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.

Can I join? I am always skint lately and just depresses me

DH is at a job interview today for a much better, better paid job ...it's the first round of interviews, I really hope he makes it through. At the moment he earns just enough to pay his own bills and CC minimum payments, car bills etc but this would double his salary and allow him to help me clean up his debt, I don't begrudge him it at all but it would be better all round if we can both attack the debt equally!

Everyone's welcome sp.

Cars are a major drain aren't they? Lets hope it's not as bad as you think north. Bus fares not cheap is it? It's £5 return for me to do a 8 mile round trip to the nearest town.

MissAnnersleyismyhero good luck for the job, even if he doesn't get it the feedback can help you get the next one.

89p on a valentines card.

Nsd. Mil has got a job which means dd can't go to nursery on one of the afternoons she usually does and means we're screwed for childcare when my parents go on holiday (3 weeks booked this year) and when we go on our honeymoon. Might have to quit my job at this rate

Childcare is a nightmare. I live in fear of my DM deciding to go back to work full time as she massively helps us out right now. I will have to change jobs when I go back to work after this mat leave ( which starts in sept) CIA on my current salary even reduced childcare just costs too much

Even if we could afford full time childcare they don't open early enough for us or stay open late enough

Been reading through the posts, remembered I also have a Next directory account thingy. Does anyone know how I can cancel it and close the account without going into a store please?

They have a phone number gruffalo sure you can do it that way

Spent £35 in Aldi yesterday and that will get us through half term so not too bad.

NSD today and hopefully tomorrow too. Fingers crossed half term will be cheap as well - am planning to potty train ds do will be in the house. Have printed off a load of colouring sheets for the dd's and have lots of craft activities lined up too. Hopefully we won't all go crazy in the house!

Childcares crap in this country though isn't it? We need full time state nurseries so parents who need to work can.

Oh dear. Bought valentines gift for dh, which was a much needed watch, but £25 plus £6 for cufflinks. All okay, except I then also bought heart cutters and chocolate hearts for the children. I need to go back on the wagon.

Saving grace of the day, being positive, is that I ate lunch and drank coffee at home and I had been in a bad habit of buying both on the way to work. Should be nsd tomorrow.

NSD so far today (it's got to the stage where I am scared to declare it before I am actually in bed ! )

Thanks fluffy they told him that the call backs for the second interview will be later next week - it's a job in a school and their half-term starts tomorrow so there'll be a bit of a delay getting things sorted. Argh!

I've been shamefully unfrugal today. Ended up spending just over £70, in tesco, aldi and home bargains. Didn't exactly splash out and the vast majority of what I bought is stuff I need or will need soon but it was a shock how quickly it added up to the best part of £100! My one redeeming frugal deed was that, after running out of basil, oregano and parsley all at once, I decided to buy a jar of mixed herbs rather than replacing them all individually! My least frugal thing was buying some tulips for myself, as its Valentinesl's day tomorrow and I'm single so there's sure as heck not going to be anyone else buying them for me. Don't regret them for a second :D

northender, fingers crossed its not as bad as you think. My car is such a flipping money pit :(

Good luck to your dh, missannersly!

Am really pleased as my frugal last couple of months seem to be paying off!
IF all goes to plan and we all know how unpredictable life can be I should end the month OD by just over £100, which I should be able to make up in March!
It's really encouraging to see that all the little things are really making a difference

Frugal dinner out - Harvester does meals for 4.99 (including salad bar) and DS's meal was 3.99 but they let you take home in a box the leftovers so he filled up on salad bar and rolls and most of his dinner came home and should last two meals!

Otherwise a NSD. DS and DP went to the Sealife centre (we have an annual pass).

Accidental frugal extra - forgot to buy DP a Valentine's day card. So have to make one tonight after DS is asleep.

NSD! But tomorrow will have to give £1 for non uniform day. It will go to the local hospice. Oh I did spend £13 a couple of days ago on a pizza stone which is dh's valentines present!! I haven't got him a card.

This weekend will be spendy as I'll have to get another 10 or so party bags and party food at some point for ds' birthday party on the following Saturday. A friend is coming over on Saturday and staying in a hotel and we will go for tea.

I'll be going to work on Saturday as I have so much to do and can't get them all done!!

ohhelp!
The name is purely fictional. If I was describing my genuine undergarments I would be called oldgreyingwithfrayingelasticknickers

Well, the car news is mixed. It looks like it will come to about £400 but our very lovely garage man tracked down a second hand part from a breakers yard to save a few pounds. He's now waiting for the parts so the work won't be done until next Thursday. We now need to find at least another £100 before the end of March if the budget is going to balance but at saying quite positive.

We're away for the weekend if we make it to Devon through the storms. Shouldn't be too spend as we're staying with relatives and will take plenty of snacks and drinks for the journeys. Going to meet up with a few friends I haven't seen for ages so really looking forward to it

Terrible storms here since 12pm Wednesday, couldn't hold my class so down about €150 from that. Had to borrow from savings to pay for car key but seems to have solved all problems. Ordered a seal for car door €65 will collect when have funds.

No electricity for 30 hours means throwing out some stuff from fridge luckily it wasn't too full & kept freezer doors sealed so nothing lost there.

Dhs valentine present never arrived, hopefully today or I'll be cross!

Sitting down later to plot my direct debits as got stuck with another referral fee today when bins payment came out. This is a new direct debit as always paid for 6 months before.

I've been stung for bank charges, I paid the council tax before dh paid his half of the mortgage/council tax/leccy & I reckon it will be £30-40 to pay next month.

I'm changing our joint account later to the co-op so I can claim the £100 switching bonus, at least I'll have Internet access to it then.

These storms are just awful, it's ruining people's lives.

I've been planning to buy a couple of high sleepers for the DCs from Argos for months - I checked yesterday and they're now half price! And because I went through Quidco I have cashback on it. Indeed, I'm using a backlog of quidco payments to part-pay for the sleepers, so in real terms I have bought them for a quarter of their original price. Very happy with that!