No-spend January/Frugal February - the no-spend challenge continues

[roguepixie]

OK - am attempting to start the second thread ... hope this works.

Hi - I've been lurking for a while and you have all inspired me to get a grip of the spending - what a canny lot you are

I have been looking around for an app for laptop or ipad where I can just track the daily spending rather than the whole budget/bank account stuff. I found a really got app through Chrome browser called EEBA and it's simple. You can set it up for just the day to day spend and it does reports so you can see what you are spending your money on as well as with who.

Also just had a really good saving on childrens trousers at M&S - I got 4 pairs of jeggings for the twins and got a bogohp on one of the styles and a £5 off as over £30 so I saved £9 and got 4 pairs of trews for £25.

DanJARMouse, my dentist gave me a prescription for toothpaste and mouthwash for DD

good app

Ebay is so different to hoe it used to be. Years ago it was much more balanced, now it seems to be much more in the buyers favour - with Ebay removing fees etc if the buyer makes any sortof claim (often unsubstantiated). I do still Ebay but have a block on anyone with a zero or negative feedback rating and do not sell to the Far East. I think that you need to go into your profile page and you will be able to set up blocks etc there.

A free listing weekend means that for Saturday and Sunday you do not pay for any listing that starts at £1.00 or more (up to 100 listings). During the course of any month you get 100 free listings for any auctions that start at 0.99p or below so these free listing weekends means that you can put things on for more, thereby listing those more expensive items without incurring listing fees.

Well, went out with DMum today - spent £60.00 on project booms and some yarn - this will, I hope, serve me well with stuff to make for others (birthdays etc). I also spent £31.00 in Waitrose but that includes a chicken for tonight and also a bag of reduced chicken breasts and reduced lamb meatballs. As I go there often I have quite a few staff members I chat to and they have identified the best times to come for those reduced items. They did say that it depends on each store though so it is worth checking at your local one.

DS has friend coming over this afternoon and staying overnight, hence the chicken. Will also make a coffee and walnut cake for dessert, which will also last the weekend as it is a fairly big cake. Soup going on this afternoon as well which will provide lunches for the coming week.

Will need to go veggie shopping tomorrow morning but no fruit (except bananas) and no butcher, so should come in at around £20/25.00 .

Bugger, just lost my post so here it is again:

Magda, welcome. Glad you are inspired. Is that a link to a good app? If so, can you re-list please? Thanks.

redjumper, which groups? Come on...'fess all. I don't want to enter a "nest of vipers" (or is that just us ). PM me if it is "sensitive info" . Btw, and I don't know if I have said this already, but I love your name. Being a huger 'The Killing' fan it always makes me smile when I see it.

Dan don't panic, when we took our last one back it had scratched paintwork, scuffed plastic trim from ds's pushchair and from DD's boots, one of the rear seats didn't fold properly and the upholstery was imbedded with dog hairs, despite loads of vacumming. The dealer said it looked fine and we wouldn't be charged. We diden't get the bonus back as we had used the insurance to fix a gouge, we won't get it on this on this one as well as ds took the handbrake off and almost ripped my door off as it rolled down the drive.

Just the £10 on the dog today as DP bought me some lunch from McD's, first time in ages and very welcome as I am seriously skint until monday.

Here's a link to the spend tracker on Google Chrome

chrome.google.com/webstore/search/eeba?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon

my spending app is scaring me. It makes it impossible to avoid seeing how much money I'm spending and the fact that it seems genuinely difficult to spend nothing on any given day. I almost feel I might be spending more but on bargains/in bulk. There is time yet for the end of the month to balance it all out!!

Ilike - congrats!

Vivian - I will NEVER use Asda again after they kept me waiting 3 hours for a delivery before christmas, only to decide to cancel it without telling me - I was up till midnight waiting for them I do love my Ocado. Sainsburys were crap - v much like your Asda experience. Not tried the local tesco yet..

Rogue - lol at the dalek cake description. Its DS2's birthday today and he wants a Tinga Tinga cake for his birthday party on sunday - we're doing an enormous brownie with icing and a cake topper for 3 with his name and the characters on (got from Ebay for £3) so am in awe of your cake making prowess.

Have spent £6 on coffees and £4 on chocolate this week to cheer myself up after horrible news about my knee plus having to spend on flat shoes but beyond that nada (redeemed £12 of Advantage points on job lot of toothpaste - reckon we're good for another 6 months - and arnica). On plus side, when i have the operation which will put me out of action for a good few weeks I wont be able to get out to spend at all (and will ensure i keep my purse well away from where I am situated so cant spend online either!)

