Austere April - Frugaleers continue to the next quarter!

[Leilandri]

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

Count me in! I am overspending on Amazon and Ebay. Mostly on things for my DD. I am starting with 9 NSD for this month, 3days a week till the end on the month starting tomorrow. Hoping to do 14 next month, depending how I do this month.
I have an attic full of crap, how do I get rid of it? Boxes of cheap ornaments, some toys, old duvets etc. I have never made much money on ebay. Has anyone done car boot sale?

Hello Satine. We have done a couple of car boots in the last couple of years. First was really successful but the second was hopeless. I think we got rid of all our decent stuff at the first one. We're doing one on Sunday as long as the weather is OK. Anything that doesn't go will be tipped / charity shopped straight afterwards.

£20 on petrol today. Won't be enough to last until payday but it will go a long way hopefully. No other spending happening today though.

Thanks Pluto, can I just ask how you priced things, i.e. what was your most expensive item? I have heard nothing over a fiver shifts, but maybe it's a myth?

ohhelp that's ridiculous! I must be getting out of touch with the real world through all the frugalism, that's bonkers for a few drinks!

Ouch at those drinks Ohhelp

Another NSD for me today but yesterday was groceries and stuff for OH's office. Donut brought the towels etc home to wash and lost the bag between the lift at the office and home. WE spent £130 in the supermarket and I will need to top up midweek.

Tomorrow will be just school run, my purse is clamped shut for the next couple of days.

And Yes, Despicale Me is a fab movie

When I go to Costco the huge catering bags of branded tea bags work out at 1p per bag. It's why I insist on taking a flask everywhere on days out, £1.95 for a pot of teas ridiculous when you realise how much the consumables are costing them.

Your paying for the high cost of the rents for these places.

Just got back from my week away. Spending wise it wasn't too bad.

NSD yesterday and one more week of the holidays to get through. I'm hoping the sun comes out so we can make the most of living by the beach! Might do a few EH / NT things to make the most of our membership.

The price of drinks is certainly shocking. I've noticed that any sort of coffee is generally over £2 now, even machine coffee in a pub! I haven't bought a takeaway coffee since before Christmas. I don't even miss them anymore!

I need to do my monthly Aldi mega shop this week. Eeek!

We are in the midst of our few days away. First stop on the motor way, for lunch it was £18 at KFC?!!! And then another £18 on stuff at wh smith. Kept the kids quiet for a while though.
Dinner was at the pils.

Friday made it to the travel lodge. Had lunch out which cost another £16. Bought a fascinator for the wedding and a wedding card. Also got some half price costume Jewellery (£7) and some chocolate lollies for the kids. Free pack of Percy pigs too!

Dinner was free. Paid for by the parents of the bride but had to get parking(£2.70).

Saturday was day of wedding. Started paying for coffee and tea cake for a man who looked homeless (turned out he was turned out by the hospital because he was 'better'). £5. Then bought some lunch at sainsburys.

Headed off to the church wedding and then wedding breakfast. Paid £4 for taxi back to hotel.

Sunday went for lunch £30. Then to pils. Haven't spent any money since then. Dh went to pub with his family - that's ok. It's his money!

Happy week ahead everyone.

Just spent the morning making a meal plan to use up leftovers, odd veggies lurking in the fridge and to pare down some of the stockpile of dry goods in our cupboards...yesterday's tidy-up unearthed 4 (FOUR!) open and half-done packets of lentils, two of corn flour, 3 of rice... the list goes on.

Resolutions have been made to CHECK the cupboards before buying things and opening them. Should be an NSD today - just tucking into some chocolate cookies made from Easter chocolate and will have carrot and coriander soup for lunch made from the remnants of the veg box!

I keep a list of what I have in the freezer/fridge and cupboards on the same spreadsheet I use from menu planning . Yes I am a sad person, who has no life.

nsd today

Coffees out really are a rip off. Don't really do them but DH likes the occasional Costa which he is being weaned off - he wants to save some £ as much as me.

