September is here and our money-saving steps up a gear

[economymode]

Starting us off for September. Newbies and old hands welcome!

[economymode]

It's only been a few hours, but so far so good. MrEcomomy is happily shaving with his Aldi razor (£1.89 for the razor and some blades) - he asked me to get replacement Mach 3 blades but I pretended Boots were out of them when I saw that they were £7 something for 4 blades. So I picked up the Aldi one yesterday and said if it rips his face to shreds then I would get him the Mach 3 ones. His face is still in one piece!

£2.65 on a paper and some milk and hoping that is it for the day.

[BoerWarKids]

Can I join? I'm a newbie to Credit Crunch and need some old hands to keep me on the straight and narrow

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Hello economy :) I've just been catching up on the end of the August thread - feel your pain on the shoe front. DS1's feet have grown 1.5 sizes over the summer! Hoping that the £40 school shoes will last most of the term.

August has ended up being pretty expensive for us, DH had an unexpected week off last week so we have been for a couple of meals out, and did a day out at a National Trust place that was free and we took a picnic.
We are off to Italy on Friday for a family wedding - flights and car hire are paid for, but we need to pay for the hotel (400 euros) and then some fuel and spending money.
Apart from that we have a few family birthdays this month, and I am expecting to have to replace at least one tyre on my car.

Adora I really feel for you. DH has his own business and is looking for new work at the moment. It is a tense time when there are no invoices being paid!

CremeEgg I hope your F/F is ok.

[CremeEggThief]

Thanks Ali. It seems to be, fingers crossed.

Today, I spent somewhere between £35 and £36- just under £28 on food from the Co-op, £2 pocket money for DS and £5.70 posting two parcels.

Economy, for starting the new thread.

[Hopeforever]

Hello, can I join? Have changed to a cash only household after last months disasters. £400 on car £410 on school bus pass for DS £160 on school clothes thankfully only £35 in school shoes. That left £200 for food and holiday. Of course we had to use savings again to make ends meet.

But not again! So far spend today £47 on dog food that will last all month

[Fluffycloudland77]

Nsd day for me.

Found out sainsburys basics bubblebath is BUAV approved so I can start using it as handwash....Cant think of anything else to say.

You have to tell us the breed of dog you have Hope, right now I'm picturing a pack of Irish wolfhounds with praderwilli syndrome.

[ValiumQueen]

Signing in. Wish I could win the lottery.

Spent £1 on 10 birthday cards in Card Factory but DH must have spent squillions on unnecessary rubbish.

I have topped up the ketchup with value stuff. Waiting for someone to notice.

Tidied my bedroom, including under the bed. Not been able to do it for a couple of months as my foot has been bad. Actually found some breast pads from DD2 who is over two now (unused) so very glad I did not buy another pack this week.

Still pleased with my washable nappies.

[economymode]

Welcome welcome, hope and boer - we're a friendly bunch . I've switched to using cash for purchases in the last couple of months and has found it has really helped.

£2.65 was indeed the total for today. We had a trip to the park this afternoon and tired EconomyBoy out for free!

Fluffy, I think most if not all Sainsbury's toiletries are BUAV approved. As are Coop and Superdrug ones. But the Sainsbos basics is no doubt the cheapest.

Hoping for a NSD tomorrow, the first in a while.

[BonkeyMollocks]

Mind if I sneak in?

We are up shit creek financially at the moment.

We ended up with £3 for the whole week after food/bills etc last week and I don't want to be there again.

Both me and dh are crap with money but it needs to change.

[Hopeforever]

Thank you for my welcome.

Our hounds are wheat intolerant retrievers. By buying in bulk it's cheaper. Fed a previous dog the basic range from asda he ended up at the vets with diabetes. Wrong cost cutting :(

[ObviouslyOblivious]

Hello! I'm here, a newbie who will be watching and stealing credit crunching tips :o

[Leilandri]

Welcome to the newbies :)

Valium When I met DH he insisted on only eating Heinz ketchup... 3 months of me filling the Heinz bottle with morrisons own soon put paid to that!! He was shocked when I confessed

NSD here on Friday to finish August on a high note.

Spent £3 today on milk, mars bars and cola. The milk was essential, the others were not
Hopefully got someone coming to buy my Buggypod tommorow which will be £45 in my pocket

[AdoraBell]

Hello and welcome to all the Credit Crunch newbies

I didn't spend a bean today, but DDs spent their birthday money from GPs. DD2 blew the lot, £30, but DD1 has saved a fiver for future use. We had a free morning playing with cars courtesy of the dealership OH bought from. I now know how to drive a 4x4 off road properly, through water & mud, down steep rocky slopes, the lot of course it cost us £2.40 on the roads to get there, but that was all.

