Judicious January Jangling & Juggling *blows budgeteering bugle*

[claretandamberforever]

Sorry, couldn't resist going overboard on the J's

Happy new year y'all. Welcome to expert budgeteerers, newbies, lurkers and de-lurkers. We're a very friendly, non-judgmental bunch so please use this thread as you choose whether it's as a spending diary, to confess your money sins, ask for help or have a general whinge at the cost of living.....

NSD today

I think more and better cooking would help us too fuzzpig - then will be less tempted to have unhealthy and expensive things like pizza (from shop but still relatively pricey)
Did a Tesco shop today but needed to to get new kettle as ours broke last night - also thinking a bigger weekly shop better than several smaller trips to local shop. Nice kettle on special offer for £17 so pleased with that.
Also picked up some interesting things in the bargain section - home-made style lemonade popular with DS.
And we've just tried out the toastie maker I got for XMas to hopefully cut down on cost of weekend lunches - much cheaper here than at park cafe!
Was yummy with brie (also a bargain from Co-op Christmas section for £3 for a whole round)

£1.29 on milk

NSD here apart from £34 for dd's swimming but that was in the budget. The fridge is beginning to look a little bare and it's only Wednesday! Kids have run out of yogurts (again) and the milk is getting low. I still have quite a few bits in the freezer and a healthy store cupboard but will have to do an aldi shop at the weekend. I will do a meal plan and try to make it as cheap as possible but also sw friendly!
Dh has mentioned treating us to an Indian out for family Friday this week. The money could probably be better spent to be honest but we could do with the family time.

NSD. Left my purse at home on purpose.

Co-op have reduced the brie to £2 n camembert to £1 but we don't eat either was tempted by camembert as comes in round baking dish!

Got some sausages reduced in waitrose today worked out at 80p for six luxury sausages got 2 pks then chiplotas wrapped in bacon 8pk for 80p.

Decided not to do zumba tonight friend couldn't make it and i thought would save £3 plus the petrol.

NSD (don't feel there have been many this month so far!).

picnmix how are you finding 5:2? Yesterday for me was ok until watching tv in the evening - so many food adverts! I went to bed feeling quite hungry planning the feast I would have this morning; surprisingly didn't feel massively hungry when I woke up and just had porridge as usual.

Finished paying off our B&Q kitchen this month - saving £90pm! (already pretty much eaten up by increased EDF direct debit but hey-ho!)

Frugal thing: have started using face time rather than calling by phone!

Asda still have the 50p sale on and the Spar offers are good this week
I had a check and the Dole fruit pots I bought from home bargains are 45p in Tesco and 5Op in Asda. I paid 19p for them.
Not a NSD here but I still have housekeeping left.

NSD! Think that's my 3rd. Coincides with 3rd day back!

Any thoughts about how to finish up Christmas cheese? I think dh would eat it all eventually. But seriously.. There's heaps. Any thoughts?

Also Christmas chocolate (like those santas...). Aren't great quality (you
Know how they are) but can I use them in cakes/cupcakes even though those recipes always ask for good quality choc (70% cocoa etc)? Any thoughts?? Thanks!

I'd freeze the cheese well wrapped up and labelled and use the choc in rice crispie bars.

Simple but moreish so there's no waste.

£2 on a birthday contribution at work. £30 on petrol and then £4.51 on fruit and veg in aldi.

fluffy it was left to the manager's discretion but I think the fact that I also switched my credit card, my isa and DS's isa swung it.

I don't think they'd do it for me then. Still worth it for the £5 a month though.

ohhelp just checked mobile banking and £100 sitting in each account waiting for the switch. I think I've just been really lucky and maybe doing it in person helped.

turnoff this is my second time on 5:2. I lost about 9lb to get rid of the last of my baby (now toddler) bulge. I haven't put anything back on other than a few lbs over Christmas. I find it ok if I keep busy.

Forgot to say - do you reckon brie would freeze ok?

Possibly not. You'll have to eat it.

Thanks fluffy! I think I'm not doing v well on this starving thing.. I am hungry. I think I need to go back to eating normally (I would say that I'm usually a v healthy non snacker). I eat 3 meals. Toast or cereal, rice/noodles or wraps for lunch, and dinner which today was fried rice.

I hardly eat biscuits or crisps ... Drink coke once in a few days.. Not much wine if at all...

Maybe I just need to do the plank!!!

Yes NK - good question about Christmas chocolate. I'm not such a sweet tooth (give me savoury any time!) what can I do with the enormous chocolate Father Christmas sitting in the cupboard?!

picnmix I'm planning a no tv, busy evening tomorrow. Might do a bit of pampering to use up all the odds of lotions and potions I'm trying to declutter. Btw, you always seem to have so many work collections - they are so annoying! I once worked somewhere where we paid a little extra milk money and then all collection type stuff was paid out of that, much better imo but haven't managed to implement at current job!

Today was another NSD but ended with me discovering the conservatory has sprung a leak . Why do things continually crop up to thwart your efforts?

£4.50 today on flavoured water, skimmed milk and brown rolls oh the glamour! also £2 on Morrisons Xmas savers stamps.

Quick up date, sorry can't catch up ATM.

£15 on breakfast. Test couldn't be done and have To traipse back Tomorrow. It will be about £300 if my card will work.

Spent the entire day in an air condicioned mall after the clínica. DDs had a fab time window shopping and trying on. We went in every shop They've ever been told "not Today" asked To Go in, starting with Dolce & Gabana, where I told them do not touch anything because I can't afford To pay for it if you make it dirty. They were very good. First time I've been in a fancy pants store like that, I wasn't overly impressed.

£4 on roads. Tomorrow I'm taking DD2's breakfast with as it was a treat Today that I can't afford To repeat. And then coming straight home as my feet refuse To "do" another shopping day.

frugal Iamnotanugget and anyone else loving fajitas!
Peppers are massively overpriced in the supermarkets but check out how much they cost in local grocers where you pay by weight. An Indy superstore near us sells them for about 35p each because they weighed.

possibly and sawadeeka comforting to know I'm not alone. Feeling a bit better after a chat with DP reminding ourselves that this isn't for ever and we're getting to each spend loads of time with DS before he goes to school.

Don't you all wonder what you did with all your money before the kids came along?!

Aargh just wrote a long post and it seems to have gone.

FreelanceMama, possibly and any other freelancers - is it worth it? Had a coaching session yesterday and realised freelance consultancy is something that really appeals to me and fits with how I like to work. I' not ready for it yet personally or professionally but I'm trying to work out whether it's something I'd like to do in a few yrs so I'd be really interested to hear about your experience.

In other news, I plan to start potty training DD at the weekend so knocked nappies off the shopping order Need to buy (lots of) cheap pants though.