Austere April - Frugaleers continue to the next quarter!

[Leilandri]

Come and join us for another frugal/thrifty/down-right stingy month!

[Leilandri]

Welcome newbies and de-lurkers

NSD today. DS's had an egg/choc animal hunt in our garden this morning, then we went to Dparents as it's their 40th wedding anniversary today. Enjoyed a lovely relaxed day. Had already informed everyone that we weren't buying eggs this year, but we scored well on the chocolate front!

Should be another NSD tomorrow as DFiL is visiting. Good way to end one month and into the next :)

[takeaway2]

Ended march with a NSD. Gave a few coins at service but other than that its a NSD. For lunch we went to an Easter party. I brought some food contributions but that was it. Children got so much chocolate it's unbelievable.

Tomorrow should be an NSD too so it'll be nice to start April off like that. Invited to another Easter egg hunt and probably need to bring something but the kids will want to bake so I think we will be contributing baked goods!!

[MamaTo2FabBoys]

Hi everyone, i would love to join as my ex husband has cancelled my boys maintenence so im looking to cut down as much as possible so i can still pay my mortgage and not get in to any debt. Im hoping for 12 nsd this month but maybe hard with the 2weeks easter hols.good luck everyone

[prettypleasewithsugarontop]

Hi!

Joining in here too :)

Trying to be really frugal this month, and pay a bit more to debts

Good luck everyone

[Bakingnovice]

Can I join too. Started really well last December but have now fallen into bad habits whilst supermarket shopping (picking stuff I don't need). I've had a very expensive Easter weekend food wise but from tmrw will try and cut back. Also, made about a tenner on eBay so am trying to keep going with that. My target this month is to stick to meal plans, use some of my store cupboard tins and have at least 1 NSD a week.

[prettypleasewithsugarontop]

Toasttoppers - do you have a list you use to see what you.need to restock? I am a bit baffled to what staples I should have!

[Piemother]

Me too - I really need to get good planning/shopping under control. I made a cake today and realised I have tons of ingredients for all kinds if things. I really need to itemise the cupboards and stick a list on each of what's in them but I have a poorly baby and a 3 year old - half my budget problem is I never have time to get properly organised. Any tips?

[wheredidiputit]

Other then having the time to go through cupboards, fridge and freezer so you can work out what you already have. Do you have anyone who could have your dc for a couple of hours so you can do it.

Or maybe do one thing at a time, babies are sleeping.

[Leilandri]

NSD today :)

Sorted all my veggy seeds today, so I'm all ready to start planting once our polytunnel is erected. I really hope this cold weather buggars off warms up soon, so many things to plant, and the ground is rock hard!

[Fluffycloudland77]

prettyplease

It depends what you cook really, I have frozen soya mince, curry pastes (works out cheaper than sauce), chilli powder, cumin seeds, lots of frozen pulses and veg, rice, lentils, baked beans, herbs, tinned tomatoes and pasta.

I can make curries, chilli, spaghetti Bol, soups and dhals from that relatively quickly and cheaply plus it's better for you than processed food.

But, if you hate chillis and curries then my list would be useless.

Polytunnel. Just think of all the lovely fruit you can grow in that.

[Piemother]

I need to get batch cooking as well.
I'm back to work in July I reckon I need to get my shit together by then. I have the right ideas I think, I just need an assistant/nanny so I can actually do them!

[wheredidiputit]

prettyplease

My basics are.

