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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.

Have a fabulous frugal February with the fantastic frugaleers

885 replies

northender · 29/01/2014 23:33

As we filled the old thread, thought I'd start a new one for February.

OP posts:
AdoraBell · 06/02/2014 19:59

NSD.

Fab about that dress Amber

Those party bags sound great Expecting

Will read the Jack Monroe link later, Thanks for linking.

Iamnotanugget · 06/02/2014 20:04

Amber I'm very Envy. I have a wedding to go to later in the year but nothing to wear and currently pregnant so have no idea what shape I'll be by then. A fairy godmother delivering the perfect dress would be amazing. You have a great friend.

expecting those party bags sound lovely. I made dd's party bags last year but I'm inspired to try your idea this year.

Someone has finally bid on my ebay stuff, yay! I'm estimating I'm going to over spend by £100 this month so anything I can claw back will be useful.

Ohhelpohnoitsa · 06/02/2014 20:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SpangleMaker · 06/02/2014 21:20

Expecting - bags sound gorgeous! I bet your DD and her friends will be over the moon with them.

Delasi - well done with the cashback. I really must get into that. I've signed up with topcashback but not bought anything yet.

Kinky - yes going to the supermarket at the weekend is bad news for the budget.

I may switch back to a Saturday delivery when the DC are older but at the moment I find my work days are a bit crazy - out of the house 6.30am - 6.30pm, then read/bath/bed, then prepare lunches, laundry, cook our tea, chase preschooler back into bed, etc etc - very easy for me to get disorganised and go out and buy crap/takeaway and forget to make work lunches. Disorganisation is my main culprit for overspending on food.

I also need to own up to £20 spend in Home Bargains today. I can never go in for just one thing Blush £20 bought birthday present and wrap, new toothbrushes for DC, lunch snacks, Friday treats for DC, conditioner x 2, shower gel so not bad.

ItalianWiking84 · 06/02/2014 22:00

Help.... Hi all,

I cancelled my car insurance with admiral because the car is sold and they said they would pay back my credit.
I have now found out that they have transferred my credit to my account, great
But
They have transferred back to my old debit card number. I use to be a Lloyd's bank customer but got moved to tsb. I still have the same account and sort code but got a new card with new card number
Any body who knows if the transferred will still get to my account or what should I do?
Thanks

Fluffycloudland77 · 06/02/2014 22:15

It should get automatically transferred but I'd ring the bank to check. You can't be the only customer with this situation.

ItalianWiking84 · 06/02/2014 22:49

Thanks will get the bank a ring tomorrow to check

hickorychicken · 07/02/2014 06:41

It will get transferred no problem, i had 600 go out to be refunded to my visa debit but lost my card and had to cancel and it still went through, also in the switch from lloyds to tsb, will be fine Smile

lilacclery · 07/02/2014 07:20

Big expenditure coming up on Monday car key acting up & locked my 12 week old & almost 4 year old into car on tues, luckily she was able to unlock it from inside, nearly lost my life & will be €150 less well off on Monday to get a new one. Hope it's the key that's the problem & not a more expensive central locking problem.

Tesco shop ordered for Monday €100
Three days meat in freezer so butchers should be cheap enough for next week too.

AuditAngel · 07/02/2014 09:21

Went for physio yesterday, 1st session cost £50, follow ups will be £40. Fortunately I can reclaim up to £250between now and June, but I should be able to get an NHS referral, on way to GP now. Been instructed to get pain killers and anti inflammatories, wow, 2 prescriptions! Expensive

NK5BM3 · 07/02/2014 09:30

NSD couple of days! Happy weekend everyone. I'm thinking that this shop weekend will be bread, fruit and veg. That's it. Freezer is full. Need to cook!

delasi · 07/02/2014 09:51

Small top up in Lidl yesterday, £7, stuck to list so all good. The local Lidl is now open later making it easier for us to go there on our way home, so my aim is to try and buy most, if not all, of our milk, bread, eggs and ham/cooked slices in there. They're cheaper for other things, of course, but we get through those four things in huge quantities (it's only me, DH and 14mo DS, but we seem to need at least 16 pints, 3 loaves and 18 eggs a week Confused the cooked meat is just cheaper and light to carry!). We can't carry too much stuff home which is why we get groceries delivered, but I think these will be alright as we pass it regularly enough. Milk is £1 for 4pts, their white farmhouse is now 59p, and the large free range eggs are 15.1p per egg so all very good.

Also just tried Lidl's Freeway cola the other day, it came with our takeaway. It's surprisingly good! I usually never go off-brand with coke but I would definitely give it a go again.

