HAPPY (FRUGAL) HOGMANAY!

HAPPY HOGMANAY FROM FRUGALDOM

"It is ordinary among some Plebians in the South of Scotland, to go about from door to door upon New Year`s Eve, crying Hagmane."
Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, 1693.

 

OK, so it's a bit of a big deal here in Scotland and nobody really knows for absolute certainty from where it originates. The fact is that it did!

The festival of 'Christmas' was all but banned in Scotland until as late as the 1950s, so our celebrations were more about welcoming in the new year and, to this day, celebrate we most certainly do - all over Scotland and the Scottish Isles.

The often ridiculed traditions of tartan, shortbread, whisky and bonny purple heather are all in evidence at this time of year and the practice of first-footing carries on regardless. There won't be fireworks for us - we live amidst farms, where livestock graze - but there will be the usual 'two fingers' (a unit of measurement used for pouring a half of whisky) to all who venture near.

 

Hogmanay is actually a very frugal tradition, one that's based on common sense, community spirit  (no pun intended) and basic human decency. Neighbours visited neighbours bearing gifts of coal (warmth), shortbread or black bun (food) and whisky (drink) - the basic necessities for survival. Houses were thoroughly cleaned (health) before midnight on the 31st, all debts were paid off in full (wealth) and all ashes from the fires cleared out in readiness to begin afresh, happy that the longest night had gone (happiness). Oot wae the auld, in wae the new!

If only people could see that it's about setting their homes in order and taking stock of what really matters - life itself. (Perhaps if Governments cleaned up and cleared debts each year then we wouldn't get into such a mess in the first place!)

 

CHEERS! SLAINTE! DOON THE HATCH!

IN time honoured tradition, most would suggest a rendition of 'Auld Lang Syne', but instead, here's a verse from an old Scottish poem that I'm sure Rabbie Burns wrote for us frugalers:

 

Here's tae us
Wha's like us
Damn few,
And they're a' deid
Mair's the pity!

 

Photo credit 1: foxypar4 / Foter / CC BY
Photo credit 2: djwtwo / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

The Final Roundup of 2010

HAPPY HOGMANAY FROM FRUGALDOM!

This is a final post, on the eve of the new Frugaldom challenge, to summarise the results of the 2010 one. But first and foremost, I'd like to welcome baby Niamh, my newest granddaughter, who arrived into the world at 02.53 this morning. :)

WHAT WAS THE 2010 CHALLENGE?

2010 was all about living on a budget of £4,000 after paying rent/water/council tax.  In addition to this, I've been building up a small poultry business alongside fruit and vegetable growing.  Everything that wasn't part of the household accounts (the £4,000) had to be generated from outside of the normal self-employed income in the hope of achieving a break-even point by 31/12/10  I am delighted to announce that I managed to run the entire household on a sum total of £3,990.59 whilst everything else concerning the poultry, garden and home improvements amounted to £57.97 pence LESS than the extra or residual earnings from egg & poultry sales, LETS trading, cashback, winnings, gifts and bank interest. To conclude 2010's frugal challenge budget, I have a credit balance of £67.38, which will be carried forward into 2011. A full breakdown of all earnings and expenditure have been incorporated into the Frugaldom Forums.

For 2011, the challenge is to continue with the £4,000 houshold running costs with the rest of the Frugaldom project developing into a self-sustainable, homebased business. We're still a long way short of making Frugaldom completely self sufficient but we have taken several steps closer. The biggest expense of all relates to fuel and power - electricity, coal and logs accounted for approximately 37.5% of the entire household budget!

Nonetheless, we are starting 2011 with zero debt, a lovely little multifuel stove in the kitchen, the coal bunker and one logstore filled plus enough food to sustain a small army. We have 50+ assorted chickens, ducks and quail that, despite the atrocious weather and sub-zero temperatures since mid September, have managed to keep us well supplied with eggs. In fact, I haven't had to buy eggs, preserves, wine, lemon curd, bread, cakes or biscuits since 2009. Long may it continue. I also invested in a new incubator, decorated the kitchen and managed to include a corner bistro-style bench set, all without dipping into the savings.

Not a bad year, all things considered, and it's thanks, mainly, to all the great frugal friends I've made during the previous years' challenges. I wish each and every one of you health, debtfree wealth and happiness in 2011. I hope to encourage many more people to take up the Frugaldom Challenge and will look forward to seeing you all in the Frugaldom Forums. Until then...

May all your bottles of rhubarb or elderflower 'champagne' go pop!



HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Don't forget to join us here for the
2011 Frugaldom challenge:
Frugal Living and Working