Put those purses down and enjoy an austere August instead

[economymode]

A new thread to support those wishing to rein back their spending - come one, come all.

I did not know that. MN is such a mine of information.

Well, his Yellow Pages ad says 'no VAT' so he's not being very secretive...not sure how it works, to be honest.

£77K is the cut off for VAT apparently. I thought you meant it was a tax dodge, ie not through the books. I confuse easily

Finally, finally managed an NSD :o

Well done creamegg did you just stay in bed all day, or did you resist temptation at every turn?

Em, we only left the house to go for a walk and I 'forgot' to get chocolate bars at the shop on the way back!

On holiday for a few days from tomorrow, so probably won't manage another NSD until DS is back at school.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

I had a no spend day too, total accident.

Done quite well here that past few days.
Thurs - £92 in Aldi, including £10 on nappies and £15 on a storage stool. Aldi is a 30 minute drive from us now sob so I wait until we really need to go. Cupboards are fully stocked now, and freezer is full, so should only need milk, juice, bread fruit&veg for the rest of the month :)

Fri - NSD. My parents came to my house and entertained DS's so I was able to get a batch load of baking done and frozen.

Sat - £48 in Sainsbo's. They have 25% off clothing until Monday, so I got new jeans and a top for me, work trousers for DH and waterproofs for the boys, and a few small bits of groceries.

Today - NSD. Went to a christening this morning, and then round to my folks for roast lamb this evening :)

Well done on the NSDs!

We've had sub-£5 days for the bank holiday, which I'm pleased with. We get through fruit at the rate of knots (we=me) so have to top up.every few days. I'm going to be using up freezer stuff this week, god knows what I've squirreled away in there...

Our changing bag is knackered and I've spotted a humumgous one on eBay for £35 (used but around £80 new) so might get that as I'm going to need a bigger bag for two in cloth nappies come the new year and might as well get it now.

Going to have to.use savings for car repairs. Hope whoever bashed into it has a nice big dent in their car, too.

Spent £11 today on three after school activities for DD1. Walking, dance and gymnastics. That is up until Christmas, and when she was at CM she could not do anything. Equates to about 30 hours free childcare

Have been working out my pay today. If I drop from 37.5 hrs to 25 hours per week, with savings in childcare and increase in tax credits, we would be £3000 better off per year. DH is not convinced. We had agreed I would drop my hours last year when DD1 started school, but because he dropped out of his PHD 3 yrs 9 months in, we could not afford to. I was the sole wage earner for six years, with the kids in full time nursery do he could study. I am dropping my hours whether he likes it or not. Grr!

Wow thats a big incentive! Could the child tax credit people look at the figures for you so you can "prove" to your dh that you got your sums right?

Just spent £31 in aldi, got loads. It's not easy to spend over £35 so I got extra cat food, pop for dh ( I wont touch the stuff), chickens and mince and spaghetti. and choc for me, might let him have a piece.

He is worried we will miss out when the universal credit comes in. Nobody really knows what will happen. Even without the tax credits, we would still be £2K better off. Hopefully he will soon be earning more than £6K a year too. I used to date a fella who earned £100K plus. That was ten years ago. Sometimes I wonder......... But there is more to life than money, and he is very good in the sack.

And I do love him. Mostly.

ValiumQueen, sounds like a no-brainer to me. And your figures should be enough 'proof' for your DH.

Economy, hope you get the changing bag and I wish bad karma on whoever smashed into your car!

Just watching DS have fun in the pool on our first day of our Haven holiday. He seems to have made some pals :). Going to treat us to tea in their cafe bar after he's finished swimming. Have spent just under £45 today. Hoping £105 will last us for 3 days. We'll see...

Ah, have a lovely break, CremeEgg - you deserve it!

The ebayer has taken her buy it now price off, so hoping I'm the high bidder...

Thanks Economy. Good luck with eBay.

cremeegg hope you have a nice break.

Well, I got the birthday presents. Including the DVDs I bought a couple of months ago I spent about £80 on both DDs. (art materials for DD1 and a nice costume jewellery set each) Much better than if OH had gone shopping even though still a fair but of money. They bought each other tat presents from the local equivalent of Accesorize with the credit they've built up at Bank of Mum.

Also spent £30 in the supermarket yesterday and a few quids on road tolls. OH spent about £400 going to ER yesterday (see, my check-up last week was a bargain), they don't think he has anything major going on but want to do another test and he has to adjust his diet.

I've seen the local grocer selling his wears (sp?) by the roadside so I reckon the rent became too much. Glad he's still around and I shall now abandon the evil supermarket and go back to buying my fruit and veg from him.

economy did you get the changing bag?

Gosh Adora £400 to go to ER! I would expect a date with George Clooney for that!

£1.10 for reduced sausages for me and DDs for tea as a treat, and 39p for candy for DD1 on the way home from school, another treat. Not bad really.

Vallium

That did include various tests, but I agree at least one date with Dr Clooney

Yep, got the changing bag . For less than the seller's original buy-it-now price (and that includes the postage), so their loss!

Just £1.50 yesterday. But today I need to go and get EconomyBoy's feet measured again as his first pair of shoes are now a bit on the tight side. So, I forsee expenditure in Clarkes. Also some stuff to get from £land/99p shop.

£36 on nappies. little lamb have an offer and I needed more boosters too . Also bought a reduced pastie 56p and spent £1 on mars bar 4 pack to celebrate my being free of my boot! Yay! Gonna have a go at driving shortly. Hope the car starts after 7 weeks.

Well done, economy, and glad you are free of the boot, valium.

DS is in a right strop, because I asked him to wipe down a few surfaces and sweep the caravan! I do love him, but at times, he is a right lazy so-and-so! Imagine claiming you don't know how to wipe down a table at nearly ten years of age!

Get 'em started early, Ladies, if you haven't already done so!

Great news, Valium!

Just paid £114 in advance for new car wing and will have to pay labour later. Hopefully will be under £250 overall.

£1 on stay and play session (my sanity)

Taken money from savings for double buggy (possibly could do it from current account, but MrEconomy likes to be on the safe side), that's £245.

Off shortly to be told that EconomyBoy needs new shoes, no doubt.

Today is EXPENSIVE

However, I did just stop myself spending £80 on a heated clothes airer from Lakeland. I think we will get one this winter as last year our house resembled a laundry with the constant drying of nappies. But think I've spent enough for one day.

Sodding car is playing up. No coolant at all. May be head gasket. Hope not as that sounds bloody expensive. Still, at least I could not go shopping and spend more money, or indeed use petrol. Car has been sat for 7 weeks on the drive, so I was expecting something, a flat battery or similar. I have coolant, but want advice from someone wot knows before filling it up. Do not want to get stuck with two kids and a 31week foetus sitting on my bladder, or indeed the car to crash.