A miserly May on Mumsnet for the fantastic frugaleers!

[MissAnnersleyismyhero]

Saw April was getting very full so thought I'd start this off early!
Welcome to all who want to save cash, live frugally and pay debts, or just trying to live within our means!
Full of hints and tips on how to save money in the supermarket, meal planning and daily life.

Consumer apathy, that's why.

The worlds changing though and they won't get away with it for much longer because the baby boomers will be dying off in the next 20 years, it's a lucrative generation. Loyalty counts, the price stated is the price you have to pay, there's no point shopping around etc.

Hello ladies, I've been a bit absent this week, partly due to now having both parents here!

Sunday, about £3.50 when DS wanted pain au chocolat for breakfast so I sent him to Tesco on his bike for that and a carton of juice for my sad.

Monday was meant to be a NSD but DH hadn't bought wine and we had people coming over. £80 in a Waitrose but DH paid half.

Tuesday NSD.

Wednesday £15 in Tesco on buts and bobs (needed a bag of sugar, should not have taken kids!) and £5 for photos of DS for his theatre license.

Someone mentioned the cost of the kids dancing? I think we get quite a lot for the money, DD1 one hour lesson a week (she's only 3) DD1 has 1.5 hours twice a week, but sometimes the lessons overrun, whilst DS has 2 hours twice a week. If they have shows they gave extra rehearsals which cost nothing. For professional shows the costumes are provided, although I'm dreading the cost of costumes for their own ship in April next year.

Their uniforms I resisted buying until I was sure they would keep it up, and I bought them really big to last ( DS is 9 but quite small, DD1 is 7 but tall, I asked for age 8-9 for both but got age 9-11!)

DS is still on his first shoes, DD1 has worn out a pair, but I bought cheap ones (in case they didn't keep it up) and I think it was a false economy.

This weekend I'll do the meter readings and move the gas and electricity. I am a high user (£300 per month) but I haven't seen any reduction, because I was on a fixed tariff presumably?

Hey all - just spotted this article claiming 100+ ways to save money and have a frugal life! Haven't read it all yet but maybe worth a read...
www.apartmenttherapy.com/100-tips-for-frugal-living-how-to-get-thrifty-and-save-money-203155

Sorry, my dad not my sad!

DD2 gets one hour lesson per week, DD1 gets 1.5 hours twice a week (must preview posts.......)

Audit £300 a month, that's worse than us.

We are with Eon. I'm thinking of phoning to see if I can get a better deal or changing supplier but I don't want to be "out of the frying pan, into the fire" so to speak.

Ds3's HUDL is faulty again (second one since Christmas) so going to see if Tesco will refund as its ?not fit for purpose!

Tesco delivery today as I had a £5 off. I'm getting lots of value range stuff and should last a while.

Jinty I am with Eon too and I think it is expensive.

£8 in Asda on essentials (plus some doughnuts)

Good news - Tesco has refunded the money for ds3's HUDL!

Bad news - I've ordered him an i-pad mini. I ordered from Amazon as I have vouchers (which I was saving for Christmas). I will recoup by getting little things for his birthday instead of a big pressie. He doesn't ask for much really and will be delighted with this.

CoolCadbury a visa/debit card is not that normal in the NL, the most normal card is a Maestro, which can be used in all stores and so fare all the places I have paid online, except of course YNAB... :(
In DK I only have a visa card, that was the common there, but here in NL, you typically either have a credit card or Maestro and neither my DP nor me feel the need for a credit card.

Spent 6 euros in Danish store, 8,75 in supermarket and 2,19 on raspberry tea, which I hope I like.
YNAB came back to, only way to pay is with credit, master or express, since I have none, then I cant buy it. Did point out to them, that I found it weird they didnt provided more options, but know I will just go back to my old system, which worked fine, just a little more manually work.

Glad they refunded Jinty

Our electric bill this month is double what it should be and other than DDs leaving all the bleeding lights on I can't see why. I may just take all the light bulbs out.

I've pinned DH down to paying the vet bills, one is from Feb, I pointed out the monthly saving from having sold the gas guzzler is almost exactly the amount we owe the vet.

