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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.

Marvellous Money Saving March.

999 replies

CremeEggThief · 28/02/2015 19:53

Hi All,
Thought I'd start a new thread for all regulars and anyone else who is interested in saving money in March Smile.

OP posts:
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6
TeWiSavesTheDay · 04/03/2015 08:05

It's been snowing here the last few days so heating is still on!

SpottyTeacakes · 04/03/2015 08:05

We've still got ours on. Dd turned the heater in her room off and it was freezing. We've got a frost here this morning.

lilacclery · 04/03/2015 08:11

fluffy it's still - at night in Ireland at the moment so no heating not an option. We even had open fire on a couple of evenings.

Au pair got a speeding ticket Shock dhs car & he's a truck driver so can't take the penalty points, going to put down her home address & hope they don't chase her for the fine. She's happy with that arrangement.

PegLegAntoine · 04/03/2015 08:49

We love the bluebell railway :)

Spendy today - childminder to pay (thankfully we had the cash from DSS' loan as I completely forgot to go to the ATM!) and I'm having breakfast in town later (got time between dropping DCs off and my hospital appt (24hr ECG fitted today - will be a bit weird working with it on!). I'm saving a couple of quid by walking from town to the hospital and back though.

treaclesoda · 04/03/2015 09:32

I know we're now four days into March but have you room for another newbie?

I'm a weird combination of being very careful with money, yet still feeling constantly skint, and I can't quite get my head round why. We're not wealthy, not by a long stretch, but we should be fine on our income, so I think it's my mindset that is all over the place. I will be very cautious about some things yet then buy something on a whim. I think I need to get involved in chatting to like minded individuals!

SpottyTeacakes · 04/03/2015 10:03

Welcome treacle Smile

SpottyTeacakes · 04/03/2015 11:15

85p in the village shop Blush we had to get out of the house and I needed chocolate. Tbf I think that's a good price for a mars bar and a freddo Grin plus I used coins from the pot so we won't miss it.

Breadandwine · 04/03/2015 12:17

Home made sweet treat in minutes - costs pennies:

Put the frying pan on medium heat with a couple of squirts of One-cal.
Put some s/raising flour in a bowl or jug and add enough water to make a batter.

Stir for a minute or two and add a handful of sultanas/raisins, whatever you've got.

Place a dessertspoon of the mix at intervals around the frying pan.

Adjust the heat if necessary.

Wait until the top of each pikelet is dry(ish) and turn over. Cook until brown on both sides.

Serve - either as is, or with a scrape of jam on top. I love a bit of my home made ginger marmalade with these.

Next time, prepare for this by soaking some dried fruit overnight. Drink the resultant liqueur.

About the pics: They were the only ones I could find in a hurry - but these are a yeast-risen pikelets. You can always put a teaspoon or so of yeast in the batter and wait a bit.

But however you do these, they are dead easy to make, very flexible and so very tasty.

Marvellous Money Saving March.
Marvellous Money Saving March.
lilacclery · 04/03/2015 12:41

Yum yum breadandwine this is my next experiment

Marvellous Money Saving March.
nochocolateforlentteacake · 04/03/2015 13:21

Wow - Quidco is offering a £15 off Tesco online order plus £6 cashback!

nochocolateforlentteacake · 04/03/2015 13:26

Does anyone know if the 'Family & Friends Railcard' discount is still running? I saw it and only realised later that my card had expired. I think it was for £20 instead of £30.

missmakesstuff · 04/03/2015 13:26

Theye sound lovely, I'm eating lots of dates at the moment because some research somewhere said they help with Labour humour me I'm desperate so I could chop those and put them in.
just spent £15 in wilkos on frames for mothers Day presents plus household stuff, 8 on a cutting mat for making a quilt which will probably stay half made if baby arrives soon and £11 in boots on hair stuff, baby bath and dead sea salts, which I'm trying for my aches and pains...

Not a good day, plus £50 yesterday on petrol...

