How will the Budget Affect Frugalers and Frugaleurs?

Let's Make a Point of Looking at the Budget

Here in the UK, we were treated to the latest Chancellor's speech by way of yesterday's budget. I will hold up my hands now and state that I did not listen to it all live, so I am still trying to find anything relevant to frugal living households with less than national minimum wage incomes... still looking!

Basic Income Tax thresholds, UK

As you'll can see by the above, the threshold for income tax is still climbing, apparently taking a further 288,000 out of the 'tax-payer' category. Personally, I can't imagine ever earning sufficient income to pay income tax if I pursue my current lifestyle. But how much of my £5,000 household budget actually goes to the Government?

Estimates

Council Tax - £1,000

General shopping - £25

Heating & lighting the house - £60

Telephone & Internet - £80

Television - £145.50

Travel/Deliveries - £48

Gifts - £70

Clothing & Footwear - £20

Everything else - £75

National Insurance (Class 2) - £140

Estimated total = £1,663.50 

In REAL terms, if I was earning £5,000 per year, as per my challenge budget for running a household that feeds 2 people, that would equate to almost a third of my income going to the Government in assorted taxes! Moving swiftly on... I'm leaving the budget to those who have pension funds and the financial capacity to aim for £15,000 saved into their ISAs.

Growing My Own Investments

Peas

 As previously discussed, I decided to try and save some of the damp, mouldy peas I rescued from the greenhouse a couple of weeks ago. They were planted into recycled tin cans and sat in the window to try and get whatever little heat they could from any brief glimmers of sunshine reached them - it hasn't been much! Still, 3 of the 4 tins containing peas now have little plants growing from them. Nothing to be seen from the beans but I won't give up hope just yet.

Red Cabbage

 Here is an up to date look at my cabbage experiment - I remembered to change the water and checked the base while doing so. As you can see, we now have some good strong roots and those are definitely cabbage leaves growing from the sliced off top.

Using up the Eggs

We now have 2 of the 3 ducks laying and 2 of the bantams, so eggs aplenty. I'll be sharing the surplus eggs with friends and neighbours who are kind enough to barter. This afternoon, I made a tray of sponges to use up the bantam eggs but today seems to have been one of those 'oops' days... those aren't chocolate sponges! Never mind, they'll taste just fine in trifle, under custard or even just scoffed with a cup of coffee. No point icing them for visitors, is there? Guess I'll need to make a lemon drizzle cake this weekend. :)

Being 20 days into 'Making it in March', I thought readers may like to see what a gew of the others have been making. My 'makes' have been restricted to the normal daily domestic stuff recently owing to the amount of work involved in resuscitating and rejuvenating my frugal business empire.

Making it in March

Visit the forums at www.frugalforums.co.uk to find out what others are making in March.