Jacket Potato July: our frugal year is flying by!

[CremeEggThief]

Hi All,
I couldn't see a new thread yet, so thought I'd start one for July. The jacket potato is a marker for starting summer off on a frugal note. :).

NSD so far.

Another NSD here today.

I'm fairly lucky in that I don't have debts but I also don't have a full time permanent job - it's irregular and term time only, which means I have to be really careful with my money. Together with YNABing, this thread puts the breaks on my spending.

Hello everyone. Lunch out today as one of my team is leaving and I'm not in (sports day) £16

Also take away for dinner £16.50. Fed all 5 of us and a bit left over.

Away for the weekend for my aunt and uncle's 50th anniversary. Hotel for 2 nights plus dinner Friday. Will need diesel but work pay for that.

DS needs new dancing shoes, probably £22. These lasted him 6 months (and a bit) for 2 lessons a week plus extra rehearsals.

So, decided what to buy with last of this week's money and then both DDs came out of school saying they need biscuits/crisps for after school sport tomorrow. Oh, and there's a hockey match on Saturday that DD1 will need snacks for

£4.60 spent.

Adora there seems to be a lot of school related expenses. Also a lot of it seems to be last minute. It must be really annoying.

Adora, he's a bottomless pit of food, he must have hollow legs. He goes through yoghurts, fruit, toast etc on top of meals. He's skinny as a rake and so active so I worry about my food bill not his health.

I hate school expenses, even worse when it's last minute. I am dreading uniform shopping, hoping I'll have enough clubcard points to make a dent.

Seems today will be a NSD. Waiting in for a delivery all day -_-

Nsd. About to go into the garden to enjoy the sun

JudysPriest could you increase his carbs and add a bit more protein to his meals? Sneaking a handfull of lentils into meals like spag bol makes it more filling. I'm currently easing the family's diet round to Mexican food because they'll eat beans that way, cos it's fancy.Carbs, so I'm told, get processed slower when eaten with protein. So a ham sandwich works better than a ton of toast on it's own, fe.

And is the yoghurt full fat? I make granola with oats, chopped nuts and seeds if I have them, and sweetened with honey. Added to a few spoonfulls of natural full fat yoghurt with half an apple it's very filling. Apples and pears help to keep the blood sugar on an even keel too, as does cinammon.

Cadbury yep, very annoying. I understand, though, that it's not only our school and the attitude is "it's for the children" so there's feck all I can do other than whinge and work on teaching DDs that last minute demands is not an effective way to approach life

Looks like we can't afford the school trip. Depends when it needs to be paid. And if both DDs get selected for the team.

Today will be an NSD because it really can't be any else.

I need a new purse...mine was a Christmas present about 8 years ago and although a good quality M&S number its now falling to bits. I have a Cath Kidston sale purse saved in an online basket. At 50% off its 14...shall I do it? Have also seen a bargain Christmas present at 4... This is what happens when I have to stay home from work!

Oh and also 12.65 for a waterproof cover for dd's leg cast.

Hopefully rest of the day should be NSD

Can I join?
NSD today. Dcs off school and just staying home.

Most days are nsd's.
We bring lunch to work.
We do not buy magazines/newspapers/coffees out/take aways.

Everything is accounted for in our food shop - lollies, ice cream, crisps and snacks for days out, lunch for work.

I am a pro at being frugal but it does get to me. I have no plans to buy summer clothes. Will wear items from last year and the years before that.

I have lost weight but feel drab in my old clothes which are very ordinary. No maxi dresses/play suits/jumpsuits/harem trousers in my wardrobe.

It always feels worse having few clothes in summer. I stay in as much as I can.

I even felt envious of my colleague at work. She spends a lot on grooming herself. She is a lovely person and I hated myself for it

Openup have you joined topcashback! You could use it as money to treat yourself!

That first ! Should be a ?

Welcome openup, looking forward to you sharing your best frugal tips with us!

As for clothes...yep I'm here feeling a bit drab in my 'civvies' - ancient skinny jeans, grey t-shirt and sandals atm! What can we do? My summer clothes last for years because they don't get much wear in our usual 3 weeks of hot weather!

Two ideas...there are loads of clothes swaps in my area. At the last one clothes were being given away by the bagful as there was so much! Second idea is that earlier this year I tried packing away most of my clothes under the bed and just kept a capsule wardrobe. Despite having fewer clothes I often felt better dressed. I've slipped a bit now but am inspired to plan my summer capsule (the drab grey t-shirt will be banished under the bed!)

Judy if your DS is 10 and eating loads, then stand by! These boys (and girls) that came over last night are 17/18 and the boys just devour everything in sight - DD says they are like it all the time, you just can't fill them up. For occasions like this, I buy 2 or 3 long French loaves in addition to whatever is the main meal, and cut them into chunks and then lightly butter the ends, in the hope of filling them up a bit.

