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

[roguepixie]

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

Freegle (or freecycle as I still call it, only recently changed in Oxford) is great for getting rid of stuff (shifted a bag of old bras yesterday...). I did have a quick look to see if anyone was wanting rid of a toaster, but nope.

Ooh a bag of old bras - nice

I can't believe what people will take. We got rid of a load of old crockery that was all chipped and broken a few weeks back!

I'm a beleiver in paying forward so if we keep giving this stuff away I'm sure something good will come our way soon..!

Rogue et al. My Bangladeshi friend recommended that same cold remedy to me...lots of cultures/nationalities claiming it, so it seems!

Yes, I want to know about the oil cleansing too. Anyone on here with insights?!

Had to wait for 2 and a half hours today as the pharmacist was closed for lunch and then they sent dds antibiotics subscription to the wrong place so I went in to a cafe and spent 70p on a milkshake childsized one and a gingerbread man for 75p and sat there all that time as am too skint to buy anything else. Bet they hate me in there now!

Thanks boffinmum will check it out.

I need some travelling tips.
Off to london next week for mums birthday. We are near paddington then off to a show a few miles away. Mum doesn't like the tube so what is the next best and cheapie way to travel? Also any good cheap places for lunch, and any to avoid?

Where is the show Debs? Bus would be a good bet - plenty go to Oxford Circus area/Picadilly from Paddington. Check tfl.gov.uk.

Need to know where you're going to be to recommend places. Worth checking for discount vouchers on line for Pizza express etc.

Bloody hell spew, you make me feel ashamed for "having a bad day". My day is pretty bloody fab in comparison with yours - I was just feeling a bit 'meh' with life in general and DH in particular . So, I shall think about my reasons to be cheerful (in no particular order):

I am healthy.
I have a roof over my head.
I have a bit of money in my purse.
I have a job, albeit part time.
My moby still works .
My toaster still works (only just as only one slice out of 4 still works ).
My DS is wonderful, gorgeous and fab .
I have friends and family who care about me.
I have a cup of coffee in my hand (never underestimate the power of caffeine ...)

I hope your day improves and mini-spew gives you a big spewy-hug . And thanks for making me think about how good my day actually is .

The hotel is on bays water road, the show is at the garrick theatre, charing cross road. I used tesco vouchers for a meal at bella italia. The next day we are off on the london eye and then back to paddington for train home

London is sooo hard to do on a budget. Could you go early and plan a sightseeing route from Paddington to Piccadilly? It is a couple of miles but if you're chatting, looking in shop windows it could all be part of the trip?

I second looking for vouchercodes, although I always find that in Pizza Express and Prezzo etc their drinks prices are extortionate so they bump the cost up anyway.

Debs I think (if this ol' london girls' memory serves me!) that you could walk from paddington to the hotel pretty easily. And the walk from Baywater road to the theatre district is through some lovely park areas (hyde park and kensington garden I think... or possibly green park

That would save you a bit of money and be a nice experience - but then i love the London parks.

The transport for London site route planner will even tell you exactly how to do it, I think it's very impressive. Have a play with it :)

Old crockery? someone potting up a load of plants?

Debs how about having lunch at a Wetherspoons or Yates' pub or similar? I know these are a bit more expensive in the capital, but are still a cheaper option (and you could have a sneaky glass of wine ). Also, I'm sure my DH said he knows some cheap pizza places in London, so I will ask him & get back to you (he's out tonight, so it will be tomorrow that I post)

Ah, rogue, bad days are all relative - we all have the right to wallow in self pity from time to time.

The respite at my parents' did me good. I now feel ready to deal with the screaming that will no doubt ensue before Mr Spew returns home.

I, too, have a lot to be grateful for. Really, things could be a lot worse - was just feeling a bit crap and fed up of things (normally expensive things) breaking.

Ha - maybe! But the plates?? Maybe they have a greek restaurant where they do plate smashing... that was my best bet

There are some pretty good pre-theatre deals around theatreland before the shows - 2 courses for £7 etc. Sofra, Real Greek are good too - think mezze/sharing plates which will be cheaper. You can definitely walk or take a bus to Bayswater Road - I agree with the walk through the parks (use walkit.com for directions and map) if you and your mum feel up to it. If not, buses are your friend (get oyster cards - makes it cheaper).

Can I join in please....you lot are ACE!!

I have been slack (to say the very least) over the last few months and my bank account is living evidence of just how useless I've been!

