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Austere August come join us!!

314 replies

takeaway2 · 31/07/2013 18:42

New thread. Smile

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AdoraBell · 03/08/2013 00:15

Well done Leilandri and I'm glad DH found another job so quickly.

In addition to my rogue spending I spent 16 pounds on my prescription and 4 pounds on dohgnuts etc with DD1 because DD2 is at a sleepover, and 2.40 on the roads with about 2 in parking

Confirmed somone viewing the house in the morning.

Hope everyone has a good weekend

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Fluffycloudland77 · 03/08/2013 07:30

You little star leilandri, I had wondered if things had got better for you. I'm glad things have got easier for you, life can be so cruel sometimes.

Well yesterday was a bit of a disaster.

6 months supply of cleanser £28
£3 random stuff in sainsburys
£7 box set DVD

Today I need to find out which LED lights bulbs I need.

Primus is doing unlimited bb and landline (pay 12 months LL upfront or £120) for £12 a month for 6 months, then £14 for twelve months, £15 cashback off the first bill and £42 cashback from topcashback. I need to get it set up ASAP too but I don't know how these things work in a newbuild. I want to order it now but we've not exchanged.

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OnTheNingNangNong · 03/08/2013 07:41

Morning everyone, I joined at the end of the July thread. Really need to reduce the school holiday spending when we get back from holiday- have saved a modest amount for our daily spending and hopefully we won't have to take money from the house account while we are away.

Spent quite a bit yesterday Blush DS2 hasn't enough socks to last him the holiday so I had to buy some and I needed more than three tops and some shoes as I only have flip flops and holidaying in the UK guarantees rain!

So I spent almost £50 on everything, which after adding it up is far too much to spend at the start of the month.


LSD hopefully today, have a MN meet up this morning so have to pay entry and I have to still find the illusive Dylon to dye my clothes. I need to sort a photo of DS1 and take it to a station to sort out his rail pass.
Packing and cleaning should then keep me out of the spending zone until we go away.

Have a great Saturday all Flowers

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Fluffycloudland77 · 03/08/2013 08:30

Homebargains do dylon in black, you'll need a bag of smart price salt too.

Amazon do dylon too, as do some house of Fraser haberdashers, I love a haberdashery dept. I haven't got a clue how to sew though.

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takeaway2 · 03/08/2013 21:12

We are not doing well for August. Did shop yesterday which amounted to £60.

Today spent £15 on dry cleaning 4 coats, £13 on cinema (having swapped £10 of sainsburys vouchers for £20 of vue) and watched despicable me 2 (hilarious ... Loved it). Tbf could have saved half that money as dd wasn't into it (maybe her attention span isn't there yet - whereas DS' first movie was when he was 2.5, she's nearly 3...). Then £20 at nandos which was a bit of a disaster as DCs weren't too taken by the taste...! Doh. They are usually good with different tastes, eating Mexican, Chinese, Indian but somehow piri piri stumped them!!

Oh and some stuff from boots but paid with points so free!

Tomorrow is dh's birthday. Need to somehow sneak the cake home. Other than that (which has been paid already...) no real spend I hope.

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confusedofengland · 03/08/2013 22:19

Happy birthday to your DH for tomorrow takeaway

Fluffy I also cannot sew (except for a seam that's come apart & maybe a button) but I would love to learn. Same goes for knitting. Am thinking of asking my Dnan to show me. She is 83 & has bad arthritis in her hands, but is knitting a matinee jacket for my newest Dniece, I think it helps her hands actually.

NingNang £50 doesn't sound too bad, and presumably clothes will get worn again after the holiday?

Adora good luck with house viewing.

Welcome back to returning frugaleers.

Not too bad today spending-wise. Walked 3 miles into town, even 4-year old DS1 walked the whole way & did really well! Had lunch at Yates', £16 for all of us including drinks, which seems quite good value. Then present for my Dmum from DCs, as it's her 60th birthday tomorrow - £13 for a biscuit tin from Lakeland Shock. Then bus home, £5.60 for 2 returns as DC under 5 so don't pay (I think DS1 may be under 5 for a good year yet Wink)

Not planning to spend tomorrow as clearing out a shed & have food in, even ice-creams & biscuits for treats.

