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Put those purses down and enjoy an austere August instead

225 replies

economymode · 03/08/2012 08:35

A new thread to support those wishing to rein back their spending - come one, come all.

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clippityclop · 03/08/2012 12:34

I'm in! Seem to have been spending money like water recently finishing our kitchen and garden DIY projects so will find this useful to get back on track and saving for our next holiday. £30.00 at the butchers today, but included a huge leg of lamb and eggs for a roast/pavolova dinner of 10 on Sunday - cheaper than going out though. This time of year is traditionally very expensive, what with back to school stuff and DD2 birthday soon but school uniforms are all bought, just shoes needed from Clarks, where I understand we'll get a 20% off voucher for adults stuff. Top of To Do list is clear the slagheap of Ebayables on the spare bed. Here's to lots of No Spend days ahead for us all, and thanks for starting the thread!

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Fluffycloudland77 · 03/08/2012 14:33

I've just cancelled my credit expert equifax too so thats £21 a month saved. Grin

I ordered an O2 sim via quidco and got a 300 text and 500mb sim for £10 payg. I mainly use emails and texts so it suits me. £6.50 a month saved. Plus I got £5 cashback.

Off to asda/sainsbos later for dumbells for the shred dvd I got off amazon for £4.89. I'm going to start it tomorrow so dh will be out and cant watch laugh his ass off. Smile

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Leilandri · 03/08/2012 19:29

I FOUND YOU!!! :)

Awful day today - some b*stard has cloned my debit card and has withdrawn £300 cash :( :( This is money that we simply do not have. Have spoken cried, yelled to bank, but because it is a cash machine transaction they say there is not much they can do, as I could be saying that £300 has been stolen, yet have it in my purse all along. They will investigate, but basically I won't count on getting my money back.
We are going away next week, to see family, so my Mum is now giving me £100 to cover petrol and daytrips. And family have chipped in with funds for a party that I am hosting for my Mums 60th Bday party. I love my family so much, and am so grateful to them but I could murder the fucker that has stolen from me

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Fluffycloudland77 · 03/08/2012 20:14

Some cashpoints have CCTV so you could ask them to check if that one does, also I remember an article on the net ages ago
saying chip and pin isn't as safe as it's made out to be so research that too.

Def report it to the police too you might not be the only one affected and it could help them catch them.

It could happen to any of us. I hope your bank sees sense.

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AdoraBell · 04/08/2012 04:13

Sorry to hear about your card Lienlandri ,fingers crossed you can get some results from ATM camera etc.

Well, I've over spent a little this week, just £15 or so over budget but that's £15 too much. On the plus side I've used very little petrol with DDs off school sick. This month we have enough coming in to cover mortgage, bills and food but no extras. DDs are going to need new school shoes soon, halfway through the year. Their pocket money, earned, is still being saved in Bank of Mum.

I'm looking forward to a stingy few weeks until the DDs birthday.

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economymode · 04/08/2012 08:45

oh, Leilandri, that sucks big time. I really would have thought the police could do something about someone cloning your card - it seems ridiculous that they won't.

Could you not argue that withdrawing £300 is unusual behaviour for you? Was it at a time/place that you usually use a cashpoint? Aren't these things that trigger suspicion with banks when criminals use other people's cards to buy goods? Also, if you get nowhere with the bank, is it worth writing to your MP to raise the issue?

As others have said, ask the bank to check CCTV and do let us know how you get on. I hope you manage to have a good trip away next week, regardless.

July was fairly good for us, but I envisage a bit of a spendy weekend - MrEconomy needs new shoes so will be heading to TK Maxx this pm. I also need new slippers and will check out their maternity stuff while we're there.

We've decided not to go to my cousin's wedding in Paris in December. I'll be 7 months' pregnant and my husband isn't that keen on straying too far from home. It'll be a long ceremony and involve lots of standing/waiting around, and they'll be having some sort of do over here in the UK for my gran (94 so not going) and other people who can't make it, so we'll just go to that. So that saves shelling out for eurostar, hotels, meals and a passport for our son that we'd only use once.

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AdoraBell · 05/08/2012 03:34

Had an NSD here today, tomorrow is Children's Day, do you get that in UK? DDs seem to expect some kind of mega extravagant gift, never mind eh?

OH has roped us into lunch tomorrow with a family we've never met before. No idea as yet if he's offered to pay or we're splitting costs.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 05/08/2012 11:36

No we dont have childrens day. Everyday is childrens day in the uk for a lot of children.

BT have reduced the cost of my package from £19 to £13 since we moved house. No idea why, it's extended my contract by 6 weeks but saved me £70 over the year so it's all good. I'm £10 in credit now so that will carry over to next month, hopefully that bill will be tiny now. I pay for line rental upfront so that's a saving too.

I'm still leaving next year if I can find something cheaper and reliable though.

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tryingtonotfeckup · 05/08/2012 11:44

Leilandri, I'm assuming you're in the UK. I'm not sure the banks can do that, I remember reading lots of articles about debit card and person not present fraud and you may be able to get the bank to refund your money. Look on newspaper / moneyexpert websites. The gist if I remember correctly is that they cannot simply say that you cannot prove it wasn't you but that they have to prove it was you, they cannot simply fob you off. Please have a look but its a long fight from what I can remember.

