Get Organised! Save Money!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 พ.ค. 2024
- My Top Frugal tips about how I get my frugal skills organised.
Frugal Queen in France
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We are a British couple living in Brittany on a budget.
Frugal recipes, days out, home renovations and day to day making do in France.
We’ll give you hints, tips, advice and an insight into our life in France.
Website www.frugalqueeninfrance.com/
FaceBook / frugalqueeni. .
Instagram / frugalqueen. .
Twitter / batt_jane
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I found your channel just over a week ago and have enjoyed watching your many videos. My husband and I have lived like you all our married life and I had never considered it a frugal lifestyle. We’ve been incredibly happy, brought up two children, always overpaid our mortgage and apart from a mortgage and a couple of loans for cars, we’ve always been debt free. We retired 10 years ago, I was 55 and my husband was 59, we sold our family home and bought a two bedroomed property. We have always saved, never been extravagant and we now have an idyllic life in a small rural village in the UK. We both have many hobbies, walk our dog every day and I have been a volunteer at our local community shop.
Thanks for sharing
@@FrugalQueeninFrance It’s a very satisfying way to live. Thank you for all the hard work making your videos. We have a deep love love of France from many family holidays in Gites and we also do the Plymouth to Roscoff crossing, due to living in south west England.
Hi from Ukraine❤️
I’ve gotten better at organizing over the years. When I stopped working last September, I went through the house, cleaned out so much and organized every closet, drawer and cupboard. And now periodically go thru things again. It’s such a good feeling. I use a budget app and reconcile my accounts every Monday and Friday. It’s working SO well for me. I’m also getting better with patience, to wait before purchasing things and not rush out and buy things. Makes me feel like I’m finally getting my act together! It’s about time!! 👏🏻🤣👍🏻
A place for everything is the key thing for me - I can quickly see what I already have (food, clothes, craft, tools, household items, books, dirty clothes hampers indicate when washing needs doing, etc), it makes me tidy, stops hubby being messy too. We are usually frugal...!
If I wasn't a super organaized Type A this tiny Campervan would be unlivable! The space for walking is the kitchen floor/shower pan/hallway to the bedroom or up to the driver's seat. It's exactly the size of a yogamat. And that is what i use as a floor covering 😂
I'm old fashioned with a paper calendar, common place book, budget planner and reading log.
I'm so happy with my bank's way of doing up to 25 high yield savings. I have multiple separated accounts...even my cat has his own account to cover vet bills not covered by his insurance.
Organization used to be so easy, and then I accumulated more stuff. The house hasn't grown any bigger, so now I am scaling back and donating and tossing what is unnecessary. Today's talk was definitely one I needed to help stay the course. Thank you, Jane and Michael, for a great chat today.
I love to organize anything and everything, so much so that I can waste creative time going thru and reorganizing my fabric when I should be making quilts.🤣 My finances were tough getting them down until I watched Jane and Mike create their budget and then it just fell into place for me. I no longer spend hours sitting at the table trying to make a square fit into a round hole. It all falls into place and on a Sunday with a one time monthly budget carry over session, it feels like childs play now. I enter all expenditures every day and the monthly auto pay bills are entered at the beginning of the month. Thank you Jane and Mike! Watching you from Montana, USA!
Hello frugal queen! God bless you and your husband for sharing with us in this way. I started watching and listening to you when I came home from hospital after several months of operations and intensive care and felt totally overwhelmed and terrified by everything including caring for myself and my home! You have helped me get a bit of perspective again and realise I'm pretty well set up in many ways thanks to my frugal upbringing and the habits I learned while very young! Thank you sincerely for giving me back my sense of "can do" that I feared was gone forever. Vera in Northern Ireland.
