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Cost of living

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.

Judicious January Jangling & Juggling *blows budgeteering bugle*

999 replies

claretandamberforever · 30/12/2013 18:22

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.....

OP posts:
SpangleMaker · 09/01/2014 20:40

FreelanceMama, possibly & sawadeeka thanks for your responses about working freelance. It definitely appeals to me - I prefer working flexible hours than 9-5 although regular hours (and regular income) have been easier to fit around nursery as most places want you to book the same hours every week. I am lucky that at the moment my role is relatively flexible and I have a lot of autonomy, which suits me, but is unusual in my organisation. I can see me getting frustrated if I have to move to a more formal management role. I definitely need to stay put for a few years though as atm we're sinking everything into the house & have hardly any savings. I'll be here for a while I think! Grin

Fluffycloudland77 · 09/01/2014 20:42

ilovepicnmix

Do it. It's bound to be free listing sometime soon.

Nahmate · 09/01/2014 20:49

Thanks for the hellos :)

Cant believe how fast this thread is going. Off to catch up now...

ilovepicnmix · 09/01/2014 21:09

I've never used eBay and am pretty rubbish with technology fluffy however I'll have a look over the weekend and see what I need to do. Can't be that hard im sure. I've got other bits to sell so might be worth it.

teampugh · 09/01/2014 23:21

Thank you so much for linking to our blog. We can confirm that by going supermarket free (which we did for purely money saving at first) we have cut our weekly shopping from about £80 to £34 per week. Its actually also changed our lives for the better. Please do head on over and say hi. We love to hear from folks who are walking the same path as us.

Cheers Team Pugh
www.ayearwithoutsupermarkets.com

Nahmate · 09/01/2014 23:34

Was very interesting reading through.

I've spent the evenings looking through cupboard s and freezer. I couldn't believe how much I had in (blush)

I ve made a meal plan. I posted it on another thread here. All I will need this week is the essentials bread,milk,nappies, etc

I'm aiming for minimum spend next week.

delasi · 10/01/2014 00:14

Ooh, teampugh! I have a question Grin What did you do about things like toilet rolls, washing up liquid, tinned goods, cereal...? In the past I've found these basic staples to be a lot more expensive in local shops than in supermarkets, but I'm now curious as to what you do. Haven't quite made it through all of your blog posts yet, having only discovered it today thanks to NK5BM3!

kiwikaterpillar · 10/01/2014 05:17

Well I haven't been in the thread for a while because we have had a massive blow out Hmm. The car (which I knew we would have to replace this year at some point) decided to crap it's engine so we had to buy a new one now.
We will now be spending the next few months trying to build the savings back up again- sigh...
Anyone have any good tips in cheap and interesting things to take for lunch at work? Going back to work in feb after maternity leave and don't want to get into any bad habits!

NK5BM3 · 10/01/2014 06:50

Hello teampugh - I am one of your followers on twitter.. V inspiring. But unfortunately not v doable for us as the 'independent' places are really those places that seem to cater to the vv posh. But will try!

FreelanceMama · 10/01/2014 07:40

Our local shop is just a newsagent/grocers type place that has stuff from Happy Shopper and some veg, eggs, bread, etc. So some things e.g. Cat litter or packet mixes (!) are cheaper than supermarkets.

You probably need to do some research and comparison to see where the bargains are. I'd use supermarkets to stock up on dry and tinned goods when they're cheap. If I had room at home : (

delasi · 10/01/2014 11:18

kiwi Do you have access to a microwave at work? We eat a lot of rice, so I often put some in a box. We keep some chopped frozen veg, eg peppers, carrots, peas, sweetcorn, throw some handfuls of these in and they defrost by lunchtime. Cheap frozen prawns can be chucked in too and also defrost, alternatively any leftover meat you have, or just have veggies, and throw in some sauce/condiments if you want (leftover gravy, pickle, relish, chutney, mayo...). It's really quick but gives you a proper meal at lunch that is tasty, filling and healthy.

When I lived alone and so didn't have much in the way of leftovers I would make tuna pasta - boil pasta, mix tinned tomatoes with basic herbs, tuna, and some cheese if I was feeling adventurous Grin, mix it all together and take in for lunches. It lasts a few days in the fridge at least, or can be frozen. Or tuna pasta salad with pasta, tuna, mayo, sweetcorn and spring onion.

Tortilla wraps are also really easy, quick and interesting - throw in some frozen veg again (I keep saying frozen as it's already chopped and quite cheap to buy so minimal prep), plus leftovers, or cooked meats, sauces etc. You can make up several, wrap in foil and freeze. Then on a day where you feel like having one it will usually defrost by lunch, or pull it out of the freezer the night before.

Ploughman's too, easy to prepare but makes a nice change especially in warmer weather. You can buy those homebake rolls quite cheaply, throw one in the oven either in the morning first thing whilst you dress or the night before - or just buy some crusty bread rolls if they're within budget. Block of cheese, sliced ham, grapes - easy things to have in the house that will get used, then just cut off a chunk of cheese, take some slices and a handful of grapes and throw in a box (everything gets thrown into the box here Grin). If you have little pots, like weaning ones, they're good for some butter and chutney. Have a plastic knife in the box if there's none at work.

Soup. Everyone likes soup, no? Condensed is very easy if you don't have anything prepared.

One MNer gave a tip for breakfast on the go which I thought was a really good idea: buy croissants (cheap or reduced will do), slice down the middle on the side and stuff with ham and cheese (or anything else you might fancy). Wrap in foil and freeze. When you get up turn on the oven and throw one in, within about 20-30mins whilst you get ready it should also be done and then you can just take it with you (NB: remove from the oven with a glove or somesuch however!). I take granola bars or flapjacks as I can't eat breakfast at home, which I will be making from now on.