Satine tbh I can't really remember how we priced things up as it's over a year since the last boot sale we did - but I don't think we had much which was worth more than about a fiver. I remember we sold some swanky headphones and DH's old camera for a good amount - I think we got about £40 each for them. I tried selling my CDs but I must have wanted too much for them (I think I was asking £3.00) as none of them went - but I was happy to bring them home and now DS likes ripping them. This time the most pricey item we want to get rid of is a plastic trolley (trendy designer thing) which I'll try to get £20.00 for, and a standard light which I think I'll price up for a tenner. The rest will be mainly books and toys all for under a fiver. I have a nice wooden rocking horse for a toddler that might go for a tenner. I think I'll display some photos of the furniture we're trying to sell and see if anyone wants to bid on it.

Did the weekly shop today - found a 10% off card for Waitrose that came in the post and saved £13. Should see us through until Sunday.

Topcashback price matched my lovefilm cashback, it was really easy. I thought it was difficult then realised I was being a bit thick.

Which is pretty much my life summed up.

To anyone who likes cereal bars approved food are doing a 24 case of Quaker oats with golden syrup bars for £2.99 . Bargain!

I had a £5 off £25, spent £32 (after discounts) but got lots for that. Also sent a recommend a friend thingumy to my mum so hopefully I'll earn some commission.

Good day here, only £1.50 spent on treats for the dc as ds had cricket trials today. Fingers crossed he'll be selected, we find out later in the week.
This week is going to be a mad busy one. Dd is in a play at the weekend with the church am dram group so lots of rehearsals and then 3 performances at the weekend. I've invited family back here after the final show so will make big chilli and cottage pie. Will make huge amount so I can freeze some for when dh's family descend at the end of the month.

IsThatTrue I love Approved Foods! I spent £35 the last time, I came home to 14 boxes :O

NSD yesterday.

I need to go into town today. So there will be parking, and I've promised DS1 a trip to Costa. The school holidays haven't cost me much so far so I don't mind.
Also need to do a top up shop in sainsbury's, including getting a few bits for my grandma so not sure how much that will be.

my kids love approved food as they get days of playing out of the boxes.

NSD yesterday and I'm expecting the same today and tomorrow. This week is all about seeing friends in the park, visiting the library, dvds, baking, craft things and waiting for pay day.
I spent £20 at Tesco last week so they've sent me a £5 off £40 shop voucher. I'm not going to use it. I also have a 100 point voucher. If they are of use to someone pm me and I'll send you the codes.

only 10 Weetabix left to eat from about 50 (one full and two half opened boxes) I found in the cupboard. I feel a right twit for smugly wandering about with my freezer list and NSD tally chart when I completely forgot to check the cereal cupboard

I never want to see a Weetabix again.

My moneysaving tips for Spring are:
check smoke alarms
clean washing machine filter
descale kettle
defrost freezer

Hx

Had quite a speedy day yesterday as had to top up the food in the house and petrol in the car-approx £50 but had free picnic with friends and their children at a country park yesterday.yesterday ended well with me winning (actually I was a runner up) a competition and getting a free family pass to adventure wonderland which I will keep to use in the summer hols.only ever won 1 thing in my life before so this made my day yesterday!
Weather awful today - have spent £10 at the butchers and £2.49 on a necklace reduced from £5.99 to replace 1 that was broken so shouldn't need to spend any more today.seeing my grandma and then dvd's this afternoon.I have £7.50 of my budget left until 21st when I can spend on next month's bill.can spend up to an extra £50 though if needed and still be able to pay it off at the end of the month.

President post too quickly! Want to spend as little as possible obviously though.had planned to go out this Friday and have put the money aside but still toying with the idea of not going and saving the money instead.just counting down to the 21st and then payday at the end of the month - always seems to take forever to come around though!