Thank you Vera and get well soon
Afternoon everybody around the world, I an in Yorkshire uk
yorkshire lass here too
Arizona, USA hello!😎🌵🌅🦎
Hi Pat
Oklahoma, USA
Mountain area of West Virginia in the U.S. 'Recovering from recent horrible rains and high waters and now muggy temps in the 90s. So happy to be here, enjoying indoors organizing/dusting my storage areas...in the A.C.! 👍☺
At this point - all the sinkings funds are definitely sinking. Sometimes, things happen in waves when everything seems to be falling apart at once as costs of everything are rising significantly. I am grateful we live frugally and are as best prepared as we can be.
At least you have sinking funds, you’re doing your best
Yes I feel the same! Thanks be to God my parents were good down to earth people and I learned the frugal skills very young or I wouldn't be able to cope now!
Hi Jane. I just love your channel. You are so motivating and always positive. I have recently seen a quote that I think incorporates your mind set. "He who buys what he does not need, steals from himself".
Have a peaceful Sunday tomorrow. regards Trudy
I have to admit that, much as I love Christmas holidays with my family, I look forward to my OH returning to work and my son to school so I can sit down with my calendar and budget book to start a new year. On their first day back, my first task is always to add all the birthdays, terms, holidays and then the key payment dates for insurances and other major payments. I can then sit back with a cup of tea and admire my work! It's become quite a ritual for me.
I use to be very organised, especially when my son's were little. I was a divorced, single parent and I also looked after my disabled father. I was on a very low budget and I kept a pocket diary and wrote every thing that was coming in and going out in it. I was never in debt and what we couldn't afford we didn't have. It was very difficult because my ex husband didn't pay anything towards the boys. I made so little go so far. My house was immaculate and so were my children. Then 12 years ago my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. My son's adored their grandad, he was their father figure. He was such a kind and loving father and grandfather and this news shattered my heart. I had to stay strong whilst inside I was crumbling, I had to put a brave face on for the sake of my son's and my father. I'd lost my mother when I had just turned 20, she had died in her sleep. At that time I took over running our home, doing all the household accounts and looking after my father, brother and uncle as well as trying to help keep my father's business going and working full-time. A year after my mum died I met my now ex husband at work. I had always been good with money and never had credit but he changed all that. Like a fool I got credit and instead of saving like I use to for what I wanted I used credit. We were together for 6 years before we married and all our debts were paid off. He was always wanting new cars or motorbikes. A while after being married we lost our first baby. Then when I became pregnant again it was touch and go. He became abusive and after our first son was born he was not a good husband. When I divorced him he refused to pay for the children but we coped. Then when dad was very ill I had severe depression but hid it well. When dad died my brother was the kindest of people and was very manipulative . I ended up having breakdowns but still did my best by my children, I had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and was in terrible pain. When the money came through from my dad's will my brother had his but stuck to me like glue. I wasn't working due to being ill and I was living off my inheritance. Bit by bit I was used due to the money and not being well it dwindled away. My brother also gave me bad financial advice and I ended up owing money that I'm know paying back through an IVA, in total over a period of 6 years. I also have now been diagnosed with osteoarthritis and osteoporosis along with spondylosis, prolapsed discs in the bottom of my spine that is also crumbling and sciatica. My mobility is very poor and my home isn't organised at all. I find it difficult to let go of things since dad died but I'm trying to get back to an organised life. I'm trying to find a way to budget better and stop trying to find a way to stop buying items I don't need with the little money I have as a way of cheering myself up, because it doesn't help, it just makes things worse. Any advice would be most welcome, I just want an organised home with organised finances and to take back some control of my life. So sorry for the very long post. With kind regards xx
Much love to you
Wishing you strength you have endured a lot but you are a strong woman be blessed
@@jenidemeyere7451 Many thanks ❤️
you are stronger than you think. sending you hugs..
@@gracemedina9196 many thanks and hugs too❤️
Thank you Jane for such sensible and practical advice. Living alone I have to be super organised and it does make life so much easier and it is well worth the effort to think and plan ahead, no unhappy surprises. Another great tip is “everything in its place”. This saves so much time worrying where your car keys, wallet, even passport are. I read an interesting article saying how the average person spends years of their life just looking for l lost or misplaced possessions. Knowing where everything is helps makes for a worry stress free life. Regular decluttering and getting rid of any surplus items around the home, clothing included, certainly helps towards having a more peaceful frugal life too. Looking forward to watching your next video.
