Judiciously June frugal thread now including Christmas bargains.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Everyone is welcome.

Adora thank you DD has another maths exam tomorrow, it never ends!

becca welcome hope you are recovering well.

Hello Becca and welcome. Hope you recover well and things begin to improve very soon.

I spent another £6 and still need To buy chocolate for Father's Day. That will be on Friday as heavy rain due tomorrow and the roads get treacherous.

Used toll road To collect DD1 from school £1.80, have To go out again to get DD2 later.

Good luck for DD's maths exam tomorrow Fanta

interesting to read about people's parents' attitude to money. things were very tight while I was growing up and I remember being told that we couldn't afford stuff. I've always been very choosy with how I spend my money. I am frugal day to day, but am happy to splurge on something that I really want. I'm on this thread, not because I am in debt, but because my splurges tend to come out of savings, which is unsustainable.
youngest DS I think will be frugal, but eldest has his Dad's attitude to money spend everyone else's

Hello Becca, hope you're recovering well.

I'd forgotten yesterday that we needed to do a top up shop so we ended up spending £23.86 in Aldi last night. Today should be a NSD but I'd forgotten about Father's Day until about 2 minutes ago so at some point I need to get some bits for that for DH from the DC and for my own Dad.

Welcome Becca, I hope you recover well.

Just spent £3.05 for lunch yesterday and it will be £2.05 today, which I will get back on expenses.

welcome becca hope you are well on the road to recovery x

My projection of paying dh back by the end of month has just improved, forgot he owed me money for dd's shoes and his goddaughters birthday present and dog nuts plus €60 from last weeks bills so we'll be quits by the end of the day, woop woop!

Yesterday bought €50 diesel, my weekly milage is about €40 but I put in €50 so that the weeks I visit home it only costs me an extra €10 rather than having a huge expenditure on diesel that week. Also stops me going down into the red and dragging shit through the filters or so dh tells me.

Adora thank you , DD is very nervous about it today.

lilac good news!

My DH seems to think that petrol is everlasting. He doesn't worry about running on the fumes at all! In fact, I think he prefers it! I like ideally to keep about a quarter of a tank in my car, minimum, so that if there is something unexpected, as there often is with school, work etc, then I am ready to go. DH has the opposite view, in that if the petrol is on the red on the gauge that means there is still 50 miles in the tank so we could get nearly anywhere. I try not to use his car but sometimes it doesn't work out and I have to take it, which means I am driving, with one eye on the gauge all the time, especially round corners when it reads even lower! For my own peace of mind, I have been known to put in £5 just so I can be sure of not breaking down on the way home. He has been like this for 30 years so I am not really expecting an improvement

FantaSea my husband is like that with fuel too, and cars in general. Apparently having a knackered old car that breaks down all the time is more fun

We have to bay DH's tax bill at the end of July, approx £4000. I genuinely have no idea where we're going to get the money from. Any savings we had have gone on keeping a roof over our heads the last couple of months. Hoping for a miracle!

I've been inspired by a thread I saw on the MSE forums about random things people have sold on eBay.

Very interesting comments about the way our parents were with money.

My dm struggled as a single parent. She had a low paid secretarial job. We were poor - no family holidays, no UK breaks, no car.

Dm always borrowed from friends and family so she was caught in a cycle. She could only commit to things that occurred around pay day. The number of times we were late for parties as she had to dash out to buy the present on the same day.

My dm ensured we were clean and well dressed. Secondary school was horrible as we had very few fashionable clothes. As a teen you want to be accepted by your peers. I would have been bullied either way but looking nerdy did not help.

Our landline phone was cut several times a year and I felt so ashamed when friends queried it. We had bailiffs at the door.

I vowed never to be a borrower, no matter how bad things become. I vowed that I would always be able to buy decent food and pay bills. We rarely eat out - probably three times a year so it is important that we eat nice food.

At present I cannot buy any summer clothes and am wearing items ranging from 2006-2013. The dc have to come first as they are growing.

beccajoh can you do a link to the thread? Sounds interesting.

I try set myself a decluttering task for each weekend - work longer hours with two young children so nothing achieved during the week except for the cleaning my angel Anne does on a thurs morn. This week's task is to gather up all clothing items not suitable for charity shop as clearout.ie shop will pay €0.60 per kilo for clothes shoes etc and will take them to the shop next weekend when I've had time to come across stuff I've forgotten! Might not make much but will make nothing by dumping them.

openup41 have things improved for you guys?

Have started tidying our study today yes husband no wonder u had to 're request x paperwork it's in the study unopened!! Have left him a huge pile of stuff to sort - pre child it was all in neat folders.

Having our patio done next weekend by my dad (he has done them for over 35yrs) n husband will help slabs n materials have cost us £1650 have solid stone slabs as were on half price n only slightly more than concrete ones n much nicer it is 32sqm n would be hell of alot more for someone paid to come in. Husband has been spending couple hrs each eve digging out area as dad lives 200miles away so will come late fri night up early Sat n work all day on it til it's done n go home Sun.

becca Have you entered into an agreement to pay with HMRC? The money matters board on here might help.

NSD today but last night we ordered a tassimo on offer so £35 yesterday.

We used the money off the electric and gas overpay to fund it so I don't feel too guilty about it.

Just a bit guilty.

Growing up, we could have pretty much anything we wanted. We weren't rich as such but both me and my sister would have branded everything. Money is still not an issue for them - my dad has a well paid job and my mum thinks nothing of spending £100 in next at a weekend. They went to buy a new laptop which was £500 and they didn't have it in stock so went for an Apple Mac instead! I don't begrudge them - it's their money - but it didn't teach me well. When I got a job and my own house, it was one hell of a shock!

