Abstemious April ... the trials continue

[roguepixie]

Righty-ho, here's the April thread.

After a disastrous March I am more than ready to get to grips again with all things frugal.

[Chilenachica]

Grrrr, I was keeping my tally on my phone, but Friday's storm seems to have wiped it out. Anyway, it's been a non spendy long weekend for me. DDs are back to school tomorrow. I'll catch up with Meagre March then.

[duchesse]

Monday spent 20 exactly on a pub lunch for DH, DD3 and me.

Now off to tot up April.

[roguepixie]

New thread for Meagre May:


www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1462563-Meagre-May-watching-our-bank-balances-go-up-instead-of-down

[Fishpond]

Spent $15 today on a load of poly mailers for eBay. I've made small profits on the side by buying used name brand (gap, etc) children's clothes at car boot sales for less than $1 apiece, then selling on eBay for $5+ each. Not much in one go but all adds up and then I stick profits back in the bank to cover any little outgoings.

[CremeEggThief]

Wow, feels like I haven't been on here for ages. I will have to read through and catch up with everyone's news.
I have had a cheap weekend and I spent £ 3.82 today, on salad, tomatoes, two envelopes and two 2nd class stamps.

Who would have thought the day it cost £1 to post two letters 2nd class would have come this soon!

[Fishpond]

Ended up spending way more this weekend than planned and must abstain lots next month. Only 2 more months to save up for the baby yikes!!

Went to a consignment sale and spent $35 on clothes for the baby - although were bigger sizes so he should be pretty well stocked now until approx age 6 months. Also spent $30 on loads of half price vests and sleepsuits and nice baby blankets from a shop having a clearing (again no newborn stuff as he has plenty). I'm a huge lover of nearly new sales - there is a MASSIVE one next weekend and I will have a look there but really hoping not to spend more than $20.

Also spent $25 today on a beauty and the beast blu ray / DVD combo pack. I want to amass a Disney classics collection for myself and baby, and decided to start with the one going back into the "vault" as of tomorrow. Have done some research and these diamond editions are not going to come out again for 10 years once back out of production, so worth it to me. Also need to get The Lion King and Sleeping Beauty soon as think this are the next 2 going back in the vault.

[janek]

spew you pay for children once they are 4 on trains in most of europe (including the eurostar) (i think it's 6 in germany though). obviously your DS would not have a seat, although if the train isn't full there is no reason why you shouldn't spread out. we've had 4 of us on two seats in the past, before dd1 was over 4 (including a holiday a fortnight before she turned 4, so she was pretty big. it wasn't much fun, but loads better than paying more seats!)

nb this morning i was booking some eurostar tickets, something went wrong with the booking (i accidently pressed return and it messed it up) then when i went to book it again the website told me that i couldn't book my return leg till 8 may (12 weeks away). this was not true. you definitely have 4 months. this was confirmed when i rang and booked them over the phone (used the international number from my mobile so i didn't have to pay for the call...).

also, if you book with //eurostar.com they have a loyalty scheme which gives you £20 off once you have enough points (although this takes longer to achieve if you always manage to get hold of the cheapest tickets iyswim).

and if you are travelling around by train in the UK a lot (sometimes one full-price trip to london is enough to make it worth it) you should get a family railcard - you buy a ticket for your child, even if they are actually too young to pay, but they get 66% off their ticket price and adults get 33% off theirs (if you have a 5 year old too, then there is no need to buy a younger child a ticket, but you must always have a fee-paying child with you).

i am hoping that the daily mail will do their offer again this year where you get a free 2 month family railcard and then a code to get a year-long railcard half price. i missed it last year and i was furious, i've been looking out for it since january this year, i think it will come up in the next few weeks, if it's going to happen. i'll post on here if it does - the free one is definitely worth having, the half price one is only worth if you were planning a long journey by train (although since we always have one, we use it for shorter local journeys too, it just wouldn't be worth buying just for that type of journey).

long post, but i am evangelical about trains, ask me anything!

[Chilenachica]

Forgot one, £25 having my hair cut, no hot water at home, so I found a fabulous hairdresser who made me feel wonderful, silly what hair can do to us

[spewgloriousspew]

Seconding cleaning products at £land. Or you can do a surprising amount with white vinegar, bicarb and soda crystals.

I won't buy non-organic/free range meat or eggs, either. Aldi do 15 free range eggs for £1.99, which is the best I have seen for a while. They also do whole free range chickens for £4.99, but to be honest I prefer to get meat from the butcher on the rare occasions that I do buy it, as he only stocks free range, so I know I'm not giving him money that he'll use to buy unethical meat, if that makes sense.

Janek, thanks for the eurostar advice. I was wondering how far in advance I could buy them. Does anyone know if you have to buy seats for under fives? I'll make a not to buy tickets at the beginning of August.

