Have a fabulous frugal February with the fantastic frugaleers

[northender]

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

Oh goodness - all of these car repairs sounding expensive...mine's booked in next week, eek!

Yesterday - £60.98 petrol, £0.69 blueberries from Aldi in order to get change for the bus , £1.50 on the bus. Total fail as well as the bus was so late and slow I had to call DH to dash across town to punch up dd from nursery anyway - desperately need to fix my bike!

3frugalthings: store cupboard eating this week, last night was soup frozen from beginning of feb; sent off my sun holidays form, closing date is Friday so may well be too late but worth a try; am keeping thermostat set to low despite drop in temps, my dressing gown is now a permanent fixture!

Also, about valentines present, or an idea for any present...I'm buying DH gift vouchers for a glamping company, first one for valentines and will continue to top up for Father's Day, birthday and Christmas. Hopefully will add up to a night away next year. Frugal because I couldn't afford to buy a night away all in one go and I resent spending money on useless crap, this feels practical and a gift that will keep giving as we plan our trip over the next year. Spent £20 this time.

Thanks for the suggestions Ohhelp definitely do that one as well

thriftylesley.com/ This lady has some frugal recipes.

One cheque arrived today THANK FUCK FOR THAT. .

I've told dh not to get me anything for valentines, I'd rather he spent the money on himself.

NSD yesterday as both dd's off school with horrid colds. They are back in today though, but still not 100%. Thank heavens it is half term next week.

Off to Aldi this afternoon with ds, just for fruit, milk and snacky stuff for next week. Freezer still full after my Aldi shop 2 weeks ago and careful meal planning. Very chuffed with myself!

The support on this thread is awesome. This is the longest that I have ever managed to be frugal for. Long may it continue!

Spent £14 at sainsburys today and will have to spend another £10 on petrol on the way home. Wasn't planning on buying food today but we are at the bottom of the freezer, no time to do big food shop till tomorrow and my poor DH is working outside in this awful weather (we are in the south west ) trying to keep drains unblocked and putting up flood barriers so am making him his favourite dinner for when he gets home.

£3 today on play group even though we were only there half an hour because DD had a melt down and wanted to go home. I did get a cuppa and DD made some clay models though so pretty much got our money's worth.

Have to post a coat for eBay later, sent £20 for activities on friend's hen do and will have to book train tickets later so crossing my fingers that won't break me.

This thread is really helping me keep focused. I keep thinking I'll just pop out for such and such then stop and think actually do I really need that? Usually end up deciding no! Writing everything down really helps, too.

If anyone wants steak for Friday night morrisons are doing 400g of sirloin for £4.

£2.60 hospital parking
£2.25 coffee and toast at sainsburys waiting for hospital appt
£6 on toddler snacks and baby cold remedies!

Amber you probably know this already but if go through topcashback you can get cashback (few pence but all helps!) at redspottedhanky on your train tickets. Redspottedhanky also have a loyalty scheme so you can start saving towards some money off your next trip. If you have any Tesco vouchers you can change them into double the value redspottedhanky vouchers. Lastly if you're changing trains try buying tickets for each part of the journey, it's usually cheaper. I travel by train fairly often and hate how expensive it is!

Returned a couple of items today but forgot to send ebay item. Too wet and windy now. Will do it tomorrow.

I love the support of this thread too! In fact after an epic walk, bus, second bus, walk to get home I was feeling hungry and really wanted to pop into tescos for a little snack for the final leg (even tried to convince myself dd needed something to keep her going too!) but thinking about posting here made me walk on by. Now sitting with a cuppa and a biscuit - 'free' food! Total of £3 on bus journeys.

The support here is great. Definitely makes me think about what I am spending and why. Since joining I haven't used the overdraft at all, no debts even been paying the nursery fees at the start of each term rather than letting it hang over me. And have also got a emergency savings pot of £150 aiming to get it to £500. £150 in my baby savings account. And £100 in my DS savings account. All thanks to you lovely people!

Oh thanks iamnotanugget, I didn't know that. Could someone please explain topcashback to me? I'm kind of late to the party...

Is it okay to join, pl? I had a little no spend week thread and now I'd like to keep going with as little spending as possible with the odd carefully chosen cheap treat.
Today was an absolutely no spend day-didn't get in the car and we stayed in all day.

Another NSD. Nearly reaching the middle of the month and it's looking good I think. I still have to buy a few more party bag stuff for the rest of ds' class who've finally decided to reply. I'm thinking I'm spending a lot on this party! When do these big parties end????

Still have to pay another cc bill but that can wait till next week. Dh will hopefully be able to put more money in the joint account. He's currently being owed money from a client and she's a colleague of mine. It's making things difficult all round. Lesson learnt - never have friends as clients!!

Everyone's welcome bbg.

Dh has gone to buy smart price ginger biscuits for me, now that's a cheap treat.

NSDs yesterday because I had my wisdom tooth out and couldn't move and today yes!

Will be tomorrow as well, with any luck. Have paid £390 off the CC from eBay winnings this month, will be dumping anything left in the bank at end of month off it too, it's great to see it go down.

It is incredibly windy and cold and rainy here today - was going to pop out for eggs to make a cake but weather put me off, a win for the thighs and the wallet!

NSd today. First one for ages. Weather meant I wasn't going out at lunch. Haven't taken money out of bank for ages.

ellis am very impressed with you little saving pots. You are right about this thread. It keeps us in line.

Welcome bbg keep us posted on your spends, we will keep you right.

Nsd this weather is just naff and really can't be bothered to go out. I hope it clears up for the school holidays next week. I have a budget of £50.00 and it will soon go if the weather isn't good. It's so much easier to entertain kids in the summer.

packed lunches for all now.. even DH is taking own lunch to work.. he was a very difficult one to convert but doesn't seem to mind at all now...

Funnily enough, I notice far more people having their home-made lunches in the City now.. used to stand out, but not any more.

Ohhelp - thanks for the tip.. I'm going to have to cancel some of my cards that I have no balance on, and wait the obligatory period before re-applying. Those are good periods to have 0% for..

I did get tripped up by opening up a Barclaycard to transfer a balance on to, then found out I couldn't, because the card I wanted to transfer from was actually part of the Barclays group... grrr...

Not a good day today. The car is in for its not and it hasn't gone well . Don't know how much yet but I'd budgeted for £300 including a service. Our lovely garage man suggested skipping the service as it hasn't done too many miles since the last one so I'm still hoping it might come in on budget. Cross your fingers for me ladies! The joy of owning old cars.....
Otherwise I've been out for lunch with a friend, not v frugal but we don't do it very often. Had soup, a drink and shared a pud £6 plus £5 bus fare as I've no car

MOT of course not not

Food shop today which came in at £100 but that should last us two weeks as shopping with DS is such a nightmare at the moment I want to do it as little as possible!

Our trip to the zoo at the weekend is off as the weather is so awful so we are going to have a picnic in the house instead saves us the price of the tickets but it would have been nice to go.

Hoping for a fairly low spend rest of the week as all stocked up on food and got everything for DS birthday on Monday.