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Original poster

We aint no April Frugalling Fools.. There may be Showers ahead, but we'll sail through together ...

880 replies

Laska42 · 31/03/2015 22:02

Heres a new thread for the April Frugaleers!

Spring has arrived and summer is a-coming.. Grin

Good luck everyone trying to save money, There's lots of good support here..

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
CaptainSubtext · 08/04/2015 23:12

8/4
£4 bus
£1.05 printing Brownie camp forms (often get printing free at work but always offer, just depends who is at the desk as to whether they refuse payment :o)
£49 science club

SpottyTeacakes · 09/04/2015 03:58

We have storage heaters too. I'm awake with sore throat again it's so bad I can't get back to sleep waiting for pain killers to kick in Sad

Forgot to get the mince out of the freezer so just did that still won't be defrosted by 9am when I want to make the lasagne will have to do it in the microwave I suppose

SpottyTeacakes · 09/04/2015 03:58

Ours are storage heaters too Angry

NK5BM3 · 09/04/2015 07:26

Morning... Our heating is set at a particular temp so it comes on when it drops below it, and shuts down when it's warm. I think that works! We also have solar panels and it's great when we have these lovely sunny days!!

Spent £5.20 on some coffees and cookies at an evening meeting for work. Last minute and quite unexpected.

Thanks all for your well wishes re ds. Let's hope the consultant finds him well too (there should be no issues. We have no issues).

SpottyTeacakes · 09/04/2015 07:39

Do you get the train to London NK? Our local station has a deal on where it's only £15 return to waterloo instead of £23.

Should be nsd today have a friend and her dc coming for lunch. I already have some bits in and she's picking up some bits on the way. I'm back to work tomorrow after almost two weeks off so this is my last day of the easter holidays.

Unescorted · 09/04/2015 07:47

I go back to work on Monday Sad It is going to be odd - we are moving office in a couple of weeks and also in purdah for the election. I suspect I will be spending a lot of time clearing my desk and reading policies that may be changing in May.

Today is going to be a NSD - I bought washing powder yesterday so will spend today clearing the backlog. The exciting life I lead...

Fluffycloudland77 · 09/04/2015 07:53

They need to legislate to make rented accommodation D rated or above for energy useage. Storage rads are beyond crap.

Solar panels Envy Envy Envy Dh said no to solar panels.

It's probably a good time to start thinking about the six week summer holidays. It will be here sooner than you think.

northender · 09/04/2015 07:56

NSD yesterday, today won't be though, taking dd shopping to Manchester. She had a pair of purple DM boots which were her pride and joy (she bought them with birthday money). Then one of the bullies at school commented on them so she told me they didn't fit any more and so we ebayed them. So now I know the truth she feels stronger and would really like another pair, hence the shopping trip. Will report back later!

Sixforgold · 09/04/2015 09:06

spotty hope you're feeling a bit better...how crap being up at 4am :(

captain I got DH to print my hungry horse voucher at work yesterday so I could count that as a frugal win!

un how are you feeling about upcoming election? Could it impact on your role?

fluffy you are so right...last year I really felt the pinch in the summer hols and vowed I'd start a holiday savings pot. As yet I haven't Blush although I could see the christmas savings pot as for holidays too. I might work out today how much I could save between now and summer hols...who'd like to join me in a savings challenge?!

north Angry so angry on your dd's behalf - hope you have a lovely shopping trip!

Well yesterday was spendy and I didn't stick strictly to the list! Yes need I'm getting married in July! We've gone for a diy garden wedding thinking that it would be frugal but tbh we are finding so many hidden costs along the way I often covet a neat, one price hotel wedding! So yesterday's wedding spends were - £7 paper cups, £26 stamps, £15 Aldi bellini (for toasts), £88 Aldi wine (just the first lot!) total £136.

Other spends yesterday - £1 snack and drink, £17 on 3x birthday presents and cards, £12.98 on other 'stuff' in Aldi (I had to stop DH buying more - he loves Aldi snacks for work) and my bargain of the day....my one onion needed for soup was.... 6p!!!

I had another unexpected frugal win yesterday too. I'd been putting off meter readings as it feels like we've had the heating on loads. However when I finally called I was pleasantly surprised to find we are £56 in credit and our DD is dropping by £3 per month! I'm going to start ringing in meter readings monthly (didn't even realise I could do this) as I'm sure our DD would drop again over the summer months.

Sorry epic post - I'm making up for lost time!

Unescorted · 09/04/2015 09:18

six yes it will, but in our organisation change is a near constant thing. It is not a place you could work if change makes you feel uncomfortable. We just keep delivering what we are asked to do. On a personal level you may not agree with it but you have to put it to oneside. I know some people who find it difficult, but I view it as an oportunity.

North hope you had a sucessful trip.

I am putting off doing some baking, washing and general tidying today.... I have to get off my bum and just do it, but I have no motivation. It is a bit of a treadmill this housework lark.

SpottyTeacakes · 09/04/2015 09:18

Yes summer holidays pot is a must. Shame we don't have any spare money Confused tax credits are being halved as of this month. I'm feeling ok at the moment but woke up groggy from pain killers!

NK5BM3 · 09/04/2015 09:27

Spotty - thanks! There's a deal? I will check but southeastern trains aren't the most generous. I will be using my friends and family card which won't be too much hopefully, and with dh not coming along, that will mean a saving!

Hope everyone feels better soon. I am beyond knackered it's unreal. Between now and tomorrow's hectic schedule, I will have to somehow find the time to pack for our trip up north for a few days.