Just spent £10 at £land on supplies for son's 1st b'day party - paper plates, napkins, thank you notes (in anticipation!), balloons, cups and some biscuits. Oh and wrapping paper for him to rip to shreds.

He's currently roaming the house nappy-free, so I should probably go now before any damage is caused...

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Aww Deb that's a shame, but good news on the course! :)

rogue - I like Meagre May. Although not too meagre because it is my birthday

Fishpond I hope you are doing ok

Heads up on offer household products in Sainsbury's, I noticed Flash cleaning things and also Fairy dishwasher tablets all on half price.
Also, 25% off wine in there if you buy half a dozen bottles.

Thanks for the good wishes for the weekend. The one bonus is that I'm a total lightweight these days so my spending on drinks will be low!

I've just spent £28 in Sainsbury's, that was nappies, snacks for the boys for the weekend, lunchbox things for next week, dinner for DH and I tonight so that we can pack instead of cook.
Need to fill my car, and DH has his MOT tomorrow. I will need to do a small top-up shop on Monday, but we have managed to come in on budget this month. Yay.

[roguepixie]

bec, I too won't eat cheap meat. I would rather eat less than eat crap meat However, what I meant was - the old fashioned cuts are often cheaper because people just don't buy them any more. I buy free range, organic chickens and find they do three meals so a good buy. Do have a look at your local butcher - they will often do special offers on good meat and do think about casseroles - it makes the meat go further.

Also, do you have access to a Costco? Maybe you have a card or a friend has a card - you can buy in bulk so it does reduce the item price. I buy all toilet rolls and kitchen rolls there, plus tinned tomatoes and cleaning products - it saves a few pence and also means I always have stuff 'in store' at home.

spew, sorry you have added expense to factor in Do look at booking in advance - cheaper tickets when you commit so far in advance.

debs, sorry you didn't get through this time They are idiots and don't know what they have missed . it'll be yours next time. Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS on getting a place on your course. Fab news.

Wow, Ali, enjoy your weekend in London. It sounds like it's going to be fun.

Any ideas for our May thread title ladies? Mega May? Miserly May? Meagre May? Votes to be cast now

[Debs75]

Thanks for the interview wishes ladies, unfortunately I didn't get through this time so I will be trying again in October. I have wrote down all the interview questions so I can think of better answers. They only had 15 places and they had almost 30 people apply. I did however have my college interview this week and I got through that and have been accepted to start in September. I just have to find the £800 course fee as it is highly unlikely I will be able to get it funded for me. I can pay in instalments, sbout £50-60 a month so thats Sky gone

I haven't been keeping tabs this month so I will have to try again in May. I have been pretty good although I bought tickets for Starlight Express yesterday which was £120 for 4 of us. I'll get half of that back from my mum and sis but I don't know when.

[janek]

spew eurostar tickets go on sale 4 months in advance - if you book early you can get tickets for £69 return per person, especially if you're not fussy about the time you travel. i would never travel to paris any other way than eurostar (or anywhere else in europe, come to that, if i could avoid it...)

also train tickets can be bought with tesco vouchers, via redspottedhanky.com for double their face value. it used to be triple their value, but double is still pretty good.

[Becaroooo]

Thanks all

I have noticed that fruit and veg is a third off at ocado/waitrose atm btw!

I wont eat cheap eggs or meat (for ethical as well as taste reasons!)

I try to wait til cleaning stuff is on offer too.

Have a lovely time at the wedding ali

[naughtymummy]

Hello all.
So sorry fishpond.

Not too bad a.start to the month here (get.paid on the 24th).
Huge morrisons.shop cost £100 that included loads of cleaning stuff. Have spent £20 in butchers but that should see us through till next friday so £120 for. 10 days, not bad.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

spew I feel your pain with the foreign wedding! My cousin is getting married in Italy in September. So far with flights for 4 of us, and parking and 2 nights hotel... £1k. Ouch.

We are doing ok this month. We have spent a lot, but got a lot for it and I've really kept the food costs much lower than I normally do, and far fewer random coffees/lunch etc.

Bec - the only tip I have for keeping the costs of household items down, is to buy in bulk when there are offers. Persil and the dishwasher tablets I use are regularly on half price in either Waitrose or Sainsbury's, and Waitrose do lots of 3for2 on their own brand cleaning products so I stock up when I can.

