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.

I am stressing, stressing, stressing about money.

It seems that if it's not one thing it's another. This month we had to pay off the credit card and next month it's MOT, service etc for my husband's car.

Oh, and tax credits are stopping.

Oh, and we're having a first birthday party for our son in May - any tips for keeping costs down for that? It's over lunchtime, so we'll have about 20 babies/toddlers to feed.

Oh, and I think I might just go and cry.

I know I could go back to work, in theory. But I'd have to get a bloody well paid part-time/full time job in order to earn enough to pay for childcare. And we're actively trying for a second child - bloody hormones making me broody. At least number 2 can use number 1's hand-me-downs.

I'm cutting back on the money we put into our savings each month - currently £300 between us. I know we're lucky to be able to put money into savings, but I see it as a safety net for the future.

Seriously considering if we should keep our mortgage protection policy. I know it's sensible, but at the moment it seems like we're just throwing money away on it.

Aarrrgghhh.

Spew, IME babies and tots don't eat much, just make up some dainty cream cheese, jam, tuna, and/or ham sandwiches, breadsticks, carrot and cucumber sticks and of course pom bears (!)

Then a platter of fruit and another platter of biscuits and cakes to finish.
I would make it clear that you are only catering for children from the start.

I would be inclined to keep the mortgage protection as I need to have every eventuality covered, even if it meant saving less.

Thanks, Serin. You're right about the mortgage protection. I've reduced our savings standing orders, to half the amount and I guess we'll take it from there.

Also, thanks for the party suggestions. Good call on making it clear we're catering for the small people only. I just remember one party I went to that had a banquet of baby food and don't want to come across as mean.

Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better about things this morning, Spew. Watching the pennies gets to us all from time to time.
Also, don't worry about appearing mean by having no food for the adults, but if you wanted to provide a little something, you could cut a couple of pizzas up into very thin slices. It's surprising how far they can stretch!
DS and I are on a short trip to Edinburgh.
The train and the Travelodge cost £99.something and advance tickets for the zoo and castle cost just under £50. I also spent £49 on lunch and dinner yesterday and will add today's meals to the credit. card, as I only have just under £40 in cash, so I need to keep that for travel, water etc. At least, I will be able to pay the bill off over 2 months, as I've been careful about dates.
Right, off to the zoo now :).

Can rejoin please ? I had a bit ofa bonus at the end of March well 24th is payday, just checked account, it's all gone plus some . We have done some lovely things but need to tighten belts for the rest of the month. Just written a frugal meal plan and been shopping -£38 would have been less but had both dcs with me and they made me spend £6 on their toiletries!

Took the kids to Pizza Express as an early bday treat for dd1. Used my clubcard rewards and turned £15 into a complete meal for 6. Just needed to add £12 for drinks we only had a coke each and the little dd's had juice. It was a really nice meal though, much better then pizza hut.

Spent about £12 today on Subs for dinner.

Going to check the freezer/fridge/cupboards before the fortnightly shop on Saturday, hoping for less then £180 but don't think I will stick to it

spew - supermarkets have got new potatoes on offer at the moment, you could get a couple of bags and roast them with some rosemary - very cheap and lovely for little ones, but also for any peckish parents!

But yes you must let people know you are only doing food for the little ones if that is what you decide, because I think most people would assume that a party over lunchtime for children who are too small to be left will be providing food for everyone. If you let them know, then the adults can go to Macdonalds on the way or something

My Waitrose order was a bit more than I expected, but they had whole chickens on offer (2 for £8) so I bought a couple of those to shove in the freezer which bumped up my total. £92 all in.

Yesterday was very cheap in the end, £10 spent rather than the £30 I was expecting.
Today I spent £8 in Sainsbury's on a few bits for lunch because some friends were coming.

Should be a good weekend, we are just staying at home and doing the garden and my Mum will be here and help out with food prep etc so there will be no random takeaways or anything!!

Spew, I know it can be difficult, but try to look at the positives when things get on top of you.

Your mortgage protection will work if you need it, you are still saving some money and a bunch of toddlers won't eat you out of house and home come party time.

