Just say NOvember

[economymode]

Want to cut back on unnecessary spending this November? Then you've come to the right place!

I'm starting off the month by seeing if I can switch to cheaper fuel tarrifs...

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Mint welcome :) We have a good income too, although unstable to some extent - DH's current contract has just been brought to a shuddering halt so we will have a 'gap in invoicing' as the accountant calls it!

Having had our fabulous NSW(eekend), the week so far looks like this.

Monday - £70 in Sainsbury's - that was wine, nappies and wipes to see us through until the end of January plus some bread, milk and fruit.
Tuesday - £2.90 for creche at the gym
Today - £2 for DS1's Christmas Dinner at school. £2.90 for the creche at the gym. £9.08 in Sainsbury's on bread, milk and fruit. Later I need to fill the car up, which will be another £70.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Aldi £5 off voucher in the Daily Mirror and Daily record tommorrow.

[Leilandri]

DH got paid today so relieved to see some money coming in and going straight back out again!
Spent £11.30 in Morrisons Cafe on tea for four of us, as DH and DS's had been uptown all afternoon "working hard" at getting my Xmas pressies!
Also £81 in Morrisons on assorted groceries. Have been sooo skint for the past 6 weeks that our freezer and cupboards are nearly empty, which I hate. So will be spending more than usual this month on groceries to start filling them back up again.

[AdoraJingleBells]

That's great Leilandri, fill those cupboards

I also struggle the idea of close to empty food cupboards. Today was again expensive on the roads £5, £70 on petrol £1.60 on doghnuts for DDs then £8 in the supermarket. Tomorrow I have to drive in to town to replace a school library book which was lifted from DD1's locker (have I mentioned my near hatred of the school ?)

[MintCakeMavis]

Today went well. I spent 15.50 on petrol to tide me over until I am in a town with cheaper fuel and £1.32 in a tin of cherries to try and make a pie with. Not bad.

Tomorrow will be v spendy though as I'm having a shopping trip to Glasgow to get all my work clothes for going back after mat leave. I need 2 trouser outfits, 2 desses, 2 skirt outfits and a bag. Actually the bag is the only I could do without but that's my treat using birthday money. Plus train fare. It's going to be ugly!

[AdoraJingleBells]

I bet the bag will be pretty though happy shopping.

[roguepixie]

Hello to NUFC and Mint - it's a real "more the merrier" thread.

Does anyone have any ideas for the December thread title?

Helena - could you dye the curtains the shade of green you want? Sometimes dry cleaners operate a dyeing service - don't know how much that would be though?

[economymode]

Hello Mint and NUFC from me, too!

Picked up the new car yesterday. He said he'd put petrol in and I suppose he did. Only not enough to get me a few miles...so I spent £58 on filling up. Also paid the remainder of the car balance from savings, which was £2950. Eek.

Today I will be buying the Mirror for the Aldi voucher and cat litter. Hopefully that's it.

Talking of curtains, anyone know if it's pricey to get them relined? Condensation on our windows means we have nice mouldy patches on our lining - been scrubbing them with bleach every so often but one day it would be nice to get them relined. Surely that's cheaper than shelling out on new ones?

[babbas]

Hi everyone. I'd love to join you. Thankfully we don't have money worries but no budgeting at all in the last 15 years means our spends are stupid. We are looking for new house so trying to save a bit more every month. The first step I've taken is to withdraw cash per week. This week I spent £30 in asda as opposed to my usual £120!! I meal planned and only bought what I needed. We've spent an additional £20 since on milk, bread, fruit and chicken. I'm trying to stick to £60 pw for feeding 5 of us. If I can stick to this for a month I'm going to look at my utility and sky bills next month. One step at a time. Oh and I try every day for a NSD but haven't managed it al all!!!

Oh and have tonnes of stuff to sell on eBay. Too scared. Waiting for a free listing weekend.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Mint I hope you are having a lovely day shopping

Yesterday school refunded me the £2 for DS1's Christmas meal because I had an unused credit. And I didn't get around to filling the car, so only spent £11.98 in total.

