Sashaying into September savings, the frugality continues....

[Fluffycloudland77]

NSD.

Spent only £4.43 today in Co-op for dinner. Ds2 still being sick, 10 times in total over 2 days. Also discovered a massive family issue, related to my parents, whom we are living with. I honestly don't know how much more the world can heap on me - pregnancy, house move, ds1 started school, ds2 sick, family problem :-(

confused does the family problem impact you directly? If not try and find some way to distance yourself so that you don't take on everyone else's stress too. I know it's not easy and family is family, but try anyway.

Hope DS recovers quickly. Is he drinking? Water can actually induce vomiting so maybe limit it to a couple of sips at a time and give him something like long Life fruit juice, it's effectively cooked and so gentler, or flat lemonade/cola.

Sorry to hear you're feeling dumped on confused.

Spent 63p on biscuits today so not bad at all. Weekend won't be bad as I'm with my mum so I know she'll treat me but I can't let her pay for everything.

£7 on storage tubs for the house.

£15 petrol.

Sounds ominous confused, I hope you're not the whipping boy.

NSD 2! Sorry to hear about family problem. Like adora says if it's not affecting you directly or perhaps there's nothing you can do then try an distance yourself. Good luck with it all.

The family problem doesn't involve me, as such, but I was the one who discovered it & I am the one who is at home (my parents' house) all day, every day, so I can't escape it. It will be a million times better when we move into our new house, but for now I just feel like piggy in the middle. To say there is an atmosphere here is an understatement

And DS2 had 3 teaspoons of mash & 1 toddler-sized bite of chicken for dinner then threw that back up. Hoping he sleeps through tonight, not like last night when he was up twice dry-retching

Anyway, will leave this thread before I get too maudlin, tomorrow should be a good day as ILs coming to help with house again -travelling 130 miles each way just to help for the day, without being asked, how lovely is that Shouldn't spend anything unless at B&Q as MIL bringing lunch with them

Will read through thread a bit better when I'm not feeling so emotionally drained, but hope everyone is doing OK.

Can you spend time out of the house Confused, don't play the piggy-in-the-Middle part. If it is between adults then they need to behave like adults, How long úntil you move into your lovely new home? That's good of your PILs, hope you have a good day even though you're working on the house.

I Spent £4 in the supermarket and then the Spendy Fairy got her hands on me and I splashed out twenty fecking quid on fillers for the party bags, that's across 6 people so not too bad I suppose, but I didn't plan on spending that much.

Hope today is better confused. How lovely of your in laws to travel so far to help with the house!

Had a couple of minimum spend days. Just one NSD though.

Had a huge row with zero hours contract college yesterday. I was told that they'd send me my timetable "over the weekend ready to start working it on Monday". Well I'm not available next week because they said they'd send my timetable (if I was going to be given any hours) "over the Summer". I think it's a damn cheek to email me two days before they expect me to work when they've had June, July and August to sort themselves out.

I have an interview on Tuesday for another job. Really hope I get it! DH also has an interview next week for a permanent job.

Really, really REALLY want to be able to tell the college where they can locate their crappy zero hours contract!

NSD yesterday but spendy today as had to do food shop........ £56 at the market, although that did buy 18 sausages, 12 chicken drums, 6 sirloin steaks, a small lamb leg, 10 chicken breasts, gammon steaks, 12 pork steaks and all the fruit & veg we need for the weekend [big grin]! Then £35 in Aldi for everything else and £10 for presents for 2 parties dd is going to tomorrow! Need to fill car tomorrow which will be £40 then hoping not to spend until top-up shop next weekend wish me luck . confused hope things get better at home and you have a productive day today at your house

Oh and 6lbs blackberries free, gratis & for nothing!

Did charity walk and only spent £1 in a donation.

DH though spent £20 on food in the park with DS while DD and I walked the 8 miles. Hmmm.

I'm intrigued by all these September NSDs. I've been spending vast sums every day on travel, music lesson fees, sports kit, new club subs etc just because it's the start of the new school year and that's when the bills flood in. Every day the cheque book or card comes out and is 100s lighter. It won't last forever, but I'm impressed by people who have managed their money so they can have NSDs at this time of year.

Thought I'd managed one today but forgot the cheque to the piano teacher this morning. Ah well...

Racing - trust me my cheque book has come out several times for music, gym and swimming. Tomorrow there's language class.

Today paid £128 for a term of swimming for two kids, £80 at waitrose which should have been reduced to £65 because I had £15 vouchers but I forgot to use them as the DCs were kicking off. So I'll need to go back at some point.
£6 at the waitrose cafe but did get my free tea. Oh and £2.50 for crepe at the roadside stall as DS wanted it.

Tomorrow I think it's another £100 at language. Hopefully nothing more...

