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Cost of living

Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

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Original poster

During May I will only spend money on food and petrol.

266 replies

Collision · 30/04/2011 20:54

I have decided that I spend far too much on silly bits and pieces and that after a while this really adds up.

The children do not need ANY clothes or shoes at all.

Neither do I. Or bags.

DH needs nothing.

So I have declared that May will be an eco month and i will only buy food and petrol. We are in school for the whole of the month so no trips out are necessary and if the weather is nice we can take our bikes out.

Anyone care to join me or make comments to support me!

OP posts:

Carrotsandcelery · 09/05/2011 18:32

I spent another £33 at the vets today and £70 on diesel but I think we agreed vets and fuel were permitted.

I resisted the diet coke in the fridge in the petrol stations too. Still yet another expensive day though.

Hopefully I only have one more visit to the vets (tomorrow) and then everyone will have been seen to.

Good luck in the supermarket buster and well done everyone else.

LawrieMarlow · 09/05/2011 19:04

Managed to only spend what I needed to for the mystery shop and not buy anything else. Not even milk and peppers .

Do need to spend money tomorrow but mostly mystery shopping.

H owes me money too but don't think he can give it to me just yet. Am keeping a tab though.

bustersmummy · 09/05/2011 19:16

I only spent £45 and I needed cereal and washing powder and dishwasher tabs and stuff.

No meat though, as the freezers are full.

And I made lovely lovely mexican chilli type veggie lentil soup which I had for tea.

So, all in all, not bad I think

angel1976 · 09/05/2011 20:32

Only petrol and food here today for me! Yippee!

angel1976 · 09/05/2011 20:33

Though I did 'lose' £25 for a spa booking I did as the company had gone bust. I can't believe it as my appointment was on Wednesday as well... Lastminute.com has given me a credit voucher though.

voodoomunkee · 10/05/2011 07:10

I sinned and bought a dvd, but I did make extra effort to go to the ethnic grocers and buy veg and all the things we could possibly need to eat this week til around thursday for about £15 so can forgive the dvd, especially as I am not going out for food, drinking, buying clothes etc due to growing pg bump! To be fair I probably wouldnt have had the money to spend so gratuitously on the Kings Speech if I was doing all these other things - there I feel absolved!

bustersmummy · 10/05/2011 10:48

I am tempted to buy a tummy control vest from M&S that the style and beauty ladies are recommending on here.

My justification is that if I bought it, I'd be able to wear so many more of the tops in my drawers.

AM I ALLOWED??

Carrotsandcelery · 10/05/2011 12:14

You are allowed buster as long as you wear it. Keep the label on it until you wear it and if it hasn't been out by the end of the month take it back.

Carrotsandcelery · 10/05/2011 12:15

I had my final vet visit today (£18). Thank goodness that is finished.

I also did my top up milk, bread etc shop and managed not to buy a Pepsi Max - so proud!

angel1976 · 10/05/2011 21:14

A no spend day for me today. Went for a walk in the woods with my neighbour and our kids in the morning and then made cupcakes for friends who came over in the afternoon with their kids and we went to the park and the kids had a brilliant day!

But tomorrow we are going to a toddler group in the morning (it's one I go to every week without fail for a chat with my mummy friends) and that will be £1.50. Am aiming for that being my whole spend tomorrow... :)

Meglet · 10/05/2011 23:24

Had to buy some new bathroom scales yesterday as the old ones were giving me silly readings. So that was £10.

Am doing a grand job using up old toiletries and digging around in the back of the kitchen cupboards. Have bought a lot of pre-prepared salads though as I'm on a health kick following a nasty cold and buying whole items means I don't eat them up before they go off.

nannynick · 10/05/2011 23:40

I did it... I managed to spend Nothing at all today, including using any of work's money

Was helped by the new coffee shop at the playground being closed on a Tuesday.

Tomorrow is another matter though as I'm not at work and have the day to myself and need to get tires for the car... but that's a vital expense so it's allowed isn't it.

HauntedLittleLunatic · 11/05/2011 10:07

Another good day yesterday...only a sandwich for lunch (which is in my allowable spend list), bread and milk. Avoided buying a ready meal for tea, and takeaway for tea so big pat on the back for me.

Day off today....lots of housework needs doing so I won't be going anywhere to spend any money...

