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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.

No-Spend November - sign up for a frugal month ahead!

999 replies

PeoniesforMissAnnersley · 31/10/2014 13:23

Everyone welcome, if you've been lurking then de-lurk and come and join in!

NSD - No spend day
LSD - low spend day

We are a friendly and supportive bunch, recording our spends, frugal wins and frugal fails daily/when we can. Lots of good tips on discount vouchers, household cleaning and maintenance, cheap meals and more!

OP posts:
Badvoc123 · 04/11/2014 13:35

Me too jones.
Only so much washing ironing and cleaning one can do :(

Passthecake30 · 04/11/2014 14:31

Glad I didn't succumb to a family calendar for £10 on amazon yesterday.....went to tescos and they are selling some (inc the gruffolo and minions) for £5! Fab. Also selling lots of toiletries half price so I got 6(!) half price sets at £2 each to cover teachers Xmas presents, might as well get them now as I won't be able to find bargains closer to the date I'm sure.

Day off today as dds birthday and I wanted to do drop off and pick up rather than the childminder, so made 3 lasagnes, made a birthday cake, waiting in for a fb buyer and sorted some very old board books that kids have grown out of for charity bin. Amazing how much there is to do while kids are at school....I used to wonder what sahms do as I pretty much work FT...but now I have at least one day a week at home I can understand how 6 hours passes very fast, I don't even get a chance to sit down, let alone clean to my Dp's annoyanceWink

SpottyTeacakes · 04/11/2014 14:32

Nsd. Home from work now.

lilacclery · 04/11/2014 14:38

Come do some for me girls, I've a front room that I can barely open the door into and my parents are staying there on Sat night! I've a christening Sat eve, dd's swimming lesson Sat morn and birthday cake to make for ds's first birthday on Sunday. Have asked cleaner to give room the once over on Fri so that means I have to get it done in next 3 nights.

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore · 04/11/2014 15:14

NSD for me, but tomorrow will involve spending, so I'm just sorting out my list tonight so I don't spend more than I need to.

MrsHuxtableReturns · 04/11/2014 16:07

Well, while at gymnastics I also paid for a new softplay multipass for DD. £15. It's a bargain though as that's for 10 sessions for both my DC and we go every week. So for £1.50 my 2 DC get 2 hours of soft play and the bouncy castle.

Anyway, that gets my spending today up to 56.80. Ouch. But it also means that other than one toddler group and gymnastics that's all the DC's regular activities paid for til January.

Fluffycloudland77 · 04/11/2014 16:07

£2 bread & butter in tesco

£1 library reservation fee.

£1 work stuff

£10 petrol

£6 BT Fon. Bb is off while we transfer to plusnet, it's shit and keeps dropping the line so I've complained about it.

Got £5 cashback paid.

I hope you enjoyed your graduation Girlie

Imeldainthemustardcoat · 04/11/2014 16:23

nsd... Hurrah!
hope everyone else is getting into it :)

fuzzpig · 04/11/2014 16:51

£4.55 drink and snack for me and DD (Tuesday treat while DS at yoga)

No more spends after that as we are home now. Microwaved jacket spuds for dinner (I miss my oven). And got a form for an after school club for DD that seems to be free so hopefully she can go on the waiting list at least.

Need to get the DCs umbrellas tomorrow - anyone know of decent shops for affordable children's ones please? I'll be going through the mall on my way to work tomorrow.

SpottyTeacakes · 04/11/2014 16:53

Dd's been invited to another party luckily unfortunately she can't go as it's the day after our wedding and we won't be about to take her Grin

Sausage, mash, veg and gravy for dinner. Perfect winter food. I bought some frozen tesco value broccoli florets so will see what that's like.

girliefriend · 04/11/2014 17:39

Hello, thankyou for all the good luck wishes Smile

Had lovely day and now am the proud owner of a Bachelor of Science in Professional Practice (Nursing.)

So I have spent £8.50 on parking the car for the day Shock
and about £8 on Brew and Cake to keep me and my mum going as has been a very long day!!

northender · 04/11/2014 17:45

An NSD here. Have come home to a scrummy looking beef casserole in the slow cooker but not all the baked spuds have cooked through so have had to go in the oven for a bit.

We're going to take the plunge and change all our lights to LEDs over the next few months. The kitchen and bathroom will be first as the meter positively whizz eps when they are switched on. Dh has developed a fluffy like obsession with led researchWink.

needastrongone · 04/11/2014 17:52

LSD the last two days. I was near Sainsbury's yesterday, so popped in for some of their speciality food made by Belazu. Today £10 in Aldi, but, apart from milk, it's things I like to specifically get from there that are good value.

I need to stay out of 'popping in' to these shops though.

Food wise I am usually pretty organised but having teens, nothing ever lasts as long as I imagine it will. Made a huge vat of chunky vegetable soup yesterday, with chunky bread. Thought I would get lunches out of it, but it all was eaten last night.

Tonight I have chicken thighs in the slow cooker, with onion, garlic, stock, olives, seasoning and sliced orange laid on top. Will have with rice and roast parsnips.

