Who wants to join me in a May/June money saving Challenge?

[Starbear]

I need to,some how, break even by the end of the month which means I have to some how save £275.37 which I am overdrawn at the mo. I have other debits but I need to cover this before I deal with them. I don't want to swap my personal finance except above. But I thought we could find cheap deals or pat each other on the back when we don't get tempted to buy useless things or take a packed lunch to work that sort of stuff. Out of the months wages I have to buy Ds some summer clothes and myself and move out while builders are in my very small house. (We can't afford to move) Our budget is going to be tight for the next few years but I still what to some fun.

I think if your setting a budget you should always but in money for treats. It's unrealistic not too. Is anyone saving for (dare I say it !) Christmas. I've been saving it's been hard but I've managed it.

oh well september really isn't that far off so just hold tight and things will be easier soon. i know the feeling. i was really struggling a while back whilst waiting on my housing benefit decision and the back payment of it. i knew it was coming but coping in the meantime was really hard and i was so happy the day it arrived and i knew from then on things would be a bit easier.

starbear the comments box is a great idea. it would definitely make me stop and think whether i really needed to buy something.

brightermornings, yes i have started saving for xmas. i save £5 every week since the start of january so i will have £250 at xmas. although i do intend to gather a few things during the year if i can organise myself enough to do it. TBH the weekly saving for Xmas is something i have done since i was 16 and even in the toughest times i have never let it slip because i know i will have a good xmas to look forward to.

Saving for Christmas, oh god, another thing I haven't done!! I'm sure it's not too late to start now though is it. I get paid on Wednesday and I have a list of things already to come out of it, including sandals for both dc, presents for my neice and sisters etc. Dd and I had a great time tonight. Dh got the next bag of hand-me-downs from the loft from my neice and dd had a great time trying everything on. She's a real clothes girl. Also my niece has a very rich grandma so there was some lovely designer bits and lots of dresses from Monsoon. She is totally kitted out for summer now so that has saved me a fortune.

definitely not too late to start. there are another 7 months til xmas. work out how much you intend to spend per person and then add it all up. factor in the cost of cards, wrapping paper and food and then see how much you need to save each week/month.

i love handmedowns. there are 4 years between my 2 boys and i was lucky enough that i have saved all of ds1's clothes (i have no idea why as i never intended any more dcs! ) so ds2 is getting a 'new' box of clothes every 6 months or so. it is really strange remembering ds1 wearing the clothes and seeing how much he has grown.

Im in! i need to save for summer holidays/christmas etc and have vowed not to get into debt this year(apart from mortgage ). I have set myself a feed your family for £50 challenge. I have ordered a weeks meals from asda that will be delivered today and will only need to top up with milk ,(hopefully)

I have made a plan this weekend of exactly how much money goes out and included all the car expenses and budgeted for Christmas and birthdays. DH gets paid tomorrow so I'm going to do my best to stick to it. I also made a meal plan for the week, shopping list and then went to aldi and bought all that I could then went to Tesco to get the odd bits that I could not get.
Now I just have to stick to it - that will be the hard thing!! Also I like the idea of writing all that I spend down so might try that.

I am going to write down everything I spend money on starting in June. I think May has been a good month so far as I've been more conscious about thinking about my spending and not spending on bits and pieces that add up. Have bought no new clothes for my boys or myself apart from two fleece sleepsuits for DS1 off ebay for cheap. He needs fleece sleepsuits as he sleeps in a downstairs bedroom, that is very cool even in today's weather! He's already 3.3 and his 2-3 sleepsuit was definitely getting a bit tight! :)

wahey!! this thread inspired me last night to check the fridge, freezer and cupboards and i meal planned for the week based on what was there. if i hadn't done that i would basically have gone out today and bought a massive shop costing about £100. but now i think it will cost about £35. i also went onto asda website and priced as much as i could so i will go to Lidl with my list and see what i can get there cheaper. we also have two new discount stores in town so will hit those aswell. shopping will take a bit longer but the savings will be worth it. also it's ds2's birthday on friday and i have found a trike in argos for £19.99. i will check out the charity shops first and see if there is anything suitable there before buying the trike though. oh yes, i also need new glasses as my frames broke on my current ones. i was intending to just ring teh opticians and order a new set at £40 but i checked moneysaving expert and there is a website that does them for £6.00 plus £3.50 postage. mega saving there!!

is it wrong that i am getting excited about all this saving??

If you're making home-made beefburgers, pad the mince out with finely chopped onions, an egg, and a couple of mugfulls of all-bran(sm own brand of course). It makes the mince go a lot further, gives them a really nice taste, and gets a little more fibre in the kids!

Wow this thread has got busy all of a sudden! Had a lovely chicken and veg crumble tonight with the leftovers from yesterday's Sunday dinner. I'm doing Weightwatchers at the mo and I find it hard to get loads of variety at a low cost. I'm ok with evening meals as I plan them well but it's lunches and breakfasts. To save money I eat practically the same thing day in day out and I don't think it's helping my weight loss.
Tesco vouchers arrived today for next week's safari park trip so just got to plan an exciting cheap picnic to take with us. Any ideas? I will probably bake some cakes with the kids at the weekend so we will take them.

that's a great tip emmanana. i am useless with food. i dont enjoy eating and as a result both myself and the dcs have really bland palates. i am trying to wean us all onto more interesting stuff gradually but it's slow progress. i am not great at convincing the dcs that i am enjoying the food myself. so i cant really help with your picnic abbylou. my picnics consist of ham and cheese sandwiches, bit of fruit, yoghrts and crisps. very dull i know.

i did really well today. my shopping came in at £33.70 so under the £35 budget. and i got everything i needed plus ds threw in a jar of chocolate spread that i hadn't planned on buying so really pleased with that. i did spend a total of £99.52 today but it was all planned for and needed stuff.