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LadySybildeChocolate · 05/08/2012 11:50

Hi Smile Can I join you? I need to save.

I'm so sorry, Leilandri. Sad

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economymode · 05/08/2012 17:44

Hello, LadySybil and welcome! Hope you find this helps you to curb your spending habits.

As predicted, a fairly expensive day yesterday - new shoes for my husband but used a voucher code from the vouchercloud app (really recommend this) to get 20% off at Brantano, so £30 shoes were £24. Also fill up of petrol, which was £55.

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LadySybildeChocolate · 05/08/2012 17:54

I'm not good at saving. Until June I was paying out a fortune in travel to get ds to school so I've had nothing to save or spend for the past 2 years. We've now moved closer to the school.

Today I've ordered the weekly groceries rather then take ds to the pub for lunch, this was £47.

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AdoraBell · 06/08/2012 05:08

Today I spent £20 in the supermarket. I think OH paid for the lunch, I was too busy chatting to the other wife to see. Haven't ask him how much as I'm in ostrich mode.

This children's day thing is new-ish and I think it's aimed at getting Gvmnts in undeveloped countries to tackle child poverty, child labour etc. DD1 told me today her friend (11yrs old) is getting a new iPad for children's day. I said that's not your problem, don't worry about it!

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clippityclop · 06/08/2012 09:44

NSD for me yesterday. Lovely lady at the newsagent pointed out £5.00 M&S food voucher in the Mail which I'll use for ice creams/lollies. Saving for a London trip (tied in with DH hospital tests) next April and a wedding overseas in August. Lord preserve the UK from Childrens Day!

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LadySybildeChocolate · 06/08/2012 10:28

£2 for me today if the wheelie bin cleaning people turn up.

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SpeckleDust · 06/08/2012 10:35


Leilandri - keep hassling the bank. My experience was that they stalled with refunding for bloody ages but got it back eventually. My card was used fraudulently which I reported but never found out how my details were stolen.

Have had WAY too many payments go out already for August (2 x kids swimming and gymnastics for next term) and is DD1's birthday in a couple of weeks Shock.

Today we are going swimming at my gym and am smuggling in a packed lunch to their play area for them to have afterwards. Will splash out on a cup of mint tea for me so hopefully only £1.45 today.
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tryingtonotfeckup · 06/08/2012 12:12

Nice lady gave me her parking ticket (I know, not right but hey) so saved £1.20. Then splurged on a rucksack and tried to justify it by saying that I will do more picnics this summer so saving on days out.

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AdoraBell · 07/08/2012 03:46

Spent another £20 in the supermarket and £5 on snacks, £1.40 on the road toll.
We have a vet bill pending and need to buy more food for the beasts. I still have some credit on a gift card, think I'll look at spending that towards the end of the week. Feel I need a little lift.

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LadySybildeChocolate · 07/08/2012 18:50

£6 in the post office.

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clippityclop · 07/08/2012 21:07

Despite freezer full of M&S strawberry splits etc spent £7.00 on a round of ice creams on an outing today. Good fun though.

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ValiumQueen · 08/08/2012 10:00

May I join please?

Due to go on Maternity Leave with DC3 soon. I also have a broken leg, so cannot drive or go to shops. Having to rely on home delivery for food.

I have always been good at stretching my pennies, but DH is a disaster with money. We agreed a budget for food, and I stick well within it ( finding I save money by getting food online so will continue this) but he then goes to various shops buying bits that we really do not need, and are really pricy/treats. For example ice creams for kids, small bottles of coke for him. We should be buying this stuff in bulk.

I wish Aldi did home delivery!

I need to save money as I want to be off the full 12 months with what will be my last baby. I went back when the others were 5months old.

I have reverted back to cloth nappies!

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ValiumQueen · 08/08/2012 10:15

DD1 goes back to school in less than two weeks. I broke my leg at the beginning of her holiday, and had planned to buy season tickets for Safari Park, which thankfully I had not, so that saved a £70. No real saving in petrol as DH has had to get a bus pass at £100 every 4 weeks. He is learning to drive, which is a huge expense.

Waiting to hear back from tax credits. Could get a huge bill or refund. I find it impossible to know what to expect. So far our payments are unaltered which is encouraging I guess. This could make or break us.

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economymode · 08/08/2012 19:13

Valium - cloth nappies are great. I have a 15 month old and am 15 weeks pregnant with our second one. We have enough nappies to have them both in washables so that's a huge saving!

Also, agree that it would be brilliant if Aldi did home delivery. We can but hope...

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ValiumQueen · 08/08/2012 19:41

Ooh economy another fluff lover Grin

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AdoraBell · 10/08/2012 16:56

Thought I was doing okay this week, until DD1 broke her wheeled rucksackAngry £40 to replace that and her school books really are too heavy for a normal rucksack, I've tried it. Now DD2 needs a hockey skirt for a match tomorrow and OH needs to pay the vet tomorrow too. I need a few million quids, no mortgage and a little wooden cabin in a forest somewhere I could grow and trap all the food we need.Grin See, I'm not greedy.

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