I count DH's spends as we have one pot of money.

fuzzpig - does your school have the option of your DD having lunches on certain days? Ours did, the menu for three weeks was sent out in advance and you could book your child in if required. Or out I suppose. They used to have a 'roast dinner' day, which both loved, then a day serving pizza, fish fingers etc every two weeks, then a special culture day based on a theme etc.

Also need a planner Smile

Chipping away at Xmas pressies. All family done apart from my own DC, which I am half way through. Also making a Christmas Eve hamper for DH and the DC, containing a onesie, slippers, mug, snacks, DVD, sweets, smelly stuff etc.

This will make you laugh, got my credit card annual summary today. Be aware that DH puts all his business expenses on it, and he flies long haul, business class, at least twice a month, at his clients expense. Total spend on the account £57,000!!!! NO wonder I get so many M&S vouchers Smile

needastrongone · 04/11/2014 17:54

Any news MissA

Food tech is the wokr of the devil badvoc Smile

Congratulations girlie Flowers Brilliant stuff!!!

Fluffycloudland77 · 04/11/2014 18:06

Well done girlie Smile

north send him to led hut. I had an early failure bulb and they sent out a free one straightaway. Halogens eat money.

need Shock Grin now that's an expense account!

Popping out for ice cream for dh because he's poorly so £2.

574ejones · 04/11/2014 18:25

Congrats Girlie - a great achievement!

need I love the idea of a Christmas Eve hamper but imagine DH would not approve!

Frugal win - slow cooker spag bol tonight and plenty of leftovers for the freezer!

needastrongone · 04/11/2014 18:36

fluffy - we were tax inspected last year (all was fine!!). I did ask the inspector if I should declare all the M&S vouchers as a benefit in kind. The tax inspector laughed and said the Inland Revenue had bigger fish to fry than chasing us for the taxable benefit of a few vouchers! In fairness, DH would never claim for using the home phone for work calls and, if I work from home, I don't claim any calls, heating etc. either so it's probably even with them Smile

574 - we usually go out to the cinema, then have a meal out on Christmas Eve. Hoping with teens, a hamper and a home DVD will be cheaper!! Smile

ItalianWiking84 · 04/11/2014 19:02

Congratulations girlie and Shock wow need that some expenses...
I'm assuming it brings back some huge vouchers Grin
Vouches does not exist here. Kind a miss them from when living in Scotland, as well as club card, points collecting ect...

Love the idea of the hamper. Here we celebrate Christmas the 24th but a hamper could work for Christmas day Smile
We are 27 ppl this Christmas so need lots of food and a huuuge tree... Will probably use most of the night unpacking gifts Grin

cheshcat · 04/11/2014 19:22

NSD today Smile

Sixforgold · 04/11/2014 19:23

NSD! 2/15. mojito I had one of those 'just have to do without it moments' earlier when I wanted to add whole grain mustard to our pork and cider casserole (also in the slow cooker - there seem to be a lot of them out tonight!) but decided to do without and it was delicious anyway!

TheOnlyMrsW · 04/11/2014 19:49

Delurking - have been following but not posting but am going to have to up my frugal game now. Good news - I finally got a decent promotion at work which is worth about 7k a year and almost the day after DH had his contract terminated. I had barely worked out how much extra it was going to be let alone decided what to do with it! So DH is looking for another job again, and seriously considering a different field entirely whilst I may become the major earner which is fairly daunting. Have worked out a monthly meal plan and shopping list which we're starting with at the weekend and going to mske the most of DH being at home for now as we moved in the summer and it needs decorating Grin!

PeoniesforMissAnnersley · 04/11/2014 19:55

Almost an NSD today except for my Alexander Technique class which really helped with my pain, £45.

I heard from the radiologist - scan won't be until next Tuesday, I will see consultant on Friday this week though. In the meantime I just hope it starts to settle soon. I was so hungry today I ate a tiny lunch - 1/4 of a bowl of pasta, 1 tiny piece of garlic bread and was in agony for about 3 hours. Sad I just wish I could eat, I haven't eaten properly in a full week now.

Sorry for whingeing on about myself!

Congrats to girlie that's fab, you must be very proud Smile

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 04/11/2014 20:00

Do you have symptoms for coeliac disease?

PeoniesforMissAnnersley · 04/11/2014 20:11

My symptoms are:
very severe pain in lower right abdomen (sharp stabbing pains) which radiates through to my back into my mid spine, the back pain is almost worse than the abdo pain.
Massive Bloating - seems to come and go, without noticeable passing of gas etc.
Pain much worse when I eat, stand or walk for too long, lie flat on my back.

When pain gets bad it becomes like cramps across my whole abdomen but nexus of pain is always that lower right area.

No diarrhea/blood from rear or anything like that. I am a bit constipated but that is prob because I haven't eaten in 7 days (prob eaten what I'd normally eat in 1 day over the whole week).

Sorry if TMI Grin

OP posts:
girliefriend · 04/11/2014 20:32

Thanks MissA I am proud of myself, it has not been easy at times but am glad i kept going and got the degree.

Sorry if you have said before but have you been checked for gallstones? It sounds so similar to what I had Sad sounds hideous and I really hope you feel better soon Flowers