I usually have this post written up much earlier but September has flown by, I can’t believe it’s the end of the month already ! September has been a really busy month and also an expensive one with back to school, birthdays and days out. I’ve been thinking lately that this monthly frugal things post doesn’t fit in with the style of my blog any more but Chris reminded that without these small frugal things we wouldn’t be able to do half of what we do each month.

Being frugal means different things to different people, for us it means making small savings here and there so we can enjoy family adventures. I won’t lie, I love spending money but I always shop around for the best deals and I’m a serious bargain hunter. So, these monthly posts will stay right where they are to remind me that little actions every day, no matter how small all make a difference to our family budget.

• I feel so silly for admitting this but I only recently discovered the speed wash function on my washing machine. The cycle takes 40 minutes and the clothes still come out clean and smelling fresh. Not only has this discovery saved time it’s also saving lots of money too. I’ve definitely learned my lesson and I will be taking more notice of the features on my electrical appliances in future.

• Each season I pack away the kids clothes if I think there might be a slight chance they will fit the following season. I’m so glad I did and that I remembered to check what I had stored away. I almost bought Jake a new winter coat, totally forgetting I had put last years one away. It was a nice money saving surprise when I found it and it still fit him with plenty of room to get through another winter. I also found lots of long-sleeved tops and jumpers for both Daisy and Jake that still have plenty of room to grow. There are a few little things they will need but I’m going to check out the charity shops before buying anything new.

• If you have been reading my blog for a while you will know that I enter consumer competitions as a hobby. I’m in my 18th year of this fabulous hobby and I’m still winning. Although I enter something every day, my enthusiasm can wane and this is reflected in the amount of prizes I win for sure. The last couple of months I’ve been really enjoying my hobby again, entering lots of competitions and winning a fair few too. I’ve won garden games for the kids, books, lunch bags, a junior tennis racket, chocolate and a few other little bits. The best thing about this hobby is being able to put things away to use as Christmas presents and having experiences we wouldn’t normally be able to afford. I couldn’t even guess how much money my hobby has saved me over the years, I’m sure it’s in the thousands though. If you fancy trying your luck and are in the UK I recommend checking out Super Lucky Me and Loquax to get you started.

• Here in the UK we’ve had a bit of a mixed bag weather wise. There have been some gloriously warm days with lots of September sunshine but also some bitterly cold mornings. We usually refrain from switching the heating on until at least October but I will admit I’ve had to switch it on once or twice. I have however limited the amount of time it stays on, making sure every one is layered up and using the blankets and throws we have instead.

• We have done really well this month sticking to a meal plan and actually using the food we already have in the house. I’ve started ordering my shopping online as I tend to be more conscious of how much I’m actually spending that way. Shopping online also stops me impulse buying, I very rarely come out of a physical store with only the things I intended to buy. We use the click and collect service to avoid the delivery charges too.

What frugal things have you done this month ? leave me a comment I love hearing from you.