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.

[ilovepicnmix]

6.77 in asda on a few bits and bobs of food for DS eg bananas, yogs. 15 to my bro who has just ordered me some kind of memory stick off eBay. I'm not v technological but he has bought DS a tablet which I will use too. DS is too young for it really but it'll be good for cartoons on long journeys. I had ideas of eye spy etc but the reality of being a single parent with family miles away means I'll do anything to make travel easier.

[northender]

55 pounds at aldi today
No debt reduction in April but aiming for a significant reduction in May and June.

[Fluffycloudland77]

£4 postage for eBay parcels.

£5 wine.

[AuditAngel]

£42 in Sainsbury's tonight as I needed a Victorian packed lunch for DS's school trip tomorrow (2 chicken legs, unsliced white bread with butter, 2 mini pork pies and a big fat carrot).

The hardest bit was they aren't allowed glass bottles, nor plastic! I had a metal water bottle but with a plastic sports cap and print on the outside. I managed to find a huge cork that fits the neck of the water bottle, I covered the bottle in brown paper to make it look like earthenware.

I was worried that I had overspent my food budget (£54 in Sainsbury's on Saturday, £14 in M&S Monday and £42 today, but this will go through the weekend and we will have been back from holiday 2 weeks then so well with £100 a week.

Mum is going in for an operation tomorrow so I have my dad coming to stay. I may need to buy more wine......

[springbright]

April good news - ended the month a little in the black (thank goodness for 30 day month!), have a plan in place to save a little extra pocket money for the summer holidays, had some lovely cheap days out.

April bad news - did not track money or plan for spends leaving me feeling decidedly ropey mid-month, roofing company came back today and we await verdict of the horrendous quote.

Hugely spendy day today. Over £100 to pay for friend's hen-do in the summer (planned for and as bridesmaid, a duty!). Also 3rd day in a row spending in Aldi. I've started slimming world, which is going well, but whilst I get my head around it I need to meal plan daily rather than weekly.

Good luck for May everyone!

[silkknickers]

NSD today, but only because of an off school poorly DS.

[Jinty64]

Well, I've had a hard couple of weeks and been more spendy than I should have been. Back now to serious budgeting. £14 for ds3's piano lesson and £12.07 in the wee shop on the way home for a few essentials (wine and cake) to tide me over until Sainsbury deliver tomorrow.

The good news I got £15 off a £60 shop in Sainsbury plus free delivery hence my abandonment of Aldi this week. I sold 2 things on Gumtree for £10 each, I got £35 from top cash back and £21 of Amazon vouchers for doing surveys so that all helps. I have also found our local Facebook selling pages so planning a big clear out.

[Passthecake30]

£25 on sandals in the clarks outlet and £34 on new converse from eBay as my old ones fell apart. I allow myselft £100p/m on clothes/shoes/Clinique so it's ok. Ican afford it, I'm hardly extravagant, just replacing worn items.

£3 in pound land on soap, toothpaste etc

[Helenagrace]

Spendy day here - £400 on referencing fees! DH's contract came through but we had to replace his driving licence as we have no idea where it is.

Good bill is low as I'm trying to run down stocks.

[SpottyTeacakes]

Just checked my bank balance and the £250 refund from southern electric is in should be nsd today but we've got nothing planned so if the dc get bored I might end up taking them somewhere...

[ComfyLeatherChair]

Eek.
£12,on goggles for DS1
£10 on coffee and cake for a friend who is stressed
£7.50 on cheapy crocs for DS1, bananas and ice cream
Ouch it's not until I type it out that I realise how.much I have spent!

[FantaSea]

Audit I remember the Victorian day DD did in year 5 - I had terrible trouble finding a paper bag for her lunch. Hope your mum's operation goes well today

[lilacclery]

missannerslyismyhero I'm in awe of your debt reduction that's fantastic going. I've brought my dh around to debt reduction too now that we're both back in full time employment. He wishes to buy a new car, I'm not sure so we've compromised on putting away the repayment for it each week for 6 months plus reducting our current debt also. We'll make a decision then & have a 10% deposit then if we choose to invest and also know if it is overstretching us.

Fantasea never see fairy on reductions like that in Ireland but always on some sort of offer and bottle lasts about a month.

Yesterday turned out to be a NSD because I was working late & couldn't be bothered going to the shop so I just added water to the fairy bottle to stretch it further & we're not out of loo roll so can get it when doing the grocery shop at the weekend.

Earned €166.50 at my class this week so plans for that are €45 to cleaner today, €40 towards income tax in oct(first time to put some away for it this year & remainder towards one of my credit cards. Start as I mean to go on. The trial of ynab is influencing my thinking already!

[ItalianWiking84]

Paid rent today and 10 euros for OV card, all in the budget :) Beside NSD

[Fluffycloudland77]

£10 on a mascara.

MissAnnersleyismyhero It's a brilliant feeling to pay off debts. The next trick is to avoid new ones.

[SpottyTeacakes]

Nsd

[MissAnnersleyismyhero]

NSD.

Have eaten way too much again today, and am really starting to see weight creeping back on need to get on top of the snacking.

[AdoraBell]

Hope everything goes well with your mum's operation Audit

Silk hope DS is better soon.

Comfy coffee and cake for stressed friends is investing rather than spending in my book. If you can't easily spare the cash then try to do it at your place next time.

NSD

[springbright]

NSD! Feels good starting the month on one!

Frugal wins - dropped a new baby gift (bought in January sales) to friend rather than posting; got pay slip and have moved a pay point giving me an extra £36 a month; no lunchtime trips to Aldi!

[CremeEggThief]

NSD, without even realising so until now. So yesterday's treat worked!

Hope your mum's operation went well, AuditAngel.

[CoolCadbury]

NSD apart from lunch, I will get the money back on expenses.

Am gutted as I have lost my phone . Last time I remember having it was walking into work. I forgot all about my phone until I went home and I went to get it from my bag and it wasn't there. I am working tomorrow am and hoping to retrace my steps. But I was working in 3 different rooms today.

[ilovepicnmix]

Hope all goes well with the op audit

Oh cool I feel for you.

18 on birthday present for my aunt.

[Thetimes123]

Can I join... I sold some old baby items and got 85 pounds which is good. Did put 70 pounds of petrol into the car and a pound of chocolate into my mouth too

[FantaSea]

Thetimes welcome . Where did you sell your baby items? £85 is great!

Cool oh what a pain - I have lost my phone before and then found it in the car, having turned the house upside down first obviously. I do hope you have some luck finding it tomorrow.