Thank you so much Jane You are a blessing in my life. I’m not frugal but with your pointers I will be. One step at a time. I’m not organized. You are correct, when I go tho the store I tend to buy some things I already have or things I like but they are not a need. I’m glad I found your channel and I love your ideas on how to save money. Thank you again for your helping tips. They are a jewel! Mega hugs from LA.
You can do it!
I'm very forgetful person so I have to be very organized to get things done..,I recently added the dishes that I usually make and it's ingredients on my phone. I try to stock up on things we use often so I have running groceries list on my phone. After grocery shopping I prep and marinade my meat right away then freeze so it easy to cook/air fryer thru out the week for busy schedule. I automated all my bank accounts and bills. I have nightly and weekend cleaning routine and declutter very often to maintain clutter free and organized home. All of these saved money and time bc I know where everything is and how much inventory I can maintain.
Thank you for sharing your methods to get organized. These wonderful videos are so appreciated. ❤ You have a kind and generous nature about you and so enjoy the practical advice. Helps to know you're human too and gives me hope in my situation.
You are so welcome!
I met my friend in Truro, the nearest city to me , yesterday. I set a budget of £20 for the day. I had lunch for £12. I went round the charity shops looking for a new-to-me long sleeved top because one of mine has worn so thin it has actually worn a hole and will now become rags ( i have a one in, one out rule for clothes). I found one that cost me £3.00. Then we went for a coffee and cake at £5.00. Dead on budget! Lol! Had a lovely day nattering away + trip included dental check up. Also I saved money because petrol + parking = £9. Buses in Cornwall now have a day rider for £5 and it took me about 40 mins longer to get there and back over all. Planned and thought through and on budget! It can be done but I do feel that one has to have the time to research such things. Thank you for another informative video, Jane.
Thanks for sharing
No one could enjoy Egg and Chips more than I do, but there is a difference between having Egg and Chips because you want them and having Egg and Chips because you cannot afford anything else! Thank you for the video!
Thanks for all you do! My husband and I have Quicken records going back years! We write EVERY CENT spent down. We found it necessary and helpful and feel it helped us to retire comfortably.
I am somewhat organized. I am mindful of a lot of things to keep in order to save time and money. I check my finances every morning before starting work. Thanks for sharing this video. Love it!
Fortunately, I'm very organised probably from years of being a secretary. However, I'm frequently asked to help organise family and friends' lives. My current project is organising my Mum's paperwork. Great tips as usual Jane.
I find organization very hard. I was one of those people who was always paying late fees and fines. Now I work on the budget 15 minutes everyday (write things down immediately as they are purchased in a journal on my phone) & I’m happy to report I’m no longer bled dry by fines 👍 Still could improve in other areas of course but trying to conquer one thing at a time (getting savings & debt paid down is next). Totally unrelated but I love your quilt Jane ❤️ It’s Gorgeous!
You’re doing great and thank you
You are so right, one thing at a time or it's easy to be overwhelmed. Good luck 🍀 x
@@sargee97 thank you for the kind words and encouragement. Your so sweet ❤️ Made my day
@@2Beldam Thank you, keep going to reach the outcome you want, sending hugs 🌹❤️🌹
Hello from Arizona🌵. I love your channel it’s very peaceful and relaxing. I learn so much. Thank You
Thanks for watching
I used to be super organised.
Now that I have the responsibility of an aged parent, routine and spare time are non existent as there is always an appointment or something unplanned.
My me time is now a good night's sleep.
Thanks Jane! Until the last two years I have been highly organized in all areas of my life, not just financial. I have slipped away from the organizational skills that keep me sane and keep all of my life in order. I have actually started to implement things again and like you, it works best when I write things down. I have just purchased an 18 month planner at a great price it will take me through the end of 2023. And I can’t wait to start using it. Great tips today!
