Super Savvy Savers Skid towards September Saving Spree

[lilacclery]

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

Plus this.

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

Kudos to PeoniesforMissAnnersly for the links

Thanks for the go outdoors tip pointless

Sorry to hear about all the worry that's going on unescorted. Hang in there.

We've had a good day. I showed my food plan to dh and he is joining in. We just made a big batch cook chilli, and dh and ds have shared two meals in two days now, though actually ds didn't eat his lunch as he is too busy flying a robot round the room. So far so good though.

I spent so much yesterday and today on warm clothes. It's perishing cold here and bucketing rain. It will be good to be warm.

I must admit I find selling on e bay a bit of a hassle now since the postal charges went up.
Buyers try and Negate low bids by ramping the postal charges...a seller is currently trying to charge me £4 for a second class parcel! It should be £2.80!
I only sell stuff I know will go...boden, joules, gap etc.
It's quite good for selling toys BUT do make sure if it's collection only that you make this VERY clear...I've had a lot of buyers pay for an item then ask me to courier it to the other side of the country!
I'm trying to get ds2 some new jeans ATM. Both boys have had a growth spurt...at the same time! ????

Ah drying indoors is rubbish. I'm eying up the lakeland airer as I have a £5 off voucher. It's only a £4 saving as the magazine was a pound, and rubbish, but didn't feel I could nick the leaflet.

Welcome star and good luck with your plan which sounds fab.

We have a great little clothes drying room in our house. It's the size of a tiny cloakroom toilet but it contains the water tank, and I had a radiator fitter that's on the same circuit as the tank. That means that when the water is on and the radiator is turned up, the little room turns into a hot indoor clothes drying room. I have a coat hanger rail fitter in there and wire shelves on the other side. It's really handy.

I think I am going to use it more because the tumble dryer mangles my clothes and has to have the window open to let the vent pipe out so it's costs much more than just the electricity that it uses to run.

We had this setup even when we were renting the house.

Welcome start!

£15 tesco top up. The food shopping only came Saturday and we've already been through a punnet or strawberries, a big punnet of raspberries and five bananas

Greenwalls...welcome. this is a really friendly and helpful thread. I also use YNAB and it has completely revolutionised my thinking towards spending. Have you joined the free webinairs or looked at the community forums to help with your queries? Laska is the YNAB queen - am sure she'll be along soon to help!

Braved nearest shopping centre. Got there early and went for lunch (only McDonald's) so £12 but DP Paid the £10 so only £2 spend.

Looked in matalan and they have a big sale on clothes. Went to buy two £5 tops for work, but after looking at queue we abandoned them. So £10 saved there. Bought DD some new jeans, a couple of jumpers and a pack-a-mac. £26 total from Primark. Also bought a all in one splash suit for her for our holiday in a couple of weeks. Just in case it's grim. Will do for nursery aswell for winter so £9.99 well spent.

Hope everyone's having a good day. I'm just catching up on GBBO and going to do my meal plan for the week. My personal weekend spends = £15. Spent So £5 left over. Will save this for next weekend.

peppa I just did the introductory emails for ynab and than went on to excel, because I felt I was less likely to make mistakes. What other learning things would you most recommend from ynab? I could do with learning more. Thanks!

I'm doing my meal plan too binglet and trying to muster the energy to go out and shop for it! This month I'm challenging myself to do the food shop a day later each week, make at least one batch cook dinner for the freezer and also reduce the budget by £10 each week. The plan being that in the last week of the month it should be a short week and il have meals already prepared.

Fairly low spend for a bank holiday so far...£4.50 parking, £13 on brunch and then used our annual pass for free entry into local attraction. After shopping the plan is board games at the table (fuzz you've inspired me! DD is only 3.5 but we can manage dominoes and matching games) and then a film snuggled on the sofa.

My September goals: complete my grocery challenge; post and hopefully sell at least 5 items a week on eBay/facebay; make packed lunches every day.

On way back from my mums....

Saturday spends, £21 swimming £8 tesco

Sunday spends, £42 2 x trainers for dcs, £9 wellies, £11 primark. Need to buy ds a coat and that'll do for them for winter. I need some more clothes for work thou. Also spent £50 Toby Carvery as mum not been that well and thought it would be better than her insisting on her cooking a roast.

