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Marching into a miserly march with the mumsnet frugaleers

997 replies

Fluffycloudland77 · 28/02/2014 19:45

Newbies, helpful tips & lurkers always welcome.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1600030-Small-money-saving-habits-petty-even

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1543785-your-top-tips-for-money-saving-and-a-more-frugal-life

OP posts:
SpottyTeacakes · 09/03/2014 17:07

Sorry to hear that Ellis, welcome backSmileThanks

CoolCadbury · 09/03/2014 18:00

ellis so sorry for your loss - not surprising you fell off the frugal wagon. Have you looked at the free £25 of organic meat when you spend £100 thread here?

CoolCadbury · 09/03/2014 18:04

Quite proud of us today. Spent the day at an NT house (have a yearly pass) and did not buy any cakes or drinks or anything - normally we end up spending about 12 quid.

Not a NSD though as we spent £1.98 on 2 punnets of strawberries at the supermarket.

CremeEggThief · 09/03/2014 18:17

£15.54 in Lidl, £2 pocket money for DS and 70p entry into local car boot sale, with visiting friends. So, £18.24 in total.

NK5BM3 · 09/03/2014 18:20

So sorry Ellis.

Went to the beach after lunch (managed to make it home for lunch which is great!). Spent £4.20 on ice cream.

Happy week ahead!

Fluffycloudland77 · 09/03/2014 18:25

I am sorry Ellis, welcome back.

NSD.

If you join the scottish national trust you can access all the English & welsh nt houses and pay monthly dd.

OP posts:
LizLemonOut · 09/03/2014 18:31

So sorry for your loss, Ellis Thanks welcome back.

£5 on swimming today and £13 in Tesco on cold sore stuff for me Sad and DD's vitamins.

planning a NSD tomorrow and hopefully Tuesday too. won't be using the car tomorrow either, we're going to a lovely park and will have a picnic (if its as lovely as today) and feed the ducks. Am going to try for NSD on Wednesday as well, actually Smile

Turnoffthelights · 09/03/2014 18:43

Welcome back Ellis Thanks

NS weekend for me! Cheating a bit ss I've had lovely take-away, roast dinner and a trip to a petting farm in the sunshine all courtesy of my lovely mum. I did use petrol travelling up the motorway but s more than fair exchange.

March for me has started off much better than February frugal-wise. Long may it continue!

FreelanceMama · 09/03/2014 19:32

Hello again, Ellis Thanks
I'm sorry to hear your sad news.

coolcadbury were you one of the 1000s of families who headed off to the NT places near us? (west Sussex) Smile we were going to use our annual pass today but the car park was full so we ended up playing with a ball in a village green and had lunch in a sweet café for 13 quid for DP, me and DS. Probably would have been a lot more but I resisted cake!

Have a good week everyone. Down this way we're set for sunshine all week which always makes it feel easier to be frugal!

listsandbudgets · 09/03/2014 19:33

A better day.

We were meant to be meeting friends for lunch at a local arts centre. When we got there it was so crowded we couldn't get a table so instead we went to Aldi and spent £10.35 on a huge picnic. I've still got enough ham and cheese for sandwiches for rest of the week and enough crisps and biscuits and fruit for puddings / treats until at least Friday :)

So not a no spend day but still frugalised by having a picnic instead of paying out probably £10 each in the arts centre.

Planning a NSD tomorrow. monthly TOTAL £188.46

CoolCadbury · 09/03/2014 19:50

Freelance and lists I think the whole country were out and about as it seems to have been packed everywhere today. Freelance was nowhere near you but the car park at the NT place was packed but the grounds are extensive so it still felt like we could breathe. Smile

AdoraBell · 09/03/2014 19:51

Ellis very sorry for your lossThanks. Welcome back.

NSD for me again, DH bought actually cheap chips and sandwiches, for DDs, while walking dogs. He Spent about £10.

SpottyTeacakes · 09/03/2014 20:01

Freelance I'm in West Sussex Smile

PeachandBlack · 09/03/2014 20:25

Sorry for your loss Ellis.

Mixed bag of a weekend for me, had a spendy Friday as went to cinema with a friend. She paid for tickets so I drove and paid parking and bought coffees to take in. Afterwards we went for a quick drink and a chat and shared a plate of nachos. Spent about 16 but was nice to go out for a change. Film was good too - Wolf of Wall Street.

Jinty64 · 09/03/2014 22:48

Not brilliant weather here today and a bit of a spendy day. Ds's HUDL stopped charging so I took it back to Tesco - good news, they are replacing it, bad news I spent £60 in Tesco.

Helenagrace · 09/03/2014 22:58

I'm also in West Sussex!

