The Diary of a Frugal Family https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk Living a Fabulously Frugal Family Life Tue, 29 Sep 2026 21:08:41 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 54642740 10 Family Days Out for Under £10 This Autumn…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/10-family-days-out-for-under-10-this-autumn/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/10-family-days-out-for-under-10-this-autumn/#respond Tue, 29 Sep 2026 21:04:13 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=44236 Autumn is probably one of my favourite times of year for getting out and about as a family because you really don’t need to spend much to have a good day. Give me a chilly day, a big jumper and somewhere with lots of crunchy leaves and I’m happy. 😂 Over the years we’ve done […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/10-family-days-out-for-under-10-this-autumn/feed/ 0 44236 Things I’ve Stopped Buying Because They’ve Got Too Expensive…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/things-ive-stopped-buying-because-theyve-got-too-expensive/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/things-ive-stopped-buying-because-theyve-got-too-expensive/#respond Tue, 29 Sep 2026 11:45:18 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46392 I stopped for petrol recently and, while I was waiting to pay, I spotted a Bounty by the till and quite fancied one. Then I saw that it was £1.20. £1.20 for a Bounty! When did that happen? 😳 I know petrol stations have never exactly been the cheapest place to buy chocolate, but I […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/things-ive-stopped-buying-because-theyve-got-too-expensive/feed/ 0 46392 What I found when I did a full freezer audit… https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/what-i-found-when-i-did-a-full-freezer-audit/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/what-i-found-when-i-did-a-full-freezer-audit/#respond Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:32:38 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46400 I haven’t shared a proper meal plan for a little while, mainly because meal planning has been a bit more hit and miss than usual over the last few months. Earlier in the year, when I was off work and not very well, we actually worked our way through a lot of the food that […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/what-i-found-when-i-did-a-full-freezer-audit/feed/ 0 46400 10 Top Places & Experiences for Wine Lovers in Cyprus…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/10-top-places-experiences-for-wine-lovers-in-cyprus/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/10-top-places-experiences-for-wine-lovers-in-cyprus/#respond Sun, 27 Sep 2026 14:35:45 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46654 Cyprus is one of those places that I seem to keep going back to. I think I’ve been about eight times now if I include the holidays I had there when I was little, and even after all those visits there are still plenty of parts of the island that I haven’t properly explored. Most […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/10-top-places-experiences-for-wine-lovers-in-cyprus/feed/ 0 46654 What is Life360 and is it safe for kids? https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/what-is-life360-and-is-it-safe-for-kids/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/what-is-life360-and-is-it-safe-for-kids/#respond Wed, 23 Sep 2026 10:42:54 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46312 Life360 is one of those apps I’d heard mentioned plenty of times without ever really knowing much about it. I knew it had something to do with sharing your location, but beyond that I wasn’t completely sure what it did or why families were choosing to use it. Then something happened today that made me […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/what-is-life360-and-is-it-safe-for-kids/feed/ 0 46312 Things in our home I wouldn’t have chosen (but now love)…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/things-in-our-home-i-wouldnt-have-chosen-but-now-love/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/things-in-our-home-i-wouldnt-have-chosen-but-now-love/#respond Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:26:31 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=45382 When I think about how I used to decorate, it was very much my taste. Not necessarily in a selfish way, more in a “this is my house and I know what I like” kind of way. I liked things to match, I liked everything to feel calm and coordinated and I generally knew exactly […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/things-in-our-home-i-wouldnt-have-chosen-but-now-love/feed/ 0 45382 This month’s pre-loved finds {September 2026}…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/this-months-pre-loved-finds-september-202/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/this-months-pre-loved-finds-september-202/#respond Sun, 20 Sep 2026 09:19:12 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46332 Welcome to my monthly pre-loved bargain post, which is always one of my favourite posts to write. 😀 There’s something so satisfying about finding something you genuinely need or love second-hand, especially when it costs a fraction of what it would have done new or even what it’s worth now.   This month’s pre-loved bargains are […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/this-months-pre-loved-finds-september-202/feed/ 0 46332 How we make our holiday budget work for us…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-we-make-our-holiday-budget-work-for-us/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-we-make-our-holiday-budget-work-for-us/#respond Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:55:32 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46166 We love going on holiday and it’s something we’re very happy to spend money on. In fact, one of the reasons we try to save money throughout the year is so we can afford to travel and have more holidays, so when we do go away we want to make the most of every minute. […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-we-make-our-holiday-budget-work-for-us/feed/ 0 46166 6 Small Money Habits That Make Life Easier (and Save Money)…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/6-small-money-habits-that-make-life-easier-and-save-money/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/6-small-money-habits-that-make-life-easier-and-save-money/#respond Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:45:19 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46211 I’ve realised over the years that it’s often the little things I do without really thinking about them that make the biggest difference to how organised I feel with money. None of these are going to magically save thousands of pounds overnight and they’re definitely not groundbreaking, but they’re habits that either save us money, […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/6-small-money-habits-that-make-life-easier-and-save-money/feed/ 0 46211 How I Got £300 Worth of Christmas Perfume under £150…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-i-got-300-worth-of-christmas-perfume-under-150/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-i-got-300-worth-of-christmas-perfume-under-150/#respond Mon, 14 Sep 2026 10:38:36 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46557 I’ve already started my Christmas shopping this year and have been picking up little bits here and there for a while now, but this week I ticked off one of Miss Frugal’s bigger presents. And somehow, what started with me trying to remember the name of a perfume I liked ended with £300 worth of […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-i-got-300-worth-of-christmas-perfume-under-150/feed/ 0 46557 The Benefits and