BlackandGold · 11/05/2011 18:36

Was very tempted by some necklaces in M&S today - they went so well with what I was wearing........

But I abstained!

HauntedLittleLunatic · 11/05/2011 18:44

Another good day. Bought a stamp that was all...but it was to post an application for student finance...which will actually make me money so figured ok?

Also sold some shares at a good price so technically in profit for the day :)

LawrieMarlow · 11/05/2011 19:25

I went to Morrisons and spent about £28 but only treat type thing was 75p on sweets for me. Also spent £7 on DD school trip.

angel1976 · 11/05/2011 20:38

£1.50 on toddler group and £12 for both DSs' haircuts. Am happy with that as they both desperately needed haircuts!

Carrotsandcelery · 11/05/2011 20:39

I went into the big city today and took back a lot of clothes to Next - finally! Hurray!

I also ordered what I hope will be the shoes for the wedding I am going to next month - I mentioned them at the start of the thread as an essential this month so I think that expenditure is ok.

I still have clothes to take back but the other shop was at the other end of town so we didn't make it there.

We also went to the cinema but bought Orange Wednesday tickets and dh paid so a) it was a bargain and b) I am not sure if it counts if dh did the spending.

He also bought lunch and I have to admit it did include a bottle of Pepsi Max but we did just buy a sandwich out of Boots rather than go to Chiquitos so it was far cheaper than it might have been.

Even if dh's spending still counts we are still in profit with everything we took back to Next.

LawrieMarlow · 11/05/2011 22:12

Tomorrow I have some more mystery shopping. Includes lunch and another one where I need to buy but will get those reimbursed. Don't think I need to spend money on anything else (although I am sure DS's guitar lessons invoice will come soon...)

bustersmummy · 13/05/2011 09:00

I have done no spending except food and petrol all week.

Am off with the kids to a local agricultural show (yawn) this afternoon but have free tickets.

DD1 ever so helpfully just announded she needs a fancy dress zebra outfit for TOMORROW so I'll have to spend a bit on that.

Didn't even get take away last night - made my own indian

Bought the shapewear vest from M&S but it made fark all difference so I took it back

angel1976 · 13/05/2011 09:40

Lol at shapewear making no difference... bustersmummy You should just wear your current body proud! That's what I do.. :)

I only spent money on food yesterday but today, I need to do some posting so will need a couple of quid for that. Also, I promised DS1 a special treat (he's been crying when I leave as he just moved up to pre-school from his 'little' nursery ) so I told him if he didn't cry today and is a brave boy, I will get him a special little treat. Might pop over to Sainsburys across my work to see if they have any cheap leftover Easter chocolate!

bustersmummy · 13/05/2011 09:44

Angel - I wish I could !! I think I'll have a Primani trip with DD2 tomorrow afternoon (DD1 has 2 birthday parties and DD2 needs jeans for a school trip) and try another one from there.

Bless you wee DS of course he should have a treat

Carrotsandcelery · 13/05/2011 10:00

Morning all! I feel a no spend day coming on. I am trapped at home (in the middle of nowhere) with no car!

I have not done very well on the budget this month (due to the vets bills) but this has still made me aware of how much I do spend and I haven't spent on frippery so it is still progress.

Lawrie I am assuming you live in a city when you have to go shopping so often. I really like the sound of being a mystery shopper but it is a 50 min drive and a fortune to park to get to the shops for me so I don't suppose it would work.

LawrieMarlow · 13/05/2011 11:28

I am just outside a city and there are quite a few retail places within 15 minutes drive outside it, so quite a bit of choice. Also is good when I can do a few different ones nearby.

Am off mystery lunching again soon .

angel1976 · 13/05/2011 11:34

bustersmummy I wish I appreciated my pre-DC body a lot more... Ah, the foolishness of youth! I am a slim size 8/10 but that muffin belly isn't ever going to go is it? If I wasn't so freaking scared of going under the knife and the money involved, I would have so gone for a tummy tuck!

carrots I know what you mean but I usually start out really good and by the second half of the month is a disaster as I think I have done so well. I hope this thread keeps me in line... BTW, since no one else in interested in my other thread... I sold my spare Take That ticket to an old friend so that's £60 towards the Kindle fund and I just redeemed another £2.50 from my nectar card for an amazon voucher to go towards the fund too so I am doing well in my money mission!

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