Thanks Ali.

I've also switched to cash only.

[AdoraBell]

Ooh, forgot to say, estate agents have someone who wants to look next week.

[ValiumQueen]

I successfully persuaded DH to swap to own brand ketchup, but have now filled that bottle with value ketchup. May be a step too far, but they have all scoffed a cooked breakfast with ketchup on the side, so I am hopeful.

Taxed the car this week. £170 ouch! Still that is for a year. Figured it was better to swallow it now, than again in 6 months when I will be on SMP only.

[Downfall]

Hi all - Ive been following some of the credit crunch threads and finding it motivating, so can I join too?

Are we meant to post what we have or, more importantly, havent been spending?

[Badvoc]

Hello
September is a bit make or break for our finances tbh.
July and August were dreadful :(
Both up to our OD limits and it's fils 70th next week and ds2 is 4 in 3 weeks...
Oh, and I am 40 in oct!
And then of course there is Xmas....(starts to hyperventilate)
I drew cash out on Friday for food and have £10 left for the week.
I need to get the food bill down to £100 per week (there are 4 of us and some of us have allergies so need GF etc food) I think £25 per person per week should be more than enough!
Have spent £80 on ds2 for his b day...that is gifts, cards and stuff for his party.
I used some amazin vouchrs and nectar points to pay for it too. I am asking for cash for my b day to pay more off my OD :(
I hope by Xmas that it will be sorted...I have already contacted my bank and requested my OD limit to be reduced and will continue til it's £50.
Am determined to stick to budget at Xmas too this year!
Have bought soap nuts for washing and haven't used the tumble dryer for over a week! Also bought a lush shampoo bar for my hair...they last ages.
Will spend a bit today...need butter and milk.
Am hoping next week my groceries will be down to £80!
Also getting rid of the chest freezer...less electricity used and won't be able to buy in bulk things we didn't really need...

[Fluffycloudland77]

I use value ketchup. If you don't tell them then they won't notice.

I'm thinking of applying for a Santander cc so I can get cash back on petrol, my biggest expense after rent. I'm a bit nervous about applying though, I got knocked back for a new current account lastyear but credit expert said my credit rating is excellant. Bit odd.

Hello newbies, we post no spend days and try to economise. There's lots of previous threads starting in Jan this year with excellant ideas in them. I'll do links either later today or tm.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Badvoc, have you tried changing electric/gas supplies and turning the hot water thermostat down? Just the lowered stat saved me £30 a month. The new supplier knocked another £10 off per month and I got cashback via energylinx on quidco.

[Downfall]

Thanks Fluffy. We have just got a Santander cc which we use for fuel and housekeeping. We are paying it off in full each month and hoping that at the end of the year there will be enough cash back to give us a weeks free shopping or pay for car tax or similar one off bill.

Badvoc - Im in a very similar situation. Our ODs and other CCs just have to be cleared someday, and I really want it to be by next summer.

Ive managed to get all housekeeping down to £100 per week including toiletries etc by swapping even more to value products and writing a rolling 4 week meal planner (idea pinched from another thread). I don't know how much of a dent this will make in the debt yet though because we've also had DS2 birthday in August and, like everyone else, have just had the school uniform and shoes expense.

I figure it's a start though, and am hoping this thread will keep me going because its disheartening spending time comparing how many pennies I can save on crunchy K versus special flakes and then the bank account still looks ominous!

[DoingItForMyself]

Hello, I think I should join here. I'm a newly single mum having to deal with family finances for the first time and finding I don't know where to start!

I keep jotting down what I spend and trying to work out what that means in the long term, but I am weak Went out last night and spent far too much on drinks, then convince myself its ok, I deserve a night out and that I can earn the money in a few hours. I need a shake and stern talking to...

Will read the old threads for inspiration.

[Fluffycloudland77]

August thread

July thread

June thread

May thread

April thread

March thread

February thread

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1370447-No-spend-January January thread

I like this thread too

This is good, I think a lot of people have a slow cooker hiding in the cupboard

Not tried this myself but it might help some of you

I get vouchers for stuff here

This ones good some weeks and not so good other weeks

Quidcos quite good, they take £5 in fees off your first payment though

Topcashback dont but I bought something for £60 cash back and it's tracked at £35 so I've complained

[Fluffycloudland77]

Jan thread #2

[ValiumQueen]

Wow, thank you fluffy. I will read through these too, and take notes!

[DoingItForMyself]

Wow thanks Fluffy - no excuses now! I'm on a mission.