Trade-Offs of Selling Your House Fast…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/the-benefits-and-trade-offs-of-selling-your-house-fast/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/the-benefits-and-trade-offs-of-selling-your-house-fast/#respond Sun, 13 Sep 2026 21:00:18 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46576 Selling a house is never just about getting the most money you possibly can for it. Obviously that’s a pretty big part of it, but there are so many other things going on when you’re selling a house that sometimes getting it sold and being able to move on is just as important. People sell […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/the-benefits-and-trade-offs-of-selling-your-house-fast/feed/ 0 46576 Architectural Salvage Yards: What to Expect and What We Found…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/architectural-salvage-yards-what-to-expect-and-what-we-found/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/architectural-salvage-yards-what-to-expect-and-what-we-found/#respond Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:38:50 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46300 We’re still right at the start of renovating our house and, if you’ve been following along, you’ll know that we’re very much taking our time with it. We both want to do it right and really bring the house back to life rather than rush through the rooms just so we can say they’re finished. […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/architectural-salvage-yards-what-to-expect-and-what-we-found/feed/ 0 46300 We made £140 at a car boot sale – here’s what we learned… https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/we-made-140-at-a-car-boot-sale-heres-what-we-learned/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/we-made-140-at-a-car-boot-sale-heres-what-we-learned/#respond Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:20:28 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46360 Last weekend, Miss Frugal and I decided to do a car boot sale to clear out some of the things we no longer wanted and hopefully make a bit of money at the same time. There were three options for sellers depending on what time you wanted to arrive. We could go early and pay […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/we-made-140-at-a-car-boot-sale-heres-what-we-learned/feed/ 0 46360 My Packed Lunch Cake used to Cost 11p a Slice – What Does It Cost in 2026? https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/my-packed-lunch-cake-used-to-cost-11p-a-slice-what-does-it-cost-in-2026/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/my-packed-lunch-cake-used-to-cost-11p-a-slice-what-does-it-cost-in-2026/#respond Mon, 07 Sep 2026 10:44:53 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46310 Years ago, when my two were still in junior school, I used to make a packed lunch cake that worked out at just 7p a slice and then later, I made a chocolate packed lunch cake which cost about 11p a slice.  I shared the recipes on here at the time, complete with a full […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/my-packed-lunch-cake-used-to-cost-11p-a-slice-what-does-it-cost-in-2026/feed/ 0 46310 How to train your curtains…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-to-train-your-curtains/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-to-train-your-curtains/#respond Sun, 06 Sep 2026 10:44:27 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46246 I genuinely thought everyone did this when they hung a new pair of curtains. 😁 But when my friend popped round the other day, I was in the middle of training my curtains to look pretty and she thought I was going mad so I figured, if she didn’t know about my little curtain hack […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-to-train-your-curtains/feed/ 0 46246 How to make homemade fruit vodka… https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-to-make-homemade-fruit-vodka/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-to-make-homemade-fruit-vodka/#respond Thu, 03 Sep 2026 10:34:15 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46366 I walked past a blackberry bush absolutely covered in ripe blackberries last week and, rather than thinking about blackberry crumble or homemade jam, my first thought was blackberry vodka. 😂 I rarely drink these days, so when I do have a drink I want it to be something a bit more stand out than something […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-to-make-homemade-fruit-vodka/feed/ 0 46366 How to Work Out Your Macros Before You Change How You Shop…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-to-work-out-your-macros-before-you-change-how-you-shop/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-to-work-out-your-macros-before-you-change-how-you-shop/#respond Wed, 02 Sep 2026 20:28:31 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46430 If you’re thinking about changing the way you eat, it can be really tempting to start by changing the way you shop. You decide you’re going to eat fewer carbs and suddenly your trolley is full of almond flour, expensive low-carb bread, sugar-free everything and products you’ve never bought before simply because they have ‘keto’ […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-to-work-out-your-macros-before-you-change-how-you-shop/feed/ 0 46430 How I Spread the Cost of Christmas All Year Round…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-i-spread-the-cost-of-christmas-all-year-round/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-i-spread-the-cost-of-christmas-all-year-round/#respond Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:05:41 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46251 We absolutely cannot wait for Christmas this year. 🎄 It’s our first Christmas in our new house, I was poorly last Christmas and, if I’m not careful, all that excitement could very easily turn into me spending far more than I intended. Which is exactly why I’ve been preparing for it all year. 😁 For […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/how-i-spread-the-cost-of-christmas-all-year-round/feed/ 0 46251 Have you started your Christmas Cupboard? If not, now is the time…. https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/have-you-started-your-christmas-cupboard-if-not-now-is-the-time/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/have-you-started-your-christmas-cupboard-if-not-now-is-the-time/#comments Sun, 30 Aug 2026 16:00:13 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=44462 It’s that time of year again when I start thinking about my Christmas Cupboard. If you don’t know what I mean by my ‘Christmas Cupboard’ then let me tell you before we go any further. 🎄 My Christmas Cupboard is literally a cupboard that I use in the run-up to Christmas to start stashing away […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/have-you-started-your-christmas-cupboard-if-not-now-is-the-time/feed/ 1 44462 Why I Take Collagen Every Day Even Though It Hasn’t Changed My Life… https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/why-i-take-collagen-every-day-even-though-it-hasnt-changed-my-life/ https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/why-i-take-collagen-every-day-even-though-it-hasnt-changed-my-life/#respond Sun, 30 Aug 2026 08:29:27 +0000 https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/?p=46220 Collagen seems to be absolutely everywhere at the minute. Every time I scroll through Instagram or TikTok, someone seems to be adding it to their coffee, stirring it into a drink or talking about what it’s done for their hair, skin, nails or joints. They must have to sell some serious amounts of it to […]

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]]> https://www.frugalfamily.co.uk/why-i-take-collagen-every-day-even-though-it-hasnt-changed-my-life/feed/ 0 46220