Marvelous Frugaleers - May the Money Magic Continue into June

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Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

By popular request - copied from January

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.

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www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub ditto.

www.checkoutsmart.com/ Plus this.

www.hotukdeals.com/all/deals/new?page=3 Check this daily.

If it encourages you to keep tidy it can't be bad peonies but I've jars for everything so I'm biased

My spends so far today was €29 on gas, we went to playground & beach for 2.5 hours took water with us and had lunch when we came home .

Fish Pie for dinner using lots of freezer stuff up!

I'm procrastinating have loads to do but here lying under ds who I put down for nap & mumsnetting!

Went and got some, now need to wash them and take off the stupid, super-sticky stickers the shop put all over them

I reckon it will be tidier and also we won't forget about stuff so easily.

Peonies I love jars for everything. One of dh's work colleagues has supplied me with all the Douwe Egberts coffee jars I'll ever need. They make fab storage jars.

those of you with jars for everything, do you buy jars on spec or just add extra jars for new supplies?

I like the jars idea MissA, keeps it all sorted. We have a pull out larder cupboard with racks, so spills drop down onto the floor.

Well, show jumping went well, with DD getting 3rd in both her categories, against all these big massive horses. The horses can theoretically jump higher than our little 13.2hh, but our little pony does mounted games for her main discipline so is very wizzy and can turn on a sixpence. And, has a cracking jump in her, which was an added bonus that we didn't know about when we got her. I am chuffed to bits, as it's months and months since we jumped.

So, DD has won £15 for each class in prize money.

I am £20 down, as I bought some photos of DD, I never normally go near the photo stand, as it's hard to resist.

She Thai green curry was fairly frugal. We have a Thai supermarket near where DH works. He bought Thai green paste, and bought blocks of creamed coconut, which you mix with boiling water to make coconut cream. The one we have is quite grainy and textured, so we use the liquidiser to improve the texture. Then chicken breast, green peppers from a value bag, a pack of fine green beans and the new potatoes the kids didn't eat, sliced up.

well tractor fest was £11.50 for train and ice cream. £5 on chips (2 portions!!!) as i have been woeful with food this week so the pic nic was inadequate.
just checked the bank and its not too bad. desperately need to do a meal plan and get back to eating properly, that is my plan tonight.

Had a nice day today, went to a church fair which was fairly frugal £1 for a hot dog, a donation for a cup of tea etc (my kind of fair ) lots of free activities as well. Reckon spent in £4 in total.

Been at my mums this afternoon enjoying her garden, weather is glorious here today

I got sunburnt

Well, made about £50 at carboot. Hard work and probably undersold much of it but not bad as would have given it all to charity

£50 on food at Aldi. This was because we had an impromptu BBQ with friends. Now there's lots of food in the fridge... Hopefully this means no food buying for the next 2 weeks except for milk and bread.

yesterday spent £21 swimming lesson, £14 Asda

Today spent £14 Tescos. Argh. That's on top of £45 on Asda delivery Monday and £50 Tescos delivery Sunday.

I find summer food shopping way more expensive. Dp won't eat hot meals so I have to think of a million ways with salad (or rotate the usual 5!), salad veg costs more than carrots for example... and then bananas go brown quicker so I have to do more top ups, I fall for the strawberries (but not massively, maybe £2.50 a week), new potatoes are more expensive than old, bbq's we eat 3 days meat in one sitting, ice creams/lollies for the freezer, picnic food.....etc etc. But we do save on meals out I guess, as we tend to do that more often in the winter as there's nothing else to go out and do... Anyway, sorry for waffling, what do other people find?

peonies I bought a set of big ones in Ikea donkeys years ago & there's nearly always one empty for something new, then have silver canisters with glass panels one spaghetti height another has rice & the smallest has Italian spice mix!
Despite loving Kilner jars I haven't actually got any!

Summer food is definitely more expensive, I think it's because you have to shop that bit more often!

So hungover. Dad's 60th party was brill! The leftover alcohol (lots!) has been offered for DDs christening party which will save us a lot :)

I really really want some junk food but we are being uber healthy so there's none in. Tempted to try a microwave mug cake!

We haggled a bit and put a deposit down on the car yesterday. I know taking a loan was the right thing to do as buying such an economical car should pay for itself with DHs commute, but I still feel awful about it.

There is enough leftover to put towards the kitchen but I can't bring myself to plan it because I feel so bad about it. What is wrong with me!

ipsos Did you find random food you had no memory of even buying?

Coconut cream is fab, love it but it is soo greasy. Still love it though.

£7 aldi
£15 sainsbos
£5 superdrug.

Food budget basically blown. Summer is way more expensive than winter.

I have jars for pasta, rice, flour and sugar. Could really do with a few more for raisins and things but I def can't afford them at the moment.
Spent £50 on petrol today plus about £6 on a few bits in Sainsburys and £4 on two Magnums when we went for a walk - are they normally that much? Seems extortionate!
I was going to buy DD a new tooth brush too but the baby ones in Sainsburys were £2. The exact same ones are 97p in Asda. That seems like a massive discrepancy to me, over 100% more in Sainsburys!
Have had a lovely weekend, been to visit friends today and yesterday and DD had a great time running around their gardens. Even managed to get a few jobs done in our own garden.

It's all the summer fruit for me, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, nectarines, peaches etc. We get through TONS in summer. I know it's healthy, but yes, it is expensive too

£7 travel.
£8.90 lunch out.
£40.26 Tesco delivery.

Meal Plan (not sure of all days yet):
Veggie sausages, mash, kale and gravy
Omelette, wedges and peas.
Mushroom and red onion risotto with salad (hopefully enough for two days!)
Veggie kievs, new potatoes and kale.
Pizza
Goats cheese tarts, new potatoes and frozen mixed veg.

I agree about the summer fruit. I hardly eat fruit in winter but eat lots in summer.
The last 2 weekends I've made a massive fruit salad with melons, strawberries, nectarines, kiwi and mango and put it in a Tupperware container in the fridge and we've taken portions with our packed lunches and also given DD some for pudding in the evening. She loves fruit.

I had an epic nutribullet fail today - I put cavolo nero in it and it was heinous I couldn't finish it

Our menu for this week will be a mix of using up stuff from freezer and using up dried goods!

veggie and tofu stirfry
butternut squash risotto
rice + quinoa with white cabbage, sesame seeds, onions, cranberries and soya sauce (will be served with something)
fishcakes and carrots, greens
veggie burgers, mash, carrots

We are trying not to buy stuff as we use things up, I have resigned myself to increasingly weirder meals as the weeks to the move draw near

This is our meal plan

Cajun chicken quinoa and lentils
Hot dogs
Spag bol
Sausage pasta
Veg casserole
Pizza
Chilli

Should be nsd.

Yesterday I ordered part of dds birthday present. It's a watch and was £19.99 but John Lewis were price matching and if was down to £15.99.

My list for today is longer than I have time for. I was going to go to morrisons and get food with a voucher but can't fit in the extra time it will take me to go. Unless I skip my fitness class then I have an extra hour - or skip the house work (which is more likely tbf). So shopping for fruit, can't wait for the pyo and allotment to start fruiting, wilkos for wire, so about £40 ish today. Also pre passport times 4 so however much that cheque will be in the week, and meal planning. Feel inspired by Mary berry favourite at the mo to try new things