Been away for a work weekend so too busy to spend but DH took DS to play hockey and the car died. We think it's a rogue sensor in the engine management system but it's currently waiting outside the garage for them in the morning.Hmm

One bit of good news - DH has an interview!!! It would mean another move but the location is great for us. The interview may be this week.

MissAnnersleyismyhero · 09/03/2014 23:52

So sorry Ellis Flowers

Ended up spending £40 from food budget on compost, very large plastic planters and tomato seeds at the garden centre. Blush

On the plus side, gardening seems to be DHs new hobby so I might finally convince him to sell the 4 guitars that keep stubbing my toes and falling out of wardrobes onto me!

Frugal win - very lovely neighbour gave us a whole year's worth of Gardening magazines, which we can read each month and work out what to do in the allotment/garden.

Also the curry I planned for today ended up making loads more than I thought, so it'll do for dinner another night.

AdoraBell · 10/03/2014 04:09

Fingers crossed for DH's interview Helena

No school Monday so I'll be taking DDs with me To Get some shopping.

Ellisisland · 10/03/2014 10:44

Thanks everyone for the welcome and the Thanks

Have friends visiting today. Where we were planning on going is closed till April so we are having a cheaper day taking the kids to the park and then lunch at home. Don't think my friend was too impressed with the change of plan but out of my hands and the kids will have fun anyway. So cheaper than expected but still spent money on food etc at sainsburys so can feed them!
This frugal life must be catching though. Was paying at sainsburys and they have moved the kids magazines next to the check out DS aged 2 was looking and as he has been so good lately I said 'would you like a Thomas magazine?' And DS replied 'no mummy DS books at home' ! Smile

SpottyTeacakes · 10/03/2014 10:58

That's sweet Ellis!

£1.70 sending ds' passport application off. I didn't pay out for check and send as I've got plenty of time. I got the deputy lieutenant of West Sussex to countersign it, get me Wink

listsandbudgets · 10/03/2014 12:02

Just done this weeks meal planning. some of it is very frugal and probably a bit odd but using up leftovers. Trying to avoid the shops until next Tuesday except for bread and milk but might send DP as he's much better at not being tempted than me

Monday: veg and tuna stir fry with rice (lunch left over greek salad with pitta bread)

Tuesday: left over roast potatoes and leeks with bacon and mushrooms baked in cheese sauce (lunch baked beans on toast)

Wednesday: Tinned tomato and mixed bean soup with crutons very cheap as using dried soup broth mix - frugal tip cook the whole packet at once then portion them up and freeze them for later use saves lots of cooking time) (lunch ham and cheese sandwich with fruit!!)

Thursday: cottage pie using left over mashed potato from freezer, green beans and cabbage. (frugal tip bulk mince out with handfull of oats) (lunch taking my mum out for her birthday more money but never mind)

Friday: pasta with left over smoked salmon with cream cheese stirred through, garlic bread, salad

Saturday: Hopefully picnic lunch using leftovers from Sundays picnic plus sandwiches. Evening sausage chips and beans

Sunday been invited out for lunch and cheese or meat and biscuits with salad in evening

Monday: tuna mayo and sweet corn, baked potatos, salad

Trying for a NSD today. So far o good but not been out the door which helps!

SpottyTeacakes · 10/03/2014 12:05

Car tax letter in the post Sad

listsandbudgets · 10/03/2014 12:06

sorry just read a few bits

Ellis I'm sorry for your loss. It would take a lot less than that to stop me being frugal well done for climbing back on the wagon

Helena I hope your husbands interview goes well and your situation improves soon

expectingnumber3 · 10/03/2014 13:23

Oh Ellis, I'm so sorry for your loss.

Helena, keeping my fingers crossed for your dh, hope all goes well.

London was an expensive day as expected, £90! Dh has given me £50 out of the savings as it was a birthday treat for dd, so only £40 of my money.

NSD today, and hoping to keep it up until Friday. Fridge, freezer and cupboards are pretty full and I have meal planned for the week, so in theory don't need to food shop until next Monday. Have got to get a birthday present and post a small parcel, but that is it. Challenging myself to keep to under £10 for the rest of the week!

AdoraBell · 10/03/2014 13:46

Get you indeed Spotty Grin

Did rissoto last night, idea nicked & tweaked from Spotty's plan, no leeks so I bunged in some frozen chopped spinach and a little Chicken that needed using. Used long grain rice too as no proper rice in and it's fecking expensive here now so I may not bother buying it again.

Good frugaleering there from DS Ellis, you've taught him wellGrin

DD1 wanted an ice lolly where we had sandwiches yesterday and I said no, we have some at home. She tried "but they're boring" it didn't work.

My daily frugal effort is not using my phone To browse or MN while out. T'internet at home is paíd for but phone gets charged separately.