Very spendy weekend coming up. I'm on a hen in London, and because I am BFing DS2, we have booked a hotel. DH is taking the boys out in London tomorrow afternoon, so that then I can go to the hotel to feed DS2 at bedtime, and then rejoin the hen! It is costing a fortune, never mind it will be fun :)

[roguepixie]

becaroo, look at Poundland (and the like) for cleaning stuff. Also, check your local fruit and veg stall for good deals - potatoes are often much much cheaper than in supermarkets, ditto carrots, parsnips etc. Re: meat - whole chickens! Good for a roast, then cold meat for salad/sandwich/risotto, then use carcass to make stock which you can use in said risotto or use at the basis for a soup. Look for the unpopular/old fashioned cuts - brisket is excellent, just cook it slow. Use cheaper cuts of diced meat to make big casseroles.

Building a relationship with these people: grocers, butchers, fishmongers, often result in prices being rounded down for you.

As you already bake you are already saving on the inflated prices bakeries and supermarkets charge - anything oat based is usually good value to bake as oats are so cheap.

Also - get planting. Grow as much of your own as you can, even if it is just herbs (it all saves money). I plant veggies etc in between flowers - they are attractive in a different way to flowers but have the advantage of saving you money. Get the DC involved too - give them their own plot or pot and let them grow something - they love being involved and it teaches them good habits for the future.

Regarding dairy and eggs: I have found lidl's cheese to be nice. Eggs I must admit I do spend on - can't stand cheap eggs ... they taste foul (pardon the pun ).

[Becaroooo]

spew I am half irish so, as is the way of my people, potatoes figure very heavily on my menus! We eat frozen veg mostly, except carrotts (frozen carrots are manky) We do buy lots of fresh fruit (ds2 is a fruit monster) but not that much meat really.

Ds1 loves pizzas and they are half price at the co-op atm so will stock up on them.

I find cleaning stuff...washing gel, softner etc very expensive...but obv its needed.

We eat lots of cheese, eggs etc...just not sure what else I can cut back on really

[spewgloriousspew]

Oh, and my cousin is getting married in Paris in December and it's gearing up to be expensive. Parents have booked a hotel for us, so we owe £150 for that. Plus travel costs plus a passport for our son. Not sure people appreciate how expensive these events can be. I know we don't have to go, but there is some pressure for us to attend.

[spewgloriousspew]

Becaroooo, my tip for keeping food bills down is to drastically reduce the amount of meat you eat (if you eat it). I'm vegetarian but my husband and son aren't. They mostly eat meat when we're out, and I occasionally go to the butchers but only spend about £10 every two months there. Most of our meals at home are made with lentils (very cheap and go a long way), beans, cheese, eggs and other sources of non-meat protein. And lots and lots of vegetables. Don't be afraid of potatoes. Potatoes are your friends.

[Becaroooo]

Ugh.

April has been pants. Ds2 needed new joggers and wellies for pre school. Also got them both a new spade so they can help dh in the garden

May is looking dodgy too..going away for the weekend which is costing (ahem) £250 so after my monthly delivery from ocado tomorrow I have £60 per week for food/everything else for the rest of the month.

Now I know that some of you can feed your families for 25p a week and some shoe polish so I would like you top share your top tips/shops that are good value and decent food!!?

I already bake each week...cakes/flapjacks/oaty biscuits etc

Hair appt = £20 too

[spewgloriousspew]

Husband now been paid, hurrah.

After mortgage, bills, food, petrol etc etc we have around £500 to see us through the month. Seems a lot, but it's amazing how easily it can disappear.

Spendy weekend coming up - haircut for me (around £25) then lunch with friends (hoping to keep that to under £20) and also NCT nearly new sale on Sunday. I hope to get some bigger, lightweight sleeping bags there and to resist buying stuff he doesn't need.

Also due to be paid around £150 this month, but we have a £100 electricity bill to pay so that pretty much cancels that out.

Just bought two Groupon deals for cinema tickets for £5. We haven't been to see a film for over a year, so thought that would be a cheap treat.

1st birthday party coming up but hoping to keep spending for that to a minimum.

[duchesse]

Just spent £22 in waitrose as dd2 is doing a weekend hike and needed some packet food. Haven't needed to do a main shop this week - have plenty of food in the house. Also have lots of work at the moment, which might go a small way to offset the cost of the biomass boiler we're about to install. Am losing my private pupil soon though as he's about to do his gcse.

[roguepixie]

Another free listing weekend on Ebay this weekend - for 100 listings at £100 (or more) starting price.

[Chilenachica]

Grr, having double checked the DDs school coats still fit -and shelled out for new zips, they now no longer fit. Sooooooo, having taken back the stuff I didn't need to buy I paid £35 for new school jackets. Plus
£2.40 on the roads
£5 to finales the ex-maid's contract
£40 supermarket , that included thermos flasks for school lunches.
And, to my shame£2 on a BigMac, disgusting how good that crepe tastes, and it's all mono sodium glutamate, I do know better but sometimes I just can't control myself.