Today spent £7 asda, that's it for now....

Just been out for a lovely long walk. So, so far nsd.

Was chatting to dh about savings. He's all on board with it and is going to dig out things for selling and charity shopping.

We are going to be serious savers now. So essentials only. For me this includes monthly trips to beauticians for nails and waxing, a weekly riding lesson and my gym membership (technically you could say the gym owes me money as I go three times a week and really get my money's worth). I know the above are not proper essentials for life and I know I'm lucky to be able to have them and if we needed the extra cash they'd go. Beauticians would go first. I get so much out of riding every week. It's only an hour but it's a great stress reliever for me and has seriously boosted my confidence.

Just had to spend £7.50! Grrrrrrrrrr

Sorry to hear about your Dad Electrolux.

Ursula that's a good target you have there. I keep thinking that I need to reduce my grocery budget by a third, for one month compared to the last, but now I think about your target, mine seems hopelessly over ambitious. Maybe I will try your idea.

I've done quite well again today. I had a tidy out of our airing cupboard and hung up three loads of washing, so that was good. The new washing line is also out in the garden since yesterday, but we have solid bucketing rain today, so no washings out there.

Everybody in our house is really run down because of the change in the weather. I feel as if we're going into hibernation. :-)

Electrolux have been thinking about you and hoping things are as ok as can be...(Big Bunch of flowers emocion here). I lost my Dad just over a year ago and it was such a strange, surreal time for a while. Really lovely to see you back :)

Electrolux sorry to read your news...

Ipsos I luffs Ynab, mainly because it enables me to set realistic budgets. I've tried spreadsheets before to track spending but that's all they did and didn't get me to plan my monthly spending properly.

I agree that potentially ynab is easy to deviate from; that's where I find regular reconciliation with my bank account helps. If you do that every few days you can't go too far wrong.

Im also fortunate that we don't tend to touch our credit card so not overcomplicating YNAB calculations

Electrolux

I made dinner too spicy for the dc (and dh but he still had to eat it). I thought it was nice though!

Hi Star

Free - Help to Buy shouldn't need a waiting list. Each developer who registers is given a number of people and an amount. When they run out they can apply for more. Shared ownership might have a waiting list depending on the area.

The hospital where mum is have been great - she is in a side ward so we can come & go as we like. It is all love and peace in the Unescorted household. I just have to keep a sharp eye out for my mum's friends so I can cross the road to avoid. Deep breath in .... hold and ...... exhale......

Electrolux sorry to hear about your dad. xxx

Electrolux been thinking of you

ursula Your goals have inspired me to make my own. I, Binglet, this month pledge to:
Take packed lunch each day
Drink water instead of paying for tea at work
Meal plan for EVERY evening meal
Save at least £5 per week from my (budgeted) £20 personal spends

I've just spent an hour on the phone and got my sky bundle from £70 down to £44/month. Just got rid of box sets as we have Netflix and got some discount on line rental. Am happy about that. Will probably add movies back on for Xmas but will wait for an offer and do it through topcashback if I can. Also phoned my phone company and got my bill down from £50 to £43 per month getting rid of some add ons I don't use. Quite chuffed with my afternoons work!

Sorry for your loss, Electrolux.

£5 each on gas and electric meters, even though we go away tomorrow morning until Sunday night. Saves going on to emergency and 55p on a chocolate bar for DS.

I feel so sleepy and lazy today too and am wondering if it's the cold, rainy weather. I haven't even packed yet! Maybe after this cuppa...

Electrolux sorry to hear that....these things can be long and drawn out. It'll sort itself out eventually trust me. Be kind to yourself and patient with those involved/affected. I saw my family in a whole new light...some good and some not so good at all...it's amazing. But in hindsight...I think everyone was just dealing with /coming to terms with things in their own way. I repeat be kind to yourself and patient with others....unless they need a good slap :)

Have been cooking up a storm and getting rid of rubbish...my eldest neededto have a shower before he would come with me to the rubbish tip...in case he saw someone he knows....perfectly coiffed hair and everything :D he didn't see anyone he knows...

Sorry to hear about your dad Electrolux.

Lsd today. Home from camping and sorting out bits.
Freezer tea.
Gone through my present box and have more than I thought for the dc.