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Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

I have a few ideas...any other tips for how to start the year as I mean to go on finance wise!! :)

39 replies

Badvocatyuletide · 27/12/2013 15:19

Come on all you frugal mumsneters...
Cc bill is coming down :)
We now have savings in case of emergency (the reason for said cc bill was no savings :()
I am a bit overdrawn after Xmas Blush but only £50 and it's free (no interest charged)
I have set up a Small payment each month I to my savings account so by next Xmas I should have £200 at least :)
In march I can cancel my stupid mobile contract and hope to get that down to £15 a month.
I have some lovely boden skirts I am going to e bay - sadly no longer fit :(
Also have some duplicate dc Xmas gifts I have put away for dc friends b days etc
No more entertaining to do - phew - but jan is a looooong month!
Need tips for keeping food budget down and also NOT spending much in jan...thanks!
:)

OP posts:
Lovepancakes · 27/12/2013 15:30

Try not going into shops unless something essential you need and don't stray from that!
Have you anything unused in food cupboards that you could use up so that start the year with fresh supplies? I'm meaning to do this as have dried peas that have sat there for months!
I'm going to make a lot of soups with lots of veg and meat used more for flavour at our house now as DD gets meat at school. We also use our small freezer for meat eg if discounted quality meat I'll put it straight in for another day.

I now watch what I buy much more carefully too so tend to eat what's seasonal or reduced and snacks are things like homemade popcorn (so cheap) .
How's your electricity/ gas bills? We changed ours and saved a lot.
Is there anything you can easily do like dogsit over a weekend if someone's away? (We've advertised to pet sit as dd desperate to!!)

Original poster
Badvocatyuletide · 27/12/2013 15:54

Hi
We swapped all our insurances last year so no better deals there.
Dh sorted out the utilities - not sure which tariff - but I know it's lower than most.
We don't have a big freezer sadly :(
I need 2 b day gifts in jan...one I will have to buy as it's sils partner (hoping to get some ing in he sales...) but one is ds2s friend who I am sure will love a Lego helicopter ds1 does not want :)
We need to mend broken taps in both WC and bathroom :( but dh is hoping to do that. He managed to fix the dishwasher which gave up the ghost the week before Xmas! :)
My mobile is the one thing I will change in march. Any tips on where to go for the best deals?
We hope to holiday in the uk again next year which Dhs work bonus will pay for.
Our aims next year are to pay a big chunk off the cc and then use the savings to clear it totally and still have a small amount in savings for emergencies.
That's the plan anyway.....

OP posts:
Mum2Fergus · 27/12/2013 16:55

A few things Ive done in anticipation of Frugal 14...

  • diarised when all insurances etc are due for renewal so I can start shopping around early
  • meal plan, always using up what I have in before resorting to shops
  • no new clothes or make up, I've plenty to see me through
  • set up DD to pay credit card, £500pm and anything I have left at end of month will be paid to it too

I'm currently on track to repay first of 3 debts (2 cards, 1 loan) by Jan 2015 but aiming to repay as soon as I can. Once 3 debts are repaid I want to repay mortgage early, at least by time DS gets to secondary. Ambitious but I hope it is achievable.

oadcb · 27/12/2013 16:59

I'm joining in but no tips really as yet.

chanie44 · 27/12/2013 17:02

My biggest weakness is when I go to the shopping centre - I'm always picking up small bits and pieces.

I plan to:
Set up a standing order to my savings account.
Take out cash from the savings account for those purchases.
Keep the change in a special purse.
Give myself weekly pocket money and whatever I save is for treats.

Mum2Fergus · 27/12/2013 17:06

I've also deregistered cards off iTunes, Ebay, etc. and am unsubscribing from 'offers' emails as I receive them...

HazeltheMcWitch · 27/12/2013 17:07

For phone, don't sign up to a new contract+new phone deal, but keep your existing phone and look somewhere like giffgaff for cheaper sim-only deal.

