Frugal Feb gives way to Money-Saving March. Now featuring austerity health and beauty tips!

[Lexilicious]

Third thread after first and second

Let's get saving and enjoying our frugal wins!

summary of links so far
www.organizedhome.com
www.supersavvyme.co.uk/
womenfreebies.co.uk/
www.lovemoney.com/
www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/discount-voucher-codes/
www.poundland.co.uk/top-tips/gardening-2012/
www.purlbee.com/
www.familyandfriends-railcard.co.uk/halfterm
www.makeupstop.co.uk/
www.approvedfood.co.uk/
www.goodtoknow.co.uk/money/cheap-food-deals
www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/perfect_portions

Debs that doesn't seem too bad?

I have just spent £350 on the Boden website. Gulp. But about £120 of it is doubling up of sizes so one or other will go back, and that is a present for DH's birthday plus the boys summer wardrobes taken care of bar new sandals and some cheap t-shirts for garden/beach/park. And a couple of bits for me because all my spring clothes are too big.
Still, gulp.

So I did my first week tracking every penny.

I had three NSD. And total spend for the week including everything, except rent and DD, was £52.96.

That includes paying for an hour of extra childcare, food shopping, toiletries and my one terrible habit, Diet Coke. I think I need to try and give that up though, otherwise I'd have only spent £40.

Debs you could always call the bank and they may be able to throw some light on the DD's which company it is ? Then you could call the company and ask them

Debs, is it Paypal taking payments out of your account?

Can't see me getting a NSD in this week now. £20 in the supermarket yesterday and because OH turned up out of the blue and bought me a coke in the Coffee shop, 2 cokes £2, I forgot half my shopping! So, today I need cleaning materials. Then tomorrow the DDs are having a Classmate over to stay so I'll buy some treats, unless I find some energy to bake. OH is away on business next week so needed New Shirts-£150, there's only 1 shop here that does them for extra long arms and of course it's not a local business.

Next week I need to do the DD's accidente insurance for School, not sure how much as increases slightly each year, probably fill the car up, go back to the Dentist with an on going problem and see the Dr and join a Pilates class, if they'll have me.

Oh, forgot £5 for after School treat yesterday as said school didn't let DDs Call me to say they were Leaving early, I called School 5 times to no available and DDs waited 1.5 hour's to be collected.

Will do my weekly total tomorrow.

Eek. Just checked our account and we have just over £300 to last until husband's next pay day.

I should be getting $140 payment for proofreading done in January in the next few days (that's currently £88.65) and then the £18 that should be clearing in the bank in the next day or so. But that's likely to be my earnings for the month. Woo. Just over £100. Go me. . Seriously, that makes me feel pretty small.

Need to buy ink cartridges for the freegle printer we got. Going to get refilled ones from ebay, so £11 for colour and b/w, instead of about £25 each.

Hoping this week's Aldi raid will be low spend, as we really only need fruit & veg, icing sugar, eggs and yoghurt. Oh and anti-bac spray. Milk will be from Sainsbo's, as they do organic and often do two of those 4 pinters for £3 (one in the freezer).

Can anyone tell me where I can buy white vinegar? I've read so much about it being great for cleaning, but can't find it anywhere (looked in Aldi, coop and Sainsbury's). Could only find white malt vinegar or white wine vinegar.

Spent £18 yesterday in Tesco on some ready-meal tapas dishes which we had for dinner with one of our Approved Food couscous packets. Also a £6.99 bottle of bubbly - yeah I know it's a school night but hey that's just the way I rock and roll..

Otherwise had a good few days of low/no spending. I know I am spending less impulsively (even if not less overall) because I am having to think what my PIN is when I put the card in the reader!!

I was talking with someone the other day about Time Banking which I am now going to look into. There are local schemes in some areas of the UK where you put up an offer of something and you 'earn' the same amount of time from someone else. It's not bilateral so you don't need to be matched with someone who has what you want, but it gets better the more people are offering a wide variety of skills. e.g. I like gardening and could go round to someone who can't manage their garden any more. That person does knitting and offers the same amount of time knitting things to order for someone else who's requested it. Or I could go and bulk cook for the freezer for someone who's just had a baby. They in turn have been making greetings cards and gift boxes that people will 'buy'. I could perhaps buy babysitting time with the hours I've banked/donated. The knitting person could bank up lots of hours because they know they're going into hospital and they could get someone to come in for an hour's visiting each day, just to talk to them and read out the paper.