Releasing your money into the wilderness is definitely how it feels :) I did chuckle at that.
I enjoyed this video.
I think of you and others that I watch on TH-cam in Europe, as the prices are increasing in the states.
Yesterday, the oatmeal that I buy, which is a store brand, increased from $2.58 to $3.98.
We are hearing that there is not anything foreseen that will lower the cost of fuels in the near future. Therefore, cost of most items are on a free fall of increasing in price.
Fuel prices affect everything, I’m not optimistic either
I budget for everything every month, I can’t afford not to. I have a book and I write it all done and save for Christmas and birthdays
Hi from Perth Western Australia.
Hi to you too
I need a written inventory, and I do need to go through monthly and SEE what I have, because I do forget. An example: I forgot I had bought a small/medium cast iron dutch oven to use for outside cooking. I actually had to check my purchases on Amazon, and there it was. Only then, did I remember where I had stored it. This is a "stress" related memory problem, and I don't think it is going to get better for a while. I am going to inventory each room and keep the written inventory in my house binder. Thanks for the tip to resolve this important issue, and sound advice overall. 🔷
One of my best organization tips is to handle papers immediately. File receipts you need for future. Keep the ones you must save in designated spot. Shred the rest
Agreed 👍
We have different sinking fund for car and entertainment etcétéra but the first thing we do is put money in savings sinking fund.
Hi! Jane and Mike. Thank you for another great video. You are SO CORRECT about putting things back in their place and being organized. I can’t tell you how many times my husband has gone out to buy supplies, and discovered a few days later that we already had it!! 😂😂😂
I will say… He is getting better! Just goes to show… There is hope for all of us. 🤗
He’s not alone, I’ve done it myself in the past
😁same husband different country !
I ♥️ my boxclever pocket life book. Meal planner, diary, shopping list, to do list, planner in one!
Noting when renewable utilities such as car insurance are due, is a money saver as it reminds me to do a price comparison.
Thanks for another comprehensive video x
Thanks very much
I'm quite organised but was not sure how to write things out. I do believe they should have lessons on it at school . I've really enjoyed today's video and will find it very useful. Thank you and must say I really love your quilts. I think I'm going to give it a go.
Your quilt is lovely.
Thank you
You have given me lots to think about
Thanks to you, my sinking funds are working well. I even have one for paint for the fence this summer.
Fantastic!
Awesome ! Thank you ❤
Hello, it is Izzy from Portugal. I hope you had a Blessed Christmas with your spouse. I had a nice quite Christmas. -I am getting cought up with some of your older videos that I haven´t seen yet, some I am seeing for the 2nd time. I can hardly wait for the Video coming out this afternoon. I have been praying that you reach 25,000 suscribers by the New Year. I am Catholic and I just found out that a Saint that passed away approx. 70 years ago is from around where you live. Her name was MARIE-JULIE JAHENNY. Did you know that? -Small World as they say. a joyous New Year.
Thanks for sharing
I think we need a spending plan as we don't think twice before getting little things, especially from hardware shop like potting mix, seedlings, tools, etc and we don't track it either!
I do a lot of shopping online as I live in a country town and many basic things are unavailable, such as good shoes in a wide fitting, business supplies etc... I keep a list in my diary of what was ordered and when, as particularly with covid delays it's easy to forget what should be arriving. Similarly, I have to make many returns, usually because things do not fit, and I always track the return and make sure the refund reaches my account. It could be very easy to lose track of this if something is lost in transit or a refund fails to happen.
When we sold our family home and retired early, it was due to my health. So suddenly we went from 2 incomes to zero, and we packed hurriedly and moved from a 6 bedroom house to a very small cottage. Many people helped to pack. So lots of mixed up boxes of things. I finally got to a point where I insisted on sorting out the whole thing, and getting organized. Wow did it save on hardware trips and expenses, for 4 years, my handy husband could locate tools and supplies needed. It is great.