Fridge

Milk
cheese
bacon
butter/flora
juices
lunch things
yoghurts
salad bits
fresh Veg - whatever on offer.
jams

Cupboards

Rice
pasta/spaghetti
Sage and onion stuffing mix
Tinned - Tomatoes whole/chopped & puree,
small tins chopped toms
Beans/spaghetti - large and small
small tins of peas, carrots and potatoes.
sweetcorn
soups
Pearl barley
soup mixes
part baked bread.
tinned - fruit
rice pudding
custards
Gravy
Sauces - tomato/brown & fruity
Soy sauce
oyster sauce
sweet chilli sauce
Herbs - mix herbs/cumin/paprika/turmeric/chilli powder
bay leaves/cloves
Stock cubes

Freezer

Chips/waffles
Veg - peas/sweetcorn/broadbeans/mixed veg
Roast potatoes - left overs from sunday dinners
Yorkshire Pudding "
Leftover - Lamb
Pork
Beef
Minced Beef
Minced Turkey
sausages
Leftover chicken for pies.
Fish fingers
Chicken Nuggets
Fish
I also freeze any leftovers even if it only enough for one
I also always have onions/eggs.

[Badvoc]

Hello!
So.
After a pretty dire march :( I have sold a few bits on ebay and amazon and have bought a breadmaker with the proceeds!
Been and got all the b day cards etc I need for this month (lots sadly) and stocked up on meds etc.
Spent £56 at the co op on Friday and am hoping that lasts til this Friday when I am planning to go off to aldi :)
I am planning to make a big tray of flapjacks and a jam sponge tomorrow.)
Dh and the dc have planted a small veg plot :) no idea if it will work or not!
Dh and I are planning some belt tightening too but we can't do much til we cancel our gym membership at the end of the summer (and it means I can still take the kids swimming every day in the summer hols if I want)
We have decided not to renew our NT membership and we have reduced the cable tv package to the lowest one.
I have a wedding to go to and have just bid on a dress on ebay.

[takeaway2]

An NSD today but only because my friend who is staying with us paid for lunch and food shopping! She's an old friend (20 years!) and she says she felt bad for living off us for the last 4 days... She probably took pity on me as we have kids and she can see the money just coming out!!

Anyway vv grateful. Tomorrow should be another NSD which will be great. We have a busy weekend with a family wedding. It'll be expensive too as we'd have to pay for petrol to travel up north and several meals out. Hopefully it'll be dinner at pils on Thursday night so only need spend for lunch on Thursday and then Friday lunch and dinner. Sunday lunch and then it's back to the pils again.

Have a good NSD week!

[TinyDiamond]

oh dear my first supposed nsd turned into a food shop day. I was still quite good though £52 aldi and £11 pound land.

happy April to everybody.

0/16

[AdoraBell]

See, I knew I'd have to spend money. Only parking available at the airport was twice-the-price express spaces, and OH's plane was late. £12 for 2 hours, I know that may be cheap compared to UK airports, but it was £12 I didn't need to spend. Also had coffee and elevensies once OH had arrived, that was £10

Had to refill the car, again, another £70.

Can I get off the merry-go-round? Just for a few days? There's even less coming in this month than last, OH told me after we'd had our snack, then suggested lunch out.

Mama can you do anything about ex cancelling the maintenance, go through CSA maybe?

[MamaTo2FabBoys]

Hi thanks everyone, he has been threatening to stop it and when i say ill go the csa he said he would stop working and has now gone off on the sick. He split up with his girlfriend so has been horrible and grumpy for the last couple of months. Oh well ill just need to try and manage but its not easy as i used it to help pay the mortgage. I spent £3.75 yesterday on a little farm and easteregg hunt so cheap and cheerful. Hope you get off the merry go round today Adorabell.

[Thingymajigs]

My exh did a similar thing. He went to the CSA and tried to get out of paying completely. He tried saying that he had bought a £400 cooker a year before we broke up and as I still owned it then he shouldn't need to pay for his children. The CSA threw his weird objections out and he gave in after a while. Still, he likes to cause as many issues as humanly possible in other ways though. I'd definitely go to the CSA if he is being difficult. It often doesn't get any better. Good luck with it.
I haven't spent a penny so far although I'm preparing for an Aldi shop soon. I have a feeling I could go OTT so I'm determined to stick to my list.

[prettypleasewithsugarontop]

First NSD day (well for me a NSD is paying a little something to Next and not leaving the house lol). I'm having a clearout (see Chat) so keeping busy. Off work this week with the kids, so hopefully won't spend anything!