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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.

Frugal January, everyone welcome.

999 replies

Fluffycloudland77 · 31/12/2014 16:55

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!

OP posts:
SpottyTeacakes · 07/01/2015 06:39

Will probably need more petrol today as going to southampton. I've got an extra £30 budgeted for this which will be needed as also have two hospital appts next week both forty minutes away.

Dh will pay for lunch and parking Grin

Ememem84 · 07/01/2015 06:43

Hopefully nsd today. Have a cheque from time off sick to pay into account.

Have an influx of potatoes so am making potato corn and bacon chowder today. Found recipe on Pinterest.

Also listing on eBay.

RobinEllacott · 07/01/2015 06:54

As predicted, yesterday was spendy - £20 on drinks/ nibbles with one group of people and then £30 on a proper dinner with an old friend. Lovely evening though. Tonight even more spendy as dinner in a posh restaurant for a colleague's birthday. And I was going to get back on my bike to work, but I've just been out to put the rubbish out and I think it's too cold: I have rotten circulation in my hands and even the best gloves don't work to keep them warm for an hour's ride.

northender · 07/01/2015 07:17

£13 yesterday on football tickets. Ds is going to an away game with a friend on Saturday £7.50 but he is paying half of the admission and train fare. Then £6 for us both to go to a match tonight. Also spent £9 on plastic crates at Home Bargains to help store Xmas decs etc.

Today shouldn't be too bad. I've had to arrange a work meeting despite not being in work today so I've arranged for it to be at my local pub to avoid having to be in the office! (Need some time out after working more than my set hours recently and working all of last weekend). Should be able to get lunch and a drink for £5-10. Will avoid any other extra spending.

Mojito100 · 07/01/2015 07:44

No NSDs for me this week yet but I do feel on track having been conciously aware of what I sm spending money on.

fuzzpig · 07/01/2015 08:13

6/1
£3.34 DH stocking up on lunch stuff for work
80p 2x shower creme on offer
£1.39 Marmalade (I neeeeeded it...)
£12.82 Mario game :o (pocket money)

Will be thinking of you today pass hope it's good news!

sportinguista · 07/01/2015 09:43

Ok so today will not be an NSD but it won't be hugely spendy. Just essentials in Aldi. I'm staying mostly round home to do cleaning and tidying. Will be researching some Quorn slow cooker recipes and other options for economic healthy dinners for January. Will start back with soups at the weekend with a chickpea soup which all my lot love, it will be a chance to try out new Bosch blender I bought with vouchers.

Will also update blog and crack on with building a portfolio website, going to be a long job as I'll have to make it tablet responsive so it works on Ipad and I can lug that round interviews instead of very heavy portfolio!

Will be doing a cupboard stock take shortly. Doesn't help that I'm starting to feel a bit deathly...Sad

Ememem84 · 07/01/2015 09:56

sporting do you have a recipe for Chickpea soup? last time i made it, it turned out like warm humous. Not good.

Encyclo · 07/01/2015 11:05

NSD today....wish us luck! I don't think we've ever had one in our entire lives...

Lunches all packed, dinner sorted, cars have fuel.

What could possibly go wrong?

SpottyTeacakes · 07/01/2015 11:35

Ememen bbcgoodfood have a nice lentil and chickpea soup.

colliewobbles83 · 07/01/2015 13:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

avocadotoast · 07/01/2015 13:21

collie I'm sure you'll survive if you eat it!

LSD here... Spent £2.40 on a coffee this morning (I'm allowing myself to buy one a week, the rest of the time I've to use my Waitrose card). That leaves me just 10p in my purse until Friday (when our week restarts) so I better be good tomorrow!

avocadotoast · 07/01/2015 13:28

Oh, and also spent £65 last night on a 10-class yoga pass. It is a lot, but it's the only exercise I really do, and I think it really will help as I get further into my pregnancy.

Laska42 · 07/01/2015 13:48

So a bit spendy again but some good bargains of things i'd buy anyway ..