Mum2Fergus · 27/12/2013 17:25

Good one Hazel...I got an 'add on' SIM to DPs account. Works out £12pm for me for iPhone with unlimited texts/calls and 2GB of data

Cocolepew · 27/12/2013 17:27

If you change your sim card Tesco does a good deal. If you top up £10 you get £20 free, if you top up more you get more free credit but I'm not sure of the numbers. The free credit stays on for 28 days. Both the DDs have Tesco sims and when my contract is up I'm getting one instead of a monthly contract.

I collect brown money in a big bottle and this year I'm going to put 20 pences in it too.

Original poster
Badvocatyuletide · 27/12/2013 17:52

Ah, you see I hate the phone :( it's rubbish.
Am planning to sell it on mazuma and use the money to buy a new payg one.
Is that a good idea?
Will get about £40 for it I think.
I have an ocado del pass so pay £6 per month for as many deliveries as I need :)
Tend to use them for basics and then top Up from co op and asda. My budget is £100 per week for food/toiletries/etc which I think is doable for the 4 of us, even with my dietary constraints and ds1 eating more than dh! :)
Have listed some stuff on e bay...here's hoping!

OP posts:
Mum2Fergus · 27/12/2013 18:47

Maybe have a look on Ebay/Gumtree and the likes for a SIM free phone for sale...there should be plenty with it being Christmas and lots of people swapping/upgrading? My house budget is £100pw too, manage on that fine so long as I meal plan...

Mum2Fergus · 27/12/2013 21:22

Have sat tonight and listed everything I have in fridge/freezer/cupboards and have enough of 9 meals without having to do any shopping (bar milk and bread), pretty pleased with that Smile

Fluffycloudland77 · 27/12/2013 22:01

www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/mobile-phones/SAMSUNG_GALAXY_ACE/MONTHLY?tariffNetworks=TM&colourCode=WHITE how about a deal like this? Topcashback is offering £36 cashback on new pay monthly phones.

Shop around other providers for cashback as well.

Original poster
Badvocatyuletide · 27/12/2013 22:03

Pooh fluffy...thank you! :)

OP posts:
Original poster
Badvocatyuletide · 27/12/2013 22:03

Ahem...that should have read "ooh"

OP posts:
Original poster
Badvocatyuletide · 27/12/2013 22:04

Ferguson...that is great! I have lots of biscuits, chocolate and tinned stuff...not enough for proper meals :(

OP posts:
Original poster
Badvocatyuletide · 27/12/2013 22:04

Argh!
Fergus!
I think I need to go to bed!
:)

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 27/12/2013 22:08

I'm probably going with these people from next August though.

www.ovivomobile.com/

Mum2Fergus · 28/12/2013 15:40

First of meal plans tonight...sausage/onion/carrot casserole with mash and broccoli. Had to buy a loaf today but had 35p off voucher for it Smile left over cheesecake if anyone fancies it for dessert.

In other news, Id planned to pay what was left of Dec salary to overdraft in Jan...have taken plunge and repaid it in full and had it removed...so will have to make what I have left last me til 20 Jan...feels a long way away!

TerraNotSoFirma · 29/12/2013 18:47

I'm also going to go with ovivo mobile as of next month.
Getting rid of sky and landline.
Weekly meal planning on a Sunday evening, order online for a Monday delivery.
Will sit down and work out a budget to be debt free by this time next year.

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/12/2013 19:48

I'm going to contact my mobile provider and see if I can wriggle out of my mobile contract a bit earlier to go with ovivo.

Ememem84 · 29/12/2013 19:56

I'm not buying any clothes for a while or any new beauty products until I run out.

Were meal planning and using up food before we buy more. Have frozen milk so we'll always have some. Will be using car less. And will be trying to use less energy (already charge up phones iPod bb etc at work....) only heat times were in etc.

peggyblackett · 29/12/2013 20:02

Try FB selling pages for flogging Boden. There are Boden specific pages. Saves you the eBay fees.

Cocolepew · 29/12/2013 21:20

I put this on another thread but there are good ideas on Pinterest for budgeting etc. Mostly American but still good ideas on planning, making your own cleansing stuff etc.

It's also really good if you buy magazines. I look through Pinterest instead.