Judicious June... the frugaleers continue!

[ArtemisatBrauron]

For those who like to plan ahead... god why is it not pay day already...

Not an NSD. Bought some face wash off an Internet company as I'm of a certain age now and regular stuff don't really work! £44. But it would have been closer to £50. So... Other than that brought lunch to work. Saved £2.20 from DS not going to school as he was ill so he ate lunch at my work with me (brought food for him too!).

SpangleMaker lol at the bling wardrobes

All been quite spendy here...took the kids to a birthday party yesterday where it cost me FOUR POUNDS to park for less than two hours. I hate Kingston. Went to pub with a friend in the evening and spent 6.80 on a couple of drinks.

Then today took picnic to the park (good), spent 3.20 on drinks (bad) and then randomly spunked 58 quid in TKMaxx on some Birkenstocks, a top and some workout gear for me. Can't remember the last time I spent money on clothes or shoes for me, so I'm not exactly going wild in the shops, but still feel a bit guilty.

For those of you that do ebay, I now use click and collect to post stuff. It's much cheaper than the post office. If you google it you go to the website and find your nearest point. It uses local garages and shops, you book online then drop your parcel off locally, it is then couriered up and signed for.

There's actually price comparison sites for alternative parcel carriers.

£7 on coat hangers and £16 in Home Bargains on cleaning stuff (and 3 boxes of brunch bars oops)
That's not too bad really as I am so easily tempted to buy 'stuff' in cheaper shops so was determined to try and just stick to my list

Wow lots of amazing frugaleering going on. I also love the sound of the Swarovski wardrobes!!

So excited to report I have managed my first ever NSD!!

You guys are inspirational

far too many exclamation marks in that last post....

Rocking up late... Hello everyone!

Was on holiday last week. We had a reasonably cheap week.

Seem to have missed the Aldi voucher. Ah well.

I did get a half price big ham joint in Sainsburys which I think will do four meals do I'm pleased with that. I've reduced the shopping budget by s other £50 and we're doing ok.

I'm aiming for two NSDs each week this month.

I was doing okay, went into town to spend half an hour looking at the snowy mountains which I find calming, that's free and I spent £2 on coffee and cake. Then I went in the supermarket and spent £80 I shouldn't need anything else until next week. Oh, then I had to get pppy food £70 and petrol £60.

Helenagrace that's a good NSD target to aim for, I think I'll do the same :) starting today. I need to order cat food from the vet, which might sink me, but they never seem to have it in when I ask.

NSD yesterday, also seems too good to be true but it looks like the evil devils from hell gym have actually cancelled my DD as requested, since I am usually charged on the first work day of the month and it didnt come out yesterday (they had claimed that my letter of cancellation received on 3rd MAY was "past their June cut off point"

Fingers crossed my stroppy complaining has paid off and they have cancelled it in June anyway!

Fluffy Thank you for posting the brownie recipe - I will try those, they sound lovely.

lucidlady Well done on your first ever NSD. You are right, this thread is inspirational, I wish I had found it sooner.

I spent £43 on petrol yesterday but my 10p off/litre voucher was in date so I used that. I was hoping for a NSD today but we have an infestation of ants which I noticed last night - load of them, so I will have to buy some traps to get rid of those.

I've hardly been on, as my smart phone has been sent off for repair, and they've given me a very basic mobile. It's quite nice in a way, being less contactable and spending less time on the Internet, but it's obviously harder to keep up.

Anyway, managed an NSD yesterday and today, so far, £8.74 on shopping and £2.50 on bus fares. I have to post some eBay items later, but that should be it for today.

I'll read through properly later on.

Add on an extra £1.30 for a cup of tea in a café.

Oh I hate giving blood samples as well Ohhelpohnoitsa. The picnic toy box does sound fab though. I only bought milk yesterday and a nsd today so 2/16, hoping tomorrow can be a nsd aswell.

Just a £2 spend for me today, I forgot it was my friend's turn to buy the sandwiches :-)
(however, an unexpected £10 seems to be about to go out of the bank and I'm not sure why)

Paid the cleaner (I did without her for 2 months and the house was ready for her to be back!!)£25. Paid school dinners £4.40. Paid tennis for the rest of the term £32. But I brought my lunch to work. Sigh. It's never ending. This month we have a couple of birthdays to pay for (good friends) and other expenses like the cleaner (we did clean obviously but not as thorough as she does it...). Father's Day. My birthday next month....

Ohhelpohnoitsa someone give me a jolly good talking to please. I have lost it. we like picnics at the minute. On Sunday the picnic next to us had a picnic toy box -. fantastic idea - ball, bubble guns, kites, parachute, colouring stuff etc. So today I spent £22 in Poundland on said items. unnecessary but so sweet!! (and prevents all that last minute dashing around trying to find stuff in the toy boxes to take with us). I wouldn't see as a unnecessary cost but more of a less stressful start to family fun time with the picnic. I bet you would probably spend more during the summer buying bits and pieces to play with when out.

I will be borrowing this idea myself - we have kites already.

Ohhelpohnoitsa The picnic box sounds great, plus you will probably get next year out of it as well at least.

I was hoping to get away with just the ant traps today - I couldn't get traps so had to get a spray £3.50, but had forgotten I needed to order DD's contact lenses which were £26. So just the one NSD this month so far.

Fluffy those brownies are rude Made some today and couldn't believe how good they are. I might put some raspberries in next time, cut the richness a bit. They did need longer in the oven than expected though.

Leilandri how are you doing? I've been thinking about you lots.

Was almost a NSD for me but had to pay the window cleaner £11.

ohhelpohnoitsa picnic kit sounds like a fab idea and should save you money over the summer.

takeaway I SO want a cleaner. On my 3 working days I'm out of the house 12 hours+, then 3 days I have the DC (aged 4 & 2) until DH gets in between 7-8pm and on our one day together as a family I just don't feel like spending it cleaning. Once we move I think I'm going to set myself a challenge to save the money from elsewhere and get someone in 2hrs a week. It would be such a luxury to get home to a lovely clean house.

Today's spends were train fare, coffee, lunch - all to be reclaimed on expenses, then about £40 Amazon for packing equipment, a Father's Day present and a paddling pool to keep DC amused at the weekend. Tomorrow I'm on expenses too so should effectively be a NSD.

On the Jolly Good Talking To point ohhelp that 7 quid in Starbucks may have been a bit steep but if you were close passing out it was not unnecessary! and the picnic things sound like a great idea.

I had to get more plasticine for school, and didn't have to get 2 packets of ribs, but I still bought them. With a few other essentials thrown in, dog shampoo was one, it came to £24. Tomoorrow I have a business lunch, have a funny feeling OH, who arranged it, is now otherwise occupied. Also need to get a birthday gift for DD1's BFF while I'm out.

I am on my arse with budgeting but trying to claw my way back to control.
Beach tent has given up the ghost. I am hoping I can find one under 20 in tesco/lidi today. Dd2 needs it to nap on the beach and a beach day is such an easy cheap day out I can justify it.

Dm birthday meal Friday which will be a whopping spend but she's my mum and has been amazing since I have been a lp.

Less than 2 months until I get normal pay again after mat leave. Dreading leaving dd2 but the money thing is doing my head in. I have lost 10k of savings supplementing my maternity pay and getting on my feet post separation. I suppose at least I hAd it and it could have been much worse.

However....

The picnic box in the car is genius. I will add one to the wellies and beach bag

Just paid the last half terms activity bill. I am so pleased there will be Jo more until September yay!