Let's make merrily with August austerity!

[CremeEggThief]

Hello All,
I've taken the liberty (again!) of starting our new thread for August. The merrily sort of ties in with Christmas and keeping an eye on any bargains out there, if you're super organised and like planning ahead.

Today's spends were £5.10 on travel, £1.20 on 2 bottles of water, £4.20 on 2 hot chocolates and £17.25 on a meal out (long story!).

Can emphasize with the money pits. ..dp is a builder and both houses we have bought have needed bringing up to date. ..kitchen, bathroom, asbestos removed, laven plaster, heating, electrics, double glazing, plumbing, ....prob about £45k in both. I've said if we ever move again then it's not being repeated!

Currently mid extension/new kitchen and I am agast at how much things even as kitchen taps cost....

£70 on a shopping spree for me that included new knickers and £3 each for both kids in the slot machines at the coast

Can I rejoin? We got paid today , I have worked out how much we need for bills, childcare etc, bought school uniforms, and did a £150 aldi shop. We now have £70 per week left which will be very tight but I think we can do it! I've just increased my hours to full time so things will look up soon , as long as nothing goes wrong. Tomorrow I will take dcs swimming but will take drinks and snacks, so £10 spend.

£32 in Town got dd a new dress and actualy treated myself to a pair of boots and a new bra I NEVER treat myself.

Ive gotbto say im looking forward to food shopping on my own when dd goes back to school I get what I need and spend much less.

DPs birthday night cost nearly as much as I had budgeted for but I have still managed to put £200 away towards the debt this week. I won't be able to save as much next week as it is the week the mortgage and lots of bills go out, though I am still hoping to save 50-100 if I am careful.

peonies this was my mother in laws so at least ten years old so yours will be more energy efficient I'm sure. My next step is to get rid of it so we don't fall back into turning it on again, but Turkey for Christmas won't fit in larder freezer so will have to buy late I guess.

My bill is going to reduce more too, dss is supposed to be moving out...No more Xbox and tv going all night, turning on oven for one thing, etc

Can't find digipass to log into my bank account where my wages are so thats helping me not to spend!

Well...has the Xmas chat with Dh and we are agreed on spending Xmas at home just the 4 of us :)
People can pop in if they wish, but I'm not going anywhere!
It will mean buying Xmas lunch, but won't be that much for the 4 of us.

Frugal win: baby sitting last minute for my friend tonight, who just happens to own a hair salon so free cut and colour for me and she's buying me chocolate

spottyteacakes that's brilliant! Im afraid the lady minding my two tomo is just getting home baked cookies although she is returning the favour.

Yes I haven't had my hair done for almost a year! I just sold a baby monitor for £15 too.

£16 led light bulbs (nearly done the whole house)
£10 petrol.

£30.01 petrol

Sold something else on selling site for £7.50

You're on a roll today! Good for you.

I'm feeling pretty poor at the moment so today has definitely been a good day

Sainsbury's delivery this morning and we've had the car valeted (oh my it was disgusting and well worth £18 not to have to do it myself).

Should be a NSD tomorrow.

Frugal things:

Rather than throw out leftover bacon from the holiday cottage I froze it overnight then took it out just before we left so it defrosted instead of just warming up in the car. I've just mixed it with some about to go out of date cheddar and made savoury muffins for packed lunches next week.

Got DH to agree to some vegetables recipes (he's a real carnivore) so we should be able to have a few cheaper meals each week.

Just cancelled DD'S cello lessons as she hasn't been practising so that's £50 a month saved!

2.50 on flowers for Mum bought at side of the road. Otherwise NSD. Also spent time rummaging through the family attic and garage and found some great old bits and pieces for our new home including an amazing 60s lampshade.

Watching Kirstie's HomeMade Home On Demand tonight and hopefully get inspired.

