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Cost of living

Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

A miserly May on Mumsnet for the fantastic frugaleers!

865 replies

MissAnnersleyismyhero · 28/04/2014 16:29

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.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 14/05/2014 21:24

I haven't had kids yet so I'm not commenting in case I say something stupid like your making a rod for your own back or just dip the dummy in sugar!

flossy101 · 14/05/2014 22:11

NSD today and an email was sent round work about Blackpool tower tickets being sold for 6p to celebrate the 120 year anniversary. So bought a few of those, Wouldn't usually go but for 6p you can't say no!

AdoraBell · 15/05/2014 04:04

£24 on groceries.

AuditAngel · 15/05/2014 06:41

Spendy day yesterday. £7.60 on snack while at hospital with DD1, had to wait 40 minutes for eye drops to work and they sent us to the cafe! Then £3 parking. £8.20 on lunch after the hospital.

At least they said I didn't need to replace her lost glasses, so I saved £15 Grin

Italian I was induced with DS, was warned I'd probably need an epidural, but I managed with one injection of Meptid (like pethidin but doesn't make you feel sick). Unfortunately I then needed a spinal to remove a retained placenta Confused . Had epidurals with DD1&2 but that was because they were cesareans. Incidentally with DD2 my blood pressure plummeted before they started the section, started feeling really odd, mentioned it, then the monitors showed it and it was feet in the air and stuff into the cannula!

SpottyTeacakes · 15/05/2014 06:51

My bp was 185/152 when I was in labour with dd Shock I was induced with both of mine pre term.

Going to be spendy today as I actually have to pay for the dc vaccinations I didn't pay last time I was in as they don't take cards (ffs).

FantaSea · 15/05/2014 09:35

Hoping for a NSD today as am staying in - that is the key for me, not passing a shop! DD is at home revising for her A levels and so no need for me to do my station run for her.

SpottyTeacakes · 15/05/2014 09:57

I've just packed a picnic all with stuffing have in the house. Previously I would have just bought a load of ready made bits from tesco Shock

silkknickers · 15/05/2014 13:42

£4 odd on milk n butter etc. Have really let things slide over the last couple of weeks, but have generally been a bit meh about life in general, which is unlike me. But I'm back on track (I think!) and have got £126.51 for food & fuel for the next 12 days. I know it's doable, so I've just got to have the willpower...

SpottyTeacakes · 15/05/2014 14:50

£224 vaccinations
£14 in boots (ds fell over at the playground so I needed to clean the grazes and they had toothbrushes half price which we all need)
£1.86 tesco on after jab treats.

MissAnnersleyismyhero · 15/05/2014 15:51

Would have been an NSD but face cream ran out this morning, so will need to replace it on way to collect a visiting colleague from the station this evening. That will be £4ish (I use simple stuff) so a LSD.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 15/05/2014 16:59

£5 fuel
£1 work supplies

£55 halogen oven
£54 thermal curtain linings & hooks

£51 ocado for 3 weeks supply of meat, cheese, milk and cupboard stuff. If I get fresh at lidl/aldi & cat food I should be able to keep that below £10.

I've applied to switch my current account to M&S because they launched their new one today where you get £100 in gift vouchers.

AuditAngel · 15/05/2014 17:39

£2.99 on snack while in London, £5 on lunch on way back. £1 for DS as forgot to give him a snack for between school and sailing.

£20 Oyster top up. Can reclaim what the usage was for work trip, plus £10.20 for parking near the station. Out tonight for dinner and blues brothers tribute. Hopefully DH will pay.

springbright · 15/05/2014 18:03

3 something on emergency lunch as the broth I'd defrosted then accidently left out on the counter yesterday was hideous and inedible!

I've just had June's horribly expensive nursery bill. If I can I want to pay part of the balance this month. Next month is my birthday so would like to be left with some spare cash for an evening out!

FantaSea · 15/05/2014 18:52

NSD here today Smile

ilovepicnmix · 15/05/2014 19:42

Sorry to hear you've been feeling a bit meh recently silk

I said yesterday was an NSD but I then went onto to spend 10 odd on Amazon. This was a sticker book for DS's birthday in July and a foot measurement gauge thing. My logic is it'll save me money long term as I won't get his feet measured in Clarks and then feel obliged to buy his shoes there. I also spent 9.50 on 10 pack of Julia Donaldson books from the book people. This was on ukhotdeals and I used two promotional codes to get it to that price.

