So, the credit crunching team are into Year 2013. Happy New Year everyone.
Let's continue our cost-cutting, , money saving,penny and pound pinching, NSD ways.
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Judicious January - Long may the credit crunching continue
730 replies
roguepixie · 01/01/2013 12:03
OP posts:
roguepixie ·
04/01/2013 10:19
Wow, this is moving really quickly!!! Thought I'd caught up then realised there were 2 pages I hadn't read!!!! 
.
So, my series of NSD's is going to stop today - am going to Costco to do the bulk-buy items (toilet rolls, shaving foam, deodorant etc) so that will be a little bit when I go to pay. However, I have been so good - no spending on most days - the only spend I have had since 21st December is one food shop so that's not bad.
Went to WI last night and friend bought me a coke so NS there as well - will be my turn to buy the drinks next month - good job we are such cheap dates 
.
A lot of these places have sprung up that buy your cd's, clothes etc - they do seem to pay absolute pennies though. I am getting totally fed up with Ebay though, so geared to the buyer now and not interested in protecting the seller at all.
On a good note I managed to get MIL house insurance (buildings and contents) down from £1800.00 to £550.00!!!! Went through Compare the Market so got DS a free Meerkat toy as well .
OP posts:
GaryBuseysTeeth ·
04/01/2013 11:36
Boffin, the individual membership is £25 (although you normally 'save' that in the first/second shop of the year), off the top of my (Costco addicted) head;
It's worth it for so many things; toilet roll, cleaning bits, spices, meat, veg, bread, tea bags, cereal, delicious cakes, razors, tinned tuna/tomatoes, wine.
But some things are more expensive; deodorant, most bath/toiletry stuff, baked beans.
So it's always worth noting how much stuff is in your usual supermarket (comparing the per 100g price is easiest for most things).
The only downside is because you have 40 mars bars in the cupboard you're more likely to eat one than if you buy a 4 pack each week...and storing stuff.
There is an executive membership which means you can shop at anytime, but the basic one is after 12pm every weekday, most of them are quietest around 7-8pm.
Most importantly you can get a beef hot dog & fizzy drink at their cafe for £1.50
The lady who runs this blog normally publishes the coupon books a few days after they come out so you can see what sort of things are worth getting that month.
rouge, well done on the home insurance!!
Fluffycloudland77 ·
04/01/2013 12:34
I have Costco trade membership but tbh would drop it tm if mil didn't use my free card.
I find aldi much cheaper for tinned and buy marked down joints of meat etc, I'm going to start using Nicky toilet roll which is only a few pence per roll cheaper but I can get it with my weekly shop so less fuel.
The only thing I would miss is the kitchen foil. I think this may be the year that I ask mil to pay for the membership too. I don't actually get any benefit from it. 
BoffinMum ·
04/01/2013 12:57
'Appen I have seen the perfect wedding cake for people in the North. I can say this, being from the North myself.
[http://www.costco.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/cos_6,cos_6.4,cos_6.4.3/141249 Pork pie wedding cake]]
1stMrsFalalalalalalalala ·
04/01/2013 17:08
NSD today. Went to local children's farm (we have season passes which GPs paid for) with a friend and took picnic, eschewed a coffee in the soft play cafe and went back to hers for hot chocolate instead . Food shop arrives tomorrow, the first since 24th Dec and only £52 (we still have leftovers).
Boffin I am enjoying your book, but am in awe of the domestic godess level of organisation that I can never hope to achieve 
. It's inspiring though!
jenduck ·
04/01/2013 17:19
Well, today has been every bit as spendy as anticpated! £6.60 at tesco on what I needed as well as a Xmas cheeseboard that was half-price, therefore cheaper than even cheese on offer, and some GU flapjacks that were £3 down to 60p, which I took to friend's house.
Then B&Q, where I got wallpaper border to de-Thomas DS1's bedroom & hopefully make it more attractive to potential buyers & a wallpaper scraper. So £18.44 there. They didn't have heat-proof sealant in store, so have found some on Amazon which is £9.99 delivered against B&Q's online one for £14. This does mean I'll probably be without an oven for a week or so, so desperately need hob/slow cooker ideas PLEASE! So far have: spag bol, risotto, curry, burgers & pork chops done in Foreman, pan-fried salmon with rice, takeaway
Finally £1.10 at Martin's as bought 2x3l bottles of milk for 30p each (one for freezer!) & some ham down to 50p from £1.25.
Don't think we'll spend anything tomorrow. Will be touching up gloss paint to try & sell house. We have some plus brushes in garage. DSes will go to my parents, so will aim to finish decorating earlyish & have grown-up evening of fish & chips, wine, Poirot & Scrabble!
I've never really seen the attraction of Costco as I buy 90% of stuff Value brand or reduced & Costco is more expensive than that! My grandparents love to go to get samples of all sorts there first thing & my dad got a scaffolding tower there to paint their house. I also get anybody who's going to buy me Marmite . Ours is also next to Ikea, so sometimes interesting to nip in there & get cheap brekkie/free coffee, but I haven't been for years.
roguepixie ·
04/01/2013 17:36
I have been a member of Costco for years. DH was working near Watford when they opened their warehouse there and he got an invitation to join, did, and we have been going there ever since.
It isn't that it's cheaper, it's that you can buy in bulk and get a small saving. They do sometimes have excellent offers - some that come to mind was olive oil which was a huge saving and rice (in recent years). They also do own brand stuff (Kirkland) which can be good - their shampoo and conditioner is excellent.
Today I spent £250 at Costco but bought: toilet rolls, kitchen rolls, nuts, shaving foam, deodorant, soap, beef, pork, sushi (treat for DS), San Pell water (treat for me 
, 12 x tins choppped tomatoes, sack of potatoes, rice, salame, 2 x books for DS, 12 x bottles of milk, 3 x packs of lavassa ; fruits: strawberries, raspberries, grapes, 4 x mangoes, 12 x oranges, blueberries, pomegranete, pineapple ... and more stuff I can't remember. The toilet rolls alone will last for 3 months +, the kitchen rolls are enough for the year, the potatoes will last the month +, as will the tins of tomatoes, lavassa etc so, if you were to go every 4-6 weeks your shop would/could be considerably less. Mine was so high because I hadn't been for 2 months prior to Christmas so had run out of lots. Also, it is worth remembering that the packs of grapes, strawberries etc are often bigger than the packs you would get at the supermarket - so you are getting more for your money. They are good for multipacks (cleaning products etc) too, making each individual item cost cheaper than some supermarkets.
Tbh, boffin, that suckling pig looks scary. That itself would not entice me to join. All said, it is great for those bulk buy items but I always shop very consciously there - it is easy to go waaaaaaaaaaaaay over budget.
I have also spent £299 today at John Lewis. I needed a new sewing machine and have been putting it off for ages but finally went in today to get one - it is my Christmas present from DH and DS.
OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 ·
04/01/2013 17:46
The white company have contacted us to say 2yrs 10 months is an acceptable length of time for their fitted sheets to last before they get holes in them. So 17 months use each.
So you have been warned. 
Obviously I will never buy from them again.
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roguepixie ·
04/01/2013 19:04
Fluffy, that is shocking . I have stuff from John Lewis that has lasted 10 years +. I have just replaced a fitted sheet from JL that has lasted 12 years. I will not be buying from the White Co.
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