December debt destroying *blows the budgeteering bugle*

[claretandamberforever]

Okay, so probably not much debt will be getting destroyed this month, but hopefully we won't add too much to it.

Here's the thread you want if you need to keep a spending diary somewhere, confess money sins, ask for help or have a general whinge at the cost of living.

Welcome to any newbies

Well I've got right into the spirit of shopping early! In actual fact I'm really not bothered about sales, would usually be the last thing I thought of on Boxing Day, but had a little browse and...have bought 3 x Little Bird baby-gros, half price (total £18) for three friends who are all expecting in March/April. Feels a bit weird to have splurged but am feeling really good that I'll be able to give friends quality presents rather than usual last minute bargain basement dash! So I haven't saved money as such as would probably spend the same amount when the time rolls round, just feels like I've got better value. Please stop me if this new-found organisation (spending) gets out of control!

I survived my 450 mile week long Christmas road trip. Lots Of NSDs too!

Have meal planned for next week but came home with leftovers from mums so that should stretch to 10 days.

My boss has offered me extra work. It will add about £170 to the coffers after tax and childcare.

Thank you, I think writing it all down will help me so much!

I had a NSD today. Also set up an eBay/paypal account and added 6 items of clothing to sell. Am going to have a big wardrobe sort out and add more items and donate the rest to my local woman's aid refuge.

Am taking DS and 3x DNeices to cinema tomorrow - already paid for the tickets as part of DNeices Xmas present, but will buy them snacks and a happy meal afterwards it's a once yearly thing!!

Then in afternoon going sales shopping with DBoyfriend, am only taking vouchers and cash I got as Xmas gifts though leaving the debit card at home!!

I cut up my credit card today so I'm not tempted to spend on it while paying it off

It's also DBoyfriends bday on NYE, I hope he's planning a quiet one.....not likely though, we only buy token/joke gifts for each other I have most of it already, need to add socks and hopefully a nice jumper/t shirt in the sale, so less than £20 more hopefully.

I am paid every 4 weeks, next payday 22nd January. All bills have been paid, apart from my virgin, need to set up new DD for it.

Also have a broken foot and am not expected back at work until end of jan, so saved approx £200 fuel costs December and approx £250 in January as I can't drive, plus money spent on take away coffees and food......every cloud!!

If anyone on here is a shift worker that lives either alone or only with a small child, any tips on meal planning would be great fully received.

Here's too a frugal January!

monstermunchme I'm not a shiftworker, but I co-parent with my ex, so often my DSs are not with me. I menu plan on a weekly basis and check what nights I have the DCs. I then plan what we're going to eat and ignore the nights that they are at their Dad's. I also factor in what days I'm working, as those evenings I know that I am not going to have the time for a lot of food preparation (so we have something simple like pasta and sauce). I then shop to the menu. Menu planning is SUCH a good way to save money (and food) and makes sure that the DCs get good, healthy food as well.

Thanks silknickers I also have joint custody and my organisational skills are not great, so I end up throwing loads of food away!

Will start menu planning from my next shop

Claret you won't regret the MUA make up, I use the kohl pencils and they don't budge plus they glide on really easily. I've tried pricey dior ones but couldn't use them.

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=8736367 moneysaving expert recipe thread.

Feed a family of four for £100 a month

organizedhome.com/printable It's easier to save money when you are organised.

www.hotukdeals.com/all/all/hot Hot uk deals. I didn't get it at first but now I do.

www.astonishcleaners.com/categories.html Astonish cleaners, available at morrisons, homebargains, b&m and sometimes poundland. All approved by the British union for abolition of vivisection, vegetarian and made in the uk too. Ethical & cheap. The orange multi surface cleaner smells like Cointreau.

Tesco Daisy dishwasher powder One dessert spoon of powder in the bottom of the dishwasher, excellent cleaning and not tested on animals. You don't realise how mediocre finish et al are until you switch.