£10.00- re-heeling two pairs of shoes
£2.44- cough medicine for ds1
£2.00- thick bedthrow from charity shop for the dog's bed.
£19.99- ds2's birthday present
£10.00- phone top-up
£6.42- postage for returning some boots
£33.70- food shopping
£5.18- blusher (necessary as ds2 crumbled mine and rubbed it into my duvet cover
£1.04- litter tray liners
£4.98- ds' birthday cake
£1.97- 2 birthday cards for ds and a small gift from ds1
£1.80- 2 bottles of coke (ok not strictly necessary but we were really thristy and it was 2 for £1.80)

hi can i join(new member)but have read with interest,i really need to get my 2 credit cards paid off asap(both on 0% interest)so that's a start.havent used any since march and will keep that up.i too have now started planning meals each week,make my own cakes etc.shop at aldi (used to be £80-£100 tesco/morrisons) each week and got it down to £30-£50.buy potatoes n eggs at local farm alot cheaper n nicer,got a patch in garden to grow our own veg(wish me luck with that one)don't use hairdressers nomore have a mobile hairdresser half the price £25 for cut,wash n colour & made a good friend at that,instead of buying b/day gifts now i put lotto ticket n scratchcard in b/day card now,been selling on ebay & sell any baby stuff etc at our local bf charity they sell for you and take 10% so find i make more than ebay or carboot on that stuff.

Just a quick one prescriptions if you ever need anything for dc's I always go to see the pharmacist and use the pharmacy first (I think it's called). You don't pay anything !!

brightermornings i think tehy have stopped that now. at least in northern ireland they have. i went over yesterday to get calpol for ds1 and my friend who works there said they have stopped it. you have to go to the gp for a prescription.

Afternoon you've all been busy. BooyHoo I wish I read your comments re freezer the other day. We are going to be out of this house soon living with a friend while the builders knock the back of our house down and build it back up again so from after half term I'll have to say good bye as we can't afford a laptop. I don't know how I'm going to manage keeping in touch with people without e-mail but we can't buy one because I'll miss a coffee morning (actually it?s the pub of an evening) with the Mums! Oh! I hope they remember to phone me. Right its pack lunch from now on I have saved a small fortune today.
Abbylou I have always been happy to have hand-me downs as I think it?s good for the environment and helps with the country?s deficit as we then don?t import so much staff from China. See I bet you all feel better now [Grin] There is always a way of spinning these things. I quite like seeing little friends in my Ds's old clothes too it brings back lovely memories.
Right off to do some work now Good luck

Ops Welcome debtfreeiwish Hope this thread not only helps but cheers you up as well

Abbylou Just a thought re picnic have you thought of a spanish omelette. It's just cooked Potates (Spanish people fry pots but it does work with boiled) onions fried in the pan a little and eggs. Then wrap it in tin foil. Everyone in spain has this for a picnic but I have to have it with ketchup on the side much to my uncles disgust sorry can't give you the measurements as I've been making them since I was 10 years old and just know the right number of pots + eggs+ size of pan by sight. I'm sure you can find it from a delia website.

Not a good start as I have just had to pay for our car tax now only drive it twice a week since we have moved. But it still has half a tank of petrol from last pay day so will see how long I can make that last.

Trying to think of cheep/free activities for half term, I think I will try to fill it with play dates and the park. I have three children 7,5, and 2, what is everyone else getting up too on the cheep???

MSE scares me. everytime i do the budget calculator it tells me i am overspending by X amount every month. how am i still alive???

i spent 90p today. ds1 got to put 2 beans in the jar at school today. mega acheivement for him so off we went to the shop and as ds1 was getting sweets, ds2 had to get aswell. kept them happy for 30 seconds

hanreeoak i very rarely spend money on trips over half term. we go to the beach, long walks, play parks, feed the ducks, walking round town, sitting on a bench people watching with a packet of crisps. if it's wet, wellies on and off splashing. in the house you can have a DVD day, crafting/painting, get the dcs to create a play/performance for you to watch in the evening afetr dinner so they have to spend all day 'rehearsing', playdate with friends, visit grandparents, declutter day (mightn't be very popular but give them an incentive)

Thanks BooyHoo I think that I might plan the week before hand so I am organised, rather than them getting bored and mer having to spend, Thank you for your ideas I am going to steal all of them and also put ideas in diary for summer holidays ideas.
Also thought I might set a budget for the week get the cash out and keep it in a separate purse, when its gone its gone.

Starbear thanks for the Spanish omelette idea, it sounds lovely. I've had a look online and there are loads of recipes to try. I've got a basket open on Tesco online as i have a £10 off voucher. it's amazing how little I've spent doing it online but I'm not sure i could justify it every week because of the delivery.
pay day tomorrow so I've just done the budget for the month. I've done a planner for the half term week including activities and all meals. Dc and I will bake at the weekend to make some nice treats for the half term. We will probably do picnics in the garden/park if it is nice.