I always take inventory of clothing at the end of each season. What still fits and we like, or what needs to be gotten rid of. If anything needs replacing, I then have time to thrift or shop off season for items and save a lot of money. Common sense, and looking to the future, can save a lot of money and stress.
Thank you Jane. I’m somewhat organized and getting better by listening to your ideas. Fabulous video!!!
Re watching your great videos and planning my spending and saving. I went out of track and need to get back. Sending warm wishes from Surrey UK
Thanks so much
My calendar is my saving grace at all times! I couldn’t get organized without it!
We do have a weekly catch up where we discuss what's coming up, what needs looking after and any irregular purchases beyond groceries and gas. I do tidy the pantry every couple of months but you have given me the motivation to do a real stock check and see what needs using up, refilling etc. Love these weekly chats!
On a completely different note, I have been admiring your quilts and wondered if you would be interested in doing a video on sewing blocks together. I am a crafter and I have accumulated quite a few scraps of fabric that I would like to make into quilt tops and would appreciate some advice on how to get my corners to line up nicely. Thank you.
I really appreciate your videos Jane!
I love your show! Always looking foreward to it. Greetings from Hungary ❤️🕊️🍀
Thanks for watching
Hello Andrea how are you doing?
🤗🇨🇦
I agree so deeply with everything in its place! It is so satisfying to go look for something and bingo! There it is in its drawer or cupboard right where it belongs! I make a conscious effort to cluster like items together so i don't have to spend time searching for them when i need them for whatever project I'm doing. Pre pandemic, i had a cleaning lady in often. She was a darling person. But she'd get distracted and misplace my cleaning tools and scatter supplies about in the oddest places. She'd then tell me i was out of items on her bext visit... because she'd misplaced them.
Thanks very much for watching
Since I started making and most importantly Using a budget and a money diary- I feel so good when I end the month On Budget!! Yay, what a feeling. I also sell excess items on line, local whatever works! Thanks to you and Michael for sharing your wisdom.
Music to my ears
Thank you Jane and Mike .I need to keep more of an eye on my direct debits and standing orders xx omg your dog is just adorable 😍
Good reminders for everyone! TY for the affirmation.
Merci beaucoup de si bien expliquer les choses !!
Je vous en prie
I cannot believe I have only just found your channel. I have been on my minimal frugal journey for 10 years and I am learning so much from your videos, also how many vegies you put in your dinners. My mum and dad were English so it is lovely to see your videos :) Just wanted you to know how much I love your channel :)
Thanks very much
Lots of good common sense as usual. It’s what we should all be doing. I must admit that the recent price hikes on almost everything has made me nervous to write a budget as I feel that it might seem silly in a few weeks. Btw Jane, where I live in SWFrance we are in the middle of a heatwave. You seem to be overdressed. Btw, scared as I am to write a budget as still do. Very difficult to do whilst crossing fingers.
We write a new unique budget every month.
Organizing and budgeting can seem daunting. Though, your videos show that those actions can be low stress and help overall.
Yes, I've always been an organizer. I update my budget on Sunday as well.
Yay!!
Thank you Jane, you always make things do clear, and easy to follow xx
I couldn't survive without a diary
Hello from the Finger Lakes region of New York State. Thank you for another interesting and informative chat!🌞
Thank you for watching
This was so HELPFUL! Thank you so much for all the effort and expertise you brought to this subject. I am beyond grateful.
You're welcome
A video about your cleaning routine would be wonderful 🙏 And also everything about home organization 🤗
Here is is! th-cam.com/video/MH88GeE3oiw/w-d-xo.html
@@FrugalQueeninFrance wow, that was quick 🤩😀🤩 Thank you so much and best greetings from Vienna ❤️
Excellent video! Thank you.
I'd be lost without a diary! Also find it useful to keep organisation notes on my phone.
