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

[roguepixie]

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

Thanks roguepixie I am really getting into this whole "Saving Money" malarkey!! Its become my new hobbie

I just hope it doesn't develop into "Being Stingy with Money" - is there a fine line?

Also when DS1 asked why I had bought a jar of the perfectly delicious Aldi own brand of chocolate spread as opposed to the pre-saving days Nutella, I quoted Aldi's motto - Spend Less, Live More.

Meaning that if we carry on saving as we are we'll probably end up being able to afford a holiday in the Summer!! Yippee!!

As my Mum has always said...look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves. God, I'm getting boring. But boring with a healthier bank balance

Will be following this thread, whilst checking my online bank balance!

Did go out for lunch today £52 for a family of 5 so not a disaster but dh had been away for 2 weeks and we fancied a treat!

Been good and even made a packed lunch/flask for uni tomorrow when I normally would just buy something the canteen.

Just waiting for my order from approved foods now

Oh moonblush, my nanna used to say that too, fond. I think there mightbe a fine line but I think I have already stepped over it, tbh .

Have just accepted an invitation for a night out on Friday . It will be the cost of a pub meal and a quiz ticket (yes, I know, I am soooooooooo jetset , but haven't been on a night out since November ) - not too sure of the total yet but will post on Saturday. Am looking forward to it as it is with some good girlfriends.

Sold a few more items on Ebay this weekend, but it has slowed up again .

As so often with proverbs, there's an apparently contradictory one:

Penny wise, pound foolish.

However, having been v poor back in the early nineties, and then things improving so we could recapitalise a bit, I think both can apply, so that when buying things you can be penny wise, (like us lot) and pound wise, realising that quality is part of getting value for money on larger one-off purchases.

I have an £18.50 top-up shop to report for last night. Very few bargains in Waitrose on a Monday evening apparently.

I had a shocking December and January so I'm trying for a frugal February! I hope you guys can keep me on track

I didn't get off to the best start... I decided to do a huge shop at Sainsbury's ( mainly cos their Eco nappies are cheap) but had forgotten to cancel my ocado reserved order so that came too . Fortunately it was stuff we can store or will eat up anyway [fat pig emoticon].

Soooo... Anyone else trying to lose weight and save money? Obv just eating less solves both probs but I find I'm eating not so good stuff because I don't want it to go to waste. Mmm....

Resisted coffee yesterday. B'day cards in cheapie card shop (made DD1 make hers for DH). Lunch out today but it's 13 months since my friend and I managed lunch without the kids so I have no guilt! Budget £15 including bus. I'll report back!

Hello msbossy, this thread is excellent so hopefully will do much to keep you on the straight and narrow .

pussycat, there's always a contradictory one, isn't there? Makes sense though - too much keeping an eye on the pennies and you lose track of the pounds!!! I shall endeavour to keep an eye on my pounds as well .

Don't envisage a complete NSD today as have to do a few bus journeys today but will try to not spend anything else.

Happy Pancake Day everyone.

Thanks everyone, how do I buy an oyster card? Up here you just buy saver tickets on the bus. And do I need one each?

Not too bad a day yesterday, mc flurry for ds whilst the dog was at the vets. Some cheap cards from the local shop and chippie tea. On the downside dog needs an operation which can cost up to £200 so need to budget for that, luckily pdsa let you pay in instalments.

Am doing my budget later to see how much we really have and where we can make savings, it will change again in April so will do it then again but I might be able to rein in some spends before then.

Debs, I think you can do it online and they post it to you- at least I think that's how we got ours. It saves £££ so worth doing imo if you go up to London every so often.

This thread is really helping me keep to my new very low budget. Totally endorse all the hints and tips given, esp having no spending days, leaving house with limited cash when going for top up shops. I'm finding that I flag when needing to use up leftovers. Any suggestions that don't involve pasta or rice? My lot aren't partial to egg dishes either

I spent nothing yesterday - yay! Following the one step at a time motto I am starting again today with the same challenge. I did however forget to leave my wallet at home

Debs - you can buy one at Paddington (tube station ticket office or some newsagents near tubes sell them too)

Happy belated birthday Reckoner - glad you enjoyed the muppets. I really want to take the kids to see it this weekend - will see if finances stretch to it.