I've had a couple of days at home, so not spent much aside from my standard road tolls. Today I need to try and get new jeans for DD1. She just keeps getting taller all the time. I have told her I'll stop feeding her if she doesn't stop growing, but it's making no difference. I also need to pick up a necklace I had repaired. Couldn't not get it done as it was an anniversary present from OH, I have know idea yet how much it'll cost.

I miss Pizza Express

spew if you do decide to do snacky stuff for adults too (or even if you want to do this for the little ones), you can make pizzas really cheaply and easily. Flour and yeast for the bases, tin of tomatoes simmered with some garlic and herbs for the sauce, bung a bit of cheese on top, job done. Extra toppings optional dependent on budget. You could also make hummus using dried chickpeas - get some Morrisons basics breadsticks and you will have happy smeary toddlers

I'm not getting my bits today, have to go to the same place tomorrow now. No sense in paying out for two lots of diesel and road tolls.

Thanks everyone, I'm feeling better about things today. I've never really been in this situation before, so it's taking a bit of getting used to.

I make pizzas for us at home, bender, just wondering if I'm going to have the time to do them. The party's not for a couple of weeks, just starting to think about the logistics of it. Hummus is a good idea though!

And yes, Chilena, I need to remember the positives. We are very fortunate and I need to remember that.

All in all, a much happier Spew today . The electricity bill came, and I only had a tiny stress!

Thanks for the Waitrose tips, normally do my food shopping there but much earlier in the day so must be why I miss out on all the bargains. Will wait for oh to come home from work tomorrow evening and head down there. Have got some great stuff in the january sales in there the last couple of years - christmas crackers reduced from £10.00 down to £1.25 and gorgeous Denman brush sets £2.00 down from £20.

Had quite a frugal day today. Went to the cinema with DD, Dsis and 2 DN. Dsis insisted on using her clubcard vouchers and we smuggled in goodies so no £££ spent there. We then went to Nandos, utilising a loyalty card free chicken and her NHS discount. I paid the difference (£22) and then resisted buying a pair of grey jeans in Topshop and a glittery jumper in River Island. Am going to have a look on ebay for the jeans and hopefully get them cheaper. Also avoided paying for parking as it is free in Brent Cross.

Have now had our offer accepted on a house that we saw on Tuesday and everything is steaming ahead, which is great. Downside is that it is slightly more than we had budgeted for and so we will have to borrow £18k from the Bank Of Mum and Dad and I will have to stick it out at work a bit longer so that we can pay them back. Other downside is that the sensible part of me is forbidding me from buying the new handbag I have fallen in love with (Mulberry Effie) as I really can't justify reckless spending when I owe money. Might start up a bit of a saving fund so I can still have it.

Just had another email ... another free listing weekend on Ebay this weekend for 100 listings starting at £1 or more.

spew, sorry you are feeling 'it' at the moment. It does take quite some adjustment doesn't it? I still find it hard.

You can make homemade houmous - it's cheaper than the shop bought as it makes quite a lot from one can of chickpeas - can list recipe if you want?

I got some vouchers through the door for £5 of a £40 spend in our local Waitrose.

I am still on a minimum spend and toughing up even more as time goes on. We saved £34 a month by talking to our bank manager. We now have a classic account with monthly interest of about £9 and no more charge of £25 for a premium account. That's over £400 a year better off just by making a small change!

Pretty good week since Monday on the spending front, just £14 for dry cleaning and about £5 on lunch and carparking today! Am treating myself to the River Cottage veg cookbook that I have heard is great for cooking cheap meals, only £10 from the Book People man that comes to my work! Am going to try to cook a big pot of soup at the weekends to use for lunches during the week.

Might blow the budget tonight as we're going out for tea as the BIL has popped over and offered to babysit whilst we go out for something to eat. Found a voucher on the Internet though, 2 for 1 at Prezzo, which should keep cost down!

I still haven't been to get the things I need. OH is back today from his trip, so we had lunch out. £25. Road tolls were £4 today and I don't know how much OH's taxi was from the airport.