Calendar budget app is awesome.
hi ms jane
thank you for this very helpful advice:)
👍👍👍
Great video, thank you👍, everything in its place is a money and time saver!! 😅
Thank you for this video! I used to be very u organized but am slowly improving. This year I am filing my receipts by month and writing down every penny we spend. It is an eye-opening practice!
You got this!
@@FrugalQueeninFrance Thank you, Jane!
Let's do this Jane xxx
I am very organised, learned this very handy skill when I was unemployed for an extended time in my 20's.
Still apply this today. Only problem is my partner doesn't plan or keep track of his spending. His money sense is limited and this puts strain on our finances all the time. I do my best and manage to keep our heads above water as best I can.
You are very patient. You both need to sit together and write your budget together pay bills together, you’re a team. Good luck.
Do you write down your monthly, weekly budget ot how much money you spend? If so do you have a video showing how you go about that?
Yes, all the time. Here's an example th-cam.com/video/Aew0PPR1Hzs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=clgFBjVng0Avg3BF
I find being fully organised hard. I do exceptionally well in some areas, but then let other areas go because my focus has been elsewhere. I do have a pet question. Do you have a sinking fun for vet expenses or pet insurance? Friends keep telling me i need insurance, but im not convinced.
We have a sinking fund for our dogs.
I've been a VERY organized person my whole adult life. It makes life so much easier! Then, I inherited a lot from my brother. Some things I don't even know what they are. This was at a time I'd just bought a house and hardened finished unpacking yet. I also moved my brother in with me so I could take care of him in his last days, which meant he brought a lot more things to my house. Then, very shortly after that, my health failed...permanently. I don't have the physical ability to pick things up and move them around. My house is SO unorganized now! It's really hard for me to take! There have been a few people who've tried to help. They can never spend the time with me it takes. I even hired an organizer once. It was an absolute disaster! My house was not improved AT ALL!! She did start to fill up a couple of "temporary" boxes of papers...one medical and one financial. I didn't want temporary. I wanted the whole job done. At the end of it all, those 2 temporary boxes filled with a few papers sat in the exact same spot the day she put them there. I kept asking for my file cabinet to be set up, so papers that needed keeping could be put where they needed to be. She refused. Once, when she knew I was unhappy with her, she brought a second person with her. I directed the second person in how I needed my files set up. She set them up, but by then it was too late for them to put any papers away. This was all right after I got out of the hospital after a 2 month stay. I had 2 months of mail to go through, plus all the medical bills that began to show up. She said she'd organize those. I organize by category and then alphabetically. She refused to do that and said she'd only organize the whole lot alphabetically. So, I had to go behind her and organize things the way I needed them. I could barely stand up. I couldn't stand up to do that because her piles filled the whole too of a 6 person table.
Anyway, I've had a difficult time getting my house organized again...and haven't been able to.
When I worked and had a good income, I began to work where I was allowed to split my direct deposits between 2 accounts. I split them between checking and savings. When I didn't have to make the move of money myself from checking to savings, saving became SO much easier. I never missed it when it never came into my checking account.
Is your long term savings in a bank account in France?
We have really been struggling with the prices of everything in Denmark and to our surprise there's a waiting list for getting a bank account (for foreigners)
All of our accounts are only in France, we bank with one bank and have four accounts for 11€ a month
So practical and helpful Jane . Amazing xx
Thanks very much
👍🌹
Organising a budget means that you don't end up with days left in a month when the money has run out.
There isn't any room in an Apartment to put everything in its place.
Too much stuff?
I live in an apartment which had very little storage when I moved in. Over the last year I have worked hard to make storage. I have put in extra shelving in cupboards, and over doors.I have also bought good storage boxes to allow me to put like items together, I have realised that large storage boxes means things get lost so using smaller boxes and an inventory book has allowed me to find things much easier. In my inventory book I right the item where it is stored and how many I have got.ASI use things I tick them off when I am down to a months supply I buy again.