Can't remember who said gardens are surprisingly expensive but yes, I think they can be more than people expect (used to be a professional gardener). My top tips are befriending other gardeners and swapping plants - digging up a bit of a perennial/bulbs etc that you have loads of and vice versa. Also check out car boots and village/community fetes for plants rather than buying from a garden centre.

I only buy plants in the sales from garden centres - things that are out of season and look scruffy but will be great next year.

Who else was using asparateme free squash? Sainsburys basics is now asparateme free and the summer fruits one is nice.

Where's Adorabell?

NSD as was delivering a workshop. In return I got paid £100. Was only expecting petrol so this was nice. Made lasagne too, so that's tomorrow's dinner. Bolognese for dinner tonight and will freeze the rest.

Need to think what to do with 6 chicken breasts. Any suggestions frugaleers?! They are frozen so don't need to cook them all, but I'm thinking for next week dinners. I also have meatballs so I guess that's one nights dinner. And 2 packs of 8 sausages each.

13.50 in asda, treats to watch crap factor with and tea bags 160 for £1.80! So i got 2 boxes, Keep me going for a couple of months.

Thats me fluffy but I'm in Ireland so no Sainsburys. Typed a long post earlier & lost it, will repost when little ones are in bed

nk5bm3 how many are you feeding?

Sausage stew slow cooked with peppers onions & passage always goes down a treat here.

My earlier post detailed that I had spent €35 in butchers on two pork roasts, one beef roast, pork meatballs and, steak mince. I also have bacon, bacon offcuts, chicken drumsticks & 2 packs of sausages and 2 sweet Italian sausages. I've bacon in slow cooker for tomo served with mash and cabbage, then thinking slow cooked pulled pork, kebabs with pork meatballs, taco fries, chicken chasseur, sausage stew, slow cooked roast beef with roast veg.
Going to do shopping list soon for remaining ingredients.

I've decided that I am going to bulk out meals with veg to stretch to 2 meals where possible, I managed to make 2 lasagnes today by bulking out with courgettes and mushrooms, so one in freezer for next week! I'm going to make bean and pork enchiladas tomorrow with half the tray of pork steaks that I have, then use the others to make sweet and sour pork for Monday . if I can make yesterday's shopping last for 2 weeks we will be quids in! I've also sold a bag of baby clothes on facebook for £15 , so today's swimming was covered by that.

I took the liberty of starting a September thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/2172340-Stampeding-through-a-sensible-scrimping-September

I need to stop the tipsy "let's go on the Boden website and "look" at clothes for work. So far have returned it all, but it's very silly.

Hi lila I'm feeding 4. 2 adults, ds6 and dd3. Thanks for your suggestions will take a look!

Was thinking sausage potato bake...will need to get beans for a sausage bean casserole. Will also want to get some ready pasta thing (ravioli) for the day we are stressing and schools etc. Aldi had them last week but don't know why yesterday/day before they didn't have them!

I am trying to make lots of stuff ready... Or at least have things ready for when school starts. Also have Dd's birthday party to sort out... There were v cheap cup drinks in Aldi this weekend so we bought 2 lots! I'm also incredibly busy this month so not sure how all this will fit in! Oh well, at least it's still Sunday!

peonies - I do the Boden thing too, but with Joules

mystic - thanks for the gardening tips. The size of the garden doesn't help (about 850sqm, plus all my raised beds round the side of the house). So, buying a pack of daffodil bulbs doesn't really cut it, you have to buy a sack I bag cuttings from the in-laws, but the other tips are great, thanks.

I did a farm shop meat shop yesterday, so am stocked up. Have a large delivery of fruit and veg on Tuesday, and plan to stretch out the meat, do lots of soups, stock from the chicken carcasses etc. Plan cleverly etc.

I've also figured out what we have per week for the rest of the month, which will help be budget as it's a long month. That's after setting aside petrol money and DS birthday etc.

Missed a day or two so sorry for missing anything.

Oh - and £40 at the vets after ddog2 was bitten yesterday We have a scheme to cover the visits, that was the medication he needed. Poor love is limping badly still.