Today was 23 petrol and just short of 20 in b&m but that included two adult camping chairs and one child one.

NK5BM3 · 15/05/2014 20:52

NSD! Got sent a £5 Morrison voucher if spend £40. Might do that and see how it compares to Aldi this weekend. It's near Dd's ballet so will be enroute and I'll be forced to only spend 30 min there.

MissAnnersleyismyhero · 16/05/2014 00:25

spring we recently had a freezer soup disaster here, it was Shock disgusting!! I'm sure the batch we ate before it was freezing wasn't that bad... Hmm

NSD - left it too late to get face cream, so am chapped but £££ over here!

OP posts:
CremeEggThief · 16/05/2014 16:57

NSD so far, but taking DS out for a Chinese soon, to celebrate the end of his SATs. Hope it will be under £20.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend :).

ItalianWiking84 · 16/05/2014 17:09

Thank you all for your kind words, makes me a bit teary.
Its been some rough days, basically the hospital, which I have been going to all pregnancy now do not want/dare to do my labour :(
Apperently they do not think they have enough expertise about POTS to want to be in charge of the labour.
The anesthetic senior doc called my DP late Wednesday night to say, that he was worried about me going in coma, if they gave me the pain relief options, that they had. He said my blood pressure were simply to low and it would be against his proff opinion to put me and the baby in that danger zone. So that was quite a blow to the head and of course put me in stress mode and I was so upset Wednesday night, because I felt completely confused.
So yesterday morning DP got a call from the university hospital, where the old hospital wanted to us to go, and he spoke with them about what to do and all. They luckily understood completly how I felt, but they also didnt think the other hospital would have the expertise.
So yesterday, we were at the university hospital from like 11 -5 pm, doing check ups, meeting staff, going to controls and waiting.
It was a long and very emotional day, where we went from c section to controlled labour and back again.
In the end, the anesthetic senior and the gynecologist senior have had 5 ladies before me with POTS, so they are going to be the one, who will do my labour and be in charged. It means, that I will have to go in once contractions starts and not wait, as you usually do, and then they will do the monitoring all the way, and the anestetic will put in the epidural from the beginning, so the dose will be so low, that it will not putt my blood pressure in risk, but will over time give my body pain relief and the gynecologist will together with the cardiologist monitore me and the baby, and there will be a back up team ready for c section in the case its needed.
Pheeew, long post. If you have gotten so fare, thank you :) Highly appreciated, it helped getting it down.
When it comes to spending, I have no idea. None at all, but it also seems for me a bit baaah right now, I have been so teary, upset, stressed these last couple of days, that we worried yesterday if the birth would start.
Now the plan is to go the hospital Wednesday and be checked up again, and then go Friday, which is due day and then its up to the gynecologist if he wants to induce me already there.
I have had 8 months of very low risk pregnancy with more or less no "normal" pregnancy "sickness" and then all this up to labour, just because my body is stupid. Arh hate my blood pressure........

ItalianWiking84 · 16/05/2014 17:14

Oh and I wish all you lovely ladies a wonderful weekend

SpottyTeacakes · 16/05/2014 17:16

Bloody hell Italian that sounds so stressful. At least there's a plan in place now Thanks

Nsd

springbright · 16/05/2014 17:51

Italian sounds like this is all turning out for the best. So stressful for you but these people sound like they know what they're doing!

Around 8 in Tesco on dinner stuff. Some treat stuff - end of SATs for me too but in a working rather than doing, or parenting through, capacity!

AdoraBell · 16/05/2014 18:07

It all sounds very stressful Italian but a team of Drs who have experience with your condition sounds much better than a team who don't have the expertise to go into this with you confidently. I hope everything goes smoothly from this point.

Need to get yet more food today, DH has invited people for tomorrow, and needs me to get cash for a bill, he won't get time

SpottyTeacakes · 16/05/2014 18:11

I've got to meal plan for next week. None of lidl's offers are really inspiring me this week Hmm

ilovepicnmix · 16/05/2014 19:24

italian I hope you are feeling reassured now you have a plan in place.

2 on a contribution to a present at work 3 on world cup sweepstake. I don't know much about football but reckon it was a waste I got Croatia. 5 on lunch out and 4 in the pub after work. I was very brave and popped into my local, with my DS. I've never done it before but feel I miss out on things like that as a LP. Now he talks a wee he's a better drinking partner Grin

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