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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:
nuts2you · 02/01/2015 16:49

collie I have had more luck with Facebook selling groups, yes there are still some weirdos around but it's less hassle than eBay.

FantaSea · 02/01/2015 17:05

Welcome all newcomers Smile

£76 in Tesco but am hoping that will last until Wednesday when I have my delivery. Everything is so expensive isn't it?

PeoniesforMissAnnersley · 02/01/2015 17:07

trinity and chocolate

You nee to start it off in a frying pan (onions only) or if you have one of the stock pots that you can fry in use that, mine is one you can fry stuff in and then move to the stock pot base.

Ingredients:

1 large onion (white or red), diced fine
1 small to medium butternut squash, diced into smallish chunks
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
Thumb size piece of fresh ginger, grated (optional)
1 can tomatoes plus 2 cans full of water
2 tbsp tomato purée (optional)
200g red lentils
2 teaspoons curry powder plus 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon of cumin if you have them, otherwise just add more curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:
Fry onion until soft and caramelised at edges, add garlic, ginger if using and spices and stir for a couple of minutes. Tip into slow cooker at this point or transfer stockpot from hob to slow Cooker base.
Add tomatoes, water, lentils, purée, salt and stick lid on. 4 hours on high and you should have a delicious rich Dahl, but some cookers may need up to 6 hours.

Encyclo · 02/01/2015 17:14

Hi everyone, I joined before Christmas then proceeded to spend like there was no tomorrow. Well apparently tomorrow has come! Im really hoping to get my spends under control this year.

Thanks to lila for posting that link to Lidl.ie 7 dys for €50. That will be invaluable. I am sure 80% of our money issues are around food spends. I'm sure I can trim €100 of the weekly spend easily. That should give you an idea of what we're spending on food!

Looking forward to sorting that out for a start.

IamMummyhearmeROAR · 02/01/2015 17:36

I bought 2 teacher end of year gifts and one birthday gift in the Boots half price sale- came to £6 and used advantage points to get £2 off. Always like to do this and put them away

bantamgirl · 02/01/2015 17:36

Money in purse: £20.94 (was £25.89)
Money in bank: £240.56 (was £280.56)
Money in coin jar: £25 (was £25)
Available money reduced by: £44.95
Grand total remaining: £286.50
Days to pay day: 13

Spends since yesterday
£4.95 – Slimming World subs
£10.00 - DH cash
£30.00 – kids monthly football subs (2 lads x £15 a month)

Have set up a monthly direct debit for the car tax which would have been due on 31st Jan. We drive a 2.2 litre petrol car so it's £19.64 a month but at least it doesn't mean that I am scrabbling about to find £120 twice a year.

I was Slimmer of the week at SW tonight which was a huge surprise as I only lost half a pound! Most people had gained weight and I'd also lost last week so I was probably the only one eligible. I joined up exactly a year ago weighing over 16st with no set target in sight. I lost 2st 6.5lbs by mid-June but then fell off the wagon and now in total I have only lost 1 st 7.5lbs but this is the first time I can remember finishing a year lighter than I started it! Usually it's the other way round. I want to lose 2 stones by my birthday in Mid June, which will be the big 4-0. Anyway I have a lovely big bowl of fruit (mainly apples and oranges) so that means I don't need to buy any from the supermarket for a week :-)

DH stayed in again today which means there is £23 left of the money I gave him to entertain them as well as £8 that I found in a drawer upstairs so I have a little bit of extra money to play with.

Also found food for an extra 2 evening meals in the freezer which means I will be spending less on the groceries next week. I think I will still go overdrawn but am aiming for damage limitation.

fuzzpig · 02/01/2015 17:40

I really need to get to grips with our slow cooker. I've used it once and we've had it over two years Blush I just find it hard to take the risk when it's something I don't know how to do, as it might go wrong.

I would first like to manage a 'roast' chicken in it.

Thankfully I remembered earlier that I had also spent the £12 on half price gift wrap and tags last Saturday, so I've added that to my Christmas spends memo page. That's definitely all I've got so I know I'm up to date. I'm really intrigued to see how much we spend on Christmas - it's definitely decreasing each year as I'm making a conscious effort to cut back on the amount of stuff acquired (more from a 'less is more' perspective than financial), but I'd like to use this year's amount to guide a proper, slightly smaller budget for 2016. I also want to set a limit on number of things, eg they always get board/card games so maybe just one each rather than a few, say 5 books each instead of 10, etc Blush. I would need to allow some flexibility in case they plead for a specific thing (hasn't really happened so far, but I know that won't last forever!).

PeoniesforMissAnnersley · 02/01/2015 17:47

fuzz could I ask where you got the Santa Lego? I'd like the Santa workshop but it seems to be £104 everywhere

OpiesOldLady · 02/01/2015 17:49

Are you on Slow Cooked Wonders, Fuzzpig? (sorry, assuming you have FB)

Over 500 SC recipes on there - you would be so surprised with what you can make in them. It's a real eye opener.

fuzzpig · 02/01/2015 17:54

Yes that's a massively inflated price because it's rare. I've ordered it from the actual lego online store - RRP on there is £60 but it's reduced to £42 (at least it was earlier - can't link now as site giving me error messages). It's not in stock, but they have an expected ship date of sometime next month so I could still order at that price (unlike when something is properly out of stock and you can't order it at all)

I've also joined the VIP club as the points system seems fairly good, although I'll still always look around for best prices before ordering anything.

fuzzpig · 02/01/2015 17:55

Thanks Opies yes I have FB, I'll go find that now. :)

babsmam · 02/01/2015 18:06

Spendy day but some of that was christmas money. Will did out the receipts and post later. Looking forward to trying chickpea Dahl

needastrongone · 02/01/2015 18:10

I LOVE my slow cookers, I have 3 but need to scratch the itch to get another. I'm not, because of this thread, but it's a very itchy itch Grin

ohhelp - I don't think it's a loyalty bonus, but you have to do a shop of £40 minimum over the next three weeks. If that fits your life, glad to message you the code? Or even post it here if the email is generic?