Tomorrow is a sports day stylee thing for the schools 75 anniversary, DDs need T-shirts for their teams, should be around £5 for both, then about £10 on food and drinks. I'm taking water as they never have it available at these things. The tap water here is very heavy in chlorine, I can only drink it filtered. Then OH wants go bowling, if he can stay awake.

I got some bargains at the 99p shop this week.

WW hot choc
Malteser hot choc which ds loves. 28p per sachet at Waitrose but 99p for 6 sachets at 99p shop
Shake n vac
Pom Bears
Ambrosia custard x 2 cans for 99p
WW biscuits
cling film
foil
baking paper
Pannettone

Just marking my place on the thread :)

Rogue - I do make houmous, but it never seems to be quite 'right', the tahini is always the overriding flavour. Still, as you say, a 400g tin of chickpeas makes a lot!

Had a cake sale for our children's centre today and raised just shy of £150. Not going in my pocket, but it was still very satisfying.

My iPod sold for £68 on ebay yesterday but still had no contact from buyer, despite a message and an invoice. Wish they provided mobile numbers as it's a substantial amount and I need to know if she's still interested. Also sold a step aerobics step for £12.50, which I am hoping will be picked up soon. Again, buyer has gone quiet. I'm beginning to get very frustrated with ebay, but whenever I list things elsewhere, they never sell.

Oh, and mini spew is on a lactose-free diet at the moment (very runny tummy bottom since before xmas and bad thrush), which has meant changing meal plans and not being able to use stuff I have in the freezer for him. It's highly probable that it's just temporary, but we've had to get soya yoghurt (£1.49/tub rather than the 55p tub of plain yog I get him at Aldi), lf milk (dr told me not to give him too much soy as 'he's a boy and it contains oestrogen (or something like that)' so can't just give him 'basics' soya milk) and lf cheese as it's one of the few things he'll eat at the moment (being a fussy bugger). At least the lf formula is on prescription.

I got such a FAb bargain today, I just had to share!

Recieved my Approved Food order today, including a £1 "lucky box" this is a box picked by them, and you have no idea what is inside, mine had:
1 pack mars planets
2 penguin bars
1 tub del monte pineapple pieces
1 lrg tin green giant sweetcorn
1 jar date and sultana chutney
800g tin of butter beans
1 pk straight to wok noodles
1 sachet stirfry sauce
1 pk white sauce mix
1 sml bottle of distilled vinegar
1 fruity chew bar
1 pkt decaff cefetiere coffee
1 tin Hannah Montana sweets
1 lrg packet water biscuits

I repeat - all of the above for £1!!!!! [grin}

DDs had a spree today, at least they felt like they did, bought them clothes from the equivalent of Sainsbo's. Decked out DD2 and got a fair few bits for DD1, that with a few grocery bits and 3 packs of printer paper set us back about £200.

Lunch was £25, roads £2.40 and then OH did the returning-from-a-three-week-trip thing and bought himself and DCs fancy frozen yoghurt.

I have explained to the DCs please don't pester Daddy to spend money 'cos he didn't get paid this month, but it fell on deaf ears-of course. He will get paid, it was a jobsworth hiccup that prevented payment going through, just have to wait until next month. It won't be a huge problem though because of the way he is with money and the way I hoard food, we'll just have to be less extravagant.

Spew, I hope mimi spew gets over his problem soon.

Ooh, picked up the new lounge cushions that I ordered back in March, they are gorgeous. Also collected my necklace, £30

I have so much to sell on ebay if any one would like to for me and take a cut? I am in SW London. Mainly kids clothes but should fetch quite a lot? message me if anyone is interested.

I moved a month ago and cannot find my camera charger yet and also do not have the time!

I seem to have fallen off the wagon hugely of late! But I resolve to be more sensible for the rest of the month, although I have to pay for a term of guitar lessons and Cubs subs and a trip for DS first.
Hope those of you selling on eBay this weekend did well and everyone had a good weekend.

Leilandri you have inspired me to try Approved Foods, your bargains sound fab!