White Vinegar answers...

I thought it might be paypal but they don't say paypal on it, the one I used for my ww says paypal. They say DGS RPP/DD then a ref no. I will pop into the bank and ask them, see if they know.

Having checked my extended pantry, in the garage, I've found a stash of biccies and those rotten chocolate bars the DDs love, so no need to buy treats for their playdate. Don't get me wrong on the chocolate front, I absolutely lurve the stuff, just not what my DD chose to eat.

Stomach's still a bit delicate so even though I'm out lunch is a can of coke, so about 60p there.

I use white wine vinegar for cleaning and descaling, that's one thing I can get really cheap here, don't know it's the wrong type of vinegar to use

I use white malt vinegar for descaling the kettle and the taps, it works brilliantly.

Well I'm actually doing ok today, despite the big Boden spend - no money frittered on anything at all. Walked right past Sainsbury's and resisted the temptation to pop in and buy something yummy for DH and I for dinner. We have soup that needs eating today so that is what we shall have.
I am about to go and order some things from Lakeland though, because I need something to dehumidify my wardrobe which has got a big green mould patch on the wall that is the outside wall of the house. I will not be drawn in by extra items and yummy but overpriced food gifts.

Debs if you ring them up they should be able to tell you. Is it the same amounts going out every month or one off payments?

They are all different amounts but set up to come out monthly. I will do a transaction search and see what happens

Cheap day for me, just a paper, drink and snacks for the dd's. I had a graze bounty hunter box whixh had enough choc drops in to stop me buying a wispa. bout £4

Hurrah - NSD

Good for you, janx :).
I spent £7 on an all day bus ticket, as I got my first day of supply teaching work since November! Chaotic but enjoyable day. Shattered now!

Finally 2 NSDs took lunch to work and resisted the call of costa.
Have loads of food in so hopefully can keep spend down for the rest of themonth.

Very nearly a NSD for me, just £1 for something for my DD's tea as we were at my Nan's. But I did spend just under £20 yesterday on tea for two in the greasy spoon, a class/talk and a drink in the pub - think I got my money's worth though! I've done some sorting for eBay today so might make a few pennies if I ever get round to taking photos and listing. We are staying with my parents for a few days from tomorrow so hopefully I won't spend too much, but my DH is having a boys' weekend at a mate's so I'm sure he'll spend more than enough for all of us.
Re white vinegar, I get a big bottle of Heritage (cheap brand) white vinegar from a local mini-mart (Nisa), not sure how much, but definitely under £1. I got very excited when I used it to descale our ridiculously furry/crusty kettle as you could hear it all fizzing away immediately. I think my DH was a bit worried about me.

As anticipated, not an NSD here!

Spent £20 in Homebase on compost and seeds and some great very cheap plastic plates and bowls for the garden.

Another £22 online for all the rest of my seeds, potatoes and onions etc for the coming growing season.

£10 top up shop in Waitrose...

£6 on swimming badges and certificates.

Using DH's car to avoid filling mine!

Checked bank account and we have £400 to last two weeks (which we never have at this point in the month!) which sounds a lot until you deduct the £50 I spent today on debit card, £125 cheque to be cashed for servicing and fixing our boiler last week, PLUS my car will be on fumes early next week so will need minimum £40-50 fuel to get through the following fortnight... However, if I have nearly £200 to cover food and general bits and bobs for two weeks I actually will be really pleased, as food bills for those weeks should be no more than £120. Won't let up on being frugal, with NSD's, so it might actually mean we end the month not in the red.... which means DH might actually get a slightly better birthday present!

Oh, and I reckon I've got £50 of stuff I can Ebay - anyone know if there is a free listing weekend this weekend?!?!? Could reeeeeeally do with it.

I have three supermarket money off vouchers to use.