Today I've spent nothing so far, I will definitely need to fill the car up later so £70, and then I'm getting MacDonald's for tea on the way home from karate after school. I know I shouldn't, but I've had a rough couple of days. DS1 is having some problems with bullying/being excluded by friends at school (he is only 4.4 :(:() and he was in my bed most of the night so what with that and the worry I'm shattered and not really functioning.
Tomorrow I will spend £2.90 on creche at the gym, and the weekly shop is being delivered for £69 - which is really good for me and includes things like loo roll and dishwasher tablets.

Weekend should be very low spend, the DSs need haircuts although I might do DS2's myself which will save a few quid.
We will buy our tree and decorate it. Normally we go and buy one from the Forestry Commission and go and have a nice pub lunch - with fuel, meal and posh tree it would be about £100. Because of the situation with DH's work, we have decided to get one from Homebase or somewhere. I feel bad, because we like the sustainability of the Foresty Commisson trees and are keen to support them from a charitable point of view - however this year needs must.

[AdoraJingleBells]

Hello babbas and welcome.

Could you divert whatever you don't spend on food out of your usual £120 to a savings account? Maybe make it your Christmas/birthday/treat fund?

I know what you mean about not budgeting while things are rosy, my OH likes to spend big but then get's stressed about not having enough in reserve.

I'll be back later with my figures, only done 1 school run so far.

[Fluffycloudland77]

We bought our christmas tree from marks and spencers 4 years ago and it's lovely. I wish I'd bought the black version for £18 in the sale.

I might get a new dressing gown while this cold snap is here, M&S (god I sound like mil, M&S frigging everything) do mens thermal fleecy ones for £20. The towelling ones from the white company shrink so my wrists are cold. I've had 5 as christmas presents but I'm finally learning they are crap.

Got ecloths in the comet closing down sale for £6.49 for a pack of 5, and lint ball thingies for the washing machine, £5. £2.40 for pate as felt a bit under the weather.

Sold my iPhone to fund my xmas present (iPad) to DH. £75. Just got to list my hair straightners on fleabay for £25ish to cover fees for the kenwood chef.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Oh Fluffy do they shrink? DH was going to get me one for Christmas, I've got a discount code and a £10 voucher so it was only going to be £32.50. :( :(

M&S thermals are fab. I bought some a couple of winters ago very cheaply, I think £7.50 for top and the same for shorts. They have washed and washed - I must dig them out, it is freezing here today!

Diesel for the car was £69, I had a 10p of a litre voucher to use. Maccy D's for 4, £16.78.

Tomorrow still looking the same as I said above £2.90 + £69. Nothing else unexpected has cropped up.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Ali, they are truly rubbish. I've had velour ones, towelling ones and a waffle one. They look so glamourous in the photos.

All shrank terribly, the towelling one has loose threads coming out of it all over and looks like it's 10 years old.

I have finally learnt and bought myself a mans M&S thermal fleecy one. Not sexy but warm. I only got it tonight so how it will wash is anyones guess but I have the reciept and it's going back if it does. £20!

DH laughed when I put it on.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Oh bollocks They do look so glamorous in the photos!

[Fluffycloudland77]

Clever photography. Mine are barbie sized now. (slight exaggeration)

And the belts come apart everytime you move unless you tie a bow in them which is bulky and not very comfy really.

[MintCakeMavis]

Hi, back from shopping and shattered. Not spent as much as I'd hoped as only got a dress and a pair of (amazingly expensive) trousers so still in need of work clothes. I couldn't even find a bag I liked.

I didn't even have time for a coffee or lunch as I was too busy trying on every item in the city trying to find something. I clothes shop so rarely that I forget how fussy I am. I suppose it's a good thing really.

Tomorrow is the weekly shop and petrol.

