September is here and our money-saving steps up a gear

[economymode]

Starting us off for September. Newbies and old hands welcome!

Wow - sounds like lots of you had really good, thrifty weekends which is great. I had quite a spendy end to the week with lunch out and a couple of coffees.

We made up for it at the weekend though by sorting through the cupboards, freezer etc and combining what we already have with what we managed to get from our allotment, and it turns out we have enough to get us through the week with minimal additions and careful meal planning.

This is quite a revelation for me - normally I would just do my normal online shop under the assumption we just need our usuals. I feel a bit for being so wasteful actually.

I had a few things sell on eBay over the weekend so that was a bit of money coming in which is good. I've transferred the funds to my bank account from my Paypal account, and withdrawn the cash this morning. I'll put it in my Christmas fund envelope this evening.

I've also withdrawn £10 to last me till next Monday for incidentals - bread, milk etc. I will need to do a supermarket shop at the weekend though as we'll definitely need a bit of a top up by then. I'm going to try Aldi for the first time . DH was quietly impressed with Lidl so I'm hopeful he'll like Aldi too!!

Anyone know where I can get cheap gin from? I've got one batch of raspberry gin on the go, but want to get some gin ready for when we go sloe berry picking. The last gin I got was stuff that PIL brought back from Spain, so can't really easily get any more of that!!

Well done on the thrifty weekends everyone!

Rabbits your attitude is amazing, I really hope that your payments get sorted out soon.
With PE kit, I got some plimsolls for DS1 from Sainsburys last week - they were £2.50 which I thought was an absolute bargain.

Adora good news on the work, and well done on managing to exchange the things for school.

Shoop for sloe gin I think I would use a supermarket own brand because you are adding all the flavour.

We've been in Italy for a wedding this weekend, had a great time but now we're exhausted! The flights and hotel and car hire have been expensive, but everything was laid on all weekend in terms of food and drink so we barely spent a penny!
I have lots of euros to change back which I am hoping will keep me in cash for top-up shops and the odd coffee for the rest of the month.

Online shop is being delivered this morning, £60. Other expenditure this week will be a book bag for DS1, and then his joining fee, subs and uniform for karate which is £56.
This coming weekend will be a quiet one, maybe just swimming, but we only have to pay for DH and I because DS1 gets in free because he has lessons at the pool and DS2 is too young to have to pay.

Ladies, I finally plucked up the courage and went to Lidl! £16.93 spent on loo roll, kitchen roll, bathroom cleaning spray, Comfort fabric conditioner, 2 cartons of juice, a lime, 2 jacket potatoes (probably have to use them up in the next two days), some Jaffa cakes, a Swiss roll, a 4 pack of Kinder Buenos for DS, paprika, oven chips, cheese and organic eggs :o. I don't know what took me so long! I shall be even braver on my return trip next week!

Lovely reading about everyone's weekends.

Lidl's great isn't it? Do you have an Aldi nearby too?

Unfortunately no Aldi. Used to have one where we used to live, and I popped in there quite a lot.

Since Badvoc posted the flapjack recipe, I've made them 3 times

In Sainsbury's today the (sweetened) condensed milk was 99p for 397g. In Asda it's £1.12.

Today;

£3.76 in Card Factory, for all the birthday cards I need up to the New Year (I din't send Xmas cards)

£3.03 in Sainsbury's, two tins of condensed milk (see my PP) and big jar of own brand golden syrup, £1.05, the cheapest I've seen it, that's cheaper than Asda Smart Price.

Savers, 69p on toothpaste.

Asda, £1.15. 75p Smart Price oats (didn't sell Basics oats in Sainsbury's) 2 pint of milk reduced to 40p. A good day!

Feeling quite good as I biked across town to the hospital for a scan/research study appointment, rather than driving and having to pay for parking. They were running an hour late, so would have been an expensive visit if I had to pay!

Also have some more work. And had some at the weekend. Not mega bucks, but it all helps.

Good on you economy. Healthy and thrifty

Kind of tempted by this flapjack recipe now. - I have some golden syrup that needs to be used up. Just need to work out what condensed milk is called over here, and whether it's in fact available...

Today I spent £50 on a hotel reservation, for a wedding we are going to in November. That's just for one night - originally it was going to be two, but in fact I have family in the area so in the name of thriftiness (and family love) we are going to stay with them for the first night. But for the night of the actual wedding it would end up costing a bit in taxis to get to/from wedding venue to their place, and then we'd probably get in very late and wake them up, so I think we're more or less justified in booking the hotel. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

That's good news, economy :).

Hi all

I spent £18 today in the supermarket and £5 having a snack, missed lunch and was starving after collecting DDs from school. Tomorrow I have a dental appointment and have pinned the vet down to 1pm to pay that bill. Puppies are being neutered so thats another bill in a couple of weeks time.

I can't get golden syrup here, did see it once in a posh shop next door to Luis Vuitton, but I don't actually shop on that street, for obvious reasons.

river I think thats a good enough excuse to stay in a hotel.

Will be reading this thread for ideas as £ very tight and really need to learn how to budget better!

We would love to start to save for a deposit on a house...once we've finished paying off an old debt!

Yesterday was a spend of £27, thanks to child benefit, and we have fruit, veg and eggs milk and cheese.

