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Don't Panic, December is frugal this year.

848 replies

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/11/2014 20:29

NSD = no spend day
LSD = Low spend day

OP posts:
NowBringUsSomeFuzzpiggyPudding · 27/12/2014 07:07

greatest achievements

I think I've got a much better attitude now, I'm not quite so careless with spending.
The fact I've managed to stick to writing everything down for two months (had dipped in and out for a long time before this) is huge for me. It's really helped me stop and think before I get something.

must do better

Meal planning and bulk cooking - have certainly improved but a long way to go.
Decluttering - not strictly financial but I need to keep up with this as being in a mess makes it even harder to be frugal (eg when we can't find something and need to buy it again!)

favourite frugal habits

Having a couple of mega cheap meals every week - eg Friday is now cheese on toast night!

bad habits

Takeaways/meals out - need to reduce this further
Too many foody treats - not good for my weight either!

best bargains

Nothing springs to mind really as we haven't bought anything big this year, so I'll just say some of the Xmas presents :o eg a box set of ten Enid Blyton books for £9!

awful waste of money

Overdraft charges!
Food - we are getting slightly better at meal planning and using stuff up but we still often end up throwing things away.

spending aspirations for 2015

Tumble dryer! We've already chosen which one and my parents gave me a cheque for the amount which is amazing :)
A couple of trips away - just in England, but we've got a travelodge voucher (£46 off) to use up, and we have also promised a trip to legoland this summer.

lilacclery · 27/12/2014 07:31

Yesterday should have been a nsd but I'd an allergic reaction to penicillin I'm taking for folliculitis so spent €55 on out of hours doctor then €45 In chemist on medicine plus got 2 bottles of caldespray for €9.99 usually €,6.99 each and a pack of self feeding spoons on half price ds 13 months has been fed up to now using Dd4's old pink spoons!

Today will be a nsd & tomo will breakfast out with friends & then go stay with my parents for a few days so should be lsd

Ohhelpohnoitsa · 27/12/2014 10:58

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Ohhelpohnoitsa · 27/12/2014 11:01

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lilacclery · 27/12/2014 11:13

ohhelp I bought the Marie kondo book....only juststarted it going to have it read before I return to work. Christmas eve morning I decluttered two binfulls of paperwork from kitchen counter.

RobinEllacott · 27/12/2014 11:25

I like the Kondo book: she is totally bonkers, but in quite a good way! I decluttered my wardrobe last month and the transformation is amazing: the only trouble is that I have no T-shirts left.

574ejones · 27/12/2014 12:15

£110 on new coat from White Stuff, but due to vouchers and birthday money, I only paid £20 of my own money for it. I should be able to ebay my old coat that is really nice but I can no longer squeeze into. £15 on skincare stuff in Boots as have decided that at the age of 42, I can no longer get away without it!

I have been browsing the sales online but am trying to restrain myself.

colliewobbles83 · 27/12/2014 12:31

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Passthecake30 · 27/12/2014 12:40

Just spent postage for something on swap thread, other than that I'm planning on a nsd. Off to my mums to eat her xmas goodiesGrin

On xmas day the amount of stuff on the floor looked shocking. Turns out that most was packaging and the amount of new stuff isn't so bad at all. Thou there is more at my mums. ...but pjs hopefully!

SO glad at my last minute hama bead twitch as my ds hasn't stopped with them...it's the new loom bands??!!

SpottyTeacakes · 27/12/2014 13:59

£25 nandos including nhs discount
£27 boots on hair dryer and brush including nhs discount
£11 on a cardigan and pair of knickers

SpottyTeacakes · 27/12/2014 13:59

Oh wait dh paid £20 of lunch

Passthecake30 · 27/12/2014 14:33

spotty....one pair of knickers?

£11 on food at service station due to trafficAngry

SpottyTeacakes · 27/12/2014 14:35

Yes. It was actually £11.50 as the cardigan was £10 and knickers £1.50 Grinwe are just taking our tree down.

Fluffycloudland77 · 27/12/2014 14:35

£50 cattery
£35 weekly shop.

I hope you feel better soon Lilla, it sounds awful.

OP posts:
bantamgirl · 27/12/2014 15:48

NSD for me, as I am not going out in the snow / compacted ice that is still hanging around. DH, however, did take his usual daily tenner out.

Money left in bank: £398.07
Money in Purse £58.20
Money in Pound Jar: £27
Grand Total: £483.27
Days left to pay day: 19

colliewobbles83 · 27/12/2014 17:13

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needastrongone · 27/12/2014 17:33

Kind of get the idea of the Marie Kondo, or the principle, and certainly need a clear out at present.

Lilla I am allergic to a form of penicillin, so I am sorry you have had the reaction.

bantam - keep going and counting the days Smile

MissA - I forgot to mention that I was impressed with how much debt you have paid off in a year, £17 is fantastic.

collie Food, basics like socks, vests? School uniform? Luxury goods like cushions?

Spends - £3.70 parking, as I needed to swap some presents. I changed DD's main present (some Doc Martins with the Union Jack on them!) for the next size up. Refunded the Joules coats that DH bought me (£408!!, bought them is sale half price on line.....) and got a new SIM card for DS's phone (no charge).

Then spent £20 at M&S but again, hit the shop exactly at the right time and it was all reduced. For my £20, I got - 5 loaves of bread, 2 packets of jumbo luxury prawns, 3 packs of mince, 3 bottles of fresh juice, naan bread, 2 packets of wraps, 2 jars of mustard (I use this in cooking), 3 packets of 2 x crispy bakes for DD, coffee, and a HUGE ham, already cooked, which was £5. The ham alone will make at least 3 meals and then either soup or sandwiches.

And took £80 out in cash, but this is for my 'pots' of money, and paid the farm £8 for hay.

needastrongone · 27/12/2014 17:34

17k even Grin

Ohhelpohnoitsa · 27/12/2014 18:21

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girliefriend · 27/12/2014 20:15

trying to post with a cat lying on my right arm Grin

£54 in Morrisons, got loads for that though and they gave me another £5 off voucher for next time. They gave me one last time I shopped there as well but I didn't question it Wink Grin

Think might take the tree down tomos as its starting to get on my nerves!

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 27/12/2014 20:29

£8.03 in lidl but got 4 cod fillets, bacon, mushrooms, 1kg parsnips,1kg carrots, and some other bits for that so I'm happy with that. With what's already in the cupboard that will last a while.

SpottyTeacakes · 27/12/2014 20:34

I might go to lidl next week, it's been a while!

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 27/12/2014 20:42

I've got out of the habit of going but was browsing through the online leaflet and spotted the bacon and mushrooms on a half price weekend deal. Should have picked up more bacon really.

Ohhelp, I think M&S near me reduce at about 5.15ish and shut at 6pm, if that helps you at all. How much they reduce tends to vary a bit.

SpottyTeacakes · 27/12/2014 20:47

We're so far away from supermarkets it's such a hassle. At least lidl is quick to go round!

MistletoeforMissAnnersley · 27/12/2014 20:59

Tree down and almost an NSD - £38 for DH birthday pressie, it's his 30th tomorrow Grin loving the new, huge-feeling living room without the tree.

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