[2Old2BeAChristmasElf]

Hi everyone :)

So DH and I have finally sat down and looked seriously if we can keep me as a SAHM and we can and afford to keep my car too :) I am so happy, we just have to be sensible so this week I'm being good.

Monday - preschool fees for DS1 £17.40, I have to pay one more week as I am ahead by two weeks and in January his 15 free hours kick in.

Tuesday - NSD

Wednesday - Playgroup £1
Cats prescription £10
Finished the Christmas shopping and bought ingredients for family Christmas puddings £89

Today - Cats medication £66

My Mum bought me a mirror so I'll be using the Aldi voucher on Saturday morning for our weekly shop. Tomorrow I'll spend at least £3 at playgroup, admission and cake

Of course now I am going to SAH this means I need to seriously start expanding my hobby into a business. I'm so exited for the new year :)

[2Old2BeAChristmasElf]

Forgot to day the Christmas shopping and pudding ingredients came out of an already saved and budgeted for Christmas fund :)

[roguepixie]

Morning Ladies. Well today is the first day of me being out of work!!

The conditions of my contract were changed - they wanted (needed?) me to work evenings and cover other people's holidays (so working full time and every evening) during the school holidays and I just couldn't do it! My DS comes first and he's not ready to be left every evening until 7.30pm!! It feels very weird to be out of work but I am looking for something that I can do part time and term time (a really big ask, I know). So, it really is watching all the pennies now.

DH has informed me that there is a job in the offing for him that is a good one but that will involve him travelling A LOT!!! He's going to take it if it is offered - so a happy and sad face for me on that one.

Am starting at the top of the house today and working my way down it during the weekend and next week to sort out all the crap - big pile for Ebay...big pile for the charity shop and big pile for the binmen .

[CremeEggThief]

Sorry to hear that about your job, rogue. Might it be worth checking on the employment and legal boards if it's legal?

[AdoraJingleBells]

I agree Rogue find if what they're doing is legal. Good luck with the whole job situation for both of you.

Nothing to report yet, will pop back later.

Hello 2 and welcome

[economymode]

Rogue, that sucks. Agree with the others that it's worth getting legal advice - they employed you under certain terms and they seem to have changed them without your consent. Seems suspect to me.

And hello, TooOld.... Another SAHM here .

Well, just changed our buildings & contents insurance, saving a whopping £25/month. Plus I went through topcashback and should get £50 cashback, but have had no confirmation so am a bit suspicious. Fluffy, your're a cashback pro, how does it work? I know that I won't get it for a good few months, but should I have got some confirmation? Nothing showing in my account...

[roguepixie]

Thanks all - I will check if it's legal. I think I am on a bit of a sticky wicket now as I have left and therefore 'accepted the situation' and also, I only worked 13 hours per week so I need to check on how employment law applies to me as I think there are significant differences depending on how many hours you work. But I will check and thank you for all your words.

I have started cleaning and tidying ... Oh. My. God. I think I will be Ebaying 'til I die, kitting out the local charity shops single-handedly and giving my bin-men hernia's as they try to lift the bins!!!!

Why do I have so much crap???? Why did I buy it all????? And, and here's the salient point for this thread, do you think I would have more money in my pocket if I hadn't bought all the crap in the first place????? Aaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhh.

I think I need a lie down [shock[

[Fluffycloudland77]

Thats beyond crap Rogue. I thought if they changed their requirements knowing you cannot fullfill them then it was constructive dismissal. I think if you have legal cover on your house insurance it covers the legal expenses for this situation.

Topcashback should have tracked the purchase after a few hours. It tracks, then confirms and then payment arrives. Sometimes they track at a lower rate then it goes up when they see what you've bought, eg some retailers have multiple offers on.

Some retailers pay in 4 weeks if they are faster paying but most take 6 months.

Topcashback are very good at answering questions so raise a complaint with them and they will get back to you.

NSD day here (due to having no lunch and being too busy to have one) but hairdressers tomorrow and Aldi on Sunday with my £5 off voucher!.