Awesome August Frugaleers..

[Laska42]

Blimey.. It's August Already (nearly)

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.

www.quidco.com/home/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/ And this

www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub ditto.

www.checkoutsmart.com/ Plus this.

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

((((( need ))))) hope DSIL can find the inner strength she needs to get to grips with the horrible reality. So sorry you're going through this.

No frugaleering going on here, DH took the DCs out and spoiled them rotten (in my eyes anyway - not a lot spent but we don't normally get them frivolous things for no reason and DH was excited by a clearance sale in TKMaxx! ) although I did just do this week's tesco order and got it to £1.70 over the minimum spend. But not so virtuous considering we've had a couple of top ups this weekend! Need to get more organised - was so focused on batch cooking that I forgot about everything else. D'oh. Doing pesto and cheese sauce tomorrow and trying a sausage casserole (thinking potato, sweet potato, carrots and peas?) just to see if the DCs actually eat it, in which case I'll do a bigger one next time for the freezer.

Quick update.

for you need

Had a day out with ILs, they are on holiday prior To MIL's surgery next week. Took lunch with us so about £25 for 4 of us To Get in To the place after discount vouchers, £11 on hot drinks all round and another £13 ish on ice-creams, then both MIL and I had the same idea - I'm not buying Loads of food when people can't make plans and I therefore don't know if we'll be eating at home- so we went for dinner at the end of the day, £40. Also, I Spent £10 in the gift shop which included a slab of cave aged cheddar. Then I gave each DD a month's pocket money, so that was £40 out of my account.

We should Get our container Tomorrow, unless something else oscuros To delay it again. We've just had To make a large payment because the agent this end hasn't recieved funds that their counter part in Chile transfered last week. It will be reimbursed once they Get the transfer.

Fabulous day out with the family today and a grand total of £11.10 spent by me. We took a picnic with us so I was able to avoid the usual spend in the café, our entrance fees were paid for by a member of the family and I spent the money on a round of beers at the end of the day which were enjoyed whilst basking in the afternoon sunshine in the beer garden of a delightful country pub. Perfect ending to a wonderful day!

Caught up now as for some reason I can't sleep.

need sorry to hear about your mil, it must be a tough time.

Collie hope you enjoy the Golf despite it not being your 1st choice. I'm chuffed to bits with my 107. I'm able to park in the tiniest spaces and obviously, most importantly, the teeny tiny boot just fits ds' cricket bag! I taxed it earlier.....£20, £150 on insurance, it's less than half the £390 that tax & ins came to on the old car.

need so sorry I hope your mil is comfortable

To whoever asked generic antihistamines are exactly the same as the over priced branded ones. Hence why when a doctor prescribes medication you always get a generic version not branded.

Should be nsd today just popping to a friends.

I think toilet training is tricky and people don't realise it's a physical development not an intellectual one. I've left mine longer than most and I still got comments.

I have a child-free day with no car today so my plan (once ooh I've got up!) is to do the following:
Phone insurance re - bathroom sink which DH broke a while ago.
Phone Eon to find out why they've put our bill up by £30 a month and see if they'll reduce it and if not then look at switching.
Look at broadband deals on Quidco.
Research a good bank account for DD and possibly open one if I can do so online.
Finish photo book I started months ago and order it using Boots voucher I have.
That's quite a lot isn't it? I'll report back later!

Hmm I like the idea of having dd coming out on the first of each month but dh gets paid on the fifth and twentieth of each month and often a day late....

Thank you all for your kind and supportive words, it does mean a lot. ipsos I've read the link, many many thanks. I haven't liked reading it and I cried a little, as it's very close to our situation, and too close for my SIL to accept I think. But an important leaflet, thank you so much. I will read it again and again for sure.

I agree, both of my DC were nearly 3 when the potty trained, and it was a painless experience. I messed up food, and got very stressed and made them faddy when they were little, but for some reason didn't give a hoot about when they were dry

pointless I think the bank may ask for ID, even for an account for a child. They did recently for our DC, even if they are older than yours. A productive day for you then!

I like Golf's [collie]!

Hope you get your container adora

fuzz That combination of ingredients for a sausage casserole sounds child friendly enough.

Quite surprised to find I have sold all my listings on Ebay, and made about £40. Even school trousers. I did sell them as a set of 3, but I have found a 4th pair, so that buyer will get a nice surprise.

Had roast chicken for tea last night so tonight I have found a recipe that is essentially a huge chicken salad with nachos that looks yummy.

need (((hugs)))

Very spendy day ahead.

Need to buy:

1. remaining camping things..heading to gooutdoors.
2. Both boys some new walking boots
3. eldest needs some new trainers
4. They both need some new clothes
5. and me some face cream finally.

But all budgeted and saved for. Plus my darling teenage boys I get to torment by simply dragging to shops...which apparently is the worse thing ever

Need it is a difficult situation. With my Mum's illness, my litttle brother is all "woe is me" when he rings. My older brother treats her like a china doll. I hope I am more pragmatic - although I will possibly look like an uncaring biatch...

The all the DD out of the account the day after pay day is how we do our budgeting. Also a big monthly shop - I know that we are fed, warm and dry to month end. It may not be an exciting month but we get there.

