I don't think they even had a bank account. Dad got paid from Ford motor company every Thursday in coins of the realm. He and mum would sit in the bedroom away from the noise of 6 children and count it all out. I think dad got about 10 shillings back for fares and papers etc. That's only 50 pence so doesn't sound right so I may be wrong. 

First mum would put the rent with the rent card in the envelope ready for the man to collect on Monday. It seems incredible that one man would walk the streets safely carrying all that cash. I think that system stopped in the mid 60's when the poor man was attacked and robbed while he was collecting in the new tower block which was very lonely. Also I think it was harder to find people at home. 

The next bill would be the insurance put in another envelope for when the United Friendly lady called. It seemed to be only pennies for each of us but second only to the rent. Money would also be put aside for the gas and electric meters. Shillings for the gas and I think it was sixpences for the electric. We had very few electric appliances. The cooker and the copper boiler were the only gas appliances. Our heating was an open fire in the living room. I.m not sure if coal was paid for weekly or saved up for. Now and then mum would get a provident check to buy us shoes. Then that had to be budgeted for but that was the only debt and not very often. 

What was left we lived on. Dad was never out of work but he had low pay and there were no top ups or help with rent in those days. Rates and water were paid for with the rent. I looked at my list and thought of all the things I pay for that did not exist in our home in thee 50's. We had no car like most of our neighbours. We did have a radio and we had to pay a licence for that and then later when we had a tv, that also had a licence. No telephone, mobile phone, or internet. 

Later on things did get a bit better. Once we had a holiday in a caravan by the sea in the next county. Then when I was about 15 we went by coach to Scotland to see my dad's friends where he grew up. 

We were much poorer than I am now although I only live on a pension. Everybody else was in the same boat. The lessons in those early years have stayed with me. I don't have debt and although I do have luxuries, I can quite happily live without them. We wore lots of clothes indoors to keep warm and that is now gaining in popularity with all the energy prices going up. I never waste food and can be happy with simple things. Sometimes it is good to look back and appreciate what we have now.