Let's make merrily with August austerity!

[CremeEggThief]

Hello All,
I've taken the liberty (again!) of starting our new thread for August. The merrily sort of ties in with Christmas and keeping an eye on any bargains out there, if you're super organised and like planning ahead.

Today's spends were £5.10 on travel, £1.20 on 2 bottles of water, £4.20 on 2 hot chocolates and £17.25 on a meal out (long story!).

[SpottyTeacakes]

[Passthecake30]

In the car on the way home from a 2 day stay at legoland and the legoland hotel

Frugal wins - both nights dinner at places where kids eat free

No need for a q-bot unlike last year when queues were hideous

Picnic lunch for both days

obviously I spent alot of money on junk food but I won't mention that

2 weeks to go until our Isle of Wight hols so going to be controlled until then, eat out of the cupboards etc

[CremeEggThief]

Sounds great, Passthecake :).

[Fluffycloudland77]

I forgot it was August

[Thelongdarkteatime]

Can I join you? I'm on another thread about debt, but have lurked on this thread for a while. I'm on maternity leave and due to go back to work part time from September, but currently living on one wage and savings and would love some company in being frugal. No spend day for me today

[Passthecake30]

In the car on the way home from a 2 day stay at legoland and the legoland hotel

Frugal wins - both nights dinner at places where kids eat free

No need for a q-bot unlike last year when queues were hideous

Picnic lunch for both days

obviously I spent alot of money on junk food but I won't mention that

2 weeks to go until our Isle of Wight hols so going to be controlled until then, eat out of the cupboards etc

[fuzzpig]

I'm in. Been doing ok with being more frugal this year but what with the summer holidays and all, I need a boost :o

[Karbea]

Checking in.

[NK5BM3]

Hello and thanks for starting new thread creme!

Spent £5 at Aldi getting some supplies. Am thinking if being frugal I might just not get a shop in this week! Parents arriving tomorrow. Have to go to airport to pick them up. Spent £17 on fish and chips by beach but was with friends from abroad so it was a treat that was planned for. Lunch was £16.

[CremeEggThief]

Thanks for linking, Fluffy.

Welcome, Thelongdarkteatime. Everyone is welcome here :).

The Isle of Wight is fab! I actually wanted to live there forever when we went on holiday there- looked at schools, houses to rent and transport links online and all.

[AdoraBell]

Nooooooo! It can't be August already. That means DDs will be teenagers this month. Help!

Thanks for the new thread Creme

Spent another £8 on ingredients for pork burgers, and toffees.

Brings today's total, from previous thread, to £11-ish.

[lilacclery]

Need to be on here but August will be a complete disaster for me.
Yesterday was dhs birthday so birthday tea was €19, gifts €50+, wedding anniversary next weekend gift €25. Fab present wall decal from Amazon in these moments time stood still & then clocks with time & dates of our wedding & children's births. So it benefits l of us.
Frugal birthday cake made from chocolate brownie mix in cupboard!
Also his granddaughter s birthday, present frugal enough bought too much at christmas so have kept something for her.
Had a fr a
Great start to weekend a flat tyre turns out two need replacing ?? .
Brothers wedding & besties wedding also this month. Just going to try get through best I can.

[SpottyTeacakes]

Got some money through from topcashback today and child benefit. I should put it all on the credit card but I need to buy dd's school shoes, a present for best friends dd, present for step dad (any ideas?!) and a day out with the dc next week...

[lilacclery]

I discovered if I invite dh to open a littlewoods Ireland account, he gets €20 off a €50 order and I get €20 off my account balance so €10 for €50 and their kids ones are great quality and last ages.

Dhs birthday yesterday I got a campervan frame with a pic of us in it as its a dream of his with card saying kids would buy one when they're older & aftershave cos ss keeps stealing his. What's your stepfather into?

[SpottyTeacakes]

He's not into much tbh! He likes the F1...

[Baddderz]

Well August will be bad....
We are on hols on the 15th...self catering.
Also got dc going back to school at end of August so last week was getting new shoes etc...prob £200 spent in all :(
Then ds2s b day party in sept.
Then Xmas...
Have already got most of ds2s Xmas gifts and his b days gifts.
No idea what to get for ds1!! Pre teens are hard!
Am determined not to go mad this year. I need to save £300 for Xmas...that's my budget. No idea how we can save that amount :(
I have a £40 ikea card that I am saving for Xmas gifts.

[fuzzpig]

August going to be rough here too.

Little holiday in a couple of weeks - just a travelodge for three nights up north. Train fare and hotel already paid for (plus family railcard which paid for itself twice over just for this journey!) but there'll be food and entry to bletchley park too plus a bit of spending money for the DCs.

A few other little day trips planned, nothing huge but it all adds up doesn't it!

Uniform for DD as she's starting juniors, they are VERY strict and require logo shirts and everything so that plus some new bigger stuff for DS, and shoes, book bags etc, AAAARGH

DS turns 5 at the end of the month too, got to sort a little party, will just be 3 guests as he's not made friends easily, I have no idea what to do (having it here is impossible). Got his main present (playmobil pirate ship, bought on sale about a year ago and hidden away!) so just need a couple of books really. Then will have dinner as a family - 8 of us. Eek.

May need the childminder a couple more times where we've not been able to get time off and/or babysitting. DSD has been doing some babysitting bless her, she is fab and never asks for money (I pay her unlimited cinema card at £16pcm but she insisted that is all she wants) but as she's doing more than the usual once a fortnight, I've decided to get her a couple of box sets I know she's yearning for (anime fan).

Expensive month!

[Fluffycloudland77]

Thank you for the new thread creme.

Badderz Are you near any discount retail parks like bicester or Cheshire oaks etc? They usually have a clarks outlet selling school shoes.

Or get them fitted, make a note of the style you want and look for them in online cheaper.

[Baddderz]

Oh don't get me started on logo polo shirts!
Ds1s rugby shirt alone was £27!
Need to break it to Dh that I need £100 in sept, oct and nov for Xmas...there will be much gnashing of teeth :)
I think I will get loads of crafty bits for ds2 from ikea.

[fuzzpig]

Oh I have a question about restaurant clubcard vouchers if I may - a lot of them I've noticed say maximum of six people. We were thinking of using some for DS' birthday lunch, but there would likely be 8 of us - so does that mean we wouldn't be able to use them at all? Or is there some way round it like splitting the bill?

Mind you I'm now wondering if we should arrange a picnic or something instead. He enjoyed the Pizza Hut buffet last year which was cheap and cheerful but his birthday is on Saturday this year so can't do that.

[Baddderz]

Sadly not :(
I spent £160 in there on Thursday...both dc needed the lot...school shoes, trainers, plimsoles...sigh.
Haven't had much luck with cheaper shoes tbh..have always ended up either having to take them back or buy clarks anyway...
Oh, and ds1 still needs football boots!
Am letting Dh take care of that one :)