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.

Valium oh no I know nuffin about cars so can't help buy I hope you can get it sorted without too much cost. Glad you are now boot-free.

Well done on the bag economy and good luck with the shoes.

I need to get shopping today, haven't planned meals yet so I'm not going out until that is done. Birthday presents were very well received, which is always nice. OH then decided to take DDs out for dinner, which involved toll boths at peak price going but normal price returning. I don't concern myself with the resturant bills now, but tolls were £6 going out and £4 for the return journey. I have to go into town today but I can use the cheaper road and I'll be returning before rush hour anyway. It's no wonder I feel like screaming some days

Car seems to be running ok after filling with coolant. I will keep a close eye on levels and if dropping quickly will take it to the garage. If I could wind back the clock I would marry a mechanic.

Road tolls would drive me potty!

No spend day, yay for me!

Well done fluffy

I think I did your share of spending, fluffy...

In addition to the stuff mentioned earlier, I ended up buying:

2 maternity dresses in the New Look sale (£17 overall). Hopefully one of them is smart enough to wear to a wedding in October.

1 x overpriced pair of children's shoes (£32). Persuaded the saleslady to let me buy 1/2 a size bigger than needed (she wasn't happy) so hopefully they should last until Christmas.

3 x toddler trousers, 1 x toddler cardigan and 1 x toddler jumper from H&M (£27 overall). Very very cute though, and not overtly boyish (ie not navy blue/camouflage/etc).

1 x toddler wellies as current ones are too small (£7)

The toddler clothes and dresses were impulse buys. This is why I don't like going into town these days - too easy to get sucked in.

Valium, hope your car stays well. I agree, a mechanic would have been a wise spousal choice. I never need any software developing, despite MrEconomy's expertise in that field...

DH writes me beautiful poetry.

And DD1 twists her already injured ankle again . Moré X-rays and this time a plástic boot, so £220 this time.

Oh Adora.... isn't that just what you needed...

From next month, I am going to try to stick to a £45 budget per week for the main shop. It should be do-able for me and DS, both veggie (10 at the end of the month), right? The only thing that's worrying me is I think food prices are going to rocket, as surely several crops have been decimated by the heavy rain.We currently spend £55-65 on online Sainsburys. We don't have an Aldi or Morrisons near us and I don't drive, but we have got a Lidl a 5 minute bus journey away.

Wish me luck, folks!

Creme, I struggeled to spend 35 in aldi this week so I could use my £5 off voucher. I had to buy extra catfood, mince and a chicken as I was only up to £27.

That's reassuring, Fluffy :).

I walked around with a calculator adding it all up.

Yes, I am now one of those people.

It was going to be a no spend day but Dh needs sandwich meat and toothpaste.

Lol! I think I should take a leaf out of your book, Fluffy, when I venture into Lidl next week :).

Not much spent today make's a change £3.40 on the roads and £6 on chicken. OH is on a restricted diet following his tests and so can't eat the perfectly good food I already have here.

In a foul, foul mood. My phone screen developed a fault - just stopped working all of a sudden. And Orange, despite me having insurance, are charging £25 as an 'administration fee'. If I had broken it, fair enough. But £25 for filling in a form to authorise a new phone? At least I made them phone me back on my landline, so I only had to spend 4 minutes calling them at an extortionate price.

Could you put in a complaint about being a loyal customer etc and ask them to cancel it out of good will? perhaps go on their twitter site?.

I got charged £35 to change my insurance address. I think big companies write on sheets of woven silk and hire calligraphers to paint the words on. With diamond and sapphire encrusted paintbrushes.

Named and shamed them on Twitter, only to be told that they understand my frustration but it's in their T&Cs so they really don't give a toss. We have orange broadband, landline and mobile, so really they get their money's worth from our house. I wouldn't mind so much if I had broken it, but the screen has just stopped working through no fault of my own. We get a great deal for our landline and broadband (£17/month for the two), so I don't really want to leave them. I guess all big companies are the same.

Gah.

When I renew my car insurance I'm going to ring up the lowest quoting company and ask if they do admin fees and how much they are.

I've spent £70 this year telling them about a speeding fine and a house move and I'm miffed about it.

I'm sure theres a price comparison for BB etc on moneysaving expert, some are really cheap. I'm hoping to leave BT when our contract is up next June.

Maybe we all need to get wise to these admin fees.

Grrr, indeed, Economy.

Back from our holiday to find the food in the freezer was only semi-frozen. There wasn't much in there, but I chucked everything just to be on the safe side. Well, apart from one item, to test if it freezes again, so I can work out if it's broken down, or if the door might have been left ajar by accident (I'm blaming you, DS!). I could SO do without having to fork out for a new 'fridge-freezer now, although as it's 9 years old and the temperature control in the 'fridge is iffy (salad and veg. in the drawers sometimes goes crispy or even freezes), I suspect I'm on borrowed time with it anyway :(.

Fingers crossed it was just a door left ajar, cremeegg. Our fridge/freezer went last year (the week after our boiler broke, that was an expensive fortnight) - the freezer went into overdrive, while the fridge did nothing.

Oh and I managed to spend £35 in Aldi for the first time in ages. Stocked up stuff that we only have to buy every couple of months or so. Wish I had that voucher!

They don't publicise the vouchers though, I only found out on here.

I don't get a paper so I wouldn't have known otherwise.

economy I would complain long and loud about that charge, evils corporations are doing these th GS to make up the shortfall from slower sales figures.

In a concerted effort to improve our diet I bought fish today, so £5 in the supermarket and then £2 on salad locally. £2 on the roads and that's my lot until Monday. I've ordered an Xmas present and need to pay for it, also need to get costumes for the Independance celebration at school, DCs are graded on the dancing and appearance. Not sure DD1 will able to dance actually and she'll be graded zero if she doesn't.

Next week we're sending a bumper package to BUPA and keeping our fingers firmly crossed. Also really hoping OH gets some business in next week as the house is now at risk. Banks here give no leeway, so if we miss 1 month we lose the house.

On that note, hope everyone has a good weekend.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, Adora. I really hope things pick up for you.

I'm hoping the freezer door was left ajar, as the test item eventually went harder, and the burger baps I bought last night seem to have frozen overnight. Phew!

New thread for all that want to carry on with this money-saving malarky...

Thanks cremeegg , I have everything crossed at present.