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AdoraBell · 04/08/2013 03:19

Thanks Confused they liked it and the lady wants to come back as her husband coudn't make it today. Also, a friend has said he knows someone who wants a house in our area. Trying not to get our hopes up though.

NSD for me today, but OH splashed out on cinema tickets. We saw the Brad Pitt zombie thing, not really my scene but this was a slightly better class of zombie flick iyswim.

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confusedofengland · 04/08/2013 07:56

That sounds hopeful then! Where are you hoping to move to? Still within Chile or elsewhere? Are you or DH Chilean or are you there for work [nosey emoticon] ?

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daisychicken · 04/08/2013 13:36

Yesterday and today have been NSD's and I'm hoping to stretch what veg we have for another day to make tomorrow a NSD but will have to shop for veg on Tues...

Hope you get more house viewings Adora - are you downsizing or moving area?

Happy Birthday to Takeaway's DH

Ds2's birthday is Sept 1st - I have gifts sorted (always try and get them bought before the summer hols start) just need to wrap. He's started talking about what we are going to do ie as in a party... not sure if a film night (@ home, dh has a projector) with pizza and popcorn will cut it this year... any thoughts anyone? Needs to be mega cheap and appeal to a 9yr old boy who had girl best friends......

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Fluffycloudland77 · 04/08/2013 13:49

£2 today on nair cream and a cheap ecig for dh.

Daisy, ask him what he wants and we can see how to make it cheaper.

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confusedofengland · 04/08/2013 13:50

daisy how about a bowling or swimming party? I noticed that you can covert Tesco Clubcard voucher to bowling vouchers, I think that's the kind of thing that age group like? You don't even have to have the party there, just have a few games, then have everyone back for pizza/nuggets etc.

NSD so far, may need to get milk shortly but that should be it. Been sorting out our old shed & found loads of memories plus quite a few foreign coins - Icelandic Kronur, old UK 5ps etc. Anybody know if banks will exchange them or should I just donate to charity? Or any other ideas?

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Fluffycloudland77 · 04/08/2013 14:00

eBay the coins? Collectors might want them. It's worth watching a few coins and seeing what they go for.

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daisychicken · 04/08/2013 16:07

Above budget Confused, we literally have minimum coppers.... I could do kids am but that depends whats on but I don't think we can stretch to McD's (seems miserable to do cinema with popcorn/drinks (from home) and then just drop home)...

Good idea Fluffy I'll ask him & post for ideas Smile

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Tommetipsy · 04/08/2013 21:04

We're on our holiday now and it has been fairly spendy so far...

However I've taken loads of basics with me and am pleased with myself as this cottage is nice but no dishwasher tablets or loo roll included.

Told the dc's we are having macaroni cheese tomorrow after splurge on chinese tonight.

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AdoraBell · 05/08/2013 00:37

Movie night, or afternoon, at home doesn't sound miserable. Can you buy some sweets To go with the popcorn? I know it's a sugar OD but aren't most DC parties?

If we sell we'll be downsizing and moving back To the UK. People today like the house but total ley out if touching with market prices, they are returning from many years abroad too.

We are lunch out To not have cooking smells, OH paid but I think it was around £25.

Despite trying not To get hopes up I found myself trying To find out many bottles of pisco I can bring into the UKBlush

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AdoraBell · 05/08/2013 00:38

Totally out of touch

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takeaway2 · 05/08/2013 07:26

Good morning all!

Thanks to everyone for dh's birthday wishes! Had a lovely day. Went with kids to pick cake up and snuck it back to the house. Made lunch whilst dh worked in that garden (cleared out a lot of bramble - we've found another metre square of land!! Grin). Then friends started turning up - he didn't realise! I was making food in the kitchen and the kids were making up party bags - for the kids of our friends. Hilarious.

