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.

What's the sign mean?

Maybe like "on yer bike love" ie piss off?? I don't know!

I got a raise for the promotion I actually felt more nervous than when I interviewed last year for my current job, it's so much harder when they know you and you know you'll have to see them again etc. the person I am replacing was told today and they are not happy ...

Also got awarded £75 compensation by energy ombudsman to be paid within 28 days by evil ex energy supplier who messed me around for 7 months. Win!!!!

Now just hoping EE pay me back the £58 they wrongly took off me and I'll be loaded

MissAnn great news on your promotion, well done .

£50 off next acct. only £50 to go then I'm closing it! Will pay that next month

Well done MissAnnersley and I'm glad you are getting a pay rise with your new position.

Cadbury I try to fill up when I still have a quarter tank, not been happening recently but it reduces the associated stress a lot.

I think the might be to do with some kind of campaign about road safety, according to what I read elsewhere.

I can't see anything on the app. Can't see cake or other things either

£3.57 in Lidl.

The universe is shining on you missa! Great news!

£3.05 coffee and cake with friend. OMG! Finally made it to card factory - 10 cards for £1! But my frugal win was short lived when I popped into Home Bargains and found chunky chalks at a fraction of what I paid for them last night on amazon oh well! you win some...

Just got my electricity bill, another £140 being credited to my acct. frugal WIN.

£2 at soft play. Otherwise NSD. Was going to shops for the big shop but one thing led to another and didn't make it. So will do it tomorrow. Happy weekend everyone.

missanne well done on getting more money.

at 10 cards for £1. I spent £2.75 on one last minute birthday card . That's what being disorganised does to you. My own fault. Same as the diesel situation. adora usually I am a bit more with it in terms of filling up the car but ... (I don't have an excuse).

We don't have a card factory or anything round here. You have to travel an hour to get to one

Well done MissA it's nice to feel things are going your way.

Congratulations on refund Spotty, get that Next account closed!

Spent £125 on groceries. I'll need fruit and milk and so far I've not planned any meals for our self catering week away but I'm determined to eat from the freezer as we were over spent last month after buying various baby related bits including huge parking bill for hospital.

Car tax is due soon but I've been building up a fund for these things so that's ok.

Hoping for ns weekend.

yay spotty and spring on bargains!

I'm now obsessing over a minor misunderstanding with a senior colleague - proof, if proof were needed, that I just need something to worry about!!

NSD today, Dh bought me a glass of wine to celebrate new job being made offical etc.

Welcome Zing and Jolly.

£16.20 for 2 prescriptions yesterday (daylight robbery) and £18 for DD1's dancing hoody.

£118 yes £118 in the dentist. The only good thing is I can claim that back. We have a cash back plan with our health insurance and I have about £350 to claim back for me (contact lenses, dentist, physio and DD1's glasses twice over) plus £150 for DH. The annoying thing is they pay it to DH then I have to practically beg to get back what I gave paid out for.

Tomorrow we gave to collect DD1's ordered (and paid for) ballet shoes, buy so do ready meals for my parents (mum has given me money -it isn't fair to expect DH to do real cooking in his afternoon break and they prefer ready meals anyway)

I also need new toothbrush heads, (dentist told me off!) and a first communion card, plus card and present for DS for a birthday party.

Minty, the house is big, but it is also detached which increases the cost and it doesn't have cavity walls, so no cavity insulation.

When we bought the house we changed some windows, but some still need changing. We also put in loft insulation then floored most of the loft. Since then the minimum recommended depth of insulation has increased, but there is no room for more under the flooring.

We put in new heating, but DH likes the house hot (I'm trying to train him out of it), then as soon as it gets warm he wants the air conditioning on!

I'm feeling the roof repairs pain. We have had a quote of about £2.5 k to replace some damage from a leak during the storms. The ceiling and inside is covered, but we think they won't cover the roof saying wear and tear. We also need a new skylight as the outer double glazing broke, looks like insurance will cover that though.

Audit Have you seen the solid roof insulation? The normal lagging wont work if you compress it because it relies on air to trap heat.

I'm guessing its a pre ww2 house . If it is it needs a certain amount of ventilation anyway, if you insulate it too well they are prone to damp.

£1.20 tea bags
£2 marked down bread and rolls.
£10 petrol.

spotty well done. You'll feel better when that account is closed.

Audit did you know you can buy a prescription season ticket for either 4 months or a year if you have a lot of prescriptions? You buy the season ticket so you pay upfront a set amount and then you can have an unlimited amount of prescriptions in that time period. DH got one when he had to pay for a lot of prescriptions and it worked out a lot cheaper.

Audit can I ask what health insurance you have with cash back? We are looking to get some insurance and yours sounds good!

I'm usually a lurker/frequent name changer btw. These threads are fab though, thanks!

Spent £1 on a doughnut for DD2 while we waited for DD1 to finish sport at school. Don't know how the weekend will turn out yet.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

ohhelp I think you're right!

Audit that is annoying, I hate waiting for money back - am waiting on a couple of smaller refunds at the minute and even those are getting on my nerves!

I din't know about everyone else but since I started seriously trying to be frugal in January, I have asked for far more refunds, queried my energy/phone bill and found I am being wrongly or overcharged, taken unsatisfactory goods back etc. It's made me realise just how much money I was wasting before, it wasn't just active spends on shoes but the passive "spends" of not watching out for things like this.

I have a tub of the waitrose bottom butter, bought a few years back as it was supposed to be amazing for the face . I slathered on Vaseline last night and dd's skin does look better this morning - the cheapies are the best!

I agree miss, being frugal is not just about curbing shopping habits but also about being vigilant and brave enough to not accept bad value for money.

Hi! Can I join please?
I'm really trying hard to curb my spending habits as we're skint every single month and I have no clue where DP's money goes or mine. I thought food then I saw on another thread about an app called accounts. I've been using it all week and realised that I spend a fortune on nothing! nothing at all. Ebay and amazon buying rubbish. it's actually disgraceful.
I've worked out that our outgoings actually aren't that much. A lot of money on diesel and food but already shop at Aldi and am in the process of trying to change DS school to avoid the 10 mile round trip a day.
This week I have spent £9.97 on diesel and £1.40 on doughnuts. Since Monday. I'm so chuffed.