DD1 really needs some clothes and has cleared her floordrobe to emphasize the point. Even took out all the hangers because "I don't these as I have nothing to put on them anyway". I have squirreled a little of the grocery money and will look for some cheap long sleeved tops.

Hello, may I join you....?

I bought some Olay face cream RTC (they were about £2.25each) in Tesco earlier this week, and wouldn't you know it I've just found on SuperSavvyMe a money off coupon for £1 off any Olay moisturiser.
I'm so tight these days that I'm printing 3 mocs off and taking my receipt in with the creams to customer services to get £3 back

And you probably all know but Suddenly Madame Glamour is £1.99 in Lidl this weekend. And they've got some Q10 cream for 99p (not tried it personally so don't know if it's any good).

Welcome MrJolly

Is the Olay cream good then? I'm abroad and can't get the full range, or the discounts, that you can but I'm thinking of trying it as my Lancôme is nearly finished and I can't afford to keep paying their prices.

I've no idea Adora but for £1.25 I'm willing to give it a go! It's probably on a par with Garnier/L'Oreal I suppose?

Where in the world are you?

£1.60 hospital carpark.

My laptop is broken and it's going to cost minimum £100 to get fixed

afternoon all, free on me!

I'm here to get some tips.

Great news jinty! And welcome mrjolly - great savings already!

£3 calpol (poor little dd has a mega temperature)

£2.39 on crap food! I've been in a right grump today - have decided I'm an emotional eater!

I rang tesco credit card today to see if the 0% on purchases was still valid despite me applying for the card over 2 years ago. Turns out it's not so I cancelled the card. Probably a good thing anyway. I think if we go ahead with the roof repairs it has to be paid for from savings. Although spreading the payments is a nice idea it still means a considerable monthly commitment. I think we may have to put the repairs off for another year afterall.

Ooh meJolly thanks for the tip re the Lidl Suddenly perfume. It's an absolute bargain at full price so will be stocking up.

DH has started his new contract and the new house is going through to move late May.

Still no NSDs and this weekend we're away so not a hope of one then. TBH with all that's going on I'll be happy to have low spend days.

MrJolly welcome , I love Olay face cream so I may have a look and get a coupon.

spring I spent a fortune on calpol when my DD was small until I realised you could get in on prescription. I only discovered this when an OOH doctor added a bottle to a prescription for some antibiotics. From then onwards, when I was at the doctor (we were always there, as she is asthmatic) I would ask for a prescription for it to keep my stocks up. Some gps were a bit sniffy about giving me a prescription (I don't know why) but it saved me loads. Hope your DD feels better soon.

Some pharmacies do a minor ailments scheme where you can get things like calpol, headlice stuff, thrush cream, piles cream etc for free if you don't pay for your prescriptions. So that's all children obviously. They don't do it round here though

you'll get plenty of tips here

MrJolly I'm in Chile, just looked in the pharmacy and they seem To have stopped doing Olay, the Loreal/Garnier stuff is about £9/10. Can't afford it this week as have just spent £25 on 4 tops and a long cardigan for DD1. She has a winter jacket and warm school clothes already.

Oops, should have said - roads £2.40 by the time I get home, parking on my prepaid card.

T'is Mother's day here this weekend and I'm hoping DH doesn't do his usual 'I forgot so I'll buy something hugely expensive" routine. Telling him makes no difference, I'll have To get DDs on board.

Calpols just paracetamol anyway. Liquid suspension drugs always cost more. Generic drugs do the same thing as brand anyway.

£2 on milk and veg but dh will pay me back.

£7 ish later for a chippy tea.

I will be returning work stuff tomorrow for £4 and some fish tank gravel to pets at home for £4.50.

Audit I'm guessing your house is massive for the dual fuel to be that much.

I always get Tesco own liquid paracetamol, it's about £1.50 but I had no idea you could get it on prescription! I will be trying that next time I'm at the Dr (thanks Fanta and Spotty)

Thanks for the tips about calpol...I should have added that the £3 was totally from being unprepared for this temperature as we ran out of formerly prescribed bottle and when I dashed into tesco this morning to grab another bottle they had no own branded stuff. Being disorganised costs money!