MsBossy - I am trying to keep an eye on my weight (cant exercise due to knee issues so need to focus on what goes in) - I generally find soups and stews can be made pretty cheaply (just have the soup without bread, stew without rice, you get the idea). I also have a few veggie days a week which helps with the weightloss. And buy in bulk on offers yoghurt and fruit.

Impressed at the couponing Boffin. My top tip for anyone is the starbucks free apps/songs cards (just by where you pick up the drinks) - I treat myself to a drink from there once or twice a week for breakfast from my £10 to spend on food/drinks and in the past 3 weeks have got the muppets song (kids were delighted), lovely song from new artist I hadnt heard of before and Tetris app today.

Thanks Dinky! The kids were singing some of the songs this morning :)

Just bought bread and milk this morning. DH is really joining me with the frugality. He keeps all the receipts when he goes to the shops and only gets what we really need. He talked me out of going to Ikea this morning. Good man :)

Just popped down to shop for milk and cigarettes. Got 5 jam doughnuts down from 79p to 30p, thought I would microwave for a few seconds to freshen them - microwaved for 15 seconds, then thought I'd better try on - nice doughnut with warm jam inside! Result!

£3.31 on pastries and (reduced) rolls for lunch at Waitrose after dropping off DH at the station. I am off sick with a cold so just moping at home. Tuesday is cleaning day so that's £25 and also I've asked her to take a bag of ironing so will probably be up to another £10.

Also, boffin I think you are sorely needed on a thread over in chat where a lady's got a money crisis but has a way to go with food costs...

Morning all & welcome to the newbies. Yesterday spent £2.14 on milk, weetabix & bananas. Very pleased with myself as walked the 1 mile downhill to Tesco - and the 1 mile back uphill pushing a double buggy with bigger-than-average 3 year old & 10-month old! Good exercise & also means I did not use petrol for a perfectly walkable trip! Also, went to park on the way there, which wore both DSes out nicely!

Anticipate an NSD today as we have everything we need until Friday, when DH gets paid - for the first time since before Xmas, yay!

MsBossy, re losing weight, if you check out Quidco, you can get £31 cashback for joining Weightwatchers online & it only costs £30 for 3 months, so you actually make a small profit! I have been doing Weightwatchers for just over a week now & I like it as you can eat what you want, just less of it, and still lose weight. I have lost 3lbs in a week (still have 4 stone to go, though )

Morning all

Just a quickie to say that I have internet again! (Woop - longest 2 weeks of my life!!) Will catch up with the thread later on
Hope everyone is well x

I spent £26 +£17 in Lidl on Sat plus £11.99 on 3 DVD's for DD and her friend who was on a sleepover, first secondary school one BUT they were talking sooooo much they never watched them.....so theres a tip for next time.

I have just found this website so have not had a proper look yet but there may be some good tips for everyone. I will be putting on my Penny Pinching Guide once I have checked it out.
www.myfamilyclub.co.uk/

Just found this deal on books about making your own health and beauty concoctions from store-cupboard ingredients. Am tempted... I have ginger and honey but no lemon, need a throat/sniffle soothing drink, can I use lime in place of lemon?!

And 10% off spend over £15 there until end of Thursday using code PANCAKE. Bargain upon bargains!!

I went through my cupboards and found 6 meals that could be made which will see me through until payday - yippee!!!! All I will need is bananas, milk, bread and some cheese and I'm done

I recently signed up to "Shop & Scan" where you scan in your items each time you go shopping & then submit them each week & you can earn high street vouchers for doing this. Scanned my first shop today, have to submit it on Sunday then I will get a £10 high street voucher

www.lovefashionsales.com This is a site where you can sign up for alerts when you fave shop is about to have a sale or select items are reduce. I have only just signed up so don't know how accurate it is