Ipsos ham boiling is really easy .... put the joint in cold water with a bay, star anise and peppercorns. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Put joint lightly overed with foil in the oven (160deg) & cook for 15 minutes per 500g. Keep the water you boil the ham in and use it for a stock base for pea and ham or lentil & bacon soup.

With regards to kids shoes I feel your pain, I can't believe dds feet have grown so fast in a few months

My tips for cheaper shoes are be mindful of when the sales are on and check out supermarket shoes they are a lot cheaper and not bad quality. Looking at dds current shoes her school shoes were Clarkes sale, sandals Mountain WareHouse sale and her hi-tops Mini Boden Sale she also has some riding boots which were discounted in Go Outdoors!!

Need hope you are o.kay.

I just got an email that reminded me - Paperchase now do a loyalty card and you get a £5 gift when it's your birthday. You also get 15% off in the first month and £5 off if you spend £50. I never spend that much but I love Paperchase and I need an academic year diary, luckily my birthday is the first week in Sept so the £5 can be used for that!

I do not understand my energy bill at all - can anybody help please?
We switched to Eon earlier this year and have been paying £80 a month by dd for gas and electric.
They came to read the meter on July 11th and shortly afterwards I received an email saying we were paying too little and they were putting up the dd to £118 per month which is obviously a huge increase. That payment went out today.
I just checked the bill history and it has never been in debit, in fact as of today it was £3 in credit until I submitted a new meter reading and it now says I am £74 in debit.
Then there is the little graph that compares my energy use to similar homes and apparently our energy use is 75% less than similar sized, energy efficient homes which makes me wonder 2 things: how the hell is it costing me so much and how the hell can anybody else afford their fuel bill if it is 75% more than mine??
I don't really know what to say when I call them up, I think I might just look for a cheaper deal on line - is Uswitch best or Quidco?
We are quite energy efficient - only have one tv, dry washing on the line, only heat water once a day for DD's bath, run dishwasher and washing machine on full loads, don't leave things on stand by, have cavity wall insulation etc.
I'd be interested if any of you live in a 3 bed semi to know how much you pay per month for gas and electric together.

We have a three bed semi and we were paying £129 with Eon. But DP likes it tropicalwarm.

We've switched to co-op. Poor poor customer service and switching was a nightmare due to them relaunching something or other. But now paying £105 a month.

Wow this thread has seriously run away from me! But I'm finding it very helpful to read every post as it's focusing me more. I've been very slack with frugaleering lately.

My frugal win for today is that I think I will end up off sick for at least another couple of weeks - this relapse is getting much, much worse than the minor blips I've had so far this year (sorry if I've said all this before - memory is terrible ATM) so... if I do get signed off for longer I'll cancel a day's childcare next week. Couldn't do so last week as it was not enough in advance and we would've had to pay it anyway. So that day we will save over £40 factoring in bus fares and tuck money etc. Wish I didn't have to though. Seems like every time I think I'm really getting better, something like this happens. Sick of it. Like fecking Groundhog Day but without the gentle comedy! :o (the grin is because if I didn't laugh, I'd cry!)

/end rant! Sorry

need so sorry to hear everything you and your family are going through.

adora hope you get that container soon!

collie well wear with the new car! I had a rental polo after we had an accident a few years ago. I loved it. Was surprised at how much I fit into it. 2 car seats, pushchair, shopping, school bags etc. Hope you are pleasantly surprised too!

pointless that sounds really strange! Worth a phone call or a switch if you can't get to the bottom of it!

Dh is on holidays this week, so off to the cinema this afternoon. Dh is taking ds 1 to ant man and I'm taking ds 2 to the minions. Sometimes I hate the 4.5 year age gap, activities never suit both kids! We have 2 subsidised tickets from dh work and ds 2 doesn't like popcorn so will bring treats from home for him. Shouldn't cost too much!
I fainted last night and hit the side of my face. I'm very bruised and my eye is very swollen. So embarrassed going out and about. And hate that people will think badly of my lovely dh. My dad already had words.

About the direct debits coming out on certain dates, I've switched lots of them yo come out just after payday on the 23rd, but the majority of them won't let you change! Vodafone gave us a choice of 2 dates tho, which was better than nothing. But insurance, utility, etc wouldn't let us change. Think it would be better business to allow customers to set their own date, but they don't seem to agree!

Pink are you ok? Do you know what caused you to faint?

£22 spent on drinks at pub yesterday; how they can justify £2.50 for a coke I'll never know

Frugal win this morning - instead of taking car, DCs and I walked the dog to the park. Added bonus it's a good 30 min walk each way so that used up most of the morning.

Can I join? You are 14 pages on so I hope its not too late. I got paid on 25th and had 5 family birthdays on 30th / 31st! In the process of buying a house so saving all the pennies we have. Keep telling myself when we are settled I will meal plan and properly budget etc

Pointless I think all the energy companies are fraudsters and as bad as each other. They overcomplicate everything and then demand more money for it.

Doing research the other day and was surprised to learn you can't switch water companies. Apparently legislation deemed it 'too complicated' to bring in billing competition. Really??!!!
So it would seem we are stuck with Anglian Water and have no idea if what we pay is the same as Jo Bloggs with Severn Water. ????