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!

oh pass I am so sorry about your job, that's a real shame.

laska I used to work in pensions many moons ago, although mainly company rather than private. I would imagine an element of your pension pot would be able to be taken tax free, it used to be 25%, the rest converted to income, which would fall under the standard taxable income rules. Perhaps the balance is tax free? I would have to read up more thoroughly.

The money that you pay direct from your wages should not be taxed though?

ps - sorry, it's a bit rusty these days.

Yes, public sector. If that is it - then I'm definitely going to look at private. I really do want a change

Fluffy it's because they are 'settling up' and then starting the next billing period from zero IYSWIM and the increased one is their estimate going forward. We may end up getting a similar payment next year, don't mind overpaying a bit rather than underpaying and risking having to find extra money in a lump sum. TBH though DH deals with all this sort of thing

Pass I'm sorry about the news. I'm pleased you are seeing the positive though - like they say, when one door closes... :)

Well slight frugal fail in that we won't get through to Sunday without any more food shopping. We seem to be going through fresh stuff and staples at a rate of knots right now. We also have DSD staying for the weekend so another basically adult to feed, and as she's babysitting on Saturday I like to make sure there's plenty as I feel guilty if she has to scrabble around for stuff to feed the DCs!

I've resisted what I'd normally do though - go on tesco and order a minimum £25 delivery with lots of extra stuff we can do without. So that's a small victory. Instead I'll see if DH can go via the shops on his way home (half day) with a list which I'm going to write now.

Good morning. Yesterday was a LSD. £4 from my purse to DS to buy something to eat after school as he wasn't due home til late. DH refreshed our milk supplies.

Breakfast was more of the 1.5p porridge. Took lunch and snacks to work. Tea was Quorn burgers from my parents freezer - I did mention these were out of date - best before Jan 2012! Well I'm still here and alive and well to tell the tale. Ha.

Pass I'm really sorry to hear that. Sounds like you're taking it as a positive though I'm sure great new things lie ahead.

Today I need to buy two birthday cards and some wrapping paper.

Pass sorry to hear about this. I didn't quite understand the options they've offered, but I'm glad you are taking this very positively. There are jobs out there...if you don't mind, you could tell us what it was or the sort of thing it was and we could help with alternative careers??

Good luck.

pass so sorry to hear this, I hope they offer you an acceptable alternative. You are impressively calm

NSD yesterday, hoping for another today.

Got a quote for new Lino in kitchen, bathroom and downstairs loo, £500, anyone know if that's reasonable? It includes materials and labour. It's more than I was hoping if you see what I mean...

LSD yesterday. £35 filling car with petrol. Have gym'ed twice this week. £43 per month membership so need to go twice a week minimum to make my money back (£7 a time).

Depends on the size MissA. You can get immediate online quotes on carpet right so maybe see what their prices are?

Thanks ladies, feel a bit in limbo today, there are 3 jobs that they haven't recruited to as the 6 people in post didn't do well at the interview (me included) so they are looking to see what they will do with those. Hopefully will find out today, but it's been so shite that I just want to grab my money and run in all honesty. None of us are allowed back in the office today.

Spending the day Ebaying random stuff, if it doesn't go it'll go to the charity shop! Also wondering what to do for dinner now I have time on my hands, I have got out gammon scraps from Xmas and I'm going to be creative....

Collie is it kids clothes?

You might find the local fb buy and sell kids pages quite good, I have sold quite a lot of dds stuff through them.

Total NSD yesterday! Whoo hoo! PLUS, I found €60 in a bag, so double win for me!

Pass that situation sounds truly horrible, I really feel for you. I don't blame you for wanting to just get out at this stage.

I tend to put items on the FB spellings sites first, but it's rarely sold.

For Ebay, as there's now charges on postage (on top of sellers fees), there's not much point in putting items on with a starting bid of 99p anymore.....if they go for that price, after wrapping and trudging to the P.O I'd rather charity shop it!

Right, better get off the sofa. Impaled my finger tip on a spike of my umbrella so feelings sorry for myself!

Oh and ebay has free listing for 20 items a month if I recall correctly

Just depressed myself by looking at online account!! Have had to move £100 from savings across as will end up over drawn otherwise

So now I have £293 in my account, of which approx £100 will go on gifts for dd bday (beginning of feb) £49 on swimming lessons, £50 shopping today as really low on supplies plus need washing powder etc and £30 on petrol.

Will leave me with about £60 to last until payday on the 28th ugh bloody hate January.

Just thought have got £20 cheque to pay in Christmas money, will do that today.

Oh dear pass hope your finger is o.kay

Have some and from me

I find clothes don't sell particularly well on the FB sites tbh.

Had my Morrisons delivery today, £70 but included was a lot of cleaning stuff, dishwasher tablets and the like, so I was fine with that as I won't need those for a while now and they were on offer.

£60 is not to be sniffed at encyclo, much better than a fiver eh?

pass - not a good situation at all, I too don't blame you in the slightest not wanted to go back in.

Other than the delivery, NSD. Doing really well this month so far. Being paid on 23rd too at 25th falls on a Sunday. I don't expect to do so well in coming months, but we have had (so far) no significant spends.

Pass that sounds just rotten. It's one thing to have a job freeze but another to lock people out. I hope they make a decision swiftly so you at least can move forward.

I have to go to Waitrose today to get some chicken livers. Anyone fancy a guess as to how much I'll actually end up getting?

I'm also meeting a friend in Starbucks so that will cost a small fortune as DD1 will demand all kinds of sweet treats, which I'll get her so I can talk for 2 minutes. Sigh.

joan do you need to go to Waitrose for the chicken livers? Our farm shop do an enormous pack of them for £1. I am sure a local butcher would do the same?

Can you take a few sweets with you to Starbucks? Their prices are insane!!!I would feel ok with that if I was buying coffees anyway.

£40 petrol (it filled my tank! Loving the lower fuel prices)
£3.40 on one card and wrapping paper. Just went to the garage as too wet to go into town.

So flooded here I almost didn't make it home

Met dad for coffee today (he paid) in exchange for me showing him how to freeze veg (mum is unexpectedly away and there is a lot of veg to be eaten).

Have an appointment later to get gel nails soaked off and manicured (this is the 11th appointment - 10 appointments and the 11th is free) and am going riding tomorrow - free lesson if I spend a couple of hours grooming and mucking out.

Dinner is in the slow cooker.

Wedding dress is on eBay.