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.

[SpottyTeacakes]

Well dp and I are going to get some bits for our holiday so I'm just going to go off on my own a bit.... I tried getting one from eBay I received it today and it's awful it's nothing like the photo.

[springbright]

How exciting spotty! I've seen Phase Eight wedding dresses at local designer outlet - any near you?

[SpottyTeacakes]

Unfortunately not spring! The whole wedding is meant to be costing under £2000 but I've allocated all of that and it doesn't include a dress!

[springbright]

Ouch - I just googled Phase Eight dresses, way more than id imagined. I'm sure the last time I went to this particular outlet they had some lovely ones for about 80. Coincidently I'm going there on Sunday so il keep an eye out! I'll be following wedding plans with interest as I'm still (14 years later) working on 'dh' for a proposal (I should probably stop referring to him by that moniker until he makes it official!)

[CremeEggThief]

Got paid today, so spendy enough. Tesco online food shop came to £48.15, but that was using a £15 off £60 code; £21.77 on the cat's thyroid medication and just under £30 on travel and a meal out for DS and I. We so needed a treat after this week!

Good luck dress-hunting, Spotty and Spring :).

[FantaSea]

Spotty how exciting! Have you tried Debenhams? I don't know how pricey they are, but I remember when we were looking for DD's prom dress we did have a look in the occasion wear section and some of the wedding dresses were really pretty. Hope you can find what you are looking for

[Iamnotanugget]

spotty oxfam have a selection of wedding dresses online. A lot are very old but some are current so they might be worth a look. My friend got married recently and the dress she loved was strapless so she had some lace added to create a small sleeve. She also couldn't find a dress she liked on budget so got the one she loved for £2000+ but sold it straight after the day but obviously that's risky. Most wedding dress shops have sample sales, might be worth finding out when you're local stores are having one.

Picked up some milk, otherwise a nsd yesterday. Weather looks dryish so I think we'll do the park and maybe some baking and a dvd in the rainy bits.

[Iamnotanugget]

spotty oxfam have a selection of wedding dresses online. A lot are very old but some are current so they might be worth a look. My friend got married recently and the dress she loved was strapless so she had some lace added to create a small sleeve. She also couldn't find a dress she liked on budget so got the one she loved for £2000+ but sold it straight after the day but obviously that's risky. Most wedding dress shops have sample sales, might be worth finding out when you're local stores are having one.

Picked up some milk, otherwise a nsd yesterday. Weather looks dryish so I think we'll do the park and maybe some baking and a dvd in the rainy bits.

[SpottyTeacakes]

Oxfam a good idea. Debenhams have the lovely phase eight ones I know it sounds awful but I really can't be bothered with the whole dress shopping research stuff. It's a quiet wedding and not a big deal to me but I still want to look nice! Am now arguing with the eBay seller as they want me to pay to return it and I don't want to I know I will end up doing it though. Negative feedback coming their way...

[SpottyTeacakes]

Oh and my tv appears to have broken. And the suspension is going on my car. Ffs. Just as we get on top of things

[MadScientistsRuleTheAsylum]

spotty if you can work out a way to add sleeves or find a shrug/bolero you like, you can have my wedding dress. It's about to be donated to oxfsm, but it is strapless. I'm a generous size 14, and it's laced up the back so adjustable a fair bit.

[SpottyTeacakes]

That's so kind mad! It's not the right size though unfortunately

[MadScientistsRuleTheAsylum]

The lacing would go up to a smallish 18 or down to a slim 12 I reckon.

[SpottyTeacakes]

I need an 8/10 but thank you anyway.

[springbright]

Ah mad what a kind offer . Is that you in the pic? Looks gorgeous.

spotty I am in a constant cycle of getting on top of things before the next expensive surprise comes along. Another thought on the dress front...whilst looking for a wedding guest outfit last year I saw lots of lovely dresses I could easily have worn as a wedding dress, they just weren't marketed as bridal. Long floaty things or kaftan type dresses, all for under 100.

[MadScientistsRuleTheAsylum]

Yes that's me. Don't think it would go small enough, sorry :-( it wouldn't fit me these days, sadly, that was nearly 3 years and a baby ago!

[SpottyTeacakes]

Oh I can't see the photo as I'm on the app

£48 lidl
£16 tesco (including washing up bowl and socks for ds)
£55 petrol (got 6p off a litre so filled up)

[CremeEggThief]

NSD. In fact, I earned £1.75, for a 3.5 kg bag of textiles at the Cash for Clothes place.

Every little helps !

[Fluffycloudland77]

Well I'm annoyed, my three week meal plans two meals short, not sure how really but I've had to spend more than planned.

£3 in sains
£21 aldi
£3 lidl
£6 on cat food.

I have loads of cat food to return to aldi, maybe £3? Worth if I can find the receipts.

[MadScientistsRuleTheAsylum]

NSD for me. Pretty much a first for a Saturday - we stayed home and gardened and made biscuits. Was fun :-)

[SpottyTeacakes]

Ohhelp that would be a 3.5hr road trip! Looks like they have one in Ashford but I don't suppose you can be sure what they'll have in there?

[SpottyTeacakes]

The one I got from China is so horrendous I've never seen anything so shoddy waste of £104

[Fluffycloudland77]

I think given the budget a used dress on eBay is the way to go spotty, I paid £1200 for mine & if I sold it it would be worth pennies.