July Frugal thread, Just chatting and saving.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Everyone welcome.

Tbf the bikes were both half price and I should get quidco off my credit card too.
I never use the proper amount of powder. Also arial is on Groupon. I can only use that due to allergy and white vinegar as a softener.

Oh I can't go back to sainsbury. Unless the clothing is on. I bet it will be when we are on holiday. I will have to find sainsbury in Cornwall.

Renewal of national trust £78 and Eden project tickets £38. Eden is 69 on the door!

I might try halving the washing powder too. I'm never quite sure how good the laundrette washingmachines are. A bit worried they might not actually end up clean. Will also look into the lidl washing stuff and see if that's any good.

NSD yesterday. Today is a LSD if you don't count the council tax. Otherwise £8 in tesco, but mostly value stuff and fruit that is on offer so should manage for the next 3-4 days without having to buy anything else.

Tomorrows challenge is to try and find a way of paying orange/ee for last month's phone bill. Preferably one that isn't going to involve getting stuck in some sort of 'press 1 for...' options loop.

I loved your falling-off-the-wagon post babsmam! You certainly did it in style.

Frugality successes

1. I started a personal make up and toiletries challenge (see my other thread in Credit Crunch. Please).
2. Went to Lidl for first time. Spent a tenner on massive box of washing powder, 14 rashers of bacon (half in freezer) and ingredients for cornflake cakes (currently an expensive habit of mine).
3. Dinner and tea have both been Use Ups.

Frugality failures

1. Solicitors fees for separation stuff.

The online code for 25% off Sainsburys clothes is TU25%OFF I have just got all dds school uniform for £15!! That includes 3 polo shirts, 2 pairs of trousers and 3 t.shirts for PE

Makes sense to get it now rather than wait till last minute like I normally do that only leaves the sweatshirts which the school are now insisting are the proper logo'ed ones - grr! Reckon I can get a bit more life out of her school shoes if I polish them up

Otherwise only spends today were 30p on end of term sweets for dd.

Morrisons do a huge box of washing powder called Prudax which I think is £5 and lasts ages, in my local Lidls they don't do big boxes of washing powder.

Girlie when does it start in store?

the on line thing is only by invitation email unfortunately i didn't get an invite. I'm going to pop by on my way to work tomorrow and report back. I too feel it is tomorrow collie. the saving is so worth the hassle of going

Thanks for the cornwall shops - we are near St Neot i think.

Eden was through civil service sports and social. well worth it if you are or you know any public/civil servants only £44 a year and we use it loads for various discounts and english heritage family membership is in too. It is possible for you to get linked membership if you are not a civil servant but know someone who is.

Hi everyone, welcome to the newbies, 38 degrees in Athens today. Tonight DH arrives, his nephew has gone to collect him from the airport.

Not been too expensive so far. At the airport I had to buy water and some antihistamines for DS who has an unidentified allergy to holidays (gets really snotty/congested/red eyes) can't remember, I think £12 ish. Then had to buy kids socks for them to go into airport soft play £4.50.

Today supermarket shop €95, but that included a dress and 2 t-shirts for each of the girls and shorts for DD1, hair dye and kitchen mini chopper for house (cousin did last shop €170) plus we have had a couple of takeaways that cousin has paid for. We need to gave a sort out and balance the books.

I tried to use my Spamish debit card in Lidl today, but it was rejected I know we have plenty in the account (€3k) so it is the Greek situation. Rang DH and told him to use €account to withdraw €from a cash machine in the airport terminal. (I hope it is free)

Spanish card, but might as well have been spam.....

A quick pop in to say hi , weekend was low spend. a few bits in the co op but spent less than £20 ( Dh gave me the cash)

I need to do my YNAB to total up what I have left , but I havent spent much

today spent just £ 2.58 on two packs of chicken thighs reduced

I also got a £10 sainsburys voucher and a cinema ticket off my ( now defunct nat west points credit card .. just using up what was left before the scheme closed)

Also ive noticed ( we have a joint kindle account) that my last three books have gone on Dhs credit card not mine .. (umm, better fess up )

But a frugal win ( although i feel a bit guilty about this ). Quidco have paid me £9.90 , but it was for something I sent back to the retailer (Hush) WWYD? I dont know how i can give it back , shall i just keep stum?

sorry about typing.. my cat has plonked himself on the desk and is all over me and theres now no room for me to use the mouse properly!!

babsmam - That's not a fall, that's a plummet of the frugal wagon Hey, we all get days like that, where we seem to leak cash from every possible source..

collie I would try something easy and quick like rocket or salad leaves.

Frugal win today - took a T Shirt that DD got for her birthday from DH back to Next. She would never have worn it in a million years. Got a pair of black slip on brogues for £14 in the sale for school next year.

£11 on a load of fruit from Aldi, plus £50 cashback. Had budgeted for £100 cash to last at least a week but I won't need it or anywhere close.

DD spent £25 in Primark and bought 6 million items of clothing, I gave her £15 as some of the stuff she bought was 'essential'. I agree to 'essential' purchases, anything in excess, she pays for herself. Given she had one pair of shorts to her name and we are going to Italy in August, I class that as essential

Collie courgettes? id sow them in pots first though they should be up in a week (or get plants )
otherwise beetroot, spinach, spring onions, lettuce, carrots ( sow the earlies, ive already harvested some i put in 5 weeks ago as salad carrots and have been sucession sowing , wil be puttin gmore in )
Just been out and the sodding slugs are feasing on my my lettuces!! have put down pellets ..
its wet here and they are all out..

My runner beans have not come up!! or have been eaten.. am thinking of putting more in .theres stil time isnt there (if we have good autumn) ?

aah darn pesky cat!! (hes licking me now)!! i suppose he wants feeding again

need how did you get £50 cash back on £11 spend ? I want some of that!! Typo?

There's a natural way to kill slugs, I think they are called Nemetephobes? that's spelt wrong but a quick google would bring it up.

They are hedgehog and wildlife safe iirc. Your cat is a very determined looking fellow. They love you most when they want feeding dont they?.

oh and i need some more 'everyday' wine glasses ( had a 'smashing' time over weekend) if sainsburys sale on will go there tomorrow

Sorry Laska, I meant that I got £50 cash on my debit card, plus spent £11. I had budgeted to take out £100 from the cash point but I don't need it. Sorry for the confusion.

flufy nemotodes I think..i used them inth egarden we had inprevious hous but sadly (well its good really, its why we moved here) our garden is so huge (and partly field) that its no good putting them down, ( what we need is chickens but Dh has put his foot down on that one. Meanie!!)

Cat (Barney) is a big old softy actually, thats his 'feed me' look!

Chickens would be awesome. He is being a meanie

Toads? would he have an objection to a pond?.