So, I read this thread at around 3 this morning and have been totally transformed by you, well I hope to be anyway.

Day 1: Today I have withdrawn £50 that must last me until next Monday, I need £10 worth of petrol, I spent £10 on coal and logs today and £8 on soap and calpol, all of which I was completely out of and needed. So I have £30 left. I have planned all meals for us (dd 4 and me) up until Friday and have enough freezer food to limp through until Monday. Will need to get Fruit, dog food which is about £4, bread and milk and a couple of tins of beans so we should be able to do it.

Roasting very sad veg from back of fridge now which are looking and smelling yum, chucked in left over fried rice from Saturday nights chinese and have enough for 3 meals, dd had left over sheperds pie and carrots for tea, she'll have the same tomorrow and found some ice cream at the back of freezer too, bonus for her, my find bonus is a can of lager that was lurking at the back of the fridge, I cannot tell you how happy that made me .

Onwards and upwards and hello to all!!

I

no I have £22 left.....see I always think I have more cash than I actually do!!

We've saved LOADS since christmas by

a. Doing weekly food shop at ALDI rather than Asda( God I love that place! Aldi that is)

b. Allocating £25 each per week for personal allowance. The aim being NO ONE uses the debit card for anything other than petrol.

Considering we were about £500 overdrawn after christmas, come the end of this month we should be about £300 IN CREDIT!!!!!! Unbelievable but true

Hi can I join too? We are really trying to cut back on our spending and save money before I become a full-time student in september. I spent £63 today on groceries for the next two weeks until payday and will need to get more petrol too. We also have a couple of birthday do's to go to in the next 2 week but wont be drinking so hopefully wont spend too much.

Welcome FlatCap, or do you prefer Whippet? I have just sauted some old looking leeks which turned out to be rather delicious - sad veg can often be rather good, can't they?

Well done, moonblush, that's some serious saving there. Kudos to you. .

Regarding the trip to London, Debs, I second the walk through the London parks if the weather is good. Otherwise the buses are your best bet but get an oyster for the day (£1.35 on oyster compared to £2.30 cash!!). Some of the smaller cafe/bistro type eateries will sometimes do vouchers...you will need to check out the voucher/coupon sites to see what is on offer though.

Spend today £2.76 at P.O. However, have mid-month Waitrose delivery coming tonight which is £85.00.

spew, you are right, it is all relative. I hope your day ends in a good way.

Oh, oh, oh ... forgot to give you all a gardening tip!!!

If you have delicate plants or cuttings that you want to protect from the cold/frost etc then you can use lemonade/cokes bottles (plastic 2 litre ones). Take the wrappings off and cut off the neck end at the top of the bottle (where it starts to curve inwards) - you can then place them over the plants and they are like little mini greenhouses!!

Good coupons this week (Google them or look on company Facebook sites, or check out Beforeishop.com).

Change4life site for 30p off My-5 fruit shoots and 50p off Benecol yoghurts
Tumbletots site for 30p off Kingsmill 50/50 bread and Oat So Simple
Pilgrims Cheddar 30p off
Castello cheese 30p off
Vitalite margarine 30p off
Whitby seafoods 30p off
Honey nut Shreddies
Washlets (Andrex wet wipes) (also on 241 in Watrose
£1 off Simple shampoo and conditioner
50p off Aunt Bessie's
30p off Colgate Sensitive Pro
Persil washing powder is currently on £4 for a 25 wash box in Waitrose as well.
Philadelphia are offering £1 off coupons.

When undertaking scientific couponing a la Boffin, make sure you have in hand spare coupons where appropriate, as then you can buy things on a BOGOF or 2 for £xx and the till will take the value of the coupon off both items, making it even cheaper. Also look for reduced price end of the day bread as you end up getting it for a few pennies with the coupon. You should aim for getting 25% of your bill by combining offers.

However a caveat - always coupon within the rules, which are listed on the bottom of each coupon. They can and do identify coupon fraud if you don't want to get in trouble or stop manufacturers doing the whole coupon thing for us.

Quick update:
Total on my birthday family treat: £28.80 (4 cinema tickets, 2 bags of popcorn, a bottle of water and carpark). Another cinema was charging about that amount for just tickets!
Oh and The Muppets was great.

Hello to newcomers!

dont mind either rogue, oooh like the pop bottle plant covers, I'm so impressed and motivated by this thread, fab ideas to save dosh and thanks for the welcome everyone