Now You Know - it really is frugal.

'Now You Know'

As you may know, we began life as ‘Now You Know’, hence the NYK, away back in 1998. A group of us got together to try and beat the budget and try to afford to build businesses, create comfortable homes and generally live a good life that would lead us safely out of debt.

 

Along the way, many fell off the wagon. In fact, if I’m perfectly honest, the current day group of frugal living challengers includes not a single one of the original group, although there are still a couple of them on the side lines who are still battling on bravely to keep their heads above water.

 

‘Now You Know’ began as an online newsletter and then developed into what was then known as an e-zine (an electronic magazine), before becoming what, to my knowledge, was the first online Scottish newspaper.

 

In 1999, we went into print, publishing a monthly newspaper. It didn’t last long – the big boys don’t like the little people playing with their toys and by toys, I mean advertising revenue. But that’s an entirely different story.

 

The premise of the entire project was always, always, always to help others find ways of affording to do things they may, otherwise, not have afforded. Whether it was providing virtual or office support for home-based business, networking to promote one another, assessing budgets to help deal with debt, or even just demonstrating how to feed a family for a week on a tenner, it was always fun and frugal.

 

Now, 15 years later, we are able to turn out not one, but two daily ‘newspapers’, and all at a cost of zero pounds. I earn nothing from the publications, nor do I have full editorial control or any rights to any advertising revenue, but I no longer need to pay a graphic designer and a printer £1,000 each month, nor do I need to pay a distribution company, an advertising salesman or the overheads of a busy office.

 

Over the past 15 years, I have been stripped clean of all those costs and do you know what? I wouldn’t have them back if you paid me.

 

So, friends of NYK and Frugaldom alike – this is the current version of ‘Now You Know’, still covering Scottish news, views, reviews, stories, pictures and it sometimes even spills over into Frugaldom.

 

If you want to become a part of it, there are a number of things you can do:

 

Follow @Frugaldom on Twitter

Like the Frugaldom page on Facebook

Join the free Frugal Forums

Follow this Frugal Blog

 

Whatever you decide to do, remember we are about helping one another and making life and work affordable. We have challenges galore, including those for frugal entrepreneurs, new cottage industries, crafting, frugal living, writing, blogging, artwork, cooking and starting a new home-based business.

 

Just like Richard Branson, we began out journey with a small newsletter. Unlike Sir Richard Branson, we didn’t turn it all into a highflying multi-national phenomenon, but that, dear friends, would not have been frugal living.

 

I often wonder how much debt is owed by big business and who, ultimately, pays all that back in the event of a collapse. I was saddened to see that in the case of MPG Printgroup, it is likely to be around £10,200,000.00 (according to administrator's report). That has to adversely affect many. It must be affecting every one of the 210 employees and their families. That’s another 210 families that could suddenly be thrown into what this nations deems ‘poverty’ (based on their income) and I think that is just wrong.

 

But I digress – this was supposed to be a blog post about how to get your free daily copy of ‘Now You Know’ to accompany your free daily copy of The Microholding Daily.

 

NYK, Frugaldom