I have usually had a glass of wine by now buy haven't, so feel proud!!

Spent £7 in Home Bargains, but knocked this off tomorrows delivery as it was cheaper there than Morrisons.

The only 'bad' spend today was £2 on 3 small balls for the dogs, which I didn't need to spend.

bantam well done on your award!

Taytocrisps · 02/01/2015 18:30

Can't believe we're on page 9 already!

NSD yesterday. Spent €9.42 today in local (expensive) shop. I had to get milk, bread, butter and lunch ingredients. My Dad was staying with us for a few days so we went through bread and milk much quicker than usual.

Some great tips here. Thanks to everyone for the ideas.

MissA hope 2015 is a healthier year for you Flowers

306235388 · 02/01/2015 18:37

Hi guys haven't RTFT yet but I'd like to join you all if that's ok?

We aren't totally skint but we've definitely got into a habit of not planning good shopping well and just frittering money away.

Sixforgold · 02/01/2015 18:42

:) love how motivated everyone is for January :)

I'm feeling a bit financially out of control right now - spent £110 on a weekend away in February, £150 on a new bed for dd and we have a slap-up meal out tomorrow. It's all budgeted for but because I'm so used to being frugal, spending so much at once, especially when all of you are being so good, makes me feel a bit panicky!

RobinEllacott · 02/01/2015 18:58

I'm not being good, Sixforgold. As predicted, today was spendy - went out with friends for lunch, and then bought a can of paint for £14 to paint woodwork in DD's room. Hoping for NSD tomorrow, and should def manage one on Sunday, but next week is going to be horrendously expensive. Lots of social stuff - drink with some ex-colleagues, birthday dinner for a current colleague, dinner with a university friend and then lunch with a different lot of ex-colleagues! My social life is always either feast or famine, and I find it hard to say no to stuff because I don't want to lose touch with people.

306235388 · 02/01/2015 19:07

Suppose I should start by saying what I've spent today....

£20 in m&s but we had a voucher so that's fine.

£3.40 on parking

Also spent £35 in Game and £10 in Tiger but this was out of Ds and dd's Xmas money so we've got that back already.

Dh spent an extra £5 to top up a voucher he had for a new coat.

So total minus reimbursements from kids and vouchers £8.40 Smile

Also managed to take £36 of clothes back to New Look which I usually forget to do. Grin

Fluffycloudland77 · 02/01/2015 19:08

This'll be a 2 thread month six.

Robin, any discounts to be had from the places your going to? Sometimes you get an incentive for getting email updates or a Taste card trial or moneysaving expert might have a voucher.

I need sherry tomorrow. I'm not doing dry January.

OP posts:
hbr1989 · 02/01/2015 19:32

Long term lurker here just de-lurking. These threads have been a massive inspiration to me and it's time I got involved. Need to start building some savings as my income is very unpredictable. LSD today, just £3 on some socks for dd

OpiesOldLady · 02/01/2015 19:33

Just had a thought for those who are looking to buy for next Christmas. Have you thought of looking on ebay for things from China? In August last year I was browsing looking for Anna and Elsa dolls, and managed to find some for just 1p plus free postage. Really good quality, reasonable shipping time - I, and the kids, were very happy with them. I'm going to start looking now, whilst this Christmas is still fresh in folks minds, for next Christmas. Things like minecraft plush figures etc I got too.

FaithLoveandGrace · 02/01/2015 19:45

574 £37 is fantastic for a week! May I ask what some of your meal plan ideas are?

Today has been not too bad. Spent £11.48 on household essentials like toilet rolls, washing powder, fabric conditioner etc. but that should last about 3 weeks hopefully. DP's dad gave us a lift home and refused to take petrol money so we managed to save £20.

Does anyone know of any good cheap lunches? DP and I are back in work next week so need to figure out what to make instead of buying out. Sorry if this has already been discussed.

SpottyTeacakes · 02/01/2015 19:48

Lunches here are:

Homemade soup
Crackers and...
Tuna pasta salad
Pitta and houmous
Value noodles Blush
Left overs from the night before
Couscous

We're at home so obviously a bit different.

avocadotoast · 02/01/2015 19:51

For lunches I tend to make batches of soup (lentil is good as it is really filling) and have with a pitta bread, or have leftovers from the night before, a big salad, or just plain ol' sandwiches.

I've been very guilty in the past of not taking packed lunches but I worked out if I buy a Boots meal deal every work day, it's nearly £800 a year! Shock and their sandwiches taste like cardboard Really gave me an incentive to get my act together.

peasepuddinghot · 02/01/2015 20:03

Hi everyone. I'd like to join your thread please.

I've been lucky enough to have two NSD in a row (apart from direct debit due)

Been super frugal with food - yesterday I made a lovely toad in the hole using up the last of my (slightly) out of date sausages and eggs. Breakfast was a bargain pack of Special k porridge (out of date again but for 10p for a box of 7 I'll chance it). Made banana bread with 3 manky looking bananas instead of throwing them away.

Was excited to find a stray 20p in the lining of my bag which went into my new sealed tin that is for 20 penses (going to save up for a night away in a hotel)

Been coin sweeping my change into my online savings accounts. Thanks for this.

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