Racing the only reason that my cheque book hasn't had a battering is that beavers, guides, trampolining, hockey and cello don't start til next week!

racingheart I know what you mean. Just paid out for Cubs and ballet. Paid gymnastics in August luckily, and Rainbows is next week. Piano lessons started again this week, and trumpet needs paying also.
Also back to weekly cheques for school dinners. When I list it like that I don't wonder where our money goes!
Spent £6.75 on ice creams at the park, and £29 at Sainsbury's on half price toys and things, to put away for Christmas; and for party gifts. Spending money to save later . £15.99 on cat food for the kitten. Made homemade tomato soup and homemade bread for tea - at approximately £2.50 for the whole lot, very cheap to feed 5 and some left for someone's lunch later. Then homemade flapjack too. So some frugality has happened today!

OH paid for lunch for DD1 and 5 friends plus us two, about £100, léast they only have 1 birthday a year.

Good luck those job interviews Helena

Pub and takeaway yesterday was £12. Not bad for a night out for four of us.

The letters from school are streaming in about clubs and music lessons. So far I'm only paying for DS to have guitar lessons and archery. No kit needed as he has a guitar and archery gear is all provided.

I need help with grocery shopping. I keep having stuff delivered and we still 'have nothing to eat'. It's so frustrating. I meal plan the suppers, breakfast cereals are always stocked up. It's sandwiches and lunches that are difficult.

Good tip on the car selling. Also haggle like crazy when buying a car. Get tax paid, free mats, mot done, extended warranty or upholstery cover reduced, etc. In fact, haggle as much as you can when buying anything. A dent in a box or a tear in packaging... Get a bit of money off. I work in retail and I have a lot of people do this. Also, challenge every price that comes up as wrong at the till. If it says it on the shelve, they need to honour it. It's the shop's responsibility to do their price checking and sales plan right.

Not a great week for me as I only managed one NSD but we had DSS's birthday this week and DD's in two weeks time so there has been a fair bit of present buying. Hoping for at least two NSDs this week.

Sorry to hear you're having a rough time confused. How long 'til you'll be able to move into the house?
Nice to see you back ohhelpohnoitsa
Good luck on the job front helena

September is a nightmare isn't it? Ds needed a new pair of trainers and a gumshield yesterday. I needed a mobile phone as mine was on it's very last legs. Managed to get a good deal from virgin on a new one on a sim only deal. I now need a few weeks of no unexpected expenses!
Surviving on a tight budget until the end of Oct is proving a challenge. I still think we can do it but it will be close! That would mean we'll have clawed back the overdraft that's crept back up again over the summer. Then, in December 2 of our debts will be paid off, leaving 2 others (credit cards on interest free deals). The plan is then to balance transfer them to a new 0% deal with the lowest fee/longest term we can find. Pay off the minimum each month and let the money accumulate in our offset mortgage account ready to pay at the end of the 0% deal.

That's the plan and I really do feel it's manageable now but I'll be on this thread for a long time yet

Good tip on car buying Ohhelp. My car is 9 years old this year! I am getting mightily sick of it but if it passes its MOT I feel bad for getting a new one. it is old and battered and squeaks and rattles but it does work well and has never let me down. Plus I only drive small distances - to work, taking kids out and about etc. Would love a new one! DH is sick of our other car - a Zafira, 3 years old - and wants a new one. Prior to third child he always had a sporty type car and he really feels it.

Right, off to Lidl and going to try to stick to list. No matter how hard we try, we always seem to go at least 3 times a week to Lidl! How often do you all grocery shop?

That's a good tip ohhelp! Dh and I were just talking about possibly changing cars... Maybe getting a 7 seater so we can ferry people around!!

Today was spendy day. Dh paid £80 of his money on running shoes - last one really on its last legs and we went to sports direct which claimed it was on half price. I don't know but it seems alot of money but given that dh really never buys anything plus it's his money that's ok I guess.

McDonald's at £15 as it was near lunch time. I was saved from tk maxx - started to drizzle and I was hoping to go in there to look at bags but didn't so that prob saved us ££!!

Sainsburys at nearly £30. Went in for eggs and paracetomol. Came out with that plus half price jersey maxi skirt £8, antiseptic wipes £3 and other stuff. The perils of going in there with kids.

Upside is I have cookies baking in the oven!!
Happy weekend everyone.

I spent yesterday with my mum and spent £30 on charity shop clothes for me and DS. Got a few bits from a food festival and a slow cooker recipe book. However my mum gave me £40! Yes I am in my 30s but let's overlook that. Today I've spent £7 odd in asda but I had a £2 refund and £2 credit as they overcharged me last week. Hoping I can get away without any more food shopping till Saturday. £10 on petrol and again hoping that'll do me till next Friday which is payday.