Not too bad I don't think.

Rabbits you are doing so well. Will you get back dated money for this period where they aren't paying you?

Is anyone pregnant on this thread? I have a lovely, barely worn size 18/20 green maternity coat, trench coat style, that if someone was in need of I would be very happy to post on to a new good home.

Yesterday I spent £37 in Sainsbury's. Shower proof coat and some wellies for DS1 for school, nappies for DS2, nappy sacks and potatoes.
Today I need to spend £3.50 on a book bag for DS1, and then the karate fees.

I hope they'll backdate me.

I got my mobility scooter today. I am so excited.

Alibaba, sadly I am not pregnant nor a size 18-20, but I almost wish I was as I have an unhealthy obsession with green coats. I already have two, but yours sounds lovely!

Great news re the scooter Rabbits! When are you going for your first test drive?

NSD today, I can pretty confidently say. Really had to force myself to make a packed lunch for work this morning as I was feeling very lazy and just thought I'd buy something instead, but thinking of this thread really kept me motivated. Plus the end of the week and the weekend ate going to be spend for me as I have some social stuff arranged.

For shoes for the children I go to Clarks to get measured and keep watch on e-bay. DS2 start-rite sandals were £6 incl postage and lasted all summer!

Also keep watch for clarks and Geox trainers always pleased with the condition. I buy a few pairs of trainers so they can kick around and not have to worry about them getting wrecked. I bought a pair from Asda and they were utter utter rubbish not even worth the £6.

I recently bought a few birthday cards from Home Bargins for 27p each!!!! a some here branded. Perfect for parties and better value than the value card stores. I also buy wrapping paper on a roll and have a girl and boy roll so always useful.

Making up yr own yogurts with quality plain yogurt, add tinned fruit and a bit of honey or agave could use value strawberries at £1 per pack. Much more substantial than those pots. Hubby love nuts sprinkled on his too.

I just buy one multi cleaner now and pop some in the spray bottle with a little water. Gone are the days of endless cleaning products.

Great news, Rabbit :). Hope this will make things a little easier for you.

Shattered today, after staying up to listen to Andy Murray win the U.S. Open! But at least I didn't spend much. £1.70 on bus fares and £2.84 on parcel paper and two jiffy bags. So £4.54 total.

Mega bucks today, paid the vet bills that OH was sitting on. With the exchange rate it works out about £460. There'll be another after our break, neutering x 2 and "hotel" for all four. I also paid for blinds for the lounge. Too much money for me to get my head around right now.

rabbits glad you've got your scooter, my sister relies on hers most days, I know how much of a difference it makes.

Really pleased about your scooter news Rabbits.

Ouch Adora to todays spend but each item seems like its toward the greater good of a happier or easier life. New blinds and a hotel treat sound fab.

Ive had an odd spend day today. I have been really strict on NSDs so last week was one tesco shop and one tank of fuel and nowt else. Today was another weekly food shop (£90), a coffee out (£2) and I returned 18 water pistols to a pound shop (random!) but only could get exchange so have stocked up on toiletries I dont really need now but I spose will save from spending next month.

Rest of week looks very spendy - swimming lessons, cubs subscription and other activities to pay for; two childrens birthday parties and lunch money due.

Made kedgeree for tea tonight - bought the cheapest smoked fish on the counter which today was kippers (shhh, the DS's dont know thats what they ate!). Was yum.

Only £10 on Oyster card today.

Got two interesting books from the library;(walked there and got bus back - economy!)

Feed your Family for Under a Fiver by Gina Steer

How to feed your while family a healthy, balanced diet with very little money...the entire title is too long to type on my phone...by Gill Holcombe

Downfall

It's not a hotel this time, it's kinda camping, in a kinda tree house. Sounds loco but I am so looking forward to a complete lack of structure, and time tables, and too expensive meals out. They have a coffee shop so we can get a coffee and piece of cake if feel the need to splash out.

The blinds are to finish the room off. We're desperately trying to sell the house and it's a balancing act between not spending money and having the house looking "finished" so that we can sell it.

I miss libraries.

Makingmama - welcome! I really recommend excel spreadsheets to track regular ingoings and outgoings. The figures are a really good incentive to resist old bad habits.

Adorabell - read somewhere that anything you will need for you(eg fluffy towels) r new home you could get now to 'display;' your house.

Boerwarkids I was planning to go to sainsbo tomnorrow so will be stocking up on golden yrup and condend milk, sounds like a great recipe badvoc slightlky embarrased cos I think I gave you a flapjack recipe on another thread

sorry for crap typing i have a mega typing delay really annoying.

Got some rocky robin caramel bars in teso reduced to 38p for a pack of 9.

No no spend days but my spend since sat is about £10. £2.50 a day that is def a record for me.

So pleased about scooter rabbits :)

Yes, pokey I'm trying to do that, the blinds were kind of essential because until now we hadn't put any in the lounge as we couldn't afford to after building the house. We're remote enough to get away with bare windows but it's really not a selling point. Well done on your low spend days.

pookey If you use sweetened condensed milk, you could reduce the amount of brown sugar? I didn't and they were a tad too sweet.
I halve Badvoc's recipe anyway, my baking tray isn't big enough for 500g