Frugal January, everyone welcome.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Useful links.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/other_subjects/1324074-For-those-who-cant-afford-to-use-central-heating-this-year-How-are-you-going-to-cope

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1543785-your-top-tips-for-money-saving-and-a-more-frugal-life

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1600030-Small-money-saving-habits-petty-even

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/credit_crunch/1628874-Gas-Elec-Bills-monthly-and-SKY-so-angry

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/1911061-NO-MORE-COLD-MUMSNETTERS

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2209167-Slow-Cookers-are-shit

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2224969-saving-money

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/legal_money_matters/2258202-Debt-mutual-support-thread-number-6-start-the-new-year-with-a-clear-purpose-and-keep-moving-forwards-even-by-tiny-steps?

orchard.tesco.com/ Sign up to this.

www.topcashback.co.uk/home And this.

www.quidco.com/home/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub ditto.

www.checkoutsmart.com/ Plus this.

www.hotukdeals.com/all/deals/new?page=3 Check this daily.

Happy New Year Everyone!

I made a huge vat of soup today- about 3 litres.
I packet of soup mix( split peas, lentils, peas ,barley) 55p
1 Gammon knuckle from the butcher £2.00
1 chopped toms £0.37p
2 stock cubes -10p
1 carrot,1 leek 1 potato -30p
Simmer for 3 hours .

Ds and DD had it for lunch today and I have frozen the rest for work lunches x 10 with some sourdough bread ( 75p for a whole loaf)
Really filling and tasty !

Sounds yummy alpaca, I think I'll try it tomorrow!

Soup is great, home made from anything I find getting a bit soft in the vegetable drawer. Pea and ham soup if very filling and cheap, frozen peas and bits of ham from a cooked ham joint.

Vegetable slices, sort of cold omelette with lots of fried/sauted vegetables., google it for a more appetising description. I make this for tea and do extra.

Pasta bakes work well for lunch boxes and the DC will even eat cold risotto.

My DS couldn't wait for dinner and devoured an extra portion.
Silence while he ate
mmmmmm - soup with crusty bread and cold butter.

needastrongone, cold risotto is delicious. I'm with your kids on this one

Tonight we're having a butter bean, potato and pepper stew type thing. I'm big into these one pot meals, so easy and they save on washing up!

I think the cold omelette is a frittata - use cooked potato, peas, pepper, cheese.
Lovely and very cheap .
I also do cheese and potato pie.

Good potatoes ,cooked and mashed ,add strong cheese grated.
layer with tomato in the middle . bake.
serve with ham, cucumber, tomato and radishes .

Some great suggestions for lunch, especially soup! Keep forgetting about things like soup. We do actually have some in freezer so I'll use it up next week then make some more up for lunch the following week.

alpaca that soup sounds great!

NSD for me But ordered a £38 shp for delivery tomorrow.

My cheapest meals at the minute is two from one 80p packet of tesco value cooking bacon:

Spag/Penne Carbonara (value pasta also)
Use just HaBacon and what ever other bits of veg are floating abou (I use frozen mushrooms and mixed veg)
Low fat creme fraiche £1.10, whisk in two eggs plus grated strong cheese for saucy bit.

Use the rest of the bacon to put in omlette plus beans and toast or

Bacon and lentil soup

collie - yes ive stopped buying fat face.

I used to buy exclusively white stuff and fatface clothes. Utterly ashamed of the amount of money I've spent there over the years. Most things have now been ebayed. I now buy mostly supermarket clothes and only when necessary

Spent my Christmas vouchers today - managed to wangle an extra 10% off a silk shirt as it had a lipstick mark on. It wasn't a v frugal day but at least I made savings where possible!

It felt so naughty to be shopping after so long.

£24 on prescriptions, finally caved in and went to docs after having a cough for a month. He's given me an arsenal of drugs so hoping for miraculous recovery by Wed- the day I have my interview to see if I keep job or get made redundant

Kids spent £11 of their own money. Ds got upset when reality struck that he "only" has £13 left and he is now going back to doing chores willingly for £1 a week

Rang old ISA to get £50 back that was left behind on balance transfer.

£51 asda delivery, and a frugal pasta dinner.

Oh and a mini win on asda delivery - they subbed 2 mini 50 p pizzas with 2 large £1 pizzas

Good thought, Fluffy - I'll check. Def not for dinner for colleague's birthday as the place is much too posh, but there might be for the others.

Hey can I join Please? Have been lurking for a while for inspiration. I'm taking out a mortgage on my own (should exchange in the next week or 2 - am buying the house I currently rent so no moving costs) and would like to save. Am also going to coin sweep my accounts and transfer it to DDs saving account. It won't be large amounts (obviously!) but I feel happier knowing I'm saving something for her which I know will gradually add up. Anyway sorry for rambling! I have redone all my weekly budgets and have tightened it up. My weekly budget starts from Saturday as I find it easier. I can tighten it up more but I will get used to sticking to this and in 3 months time I will reassess.

Week ending 2nd jan:
Leftover from weekly budget: £21.60 (straight to savings)
When I bought my galaxy tablet there was a £50 cashback offer which I have applied for so once that's confirmed I will have another £50 to go into my savings account
Coin sweep: £1.77 I think (into DDs account)

Horridly spendy day. Was in London with the kids and dh. Our day out so to speak. It was really nice, but omg the amount of money we spent. I cannot imagine if we did live in London, how much we'd be spending....!

£57 on trains (family railcard), £46 lunch, £25 dinner. Clothes for dd (£30).

Tomorrow we will be frugal again, although will have to pay for ballet etc. Im dreading work due to the amount of stress I'll be experiencing again (colleagues have just been signed off sick) but for the frugaleer in me, I'm looking forward.

Hoping to get some inspiration!

Day out in Manchester today, with my friend and her DS. £13 on travel and just under £15 on cinema, including popcorn and water. And £25 on my Next card, replacing some kitchen items.

Unexpected visitors stayed for dinner last night so top up shop necessary before family get together today. Saved a fiver using m&s voucher, so £23.00. Will need bread again in a couple of days but apart from that shouldn't need anything food-wise until next weekend! Good luck all.

Need a small top up today or tomorrow for milk (bloody ready brek!) and I want some veg to bulk out my lasagne so probably just a courgette (to go with carrot and celery).

Thank you whoever posted Mary Berry recipe. It looks similar to the one I made last year so I'll try making that this weekend.

Congratulations on your purchase banana. At least you know how much the bills are so you can budget properly.

Thanks for Disney information spotty. My friend put sliced boiled egg in his lasagne. I think it's weird but dh thinks it's yummy.

Going to attempt a nsd.

I don't like egg, yuck!

We're still looking at our options for disney. I think cheapest would be to drive and stay at the dcr but obviously flying is much easier with four dc under five.