We are the Marvelous Frugaleers - Mindfully Managing our Money in May.. Come join us!

[Laska42]

So here is a new thread for all the Magical May Frugaleers!

All are welcome to come and join our friendly supportive group if you'd like to take control of your finances in May and beyond..

We are working together to support each other, live within our means, pay off those debts and save for the life we want!

Good luck everyone for another month

[AuditAngel]

Evening everyone. It's been an expensive weekend. Mum bought DD2 an outfit for DD1's first communion, including a beautiful cardigan, wanted one for DD1 £16. £1 for parking. Took DH food shopping, always a mistake, £200. And that included something he zapped twice, so now I have to speak to Tesco to try to get £5 back.

Out for dinner to thank DH's cousin for helping out. DHZ paid, but taxi home was £27!

Today bus fare home from the party, will go and retrieve my car tomorrow.

[Fluffycloudland77]

www.railcard.co.uk/trialcard/ Free two months family and friends rail card.

It might be use to some of you.

[Pointlessfan]

Plan for today is to go and sign up for the club card at the garden centre which gives a 10% discount on everything and free hot drinks in the cafe then use it to buy our fence panels and a coffee/cake and take DD to see all the pets. She seems much perkier today

[prettymess]

Registered for the F&F railcard, thanks, I've been waiting for an offer!

[chocolateyay]

Thanks for the f&f railcard tip. I've been waiting for an offer on that!

Groupon currently has 3 cinema tickets (odeon) for £12.

[ItalianWiking84]

Should be nsd given that I'm working

[TeWiSavesTheDay]

Thanks fluffy, signed up for the card.

Weekend has been very pricey already!

[bantamgirl]

Hi all

I decided to stop posting my dailies as I might have been boring you all to tears but I'm still on the money-monitoring wagon and filling in my spreadsheets daily.

Since I last posted I have bought a car which is now my pride and joy. I had just received an extra £58 per month in my wage with an increment and my tax code finally going back to normal so I decided that I'd jump straight in and buy a car before I had chance to get used to the extra money.

It was £3000 so I'm paying £70 a month back for 4 years and my insurance is £30 a month, so I only have to really find an extra £10.50 per week. I was sick to death of the rubbish bus service and have been wanting a new car for ages.

DS1 (18) leaves school in June after exams and will go to uni in September and he's just found a part time job in a hotel, and they seem to be offering him at least 12 hours per week at minimum wage which is £60 pocket money for him and his student loan will come through in September which is £100 a month. I will continue to get child benefit for him til the end of August apparently but then I will stop paying for his phone (£10 per month), Athletics training (£4 per week / £16 per month), no more football training (£15 per month), his footy season ticket (£19 per month), no more bus fare to school (£22 per month) so that is £82 per month there that I won't be paying out. You never know, I might even get a bit of board money from him (I won't hold my breath).

Hope you've all been okay.

[Fluffycloudland77]

All the times I've withered on about LED light bulbs and you worry you're boring?.

[Laska42]

Actually Bantam I dont think its at all boring you posting your dailies.. in fact reading them has certainly helped me focus on doing the same and filling in MY YNAB each day even if i dont post the result ..

So please post ahead if you want to !! its great to see how people are doing and how we all work our money .. (gives me inspiration to keep on with it anyway)

[Laska42]

oh and great news on the car!! I think it should be a NSD here today .. (unless i go and get the growbags)

[AdoraBell]

Meile were I live there is a very steep downhill stretch I use coming back from the city when I need to go there. I go in on the flat, do my errands, which usualy take me in a semi circle with a couple gentle up hill roads, and come home the other way round. For about 6 minutes I don't use the accelerater

Love the dress NK

I ended last week with £5 left over from the grocery budget. This week will be spendy, Dr tomorrow for DDs and I want them to have a vaccination, plus I need to get a smear test done. We also need dog food, boiler being serviced today and vet delivering travel crates for 2 dogs later in the week. Having a slight debate with the vet. She wants us, understandably, to use the travel service which takes care of the dogs best but we cannot afford to. DH knows I'm not happy but while the money that's owed isn't coming through there's nothing we can do.

[girliefriend]

Hi Bantam I was wondering where you were! I didn't find it boring either, you inspired me to keep a closer eye on my finances!!

So today have spent £5 on 2 cinema tickets to see Penguins of Madagascar and £1.30 on sweets although dd is meant to pay me back for those in theory she isn't feeling great so may let her off

Going out in a bit to meet a friend and her kids in the local park, she mentioned letting the kids do the high ropes. Will depend on dd feeling up to it so will see. May pop into town as really want some canvas shoes, Would like some converse but can't afford them so going to check out Primark instead!!

Going to log on now to check the bank balance. I would like to do a spreadsheet but am useless at anything like that, may have a go later though.....

[lilacclery]

Hi everyone I step out for a few days due to being busy at work & a busy bank holiday weekend in Ireland & I've missed about ten pages between the new thread & April's!!

I intended coin sweeping at beg of this year & transferred €2.97 & it remains at that balance i''ve it in a thirty day notice account! Better started doing it daily!

girliefriend you should be able to download a spreadsheet template & adjust it to your needs.

Due to having fewer people for dinner yesterday I now have an entire Turkey leftover & a big tray of stuffing & a big joint of ham. Going to carve Turkey & freeze. Using some ham & Turkey for egg fried rice tonight.

[Laska42]

girlie Talkinpeace on the money matters thread has some good budgeting spreadsheets to download free here

[Laska42]

lila you can carve the ham and freeze that and also the stuffing . both are fine when defrosted

[Fluffycloudland77]

NSD.

Talkinpeace is brilliant. She's really frugal.

[Fluffycloudland77]

The bit between starting frugalness and seeing results seems like ages but it snowballs eventually and you start to notice the difference.

[babsmam]

Day at the park today. 3 car park 6 ice cream and 4.50 on fair ride. Took the bikes and a pic nic. Met friends there and 5 hours later home. Lovely day

[Laska42]

Thanks mielefor reminding me about my original aim to build up a months income in hand. So I just redid my budget with coin sweeping /saving in mind and although ididnt think id have anything to save this month have found have £36.52 unspent that I can count as 'slack' from last week which I can probably manage not to not spend ..

So have transfered that amount into my savings .Im going to review next weeks budget again at the end of the week to see if I can do the same with anymore cash.. . Its about the small amounts isnt it .? .

[girliefriend]

Had a nice afternoon at the park as well,

£2.70 on parking
£2 Ice lollies
£10 for dd to have a go on the high ropes
£1.70 on a drink and mars bar for me

Bit of a spendy day in the end but I guess its allowed sometimes

Oh and got myself some canvass high tops for £12.99, am hoping they aren't too 'young' for me

Have they day off tomos and am going to do some ringing round to try and get my direct debits down a bit.