I'm hoping to get the petrol to last . Month, all I have to do is the odd trip to the hospital and docs, plus Dd school run, it's over a 40min walk and although I'm going to go at least a couple of times a week, I'm struggling with more. Hoping once baby is here I can do it with the buggy and a buggy board pretty much once a day at least.

treaclesoda · 04/03/2015 14:07

I spent £3.59 in the village shop on bread and ham. But that's it, no more spends today.

bootygirl · 04/03/2015 14:26

Fluffy

We had snow here in Ireland. I have a third of a tank oil left. So it has been on but way less then I would normally. Just trying to use it less. Don't think I could without it completely. We have modernist detached. Few yrs ago paid to have hse insulated. Which has helped.

Got a text to say I owe €1 fine on library book. Will return at weekend. ??

Passthecake30 · 04/03/2015 14:26

oops I have been letting the moths out of the purse....it's been so long I feel like I'm on a slippery slope!

I have finally accepted the fact that I HAVE got a job offer (even if it's not necessary the ideal job) so I will be back to work at some point....so I've bought a couple of tops in Peacocks and a posh round neck cardigan in long tall sally (£42 Shock). Where I'm tall if I don't get clothes to fit my length they end up in the charity bin after a couple of wears and shrinking so cheap is a false economy. I need quite a few new bits for work as after I got made redundant everything that made me feel dowdy or didn't fit or was old went in the great house declutter.....leaving me with about 2 items Blush.

NK what have you decided about the job?

Asda delivery top up of £40.77 (just enough to get me over the minimum spend).

Worming pills for all of us, thrush stuff for me, and a prescription - £27. How glamorous eh....

SpottyTeacakes · 04/03/2015 14:34

Pass you should have said I've got a pack of three canesten pessaries here I could have posted them to you Grin

Passthecake30 · 04/03/2015 15:03

Lol well it's bloomin recurring anyway so I'll announce it next time! Blush

SpottyTeacakes · 04/03/2015 15:06

My dr always gives me a course of three 100mg to use on three consecutive nights. Seems to work. You have my sympathies Grin Id be pretty annoyed if I had to pay for it!

needastrongone · 04/03/2015 15:24

Having a cuppa before cracking on Smile

Oh dear pass, been along time since I have had thrush, but the doctor ended up doing the same this as spotty's.

booty We've had snow here too, although it's milder today.

bread, for the cost of the experiment going wrong, it's definitely worth a try, they look yummy.

Welcome treacle. I am a bit the same. Very frugal in some regards, then I will splurge!

fluffy again, you are awesome with all your frugal knowledge.

Spending today has just been on petrol. £60 to fill the car from empty, which was a bit of an experiment, usually fill it before then but wanted to see the difference the lower fuel prices make. It's well over a tenner, more like £12/13.

Chorizo and leek risotto for tea, and I want to make two soups tonight too as I am out at a funeral tomorrow and want to ensure the family have options for tomorrow. Pea and ham and carrot and coriander.

needastrongone · 04/03/2015 15:25

'a long time'

SpottyTeacakes · 04/03/2015 15:52

Is it normal for window fitters to chip the paintwork? Sad They've also filled in the holes where the blinds go HmmGrin another job for poor dh

CremeEggThief · 04/03/2015 16:10

£1 on blueberry muffins from Tesco. All being well, sold some cos and dvds on CEX for about £18.50, which was a better price than webuybooks were offering. Every little helps!

OP posts:
SpottyTeacakes · 04/03/2015 16:29

Fakeaway for dinner with pitta and chips. Now very healthy but I haven't got any salad stuff in and it won't go with veg Blush

bootygirl · 04/03/2015 16:33

Need its milder today thank goodness as DS2 missed 2 days of school cos road bad but school still opened...

I have to say I am being more careful with the oil over all. I feel the cold more but I also use it a bit too much.

Going gourmet tonight! Egg oven Chips & beans! Feeling lazy!

TeWiSavesTheDay · 04/03/2015 16:47

We're having sausage and mash!

Spent £8.77 yesterday in Tesco, mostly on printer paper and comfortable bin bags...
£1 on bus
£249.99 on DDs birthday gift... I'm aware that sounds insane on a frugal thread. It's a bike to be passed through all 3 of them. We are hoping really good quality will mean it sees all 3 of them through to confident riders vs 3 midrange bikes which would cost more like £400 overall.