There was a thread on the teenager board last week I think about the amount teenage boys eat and there was some really useful advice. However, a lot of posters said the way to fill them up is to increase protein, so cold meats, cheese, eggs etc., but this is a lot of expense for what amounts to snacks. I wouldn't be able to buy all that on top of my normal shopping. DD's friends who are boys get directed to the cereal box if they are still hungry after their massive meal, and they can usually eat at least 4 or 5 Weetabix after a full meal with pudding! DD eats one for breakfast

On the plus side, whatever I cook for them, there is no waste

Welcome to all the newbies

£57 in Tesco on groceries.

I made 'Mexican' for lunch Adora, . Mince rice and beans with spices wrapped in tortilla. If it wasn't for lentils, beans and pulses DH and I would be living on toast to sustain him. I use about 1/3 of the mince for each 'set' so, 1/3 last night for 'chimichanga', same for lunch today, then a mince pie. Not bad for £2.77 worth of value mince.

We have eggs for breakfast most days to try and fill him up. Lunch will be a wholemeal sandwich, then a main meal.

Sold DS's old bike today for £25 on Gumtree. Will be off to tesco to stock up eggs, milk and bread once that's done. Today was never going to be no spend due to the bloody electric meter needing another £10.00

DH's birthday is soon, I know if I buy him something however small he'll feel bad as we're so skint, but getting him nothing feels awful too.

Judy could u make husband a small hamper of nice food items he likes but u rarely buy due to cost things like nice spices nando sauces even nice meats (aldi do great range) that way whole family benefits he gets a nice gift n adds to variety of store cupboard.

At Xmas we sometimes buy each other a nice food gift set my husband loves nando sauces I don't n v expensive he gets a set for Xmas. I like baking n usually get a baking set. I have also brought him jar pickled eggs to go in his stocking most years!! (One yr a friend got me a catering jar of them for£5 mega bargain small jar is £2 n I wrapped it up under tree)

Ok you now all think if didn't already I am rather odd!!

Great idea east, his idea of 'nice food hamper' is 'shoebox filled with Haribo'. This could well work.

Thought would update on pregnancy now 19wks scan next Wed hopefully find out sex. Nausea has eased a little but still not fab and is added to by agonising hip and thigh pain that started this wk had in last pregnancy n relates to a work injury from about 7yrs ago that doesn't normally give me to much grief but in pregnancy all ligaments move and knew around 17-20wks it would start midwife has referred to physio so waiting on that. Paracetamol n hot water bottle help a teeny amount.

I feel like a right moaner this pregnancy I suffered last time but didn't have a day off all through this time I am making up for it but do feel worse.

Have thrown together dinner tonight baguette with prawns for me n left over chicken for husband n fish fingers for the monkey n homemade paprika wedges made using Jersey royal New potatoes as reduced to 38p a bag on Tue n needed using up asap.

Ha ha Judy that would be my idea of great present.

When my parents first split I was 26 n my 2 younger brothers 12 n 15 lived with mum n she struggled to buy the nice treats often so every Xmas for about 4yrs I made her a hamper with nice wine and lots treats nicer store cupboard stuff all brought on offer throughout the yr my brothers used to think it great.

East, I'm sure I have an old tens machine somewhere, you're welcome to it if you like.

£7.80 on travel (to fill in paperwork for my new job) and another £4.95 on lunch at Morrison's cafe, after completing paperwork.

Hope everyone has a good weekend :).

Judy your lunch sounds amazing! More recipes please... [Smile]. Pil give us a food hamper every Christmas - put together themselves and including lovely treats like balsamic vinegar, posh oil and pasta etc. It's such a good gift and lasts us ages!

east so exciting! Do you have things for boy or girl from older children? A hot water bottle solves everything! In fact I'd like to knit dd a cover for a small bottle for Christmas if anyone has a pattern?

Famous last words about 'should be a nsd'! Dropped some donations off at the charity shop and ended up with four books for dd (2), a brand new Winnie address book for a present for my niece (80p) and my best buy - a pretty floral Wedgwood meat platter for 3. I've been after one for ages! Then dd was asking to go to a cafe, usually I would distract but as she's been so poorly we popped in to share a slice if cake and a drink - 5.50.

Must increase willpower.

six - I love Cath Kidston and have many bags and a purse. £14 for one is an absolute bargain and it will last. I say go for it! You can get free delivery to a store if you can pick it up - think its £3.99 for it delivered to you. Shamefully, my mum just bought me a satchel in a safari style which is great and I have just bought a spotty day bag which I really loved, because it was reduced to £25 in the sale! Think I'm addicted.

I've spent £8 in boots (vitamins and toothpaste) and £34 on bits in tesco. I am a bit at how much I spent but £6 was on prosseco for a present and £6 was on a hoodie for DP in the sale. Need to seriously think about my magazine habit - bought Cosmo and was that it's gone up to £3.80. I also buy Glamour which is £2 and subscribe to Marie Claire (£15 for six months).