Just looked at my current spendy tally, it's... ahem... a tad steeper than I'd planned. But, in for a penny in for a pound Grin It's all very much needed and I have some peace of mind knowing that'll be it for years. DH's boots are gorgeous (I love them far more than he ever will!), the quality is such that you can wear them solidly for 5-10 years and only need to resole them once and they still look fantastic, so they're not that expensive taking that into consideration.

Once it has all arrived safely we will be getting rid of all of the stuff that is now on its last legs. DH's lovely boots are replacing a pair that we got from Clarks 3 years ago, I trusted Clarks , but they were so disappointing Sad And we weren't able to replace them. I got a pair of shoes there at the same time and they were falling apart within a year, I couldn't believe it! So I'm a bit burned by that experience. Only DS gets shoes from Clarks now, and he only has the one pair that were bought on sale. The next pair will be Crocs! (I'm unreasonably excited about buying DS a pair of Crocs in summer...).

Fab41 · 07/02/2014 10:16

I need to join in before it all gets out of control. We moved house a month ago, but lost our buyers just before completion. We managed to move by taking a huge mortgage but then had a 7 week first payment last week which was unexpected. Also had to pay DHs tax bill at end of month. Add in all the bits and pieces which you need when you move and the credit card is creeping up.
I am telling myself it will all be fine once the sale of the house goes through, but do need to rein it in.
So, nothing spent so far today, will aim to keep it that way!

ItalianWiking84 · 07/02/2014 10:42

This weekend is going to be a spendy weekend. We are having a 3D scan on Sunday, anybody had that? 90 pounds, which I still is happy to pay, because its such a special experience. And then afterwards, we will go and look at baby stuff. Clothes is in general cheaper here than NL/DK, so we will most likely buy some bits and pieces to take with us.

AuditAngel · 07/02/2014 11:08

Been to GP, 3 prescription items £23.55 but I was really struggling with the pain. Doc is doing NHS referral for the physio, so will pay for next one then hopefully free, means if I need some after the NHS ones finish I still have some private physio to claim.

Kids all at school/nursery, DH coming home tonight, DD2 has her dancing show, unfortunately having been told she only needed bunches we've now been told it has to be either one bun or 2, since she has so little hair (only 3) I need to get bun rings, clips and hair nets.

Ellisisland · 07/02/2014 11:12

Fab41- we had that when we last sold. So stressful. Hope sale goes through soon for you.

Low spend day here. Took DS to the library this and paid 80p to pick up a book I had reserved. The paid £3.99for a couple of sticker activity books to give as presents at a birthday party DS is going to tomorrow.
This weekend should be quiet. Just the party to go to tomorrow afternoon. DH has been working outside in the rain and wind all week so announced last night he doesn't want to leave the house again till Monday Grin can't blame him as he has been getting home soaked through every day this week.

Hope everyone had good frugal weekends Smile

hickorychicken · 07/02/2014 11:22

3D scans are brill, such a nice treasured experience Smile

Congrats Thanks

ItalianWiking84 · 07/02/2014 11:33

hickorychicken thanks :) Cant wait either, and we will finally see if our little minion is a boy or girl, yaaaaai

expectingnumber3 · 07/02/2014 11:37

Thanks everyone! I love making stuff for the kids. Not sure if it works out cheaper in the long run but it keeps me out of the shops!

Spent £1.95 on coffee with a friend today so not too bad.

Have a great weekend. Hope no-one is hit too hard by the storms.

TheNightIsDark · 07/02/2014 12:02

NSD so far Grin

DS has decided he wants a superhero birthday party. Thinking of doing it at home as only 12 children so suggestions to do it on a budget would be brilliant! I'm thinking of getting some cheap fabric and making capes for all the children and cutting out some masks for them to decorate.

TheOnlyMrsW · 07/02/2014 12:51

45 in Aldi yesterday, still looking tight until the end of the month but will do my best...........planning NSD's today & tomorrow at least. Happy Weekend everyone Smile

SpottyTeacakes · 07/02/2014 14:35

Nsd so far but I really want a take away.....

IamMummyhearmeROAR · 07/02/2014 14:40

£222 on fixing an oil leak in my car, £4 for lunch in town while I was waiting for the car, £40 on new work trousers (2 pairs) and £15 on a jacket for my dd- reduced from £27. Rubbish day.

AdoraBell · 07/02/2014 16:20

NSD today, will catch up later. Glad your 4yr old was able to unlock the car Lillac

silkknickers · 07/02/2014 16:29

two NSDs in a row! But DS1 is off sick today so we have been tied to the house.