Laundry gloop recipe You don't need the borax, it's not cheap and it's difficult to get hold of. I use plain white soap from sainsbos (not smart price though) because its BUAV approved. I grate the soap in the food processor.

I'll post more later, I'm on a pad and my elbow hurts now.

Loving that Organised Home site fluffy.

newyear when you first start budgeting it's often astonishingly easy to shave a few quid here and there. Just make sure the sums are realistic!

I am redoing our budgets for 2014. Am rather alarmed at how difficult it is to trim an already tight budget! So much easier to cut spending when you're having half a dozen lattes a month and holidaying abroad.

I am definitely at the stage where upping income is more realistic than cutting bills much more - I can't do more than save the odd tenner on my food bill or the odd five on a family day out with coupons or whatever. Am currently looking at DH's and my schedules to work out a sensible shift-work type pattern so I can work as many hours as possible for as little childcare as possible.

I have to say that regarding meal planning, it is not the ingredients for main meals that make the bulk of our spend but all the extras: decent tasting pop, sandwich fillings for four people, snacky stuff. I can spend as much on extras as I can on mains.

I'm not a shift worker but I'm a lp to a wee DS. He stays with his dad every other weekend. Do you have a decent sized freezer monster? I use my slow cooker lots and batch cook. I've been on a bit of a cooking frenzy recently so at the mo in there I have lentil soup, homemade fishcakes, sausage casserole, cooked chicken, cooked brisket and gravy etc. It means I never have to cook properly when I have DS climbing up my leg. Before I go shopping I have a think about what's in the freezer, plans for the week and what I fancy eating. I then buy salad, veg etc. I make sure I have plenty of rice and pasta in and always have frozen peas and frozen mixed veg in as well as tinned fruit. However, my method relies on a decent freezer!

ilovepicnmix yes, I WISH I had a large freezer! I envy all who are able to batch-cook. I do a bit, and have to remember to regularly go through the freezer in order to generate more room.

Can't catch up properly as am in danger of losing my conection, t'internet still playing up.

Spent money yesterday, normal working day here and we needed yet more chickens for dogs. That turned into £90 in the supermarket. DD1 had To pay for her own 1D paraphanalia and DD2 for her BFF's present.

We need a new kitchen tap, DH is going To the local builder's merchants later.

Will catch up properly when our tech problem is solved, they say they are coming out Today the check, I only half believe them.

Hope everyone had a lovely Chritsmas

Right, on I go,

Lidl do half price weekend offers, usually something pork/lamb is on there for a bargain. Limited to 6 per transaction. This weekend it's bacon.

Sainsburys smart price tea is lovely, 27p for 80 so I bulk buy 15 packs at a time. Dh hasn't noticed we changed teas (three years ago) but frequently says what nice tea I make.

Aldi do a bio powder for whites, laundry gloop doesn't cut it on whites. Very cheap and not tested on animals.

Aldis rinse aid is £2 for a litre. Works as well as branded because its the same active ingredients. Bunny friendly.

Christmas puddings on sale now are quite likely to be in date for the next two Christmases if you can control yourself and not eat them.

www.approvedfood.co.uk/ This is brilliant for cake mixes and tinned food for those of you with storage. Depends on your view on out of date dried produce etc.

Halifax are still offering £100 if you switch accounts, I applied on a Monday and had the money on Friday.

Don't forget topcashback and quidco, topcashback price matches quidco & ime pays out quicker, it also offers 5% extra for some transactions if you take it in amazon or marks and spencer vouchers. They do snap and save for some merchants. Every little bit helps.

Check your water boards website, they might do free water saving tap inserts and shower regulators. Easy to fit.

Shop Rush does high end shampoo/conditioners etc for really good prices plus topcashback usually offers 10-15% cashback too. I've tried cheap hair care and I look awful.

I'm joining.

Have had an hideously expensive December, mainly due to moving expenses. I'm consoling myself with the hope I'll get the full deposit back when I eventually move again and my mental health has improved since I moved.