Our local mechanic always says never let your car get less than a quarter full as that's when all the silt and rubbish in your fuel tank gets into the system. Not good for your car apparently. My car has six bars and when it gets to two left I start to panic!

NSD today and my banking all transferred to First Direct. It was sooo easy. So long Barclays, you rip off merchants!!!

NSD today and about £25 yesterday, on a day out and some bits and pieces from M&S and milk from Lidl.

Welcome Becca .

Lilac my DH says the same about fuel in the car. I try not To go below a quarter just because it cut's out stress for me.

Need To get yoghurt and milk when I collect DDs. Not looking forward to it, still raíning hard and localized flooding.

£19 in Tesco on household stuff and some more strawberries for DD. The maths exam was hard but she is reasonably happy with it, and did have time to finish - many of her friends didn't have time to start the last question. It makes a nice change to have her come out of an exam happy

Hello Becca welcome and hope you are feeling better soon.

NSD today. Will prob have to go get food shop tomorrow but last weeks food shop was actually £35!! V chuffed. Friends can't believe it. They were saying that theirs are usually 80-90 and I said mine too, if I go to Sainsburys! So let's see what I can magic up tomorrow at aldis.

Don't need any meat - really. Maybe some tins of tuna - we do like tuna pasta salad esp when it's warm these days. Need milk, eggs, bread and fruit. Lots of things in the freezer. Need to eat that out.

On a slightly more sober note, Mark
Carney, our Bank of England governor has hinted that interest rates will go up sooner than expected. Reported in the FT. Argh.

Welcome to the newbies.

I think it definitely relates to how your parents are with money. My dad had a reasonably well paid job, my mum was a nurse, working odd shifts around my dad and 4 children. We would sell carpets from our garage/Avon to get by. Dad only ever gave mum her housekeeping , keeping plenty for himself to pursue his own hobbies.

My mum would buy us clothes from jumble sales (we have lots of hand me downs from cousins and I sometimes use charity shops, but I think it is easier now with the supermarkets selling clothes)

My mum suffers from depression and we always know when she is bad as she starts spending.

I have a good job, with a good salary, but I pay most of the household bills whilst DH pays the mortgage. I once worked out I have paid over £80k in child care since I went back to work after having DS. That makes a big dent in he income. I talked to our nursery and they let me drop DD2 to one day only, letting me go term time only so all covered by her free hours. The older 2 no longer go to after school club, with DH picking up an extra day and me picking up one day too. I can feel the difference that being on here is making.

Wednesday £28 on Amazon for printer ink and a few bits and bobs for Christmas/upcoming birthdays. Then £13.50 for new crocs for DD2 who ruined her last pair. The supermarket ones were £7, but DS last pair of genuine crocs looks smart for 2years and now DD1 is wearing them, whereas the supermarket ones look awful about 2weeks in.

Thursday NSD yay!

Lilac here's the random things people have sold thread forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=343625

Woohoo eventually sold a sofa had been trying to sell since Aug. We brought it in 2003 for £200 New half price in sale used as main sofa for 3yrs then when we moved Sat in alcove in bedroom with a throw on to match decor anyway moved last summer n nowhere for it had on selling sites n on n off eBay- yes I have naughtily ended eBay auction early n took the cash but so glad it's gone n we have£35 - was in spare room n would have had to give it away come summer as need to sort for new baby.

Been to Tesco spent £9 but got some party bag stuff n paper plates reduced I buy when see n keep as feel such waste money got 8 planes plates for 37p a pk n 8pk pirate party bags 25p.

thanks becca that'll make for interesting reading!

I bought three cookbooks on book depository this morning - in 2 transactions as one is a housewarming present for a friend so got that sent direct to her and they all will be tax deductible as they're foodie books.

Yesterday bought formula for baby. €1 more in local shop rather than Aldi but won't be caught out again!

Well yesterday was supposed to be a LSD or NSD but what with paying the balance of a party venue for DS2's birthday, a school trip for DS1, tickets for my family for a concert that I'm performing at and a top up shop at Lidl for a picnic at the park for DSs and another 2 boys that I was looking after as a favour for a school mum I managed to spend £115...

Another £20 today for my cleaner (who keeps me sane so money well spent)

I managed to list a couple of items on Gumtree though. I'm not sure how well they'll sell, brand new (Australian brand) Bonds children's clothing. Need to get into the loft and pull out more things to sell, but somehow not clutter up the house at the same time!

£8 on tassimo pods but I'm taking it out of the electric refund & £10 fuel.

£1.60 back using checkout smart apps and quidcos click snap.

Just over £22 in Tesco. I bought some wine and a few veg for us and food for a hamper I was going to do for DF's Father's Day present but then I got cold feet as I'm not sure he will appreciate it. I never know what to get him. Have now eaten some of the items for the hamper so I am back to square one. I might get him a book instead. But not sure what type. He really is not into anything, that's the problem.

For DP, on behalf of DS, I have bought him a bottle of alcoholic ginger beer for £1.49! He will appreciate that.

Are the tassimos really worth it? DH got a coffee maker for the office which uses coffee beans, and it grinds them up all by itself. It did cost him a few hundred quid but I can see it paying for itself quickly given that we can buy coffee beans anywhere.

We've taken it to a few school events as part of their fundraising drives and everyone loves the coffee it makes, we just buy the bags of beans from Booker Wholesale.