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!).

Hello newbies! cheesy m&m's have a promotion for free cinema tickets on a Sunday. Tesco have an offer on for cinema tickets, £2.50 each in points.

Whoever asked about term time costs, dd does various activities that probably cost about £15 a week. We plan to reduce that slightly next term.

And whoever said about entertaining pre-schoolers, lots and lots of trips to the park! Anywhere they can run round. We also do soft play when it appears on groupon etc, visiting other pre schoolers, baking jam tarts, msking play doh. There's loads you can do when they're small that doesn't cost much. I'm sure other parents will have suggestions too.

£5 on bus. £1 on 10 (!) cards from card factory.

I know I need cut it down. I am terrible at keeping them busy all day without resorting to spending. DS doesn't' have any friends around here and we have no family nearby. I am really going to make an effort to do the cheap cinema trips rather than paying full price...stuff like that.
I would like to add £200 extra a month to savings so this budget needs trimming a bit.

I know I need cut it down. I am terrible at keeping them busy all day without resorting to spending. DS doesn't' have any friends around here and we have no family nearby. I am really going to make an effort to do the cheap cinema trips rather than paying full price...stuff like that.
I would like to add £200 extra a month to savings so this budget needs trimming a bit.

Well today has been shocking, but as its only my second day and ATM Im just writing down everything I spend to see where I can cut back.

My kids entertainment budget is pretty much next to nothing, but that's because we dont go anywhere. Can't think what to do as we can never afford much. Would be good to change that.

I got a copy of the sun newspaper today for the morrisons voucher, there was a min spend of £40 if you did an online shop but no min spend if you went into the shop yourself.
Where are people reading that there is a min spend of £10? nothing on the voucher says this.

Are you in Scotland?

More expensive than planned today as rather than foraging in the fridge for a free picnic we took pil's out to the pub for lunch as we forgot to get fil a birthday present £40. Also spent £20 in sainsburys on some holiday stuff.

Dinner was what we decided tonight is called a 'scratch dinner' (anyone else heard that phrase?) basically everything pulled out of the fridge and dig in! We had melon, cheese, ham, salad, crisps, garlic bread, corn on the cob etc etc etc!

Been at the park all day with dd and her friends and mine and took a picnic.

Spent 4.50 in the chemist on bleach, loo roll and shampoo.

Ive got a code for free delivery from sainsburrys if anybody wants it.

Ooh, please could I have the Sainsburys code, Misstiredbuthappy?

£27.35 on a lovely day out by myself and then £51 on clothes and £9.16 on some Waitrose food on my card.

Ill PM it you now

Spendy day today. Had a day out at a local attraction (we have membership) but spent £20 on diesel, £9.77 on the picnic lunch, £18 on a treat at the cafe and £29 stocking up at the supermarket .

But the picnic lunch involved lots of reduced things, and membership meant we didn't have to pay the. £ 20 entrance fee, so quite frugal really.

Yesterday would have been a NSD but DH has finally woken up to the fact he needs new shorts and trousers. He had trousers in an M&S basket but I logged into it via Quidco. £78 less £1.98 cash back. Shorts were harder, this year all the M&S ones were quite long and DH's legs aren't I found some in Gap, but only one style that are short, £20.99 less cash back.

DH did say he would give me the money back (and I'll keep the cash back too)

It is DS's birthday today. Going out for dinner (DH will pay) so should just be bus fares on my Oyster card.

Marking my spot,I've read as far as here.
On two weeks holidays now so have a bit more time to tweak budget. Saving for car tax & Christmas going well & debt is slowly but surely diminishing also

May I join too? We don't strictly need to be frugal, but I WANT to be iyswim? Just had a lot of expense in the last 2/3 months (all planned), but it's kind of making me a bit worried at the dent in our savings, as that nice buffer we had isn't, er, so comfy any more!!

That, added to a trip to a local theme park (2 teen DC and mates) at £97 (even with voucher), plus petrol, took a pack up but allowed them a slush puppy each so £150 day out basically has made me determined.

I am pretty organised, but I think having some level of disposable income has made me too relaxed with our spending habits, so I hope I still am ok to contribute.

Everyone is welcome.

lilacclery you've reminded me I need to put one Christmas present aside this month. I'm determined December isn't going to be a horrible month this year.

Does anybody have a nector card ? Any good ive just signed up.

Good idea about a Christmas present a month.

I do have a nector card, but have never 'cashed in' points, just always used against shopping, so the least efficient way to use the points I think . Rarely shop at Nector organisations these days for one reason or another.

We do have an M&S credit card (and debit), and we put all our monthly spending on it, plus DH uses it for business expenses (in excess of £2k a months due to flights).

So, quarterly, I get about £60-80 of M&S vouchers. Useful for 'nice' food shops, or presents, or perhaps uniform this time tbh. But feels 'free' anyway, as we have these outgoings anyway.

I'm off to Lidl this afternoon but am going to stick to my £50 max budget. Unfortunately we have a bit of a busy weekend coming up with friends of dp's coming to stay but will try to keep spending to a minimum.

I really really need a decent haircut but just cannot justify the spend atm!

I usually save my nectar points for the Christmas food shop. You can link them to your eBay account too, if that's any help?

NSD so far. Visited a pal this morning and the half-price muffins I bought in Waitrose yesterday went down a treat :).

Thanks needs and creme on the nectar website now it says you can use it when you shop online at argos too that will be handy at christmas.

We have a nectar card save points for Xmas don't get many usually£25-30 a yr but buys Xmas joint of meat.

We have marks Spencer credit card n buy most things on it n pay off at end of mth we only get £5-20 back a quarter though depending on mth spends.

Xmas...will be here before we know it. I like the idea of a Xmas present per month. I might do that for mum, FIL and a few others.
Spent £4 in Wilko's today for 3 wooden things to paint for the kids. Their choice. Was on BOGOF.
£25.01 diesel at Asda for car #1, £21 Asda for top up food shop. Going for day out on Sunday so bought picnic stuff too. Hope it doesn't rain!

Got Mum and SIL birthday's this month. Going to get Mum the 'Book Thief' DVD (£10 in Asda) and some chocs. Usually take her out for lunch too. SIL, I have seen a nice bag and scarf thing in Sainsbury's but DH thinks we should give her money as she is so skint!