Thanks roguepixie for the name compliment was thinking of changing it as Im sure non The Killing fans think "Huh"?
Will keep it now.
As for Ravelry be careful, its like going down a yarn and knitting rabbithole and very easy to queue lots of lovely patterns and be tempted to buy gorgeous yarn.I have some beautiful and luxurious yarns in my stash but dont drink much or smoke so its my treat.
Ar you watching Borgen as well ? I saw the first one so have a bit of catching up to do.

Spent about £30 on food for the weekend. Got a girl coming for a sleepover and I bought a dvd for £4 and some midnight feast stuff. We also bought a foldup bed which was £50 in Argos and a cheap pillow and duvet which I got a bit cheaper still with a Tesco voucher. But those will be used a lot in the years to come, I think. And if DH doesn't behave himself... ;)

dinky thats very annoying about your Asda order. I have always been happy with Ocado and they are very quick to refund any squished things.
Get some chickens !

I think I need to go in a confessional booth...

Went to the dr's today as I have dodgy feet (thanks mum) and was told that I really had to buy orthotic insoles and some decent shoes that have support for my ankles etc. To be fair, I don't wear cheap, tatty shoes from the likes of Primark, but my Clarks boots etc aren't brilliant either.

So, off I went to the special people's shoe shop in town. £65 later I had some special people's insoles and a pair of boots (down from £100 to £40).

Then into Costa as the boy is still poorly and he just wants cuddles - he was screaming in the buggy so needed to get him out.

However, for whatever reason best known to himself, the bus driver told me not to bother swiping my key card (like the Oyster card, but a bit shitter) so I got a free bus ride home. I usually walk in/out of town as it's only half an hour, but what with the boy being ill, I don't want him out in the cold too much.

Hoping for a much better weekend!

debs THANK YOU! Hand the car back tomorrow..... am nervous as hell.

The good condition bonus - is that no given in the event of ANY claim? We claimed right back a few weeks after we got the car as DH put unleaded in it instead of diesel. That was it though, just the tank drained. Oh, and we have gone through a fair amount of tyres - our road is a nightmare, and we have had bolts and screws in them! I think only 1 of them is the original

Also, has anyone got a Kindle?

Im looking on ebay at those 10,000 books on a CD thing for £2.99 and wondering if its worth it and how easy it is.

Ive heard a lot of these "bundles" have all the Harry Potter books/Twilight books etc and just wondered if it was worth it?!

Thank you Sarah. I have had a quick look and already seen a pattern I like. I can imagine it's like entering Narnia - so easy to forget the real world and spend loads on lovely lovely yarn . I bought some lovely Rowan yarn today (did list the spend earlier) - but as it my intention to use it to make presents I don't feel too bad. I have cast an eye at Borgen but need to watch it from the beginning - it has the lovely Strange in it .

Dan, sorry I have no experience of the Kindle. I know people who have them and they love them but don't know if they have ever bought the bundles you talk of ... sorry, that is spectacularly unhelpful isn't it . Good luck with the hand back of the car tomorrow, as well.

DS has a friend tonight and tomorrow night so definitely soup for lunch tomorrow...with fresh crusty bread rolls (will make them tomorrow morning). Not sure what to make for dinner tomorrow...maybe do bolognaise or pizza???

How is mini-spew? Is he getting/feeling better? There has been a lot of d&v around lately, is it that? Feel for both of you and wish spew jr better really quickly.

dinky, I have never had an Asda delivery and don't shop there on principle. Did have a Sainsbury's delivery once and they were absolutely horrendous - would never ever use them again. Tbh, Ocado and Waitrose are the only ones I would go for - they are reliable and trustworthy and I would recommend them to anyone.

I sent asked DH to nip to the shop today on his way home to buy bananas as he's usually more focused than me and doesn't get side-tracked by glittery things. He came back with bananas, yes, but also kippers (who could honestly begrudge a man a kipper though?) and cut-price pastries down to 15p each. Total spend for day £4.50

jenduck I do French and Spanish to English (natch!) and legal and financial specialisms with a side order of random (I especially like world development stuff but it doesn't come up too often). One of my favourite documents ever was a month's worth of work doing a mine closure plan- so wide-ranging, so many different subjects contained therein.

I have a Kindle and Ive never heard of those bundles.

Rogue - the annoying thing was it was the second time I'd tried Asda (trying to economise and intersperse Asda shopping with Ocado). First time round it was missing half the order and the second time round it didnt even turn up - so gave up and returned to Ocado.

Spew hope your DS is getting better.

dinky, Asda are, in my opinion, on a par with Satan. I hate them with a vengeance. Glad you have returned to the Ocado fold - you could give Waitrose a try as well. They have free orders at any time if the order is over £50.00.

Mystery shopping appears to be paying for my social life. Google 'RetailEyes'!

Laters.