I live in an expensive city and my disposable income seems to evaporate every month leaving me with very little to show for it. I don't have any debts but desperately need to get a handle on my savings.

Will read the entire thread when I next get back online.

Thanks to fluffy for taking the time to post all those useful links.

DS and I had a lovely time watching "Frozen" at the cinema today. I'd really recommend it as a lovely family movie. We hadn't been to the cinema since the summer holidays, so thoroughly enjoyed it. We also treated ourselves to a Costa afterwards, and I had my watch fixed (free, as it is still under warranty) and paid in the cheque my mum sent me for Christmas. So, £5.10 on travel, £7.80 at Costa, using my points, £17.45 at the cinema and £5 on M&S sundries. So, £35.35 altogether.

Phew, budgeting done, finally!

We have had to take out a loan (which we knew we would), but it has come in at the lower end of my guesstimate, even with keeping our nanny on at two days a week for a few months to attempt to grow the business a bit more. So the budget is still v tight, but I am feeling in control of it and as long as there are no major shocks we should be ok. Fingers crossed for a bit of 2014 business growth though!!

cremeegg I'm planning on Frozen for the Christmas Eve hamper film next year! We had Arthur Christmas this year, which went down really well. And Primark pyjamas (a bit of a jump down from last year's White Co ones , but they looked fab).

Unexpected NSD today as got DC1's feet measured expecting to need two new pairs, but he he hasn't grown at all, which was a nice surprise.

Ooh so jealous of everyone redoing budgets etc! NSD here but travelled down south for our next Christmas instalment! It's been a week of festivities so far and we're all feeling over stuffed and out of sorts. I'm currently reverting back to some controlled crying with nearly 2 year old dd as she's so out of routine. Heart breaking as she's usually so good at self settling; she's now in travel cot grizzling to sleep whilst I loiter outside with my phone on timer . Jealous of the budget setting as it's at this time of year I begin to look forward to n austere January - lots of beans on toast and normality!

Thanks for all the tips fluffy, was talking to a friend yesterday about quidco. Never having used a cash back site I didn't think it would be worth it but she was raving about it.

Thanks fluffy I keep meaning to do the Halifax switch. Did you do it online?

Welcome soitheast

I spent £13 something in aldi today. My mum has arrived with loads of food and booze! Oh and loads of pressies for my DS from the family. I got some lovely toiletries and books so I'm delighted. Also got a loaf tin and bread mix. Does anyone make their own bread and do you think it works out cheaper?

southeast it should read

I switched to halifax online. I'm trying to persuade dh to switch.

I make bread, I think it's cheaper. If nothing else it's tastier.

Welcome to all newbies. Stick with these threads, they are a constant source of support and motivation for me.

We have 8 weeks to get through on a very tight budget due to Christmas excess but then things should get easier. I feel reasonably confident that we can do it. We have a freezer full of food so should be able to manage for a few weeks with v small top ups. Remember to budget for the things you have to pay for at the beginning of a new term, kids activities etc.

I had NSD on Christmas Day, £20 out with friends for drinks yesterday, NSD for me today but dh spent £2.50 on a meal at the staff mess with his team.

I went food shopping today for milk and fruit and ended up spending about £30! But I have bought some reduced items that will do as gifts when dc get invited to parties so it's ok.

Thank you for all the advice fluffy although I think we do all those I think cashback sites are great. We've had about £1000 back in the last 5 years but that's with only buying very little/essentials. I agree topcashback pay out quicker but I think Quidco are better at sorting out any problems.

Whoever asked about the cinema, you can take your nectar card to vue and spend your points. Or, cash in your tesco points for odeon tickets. Tesco only pay for tickets but nectar cover sweets etc. Also I find vue slightly cheaper. If it's children's films you want to see then look at weekend morning showings or any day in the school holidays as both show cheap recent-ish films. For grown up films try Tuesday or Wednesday night as their often slightly cheaper.