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Cost of living

Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Austere October continues here!

334 replies

PeoniesforMissAnnersley · 20/10/2014 12:41

Impressive that we've filled a thread already Smile

OP posts:
SpottyTeacakes · 21/10/2014 17:46

Frugal win: dp's boss filled his van up with diesel saving us enough money to pay the money back into dd's savings that we borrowed to get the oven fixed.

574ejones · 21/10/2014 18:07

spotty it must be so nice to have your oven back.

I signed up to Tesco orchard yesterday and have just had an invite for their Home range. Should buy me a nice Christmas candle or something similar!

furcoatbigknickers · 21/10/2014 18:09

I was toying with the idea of a take away as toddler has been a mare but after acatnap egg, chips and beans will do.

Passthecake30 · 21/10/2014 18:13

I was good, just the blue pill and wrapping paper. Dinner is sausage casserole for me and dh, think there's one sausage each in it! He has mash leftover from last week that I froze.

spotty does the boss often fill up the van? ? Should he? Sounds like a bonus for you.

Half term I am taking kids to my mums for 4 days, will save £80 on childminding fees (half rate) and spend that on fun and eating out. and also eat her out of house and home

SpottyTeacakes · 21/10/2014 18:33

No, never if dp has been doing lots of running around he might bung him £20. He does pay for his van though

fuzzpig · 21/10/2014 18:57

Mmmm pigs in blankets. One of my favouritest things about Xmas! I look forward to my post Xmas baguette (PIBs, turkey, stuffing, cranberry and mayo) more than the actual roast! :o

fuzzpig · 21/10/2014 19:03

£3.35 in park cafe, £26.28 on takeaway, I feel a bit yuk now but DCs enjoyed it. Enjoying my rare treat of a Pepsi - need to stay awake as DH forgot keys Hmm. I let them watch Ten Pieces (the BBC thing for children about classical music - pretty good) when they don't normally get to watch anything during the week, so it felt like a party day to them :o

girliefriend · 21/10/2014 20:02

£35 on petrol and £2ish on a bottle of water and biscuits Blush

Payday next Monday so holding on for that now!!

Did a lovely dinner tonight of chicken casserole followed by banana bread and custard!!

Sixforgold · 21/10/2014 20:34

Ooh new bulge thread! Thanks missa!

6.41 n aldi topping up groceries. 8 on 4 pop out/ colour in mask books which will be great as little pressies for dds friends at Christmas and will save one for her for birthday in march too.

I've made my meatloaf and its in the fridge ready to bake tomorrow. Beans on toast for tea yet again :(

Fluffycloudland77 · 21/10/2014 20:43

£25 second hand tv stand.

AdoraBell · 21/10/2014 21:32

£5.90 on salad stuff and a pineapple. Too hot for cooking this evening.

Replacement parts for water system are not covered by warranty, currently awaiting quote.

Iamnotanugget · 21/10/2014 21:36

£2 playgroup. I think Tesco have accidentally refunded me too much by £6.30. Every little helps Wink

I've listed some stuff on ebay as it's not shifting on Facebook. I really need it gone by next week.

fuzz we always have Boxing Day Buffet and it's SO much better than Christmas dinner IMO.

needastrongone · 21/10/2014 21:39

Like the sound of your dinner girlie.

My chickpea and vegetable curry was lovely, even according to DH, who doesn't always think a meal is 'real' unless it has meat in it Smile

Shopping will be £70 in total this week, including some beer and wine to take to a friends on Saturday night, split between Morrison's and a market delivery. I've topped back up a bit as the cupboards were quite low and the chest freezer especially was quite empty. I need nothing from Aldi or the pound shops.

Made celery soup too for lunches tomorrow, which is the oddest thing, as celery soup tastes so unlike raw celery even the DC like it Smile

Just need some cheap red wine as I have some oxtail to use, so will make soup.

And tomato soup too, as I have a glut of tomatoes from the greenhouse.

AuditAngel · 21/10/2014 23:38

£3 lunch and £5 on a small Lego toy for my great nephew so he doesn't feel left out on the birth of his little brother on the 12th.

We don't have plans for half term. DH is off Monday, Thursday and during the day on Friday. DS has shows Monday evening, matinee and evening Wednesday and his final show Friday evening. The DD's will go to MIL on Tuesday and Wednesday. My mum will take DS to meet his team to go to the theatre.

