Judiciously June frugal thread now including Christmas bargains.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Everyone is welcome.

We had a bit of a slip on Sunday. We spent £9 on going swimming which would have been ok until we went out for lunch afterwards and spent £50 . Had a NSD on Monday, spent £20 yesterday on some new clothes for DD and hoping for a NSD today. Writing it all down though has made me realise that the weekends are when it all goes wrong and we spend on impulse so we need to make better plans for the weekend really.

Amazing audit! Well done!!

My money personality is one of anxiety. When I was growing up, I was v aware of the fact that although my parents (mum more like) would give us everything (books, clothes, activities like swimming tennis etc) there wasn't a lot beyond that. So until I got married, I had very healthy savings, up to 5 figures... Every month even though we might eat out, I could still save several good hundred pounds per month. Even when we had 2 kids and 2 jobs, we could do a couple of hundred.

Then dh was made redundant and I always thank god that we had the sense to have 2 jobs. Mine was always the more stable and higher income but still. Didn't receive any job seekers thing since he was starting his own practice.

I'm now used to scrimping and saving (although the outlay yesterday for my facial doesn't quite tell you that!!). I'm really looking forward to my younger child going to school. Any amount of after school activity will be so much cheaper than nursery...!

Lilbup

Picnic hamper & a cool box. If you haven't got either they will be going for pennies in the sales.

wow auditangel that's a big debt clearance, must be a weight off.

I don't worry too much about most of my debt just the fact that credit cards were overlimit for past two months, but now back under.

Dh panics about debt regularly - he owes €6k+ on one credit card, €1.5k on another one and I'm not sure how much Credit Union Loan is maybe €10k but all repayments are being made and no one hounding us or knocking on the door looking for it, or no overdue letters/phone calls.

iamnotanugget I'm sure ye probably have shopandscan with kantar world panel over there, like we do in Ireland. I earn about €130 per year simply by scanning my weekly shop, can get vouchers for loads of places with it too. The other survey sites it could take 6 months to earn €10 and then could earn next €10 in 3 weeks it's unpredictable.

Hayday welcome

audit wow, well done, that is great

It is interesting to think about how parents shape our spending habits. My parents were very frugal, so I have been used to scrimping all my life, old habits die hard

My mother was constantly in her overdraft & we used to be sent to the bank machine for a balance print out so she'd know how much she had until her limit before she'd make a withdrawal. I didn't grow up with pocket money and saving on a regular basis. However reduce, reuse and recycle were habits that were passed on.

So when I first started working first thing I did was go out and get a loan for a car, insurance and tax!

My husband's daughter in law is an accountant and from when she first got a car, she saved each week for tyres, services, tax and insurance. I've since taken on this approach for tax and insurance and once debt is reduced will be doing same for tyres and servicing. And now I'm saving first for 6 months before we decide if we'll change dh's car or wait.

My dd is 4 now, I would like to start her with pocket money when she starts school where she can spend half and save half.

I'm hoping for a NSP today. I need to pick something up so need to drive, and am hoping to pick 2 other things up at the same time to save the fuel - if pick up 1 ever gets back to me!

My family never had loads of money, but I never felt poor. They were careful with spending, all food made from scratch, never ate out. My DFather was quite generous with money to me, for spending - but that was because I was the youngest and by then the others had all left school and had their own jobs.

Once I started working part time at 15, I was responsible for buying all of my clothes, make up etc, it was my spending money when I went out. It was a massive help to them. But I never saved.

In an emergency my DMum or I could make me an outfit from some fabric we would have bought on sale previously - everything I needed would be there, fabric, lining, thread, buttons, zips, eyes and hooks etc. There was always some sort of food in the cupboard that could be whipped up. If I needed to make a craft item for school all of the components would be around somewhere. My dad could weld metal to make barbecues - could have made a nice bit of extra money but sold them for cost to friends. Things could never be thrown out because they could be used at some point, and were, often.

But as a result I'm a bit of a hoarder, because I feel guilty about getting rid of something that I might have to pay for later - yet I can never find it because it's 'in the loft'. Old clothes made out of nice fabric I think can be turned into something else fun and crafty (I have a few old shirts of DH's which I think would be great to make some bunting with) - I have the ability but most of the time don't have the time nor inclincation. I don't buy small essential things but might blow £80 on a dress. I'm very good at not spending needlessly, but very bad at planning and budgeting any future spending.

I need to reset my hardwiring here I think.......

My mother was brilliant at budgeting, she just never taught me. I suppose she thought I'd pick it up & I didn't really until about 4 years ago.

I've requested a refund off SSE, £48 & had my dd for both fuels reduced to £45. Which is what I calculated it would be months ago but they wouldn't believe me. We've only had this house for 9 months so in 3 months time they will be able to do my yearly statement for when I switch suppliers.

They didn't want to reduce my gas because I need to build up a credit for winter but if my winter useage is £28 why would I pay that all summer? I'd be massively in credit by doing that & I'm already putting thermal linings in curtains when we fit them.

audit angel that must feel amazing!!!! for you to celebrate!

We're down at £8, 702 from 17,900 in January, can't wait to see it all gone!

frugal win or just disgusting... am totally knackered and was tempted to walk into town, collect a parcel that is waiting for me in PO and buy a coffee. Instead I reheated the cup of cold black coffee I didn't have time to drink this morning. .. ?

