Marching into a miserly march with the mumsnet frugaleers

[Fluffycloudland77]

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

Dp is pissing me off so I've spent £40 on some new Birkenstocks I do need them though (mine are seven years old) and these are flowery ones

Spotty - perfectly valid reason for new shoes

NSD here. Listed some more stuff in eBay and some books on amazon

Have spent most of the day in the garden enjoying the sun before Monday comes around tomorrow. Why do the weekends go so fast ?!

£5.79 in Lidl. I made pear muffins with pears past their best and a leek, mushroom and potato bake with veg in the same position, so feeling properly frugal for once.

I made some leek and potato soup with soggy veg

I do need the shoes but I've eaten into the money I've saved for the dc's vaccinations I should be ok though

God, I'm feeling irritated with DH today. I offered to make a present for his nephew, which would have cost nothing (have everything I needed already, really the only expense would have been time). We then agreed to up the budget to £.499 because there was a book that his nephew mentioned he wanted a while ago. And I have just discovered that because DH forgot to actually order the bloody book he instead sent his nephew a £10 gift voucher. I know it's only a tenner, but I have just scrimped and saved and made an effort and managed to get our own DC's birthday present for £12.29 and been really pleased, and he has spent virtually the same on a relative that we could have spent virtually nothing on. It's such a nothing thing to make a fuss about, but I really thought that this time we were both on board with making the effort, rather than it all coming from me. I am waiting for him to come home so I can ask him about his reasoning and try not to rage at him.

Possibly- stuff like that annoys me as well. I had that problem when me and DH were in debt. He would be so frustrated that we couldn't pay hundreds off at a time that he would think oh well sod it what does a tenner matter. Took me ages to get through to him that tenners add up!
Luckily we got debt free and now he has a totally different attitude. It is such hard work when you feel your are the only one trying to get yourselves sorted though

ate weed risotto for lunch today, using chive (ok, not technically a weed), wild garlic and nettles from the garden. Felt virtuous, healthy and frugal and then ruined it all by eating a Wagon Wheel

Hello all, haven't been on for a while. Again, haven't been tracking but haven't been overspending.

Another Xmas present to add to my collection; a bottle of £11 brandy from Aldi for my mum.

I noticed that Morrisons have 1l bottles of Bailey's reduced by £6 to £19 if anyone knows anyone who likes that as a tipple.

NSD.

There's been a few single malt whiskeys reduced to around £20 a bottle on ukhotdeals or whatever it's called. They usually retail at £30 plus so it's worth getting them now.

He is very contrite now Ellis but I am sat here thinking 'well it's bloody easy to be contrite but you still did it.' He volunteered to lose it out of his kitty next month, but he has already sacrificed £25 of his £50 after a night out this month, and clearly giving him nothing at all next month isn't going to work. I think he realised how silly it was when I pointed out he spent £2 less on his nephew than I have managed to spend on our own DC's birthday present.

Evening all. 4.55 in Costa. I had planned on going to waitrose cafe to get my free coffee but it doesn't open till 10.30 on a Sunday. As today was DS's first dummy free day we were up and out to the park early.

3.22 in Aldi.

I realised this morning that I left DS's wellies at my friend's house yesterday. That's over an hour drive away so I'll need to buy him a new pair tomorrow.

No spend weekend! Very pleased.

Apart from the Tesco delivery yesterday was a NSD as was today.

DD1 asked for sweets after her swimming lesson but I said we had chocolates at home.

Cleared the garage with DH and listed some stuff on Gumtree (well, my sister is doing it for me) and already had an email asking if one of the items is available

Unfortunately only one cake came in Tesco delivery for DD's party next week instead of 2, also no hot dog rolls. Will have to do an order for Friday in case not available so I can get out for it on Saturday before Sundays party.

The stuff I didn't get meant I stayed in my shopping budget.

I got a voucher for £3.58 off my next shop.

Spent £9 at Sainsburys as picked up some stuff for a picnic by the beach. But we also brought some frozen sandwiches (from ds' birthday!) and yesterday's homemade pizza. Spent £3.20 on ice cream too. And £1 at church.

Happy work week everyone - is it me or are the weeks flying by?!!

Very frugal weekend. Had a cold yesterday and felt miserable so didn't go out at all. Ds3 played Minecraft for most of the day. Felt guilty so took ds swimming - no extra cost as I pay a gym membership monthly (which is a joke as I have never even been in the gym. I do swim most days though). We then went to Dobbies for our free latte and hot chocolate and as I had £30 of vouchers I got for my birthday we had lunch, bought two hanging baskets, a chocolate cake, a little toy for ds and sweets for ds2 so that he didn't feel left out. It came to £28.68 so with £1.32 change I finished the weekend in credit.

Also sold something on Gumtree for £40 yesterday. I will need to keep listing things.

Hoping to spend nothing now until Wednesday when I am going to do my top up shop at ALDI as a friend has a £5 off voucher she can't use and I certainly can!

NSD.

Dreadful few days to be honest. All good intentions out the window ina flurry of guests, dp's birthday and family fun

Thursday: Aldi £13.45. Weather was so good i threw meal plan out the window and decided to make burgers instead. then my friend who I've not seen for 2 years phoned and said he was working nearby so I invited him for dinner but he's vegeterian so had to buy him stuff. Wine, crisps and all sorts crept into the basket

Friday £1.95 on a shirt for ds in charity shop

Saturday: took dd and her friend for cake and milkshakes £8.70. Birthday cards, cake ingredients and fry up ingredients plus 2 bottles of squash £23.50. Botttle of DPs favourite wine £10.99

Sunday (DPs birthday) lunch out £42. Top up shop of all teh things i forgot yesterdy in Sainsbury £15.67

Total just in 4 days: £116.26

running total for month £315.47 :(

I'm rubbish at this

Don't be too despondent lists it takes time I think to get fully into a new way of thinking and living. Just put it behind you if you can and move on. You'll always get support here x

NSD. Did some baking with dc and a trip to the park. Made some minor alterations and repairs to a few items of clothing.

Thanks Northender. At least DP enjoyed his wine, the cake turned out well, we had a lovley day and although lunch seemed expensive it was only £10.50 a head including drinks so not really that bad.

Spendy today

£13.45 on easter chocolate for DH we are such children and have budgeted £15 to buy each other stuff

£2.10 on club soda to make spritzers for fun in the sun

£6 in Aldi on coffee, raspberries and the garlic for planting in the garden that I went in there for

£10 on several multipacks of tights for work

On the other hand...

Frugal win: went up to the allotment and made 2 raised beds, set out one normal bed and discovered - 2 rhubarb plants and 6 small raspberry plants abandoned there by previous tenant! If we manage not to kill it = free yummy fruit!
We put in a load of onions, garlic and parsley, think it's still a bit early for anything else.

Hoping to get up there and get at least 3 more beds prepped for when planting season really takes off!

I need to buy a birthday present for my nephew, but am going to try to get my mum to pick it up for me. Then I can't be tempted by the shops and it won't be late like I usually am!

His mum suggested a Kobo book token, nice and easy.