I will go to work escape

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 22/10/2014 07:15

I had the heating off for a few days again, but put it back on this morning for a bit. Poorly child and quite cold in the house.

Passthecake30 · 22/10/2014 08:40

Annoyed with dp. Had me writing appeal letters as he didn't file monthly tax info and has fines totalling £300. What's the point of me scrimping and scraping if he can't look after his paperwork?

He has moaned today as a cheapy brand of paracetamol and caffeine doesn't work??! Has the same ingredients as asda/tescos own brand and the same price I think.

Yesterday was good and just paid fotrthe thrush pill and wrapping paper as planned. Today I will be just as good as I have £24 until Friday for personal spends which is plenty I guess.

SpottyTeacakes · 22/10/2014 08:46

Should be nsd. Drs appt then friends for coffee.

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 22/10/2014 09:24

Pass why didn't HE write the appeal letters? His problem, his job to do the letters.

trainersandaches · 22/10/2014 10:55

Even further austerity is needed in this household - as I just put on the other debt thread, my DH has had his Vespa seized and been fined for letting his insurance lapse this morning. So we need to find £450 just as we were about to be able to pay off money from our overdrafts.

Am letting him stew as it is not my job to sort out his insurance - I'd asked several times as I knew it was coming up for renewal and he half-sorted it - sent an email but didn't follow up with a phone call when they asked him to call.

I told him he was very lucky he hadn't been in an accident. It isn't the worst time this could have happened but it is an uneccessary expense. Maybe the lesson will finally go in for him that I am not going to nag him to sort things that he should do by himself. I have never sorted it for him before so it's not like I was withholding help from him.

Madmog · 22/10/2014 10:56

Had a moan to our telephone provider over an ongoing problem and they are refunding £10 as goodwill gesture.

Spent £5.63 in Lidl this morning. I defrosted the freezer last night, so need to restock that - will try and limit that to £35 and then get a few items I know are cheaper in Lidl later in week.

Think we have an expensive few days coming up with school holidays and need to get our heating thermostat/programmer looked at - it won't come on unless set to 21c and doesn't always come on when on timed. Lovely when has been on, but cost wise we want to keep to 18c (or 19c when DD has a shower!)

Needastrongone- can I ask exactly how you made your chickpea and veg curry? Sounds yummy!

ItalianWiking84 · 22/10/2014 12:18

Nsd ??

SpottyTeacakes · 22/10/2014 12:40

Dinner tonight will be chorizo risotto. I like chorizo as it has so much flavour in the oils you hardly have to add anything else.

fuckthisforagameofsoldiers · 22/10/2014 14:04

helloooo, can I join in please ?

was just about to post asking for some money saving suggestions as we're about to hit a skint patch and then saw this thread.

95p on porridge so far today...

needastrongone · 22/10/2014 15:15

My DH isn't the best for admin and financial related matters. I am in charge of all finances apart from his AMEX card, which he has paid late 4 out of the last 5 months. It's expenses, so not even like the money isn't there to cover it, he just forgets. Annoys me no end paying charges and interest when we just don't need to.

He also get money out on the cards, which drives me batty as he could just as easily use the debit card.

Veg and chickpea curry. I am a bit of a 'chuck stuff in and see what happens', then adjust as I go kind of cook but I started with the following all piled into the slow cooker.

Tin of tomatoes, tin of chick peas, small jug of veg stock, chopped onion, garlic, ginger, sliced green beans, two potatoes chopped into small pieces, chopped green pepper, dried and ground tumeric, paprika, coriander, all purpose seasoning, small teaspoon of chilli powder.

Left of low for most of the day but when I tasted it, it seemed quite spicy and a little 'sharp', so I added some honey and also mushrooms and some sliced baby tomatoes from the greenhouse as they are so sweet.

We all ate at different times yesterday, due to various activities, so I cooked rice in the rice cooker, which has a 'keep warm' facility, but it worked well to spoon out servings from two pots as required.

LSD day, but DH forgot he needs a prescription and has no money so took my last 20 quid Smile

needastrongone · 22/10/2014 15:19

Just posted about DH being crap with money to sympathise with trainers and pass

All welcome soldiers Smile

spotty love chorizo. So versatile. I use at least once a week. Peas go well with chorizo risotto, as do leeks. I also sometimes use those cheap smoked salmon value packs too mixed in.