I've just dropped my hair clip into my soup. I'm still eating it.

I'm calling a frugal food win for both of us fluffy

Extra roughage Fluffy.

I'm anxious about money, DH too but from a different view point. My father, aparently, gambled and lost the holiday money the day before departure when they were first married. Then they had 6 DCs on one moderaste but rock solid salary. DH's parents have been "poor pensionérs" as long as I've known them even though his pay out up on early retirement when into his n hers banks to reduce the tax exposure

So far DD2 is a scrimper but DD1 is the proverbial fool easily parted from her money.

Yesterday I spent £65-ish. Nuts at the greengrocers have moré than doubled because it's turned cold too early which has ruined the crop. His total stock for the season is 8 kilos.

Fanta I really hope the rest of the exams go well for DD, keep the treats up and well done you for being so supportive.

Well done Audit

Welcome To all newbies.

There's an offer on checkout smart (an app) for £1 off thorntons classic 227g chocs, they are £4 in sainsburys so £3 really.

Extra Father's Day present?.

Got my first Tesco orchard trial today it's for berries so awaiting a £3 coupon in post to buy berries

Hi all haven't been on in a while as have just been plodding along as normal. Had a month of from saving as needed to get some new clothes make up etc for work but back on track this month.
My aim is to save £4k by the end of the year. Have saved £1k so far so a quarter of the way there!
Interesting reading other peoples family history of money. My family was always feast or famine. My DF would start a business have a load of cash to flash about then lose it all and we would be broke listening to my parents argue then a year later we would have money again. For me it has made me obsessive about savings. We (DH and I) had debt when we first got together but that was more from periods of unemployment then having to move house a lot etc rather than purchases. Now we both try to save as much as we can but realistically we are still only a few pay cheques away from trouble. Hence me wanting to save so much. I want to have at least 6 months expenses saved. I never want my DS to have the worry about having a roof over his head.

I think personal finance really needs to be taught in schools.

ellis yy to 'feast or famine'!

£50 on groceries (guiltily no list - just popped in ) but this includes a steak dinner and posh pud for Father's Day. I'm doing a tesco orchard trial too - for steak! Had a £4 voucher so effectively half price.

NSD.

I can't remember money being discussed at all when I was a child. I do remember some kids having 'better' stuff than me but it wasn't a wealthy area so everyone was largely in the same boat. I clearly remember my df telling me how pointless labels were in an attempt to steer me away from wanting expensive clothes. Bills were paid and there was some wriggle room. We didn't get a lot at birthdays etc but I don't remember asking for much.

When I reached my teens I was given a fairly generous (compared to my friends) allowance but I was supposed to buy toiletries, clothes and some food with it. When I started working I had to pay my parents rent. My parents did both these things to encourage me to learn the value of money and how to budget.

On my 18th birthday I got my first storecard and by the time I was 22 I was about 7k in debt. I know that's not a lot in some ways but I was only earning 10k so clearly my parents efforts failed. It took a long time for me to 'understand' money. We don't have debt apart froom mortgage and I budget carefully. I totally agree that money should be taught at school. I really don't want my dc making the same costly mistakes.

NSD, managed all 3 tasks in one trip which was good. However need to go back into town to 2 of the places later this week (prescription from GP, chemist needs to order item, vet for special flea/tick collar, but cats need to go in for check up), so will combine them and perhaps a top up grocery shopping - from a list - on Friday.

Need to get some things sold on Ebay or Gumtree in the next few days to get some money in.

Ellis I'm advising my DDs to aim for a year's worth of expensive saved. We're 5 months into our 6 month pot.

NSD today and yesterday for me although DH went to shop both days and took dd with him so he paid out more than he should. He needs to learn not to as he now has no money coming in once this pay has gone.

My family were shocking with money. We lived on left overs and cheap meals, but my dad always get a better meal. I remember having to give my mum my pocket money back to pay for school trips and always being told no. DH parents on the other hand have always spent his fathers wage and saved mums and they don't believe in credit. Didn't help DH though as he is definately not of the same thought process.

NSD today.

My dh never had savings. He grew up poor and pretty hand to foot I think. He didn't spend a lot and didn't have a credit card when we met - and that affected his credit rating which is ridiculous. Anyway it meant that he wouldn't buy stuff until he needs it. Which meant when he was living alone, he'd have one pizza, one bottle of milk, not much in cupboards etc.

When we first had kids it really annoyed me. He's learning now to stockpile when it's cheap. But we still always pay off cc bills every month so that's fine. I just wish he had savings. I do or I did when we were double income. am confident we will be fine till dd goes to school but still it's because we've gone down to one pay that we've had to dip into the 5 figure savings pot!!!!

Hi ladies can I join you? Financial situ is rather dire at the moment. I don't work (SAHM) but had cancer surgery about three weeks ago and have a long recovery time. Add to that a 23m DD and 5m DS, plus self employed husband who's had to take time off work so no income = things not good!

Not going to dwell on it all. Doesn't help! Off to read the rest of the thread to see what everyone is up to

Hi becca, welcome. Worrying about money is definitely something you need off your plate right now by the sounds of it. Read through the thread, lots of good advice. Oh and put your feet up with a cuppa and a (value) biscuit!