2.25 birthday card for brother

3.87 in Co op 2 packs of less than half price wiltshire ham and one reduced (1) naughtycrispy bacon (bacon scoffed for lunch with my HM carrot lentil soup soup - was yum)

Holland and barratt , (thanks whoever posted it was Penny Sale time ) . I spent 1.50 on 40 green tea with lemongrass teabags .. (i drink those every afternoon at work so a definate saving there )

I still have haircut to pay for later , that will be prob 28 .. inc tip

But got my 93.50 refund back from Toast in bank this morning, so am pretending thats still been already spent and so will transfer to savings (along with other odd pence) later on .

Collie puff pastry wil be fine if when you open it its not green, toy can gook it and freeze it cooked remenber if you dont want to eat it all.

How about an open topped all-day-breakfast pie? , you can eat it hot or cold and it will last a couple of days then.

Roll out pastry into rectangle and put on baking tray , score out a line for a border , then in the inner rectangle add a chopped cooked sausage or two, some chopped gently fried onion , and some bacon strips (they can go in uncooked) and then break a couple of eggs in then bake ?
(you can even put baked beans, sliced toms or mushrooms on it also .. and cheese .. Grin)

laska42 · 07/01/2015 13:50

gook it? sorry typos.. and whats with all these question mark signs?

Iamnotanugget · 07/01/2015 14:04

Breakfast pie sounds awesome too much lego movie over Christmas I am definitely going to put that in menu plan. Is it the future of brinner?

Don't worry about ? signs for some reason pound signs don't translate well.

collie pastry will be fine. It's fat and flour, it lasts ages. Pop in the the freezer if you're worries and then use it in a couple of months when you've forgotten it's out of date!

Currently a nsd but I've noticed the checkout smart app is doing 100% cash back on Aldi wedges and chips so I may pop in and buy some.

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/01/2015 14:10

£5 on soap & soda crystals for gloop, frozen veg, freezer bags & choc muffins.

£10 petrol.

Free wedges you say? Grin

OP posts:
HeyheyheyGoodbye · 07/01/2015 14:37

NSD yesterday Grin and would have been one today but I splurged £2.49 on FEZ, a very cute game which is in the Playstation sale, down from £7.99. Bargain! I saw it in a documentary about indie game makers and it is just as adorable as promised.

Planning no spends for the rest of the day: need to do some uni work (had an extension due to plague, thank god, but back to work on Monday so still want to use this time), go through the DVDs to see if there's any to add to our sold books, and will spend the rest of the time sewing and playing games Grin

colliewobbles83 · 07/01/2015 14:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sportinguista · 07/01/2015 15:13

Emem I have to school run but will post recipe later. You'll be pleased to know it's quick and easy!

JoanGalt · 07/01/2015 16:04

Finally a NSD here.

I took my DDs to a local playgroup which was free. Both girls enjoyed themselves so I think we'll make it a regular thing (even if I hate them).

Dinner is spaghetti bolognese which I made yesterday. I made a huge batch that has lasted two days plus another 2 portions in the freezer.

On the downside, DP emailed to say he wants to do a juice fast and it's ONLY £60 Hmm

SpottyTeacakes · 07/01/2015 16:07

Well nsd for me. Dh bought lunch so we just need toast or something later which means an extra meal in the bank Smile

Encyclo · 07/01/2015 16:13

4.10pm and we are still NSDing it like a boss!

I'm getting itchy to buy something, anything really.

Clearly there will need to be a seismic shift in my thinking to make this work.

Oooh breakfast pie...would that work with Filo?

needastrongone · 07/01/2015 16:18

£100 cash withdrawal for my 'pots'. £15 in M&S, £5 on posh juices in replacement for Dry January, and £10 on a bag of chicken breasts.

Egg, bacon, sausage for tea as DD and I are out and I have hardly been in the house to cook anything anyway.

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/01/2015 16:20

Only £60? Oh well that's fine then.

Seriously tell him you can feed both of you for less than that for a week.

Men Hmm

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