In next ten days: £6 off £60 at Waitrose. £7 off £50 at Tesco. Those two shops should sort me foodwise until the end of the month.

Then the next shop will be Sainsburys - £10 off £50 shopping delivered (really £6 off as the delivery charge will be £4 I suspect!). BUT IT ALL HELPS!!!!!!

Anomynous bird. I found that going to morrisons/lidl was still cheaper than tescos/sainsburys even with the money off. (I had a £15 off when you spend £70.May not be the case.for.you as we buy loads of fruit,veg and milk.Which I have found those.2 to be the best for.

Anon - I have got DH's birthday in a week's time, really need to get him something. I have seen some silver collar bones that I am dithering over because they are ££, but I must decide today else they won't be here on time.

Waitrose shop being delivered today but apart from that it should be a NSD.
DH has taken his lunch every day this week and I have managed to avoid any coffees/cakes/extra top up shops so I'm happy.

Weekend should be fairly cheap. MIL and great-MIL are calling in tomorrow and if they stay for lunch I might need to grab one or two bits from Sainsbury's, and then Sunday we are taking the boys swimming which will be £12.

Hmm, maybe it is white malt vinegar then. Will get some next time I see it. The only one I have seen is the branded Sarsons stuff. Will keep an eye out for unbranded. Thanks for the replies!

Got my £25 M&S voucher from the focus group, which was actually really good.

Got to do Aldi today, but hoping that'll be £20 or less...

Argh I have just remember mother's day. So that will be 2 bouquets of flowers...

spew I use Sarsons and still think it is cheaper than Cillit Bang or anything else like that.

Sadly, we don't have a Morrisons, but I always shop there when we go to stay at PIL's as I so much prefer it to Tesco anyway (plus, bonus, it IS cheaper). Even FIL who thinks Tesco is GOD for everything has started to see the error of his ways that Morrisons is a damned site more pleasant experience all round than Tesco! Just wished they delivered for when we go to PIL's for holidays....

I may manage a NSD today... have safely managed to and from school etc without spending and we are bringing home friends after school, so I won't have the chance to get distracted on the way home...... here's hoping anyway!

Hello Everyone, well done to all of you who are being so frugal.

It's all going a bit 'pete tong' for me this month - lots of stuff that I had forgotten: 2 x mother's day presents/cards, 1 x DDad's birthday, run down food so quite a few larger shops for food stuff, various payments in aid of DS's school such as rugby tickets and drama production plus tomorrow have an all-dayer out in town as DS is singing tomorrow evening so travel, food and goodness knows what needs to be factored in. I think I will buy some bagels today on my way to collect him so I can feed him more cheaply than hitting a restaurant. There are other things as well: I need a new pair of trainers but I am trying to find them cheaper on the internet, had to buy DS a new pair of tracksuit bottoms, and have just remembered that DSis has her birthday early next month as does DH ... aaarrgghhhhh.

I am still doing lots of walking - so masses of free exercise there and MIL has reminded me that she has a pilates machine upstairs in her house and I should come round to use it ... so another freebie there . Anyone who still pays gym fees may want to think about cancelling their membership and taking their exercise outside - it free and varied and you get to meet people - all good.

On a different note, I have just found out that I am borderline coeliac (more significantly intolerant than allergic) and should remove wheat from my diet so no more cheap filling meals of pasta for me ... or biscuits, or cake, or kitkats . I have also been advised to cut rice, potatoes and dairy in order to try and balance my digestive system and help with my seeming inability to absorb certain vitamins and minerals etc (I don't absorb iron or B-vits no matter how much of it I eat)!! Sadly this means that my meals must comprise of protein and carbs through veggies ... not the cheapest of diets to follow! So I shall to visiting Waitrose near closing time to buy in lots of reduced meat to freeze .

I prepared Mothers Day pots of daffs and tulips for DM/DMIL back in November. I put DS's name on the labels although he won't remember 'helping'!! MIL does those relationship-specific greetings cards at every opportunity so I'll let DH decide whether to try to find the naffest possible in return.

NSD yesterday and I see no reason to spend today. I may put in a delivery shopping order once I've done a menu plan.