Unescorted · 09/04/2015 09:29

spotty - hopefully you feel better soon. I am going to steal you idea of a summer holiday pot. I always feel really guilty when my kids don't get to do any fun things over the holidays because we are skint. We are lucky beacause we are out in the country so it doesn't cost to do outdoor activities, but dd wants to go shopping in Manchester & I never have any money for her to spend.

The dishwasher is on..... this is a major win given the level of can't be arsedness. Washing machine next.

CaptainSubtext · 09/04/2015 10:12

Love the idea of a summer holiday pot! I don't really know what we will be doing. Of course the DCs aren't in school anyway, but the holidays will still be different because their activities are term time only, and their old school friends will be off so will prioritise spending more time with them. Also may have a little childcare to pay for - CM is term time only and although she is available for ad hoc sessions, I'll probably try and get the DCs into a play scheme or something instead to save money if we need any paid childcare.

Well I'd hoped the huge shop would provide lots of buffet food for when my friends visit tomorrow, but we put it out yesterday as we had DSCs round for game night and good grief it was like a plague of locusts had attacked the table :o :o was a fantastic evening though. Planning to make it a monthly (at least) thing but will have to rethink the catering!

girliefriend · 09/04/2015 10:15

It was the summer hols last year that made me join this thread Grin by the end of it I was so poor, had literally no money left!!

This summer I will be much more sensible Wink although am already thinking where is the money going to come from for dds holiday club, even though I get additional tax credits for it the money gets paid equally throughout the year. The club she goes to is £30 a day Shock she loves it though.

Not sure if we will manage a holiday, maybe a couple of days a way somewhere if we are lucky.

The problem is as well that in June/July I have all the car tax/insurance/mot and service money to find, have saved money for about half of it but it totals nearly a grand by the time its all added up Shock

Spotty really hope you are feeling better Flowers

We are going to the beach later, will have to pay to park and buy ice creams I suppose. Also need to get bread and milk later.

SpottyTeacakes · 09/04/2015 10:15

I've just made a ginormous lasagne Smile

TeWiSavesTheDay · 09/04/2015 11:23

Extra spends yesterday - £2 parking £1.34 cream

Guests are off now so no more mass catering. It went really quickly! Will miss them.

Need to take DCs to library but quite enjoying just pootling around the house (plus free... I have a library fine to pay!)

Sixforgold · 09/04/2015 11:35

Summer holiday savings... There are 102 days or 15 weeks until the summer holidays according to my quick look at the calendar. We could do £1 a day or £10 a week, something like that. I know that when you're looking to pay for a holiday or holiday club that this amount wouldn't even scratch the surface but for me it would just provide enough for some extra activities for me and dd whilst DH is at work e.g a trip to soft-play, lunch out, swimming etc.

Unescorted · 09/04/2015 11:50

Te wi - mine let me pay the fines when I have the cash. It is worth an ask. I think I will go to the library - I am now officially bored pootling around the house (I still have loads of housework, but I am still suffering rfom can't be bothereditis).

Laksa's Fakeaway recipe has got me thinking - I am going to get some cookbooks and put together a set of I am really skint, but can't face mince with lentils in again recipes. I am making a book of family recipes/ cooking tips for when the kids leave home so it can be part of that. Any recommendations welcome. Grin

TeWiSavesTheDay · 09/04/2015 12:22

Egg fried rice

Rice with stuff - tuna/boiled eggs/tinned sweetcorn/chopped cucumber/tiny bit of mayo - delete depending on what you've got!

Pasta with cheap butchers bacon bits, fried onion and a can of chopped Tom's (and pref herbs)

homemade pizza

bantamgirl · 09/04/2015 17:44

Afternoon all

Bank: £61.23 (was £82.47)
Purse: £0.00 (was £0.00)
Jar: £11.35 (was £11.85)

Grand Total: £72.58
Reduced by: £21.74
Days to payday: 6
Proper Savings: £574.29

Spends:
£5.49 – some lip balm from Amazon.
£8.80 – overdraft interest
£6.95 – DH and DS1 went swimming yesterday
£0.50 – DS2 went and bought some sweets

Budget looks like this: £72.58
Petrol: £156.50 // £155.50 spent // £1 remaining
Groceries: £300 //£263.21 spent // £36.79 remaining
Bus fares & Kids activities: £10.80
Leaves for everything else....£23.99

ARGGHHH will payday ever come?

Fluffycloudland77 · 09/04/2015 17:45

NSD.

bantamgirl · 09/04/2015 17:46

PS - I wouldn't normally spend £5.49 on a lip balm but I wanted a natural one as my lips are so dry. I ordered it on 1st April and it arrived on 2nd April but for some reason it only debited my account yesterday and then another one arrived today! These things don't normally happen to me.

SpottyTeacakes · 09/04/2015 18:03

Nsd. Got pink shoulders Blush

I'm really happy atm have had such a lovely easter etc but I've got that nervous feeling in my chest. First day back at work tomorrow after the 'incident' two weeks ago so wondering if that's why...

girliefriend · 09/04/2015 18:40

Was thinking that was quite pricey lip balm bantam is vaseline not cutting the mustard? Grin

Had a really lovely day but spend more than planned,

£24 petrol
£5 parking
£3 icecreams
£7.20 fish n chips plus drink for dd

Wasn't planning on eating out but ended up staying later than i thought and the fish and chips just smelt sooo good!!

Had a thought on way home that maybe could do a youth hostel in the summer for a cheap hol? Not used one before but there must be plenty of family friendly ones.....