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'm getting towards the end of our whole house sort out. We are getting rid of so much stuff it's really refreshing. Haven't got too much to sell but will do my best. Am a bit disappointed, dh got a CD box set from his parents for Christmas (not the one I asked them to get for him). We know they got it from amazon but dh doesn't want his parents to know he's exchanged it so Amazon won't exchange it. Will have to try it on ebay.

the future of brinner!

Another NSD! Again mainly due to the fact that I'm eating up the stores rather than buying in healthy stuff (however tonight is salad with cheese, ham, pate and anything else lurking in the fridge!)

Was someone thinking of changing broadband and tv to bt? Only topcashback has £210 on offer for that plus a sainsburys voucher.

Afternoon everyone

Money in purse: £8.30 (was £8.30)
Money in bank: £263.58 (was £116.12)
Money in coin jar: £35.50 (was £36.50)
Available money increased by: £146.46
Total remaining: £307.38
Days to payday 8 (I'm losing track of my days now)

Spends since yesterday
Coin jar is a pound less, so I guess this was bus fare

EDF refund came today so my spends account is looking healthier.

However bought the 3rd round replay tickets today online which was £42 in total. That'll come off my totals when it debits the account

Someone asked if it'd be easier for me to give DH a weekly spend. I really am at my wits end with him and money and it is the only thing we argue about. I have “told” him he is allowed £200 a month maximum yet so far this month he has had £230 and there is still over a week to payday. (Admittedly £50 of this was for his work's Xmas do, so if I take that out of the equation, he's not at his full monthly allowance yet).

£200 frittering money sounds a lot to you and me but he smokes 10 per day and drinks a bottle of wine per evening so that is the £10 per day cash withdrawal reason. At the weekends he smokes 20 per day so weekend spends can be more (he is doing dry January and trying to stop smoking as of this week). If I start to mention money he turns all passive aggressive and I can't bear it. He simply cannot manage money and acts like a child if I try to make him do so. Like I said, this is all we argue about and I genuinely cannot think of a way to 'cure' it without all our lives being made unpleasant. I have actually tried suggesting going back to separate bank accounts so he can have his own £200 but I don't trust him not to run up an overdraft / get loads of charges. THIS is his only bad thing tbf so please no LTB posts coz I won't listen.

Hi bantam, sounds like you're managing the situation as well as you can. I wouldn't dream of suggesting LTB; without knowing you and your dh I could never even begin to comment on your relationship. However the reason I asked upthread about monthly spend was because I wondered if between us we can think of some ingenious ways to curb his spending. I'm thinking rolling tobacco and boxes, rather than bottles, of wine!

bantam that sounds so difficult. It's so hard when one of you really wants to budget and the other has no grasp of it. I agree with sixforgold - get him on the boxes of wine!

I realised today that bringing packed lunches makes it really difficult to find something to do of a lunchtime. Before, I'd be out for a walk, buying my dinner, having a mooch. Now I eat my pack up and I don't know what to do with myself! Today I went for a walk round to block just for some fresh air. Any suggestions welcome...

A box of wine would probably get drank within the same day just because it was there.

How long do you get for your dinner AvacadoToast? I usually go on the internet and read the local and national newspapers, or sometimes I play Candy Crush / Catch up with Facebook, and sometimes I do have errands to run / phone calls to make, so I do that.

I'm glad I don't do all day as where I work is too far to go home. It's in a village with only a small tesco near it and there's no 3G. I'd probably end up having a snooze in the common room colleagues take in books, kindles or magazines or generally look bored.

bantam does he work? That personally would drive me insane and I think I would have to have separate accounts as to see him drinking and smoking my money away would break my soul Probably the reason I am single I have a very low tolerance threshold when it comes to men

So today another £1.20 on parking at work which can claim back, £2.30 on a school dinner for dd and put £5 into a collection pot along with a few colleagues to help out someone at work. Also bought a few bits off the fb buy and sell page, got a pair of high top canvas shoes for dd for £2 and a skirt and trousers for £1.50!!

Need to do a morrisons shop tomos as have an empty fridge!!

The men usually take a while to cotton on Bantam. We argue about housework.

Our house is tidy & clean but we still bicker about it.

£2.00 in a collection at work, £3.25 on bread and kitchen roll not bad going! Must sort out some stuff to Ebay and start a list of the stuff in my Christmas cupboard to avoid buying duplicate presents next time round. Chicken and pesto soup sounds gorgeous - recipe pretty please?

I've actually managed a NSD!!!

7/1
£2 bus
£3 DH bought snacks for when we watch a movie tonight

And he phoned up with our electric meter reading - monthly payments are increasing (though not as much as he thought), BUT we are getting £165 rebate in the next 10 days :o :o :o

bantam I get an hour, I find I have to go outside to stop me going crazy but it's difficult when you don't really have anything to do!

Avocado, avocado on toast with Worcester sauce is one of my favourite things

fuzz if they owe you £165 how can they justify a DD increase?

Indulgent eating out for me nd kids today £17.

LSD. £1.40 at waitrose as had meeting there. Had free coffee but didn't feel good about sitting there free! So forked out money for a bun. Lots of other women who were there clearly after school run only had their free coffee!!!!

£1 for parkng to take DDq and another child to the pantomime.

£53 in Tesco. That included £7 on de-icer which I can reclaim from work (all car expenses paid for), £12 for a birthday present for one of DD2's friends. It was a very good deal, reduced from £25, and both DD1 and DD2 are going to the party. Such a good deal, I bought one to put away for DD2. Also included some cheese and disposable tableware for the Babes panto party.

Hoping for NSD tomorrow, but may need fuel (can reclaim) as working in Winchester tomorrow.

Thanks collie, so.....I got the call that I didn't get a job. They only filled 5 of the 8 and they are deciding what to do the 3 vacancies tomorrow. Maybe downgrade/pay protect? I feel strangely relieved. ...I need a change and maybe the push! Money wise I'll be covered for a year anyway. ....

Hair cut (short n; spiky, so no blow dry/product included ) was £24 plus £3 tip (was that enough?) ..have coin swished £41p along with the £93.95 (it was) so now have £449. 45 in savings acount

Money in Purse £5,48
Money in current account £384 but all bills paid now except phone .. Payday 23 days

So not doing too bad this month, as have full tank of petrol and lots of food in house ,

But yes I also felt the need to buy something in the sales today ( but didnt )

This evening had 'a talk' with Dh re: future money (he is retiring this year, im still working for hopefuly 3 more ).. I've been trying to save for a campervan these last few years , and have £19k currently in my pension AVCs for this at the moment and am hoping to have £45k when i retire ..

However it seems with new tax regime i might have to pay 25% tax on this .. not happy....(this means i may not have enough for new campervan when it comes to it after all .. )

Where can i put future money and not pay so much tax ? Anyone know ?

I save £400 a month out of my wages direct into my pension fund (thats my equivalent of the mortgage money, which DH pays ) This comes out before i see it and i have upped it wheni get pay rises so in effect I have kept my income down to same level for last 8 years .. deliberately, (i know what i am like I just wouldnt save any other way.. )

Glad you liked the breakfast pie recipe.. its yum , actually you should put about 4 eggs in ..but when eating dont forget the brown or tomato sauce!)..

Oh no Pass, I'm so sorry. I really am.

Oh Pass so sorry..(((hug))) , Are you in public sector?

We are going through same thing right now also in my local govt employer .. I'm hoping ill stay , but somehow, am feeling that if its it, then its it.. (this bldy government and its public sector cuts). but ive been employed 30 years .. maybe its time.. I got downgraded last time also ..its sh1t..

Thinking of you x