Yesterday I spent £5 on party bags and 2 helium balloons. Today I anticipate a NSD. Fingers crossed.

Happy week everyone.

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wheredidiputit · 05/08/2013 08:19

Fluffy

I ask DH later when he gets home from work where he bought our LED lights and which ones he got.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 05/08/2013 09:29

I'm thinking of getting Phillips led lights, I need 18 of the buggers too Angry.

I notice the big electric companies aren't subsidising them.

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wheredidiputit · 05/08/2013 09:47

I know he ordered his on line but I don't know which company he used. As he would have investigated which one were the best and who had the best offer as he is bit anal about these things.

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Leilandri · 05/08/2013 11:08

Spent £5.10 on Saturday at our local flower show on herbs for our allotment, and gave my mum a £5 morrisons miles voucher towards our lunch out.
NSD yesterday, took my mum and my boys to visit my grandparents in Cardiff, mum paid for petrol and bridge toll :D
DS2's 2nd Bday on Thursday, need to get him another pressie, as he only has a 2nd hand Night Garden teddy at the mo Blush hopefully it'll stop raining long enough to take them to the zoo on Thurs. I have various enrty discount vouchers so works out much cheaper than a party Grin

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Fluffycloudland77 · 05/08/2013 13:15

60p on tesco value crisps. For my lunch boxes. Ate 4 bags in the car park.

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AdoraBell · 05/08/2013 13:21

Sounds like my shopping trips Fluffy, I swear the chocolate evaporates between the shop and homeBlush

Takeaway well done on the sneaky party planning, glad DH enjoyed his birthday.

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northender · 05/08/2013 13:49

Takeaway glad dh's birthday went well
leilandri, I kept wondering how you were getting on. Glad your dh got another job so quickly
We go on holiday on Friday so I went into town for some last minute bits of clothes for dh and I and some sunglasses for me (half price in Boots). I took some lager and cider that was unused at our bbq back to aldi and got an £18 refund Smile
Managing to get things used up in the kitchen. Only buying fruit and veg top ups but won't have much at all left by Friday.
Was tempted to buy ds a new book (or 2!) to take on holiday but came home and went to the library and ordered them instead and managed to find my next book club book in the library so didn't need to pay the 60p order fee.
Dh has taken the dc to the cricket today (tickets paid for ages ago). I sent them off with lots of food and drink so should be a minimal spend.

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confusedofengland · 05/08/2013 14:53

Ended up spending about £2.50 yesterday for milk, ham & chocolate Blush

Today has been quite spendy but shouldn't need to go out again or buy anything else. £11.80 for me & both DSes to go to pool fun session, where they have all the toys out, plus £1.60 on parking there. Then about £6 at McDonald's on happy meals for DC & coffee for me. Then £12 in Farm Foods on milk, bananas, apple juice, crisps, cheese & loo roll. Then finally £1.58 in Lidl on baby wipes (theirs are by far the best I've used & only 79p for 80 wipes).

We shouldn't spend much for the rest of the week though. Do have playdates lined up most days but to free places like park or farm & will take picnics.

Getting really concerned about the whole house situation now Sad DH has said the vendor is going to try to get private bailiffs on to it tomorrow & they can evict within a week, but I'm at the stage now where I have to see it to believe it. At least if it all goes belly-up, we'll be able to pay off every last scrap of debt, including the 20% of the house that my parents put in as an investment but need back in a couple of years, but it will leave us with no deposit for a new place & round here, you'd pay at least £250k-£300k for a 4-bed place, which is why this one is such a bargain - and you need a 15%+ deposit to get a decent mortgage deal IME. This country is terrible for getting onto the property ladder, I can't see any of our DC's generation managing it without parental input or a lottery win!

Also have DS2's speech therapy assessment tomorrow & am really nervous! I guess I'm scared they'll say there's something wrong & I don't want anybody to think my baby is less than perfect Blush Sad

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