Don't forget to have a reusable bottle to put a drink in (juice, water, Coke, whatever you like!) as it will be much cheaper than buying a drink out. If you like sweet treats then buying multipacks and taking one with you will also be much cheaper than buying out. Bananas, apples, pears and satsumas/tangerines etc are easy to throw in the bag.

Generally speaking, we just always cook a bit more than we need for the meal (force of habit, we don't seem to know how to cook just for two), so I just put leftovers in a box and reheat at work. It's great! But I have to have a 'proper' meal at lunch, I can't get by on a regular sandwich Confused

Sorry it's so long Blush

delasi · 10/01/2014 11:20

Forgot to add, chop off a chunk of cucumber and throw in a few cherry tomatoes for your Ploughman's.

CremeEggThief · 10/01/2014 11:32

Just buy a few tins at a time and enough cereal, loo roll and kitchen roll for a week at a time. If you buy these every week, you won't run out. Spreads the cost, and saves having hoards of stuff in the house that might not always get used.

NK5BM3 · 10/01/2014 13:47

Delasi has lots of good ideas re what food to bring to work. Those are quite a lot of the kinds of food I bring too.

I can't really survive on just a sandwich. I don't know but I've not been brought up that way and in a similar way my kids have non sandwiches for lunch! The closest we get to a sandwich is a wrap.

Cheese, cucumber, ham are good staples with the wraps. Leftovers are good fillers too.

We eat rice, pasta, noodles so these get brought in and heated up in the microwave at work. Tbh the son brings those to school too sometimes and they don't heat them up for him and he's happy.

Pizza is good too. Friends of mine have also brought leftover takeaway to work. Smelt lovely!!!! Grin

FreelanceMama · 10/01/2014 15:19

Spent 79p on a bottomless coffee at Wetherspoons (bargain!) but just spent over 30 on fleadrops for the cat.

Fluffycloudland77 · 10/01/2014 15:44

NSD today.

I think that's the third in a row. Big food shop tomorrow though.

Approved foods do things that you can use to cheer up lunch time like big bags of sponge mix. They sometimes come up very cheaply and you can portion & freeze. You could use it as a quick pud with custard as well.

kiwikaterpillar · 10/01/2014 18:26

Thank you so much for all the great ideas for lunches. No excuse to buy a lunch out now. That should save me a fair bit as lunch at the foodcourt near work is around $15.Shock That adds up over the year.
I am planning on going through the bathroom this weekend and seeing what toiletries and make up I have stashed away and do an inventory. I'm hoping it will mean i won't have to buy any for a while

FreelanceMama · 10/01/2014 19:21

kiwi good idea. I'm still working my way through all the little bottles of showergel we've accumulated from presents and holidays. I don't think I've bought any for over a year!

Ohhelpohnoitsa · 10/01/2014 19:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ilovepicnmix · 10/01/2014 20:20

kiwi I am currently using up a load of random samples of aloe vera products that I was given for free about a year ago.

£2.24 on a few bargainous food things in b&m like old el paso wholemeal wraps for 29p a pack. I work next to a b&m which is why I'm in there a lot Grin

CremeEggThief · 10/01/2014 20:49

£6 on a takeaway pizza and £2.30 at Lidl. Also £18 for DS' s scouts subs and another £1 for his bus fare, but that was already budgeted for.

Have a good weekend, everyone Smile.

NK5BM3 · 10/01/2014 20:57

Is the end of my nsds till next week! Today I spent £9 on essential stuff like wraps and some veg, bread rolls that were going cheap in sainsburys etc because we are going to the panto tomorrow (almost last day) and don't really want to spend money on lunch out! We might do cake afterwards but I'm thinking about the intermission.

Also spent £6 on a yoga class. After much reflection about my belly, and chatting with friends I think I will do some light exercise to tone myself up and also as a destressor. So it does feel good. My first exercise in many many years tbf (yes I've done the odd swim on holidays but those aren't really exercise are they?).

Happy weekend everyone. Will have to do a supermarket shop tomorrow. If I'm keeping to my £30/week spend (that's over and above the main big shop) then it means I only have £16 left to spend this week. I may pick and choose... And try and save up all the essential shop for a big monthly thing. What do you guys think?

I kinda think if say I run out of sausages then it just means I have to conjure up some other food right? And not rely on sausage? If I nip out to get sausages then I run the risk of I guess popping 10 other things in the basket?

Ohhelpohnoitsa · 10/01/2014 21:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NK5BM3 · 10/01/2014 21:44

Thanks oh help. Thats encouraging. What do you do when the kids are fussing? The reason I went to Sainsburys tonight was really for the panto trip (prep for food). And we'd really run out of bread and wrap.
I usually have toast for breakfast but this morning I had cereal because we were low on bread.

But yes I'm going to try. This afternoon for ad hoc lunch, we had defrosted home made soup, meatballs, leftover pasta and the one slice of bread!! Grin It really felt good finishing up bits and bobs from the fridge and freezer.

northender · 10/01/2014 21:53

Today's only spend has been dh's lunch £2.50. We've ended up with a £12 surplus this week Smile . Have done almost all the food shopping for the coming week so hopefully will be okay.
Did our first family Friday today. Had home made pizzas then watched a DVD that the dc chose. Halfway through I did us ice creams with waffle cones bought but never used in the summer. Mil bought us some really nice ice cream before Xmas and we hadn't used it so that came in handy. The dc loved it and we'll try to do it when we can.

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