Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Cost of living

Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Super Savvy Savers Skid towards September Saving Spree

990 replies

lilacclery · 27/08/2015 16:08

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

OP posts:
peppansalt · 01/09/2015 10:46

Collie, what a lovely idea about the advent calendar. MiL bought my DCs beautiful fabric calendars a few years ago with little pockets. This year I will swap out some of the sweets for fun (& cheap!) activities.

I was also an ostrich with my bank account. Earlier in the year we were thinking about changing banks but the new one wanted to see 6 months of statements first. Was so embarrassed about our spending I never got round to giving them the statements Blush. Despite DH bringing home a good wage our money went straight down the drain on nothing and we were constantly o/d.

Now It's like I've rebooted my mentality towards budgeting and spending. I am constantly checking bank account and reconciling against ynab. Having all the figures in black and white had helped enormously.

Electrolux2 · 01/09/2015 10:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fluffycloudland77 · 01/09/2015 11:06

I've never had a bank want to see statements.

peppansalt · 01/09/2015 11:09

It's not a high street bank Fluffy

TheHouseworkFairy · 01/09/2015 11:22

Morning all.

UrsulaTodd thank you for the advice about fleas. I guess I'll have to start letting the little chap in on purpose then!!!

Today should be a no-spend day for me (3rd day in a row)*. My poor little car is being collected this afternoon. I'm hoping and praying that it will be economically repairable and all goes smoothly with the insurance - please can you all send me money saving positive vibes?

Ugh back to work tomorrow, no more days off til October half-term.

TheOnlyPink · 01/09/2015 11:24

Another ostrich with the bank balance. I would check it about twice a month. My card often got declined because I had no idea what was on the account. I'm so embarrassed admitting it, but think it's good to face up to it, keep me from slipping back into my old ways. I didn't even know the passwords, I had to ask dh to do it Blush
Now I check every day and keep a running list of everything that has to go out, and check it off when it's gone, to make sure there is enough money and not go overdrawn. We get charged €5 for every transaction in overdraft. We were spending a fortune in fees.

lolly huge welcome. Another one here who fritters money on little things, but goes without bigger, more important things. Lots of support here!!

collie I would love to live in your house, it sounds like so much fun! I do an activity advent calender too, but those tiny envelopes and pegs sound terrific!

Checked my bank this morning, and had problems with Dorothy Perkins website last night with order not going through. The money was taken 4 times! So phoned them and should get the refund tomorrow, phew! It was €117 on top of the €23 for the actual order! Was on hold for ages, but was impressed at how quickly they sorted it and how lovely they were on the phone.
Low spend day apart from that, just 74cent on tortilla wraps that didn't come in yesterday's tesco order.

Lollypop27 · 01/09/2015 11:35

Badders - with your phone do you have a phone with the contract? I pay £32 for mine and the same for dh. We have an iPhone 5s each. In February when it's up for renewal we are not upgrading the phone but keeping the same plan and it will only be £13 a month each. Could you maybe do something like this?

Lovetoknit · 01/09/2015 11:45

Just did the weekly shop at Lidl with the voucher I got on Saturday so £53 shop for £48, was going to buy some strawberries but every punnet had at least one mouldy one so instead bought mango for dh
collie they should have 10 pansies for £1.69 and spring bulbs 5 for £5 on Thursday for splash of colour in your winter garden

Collieputthekettleon · 01/09/2015 12:07

TheOnlyPink thank you :) I get the inspiration from Pinterest.

Lovetoknit amazing! I think there's a Lidl in Falmouth I can pop in (I'll be out that way next week anyway). Smile

It's really hot in the sun and really chilly in the wind. It's so confusing today!

fuzzpig · 01/09/2015 12:08

Argh! Well I didn't earn anything from my lesson today. The pupil was lovely, full of enthusiasm, and I'm confident we can have productive lessons but the DCs didn't stay quiet, they just kept messing about and interrupting :( so I turned down the fee and just said it was more like an introduction (was supposed to be half price as it was the first lesson). I am mortified. They are 8 and 6, they are capable of being quiet! I read them the riot act afterwards - stayed calm but made it very clear how disappointed I was - and explained that they need to be quiet just for half an hour so that I can earn money to pay for the fun things they want to do. They were suitably ashamed as they had previously promised me that they'd play quietly in their room. I really hope it was just the novelty of having new people here (my other lessons are at the pupil's house because it's so near, and they play with the sibling, so it's a different situation). We've discussed what they can do next time, I might actually set out a particular activity in their room like a puzzle or craft thing. I would be tempted to give them their screen time then but our ancient iPad died recently and I don't want them on the laptop in their room.

Lovetoknit · 01/09/2015 12:58

You have my total sympathy fuzzpig I work from home on the phone as an interpreter and my DC used to be rather noisy and grumpy about me working and obviously being told "don't be noisy and don't come in the office when I am on the phone". Some days are better then others. Today is sunny so they are happily playing in the garden. It's lot harder on rainy days.
And when they pulled their faces at me about working I just remind them about all the extra things they want to do when they go back to school next week. September is always expensive when you have to pay again for all the after school stuff - piano for both dds, ballet for both dds (and younger one needs new shoes again) and ds now wants to learn to play trombone too and do sailing at the new school.

ipsos · 01/09/2015 13:34

Sorry to hear about that fuzz. A friend of mine used to take transatlantic conference calls from home and his three year old loved pulling out the phone plug from the walls during the call. It entertained us a lot to hear him constantly battling with the kid.

Sorry, I'm getting totally behind reading the thread and have no hope of catching up. I hope everybody is getting on well.

Whatabout · 01/09/2015 13:53

I do wonder how my husband will work from home when there is a newborn and a toddler in the house. He spends all day on international conference calls, sometimes i
Forget and shout at him Blush

fuzzpig · 01/09/2015 13:56

Thanks folks Thanks I'm hoping it'll get better once they're used to it!

I have another couple of potential pupils who answered my ad, but they are teen/adult and local so I'm thinking that I can walk to their houses instead, in the evening once DH is home. The more lessons I can do without them the better I think!

peppansalt · 01/09/2015 15:14

Fuzz, what do you teach??

Collieputthekettleon · 01/09/2015 15:18

Currently feeling the rage that occurs when someone forgets to tell you something has run out. So it isn't bought in the next shop & fucks up dinner.

Need Brew

ipsos · 01/09/2015 15:52

Our batch cooking continues to have been a good idea. ds had a little taste of dhs chilli and liked it. We are thinking of making it less spicy next time so he can have some of his own. :-)

needastrongone · 01/09/2015 15:59

Aww fuzz, I feel your pain, kids can be such a pain can't they if they think they are not centre of attention.

My teen DC eat the last thing and leave the box still in the cupboard which enrages me greatly Angry

Sunburnt in Sorrento.... Grin

Badders123 · 01/09/2015 15:59

Thanks for the phone info...I have sort of promised ds1 my current phone and can get a sim for it for £5 per month which I'm happy to pay.
It's annoying as I'm very happy with Virgin but they just dont do good deals to current customers :(
I am going to do the weekly shop at work in Friday as I will get 25% off!
I might also get a couple of bits for ds2s b day...:)
I may even treat myself!

Badders123 · 01/09/2015 16:00

Oh! We had a lovely holiday in sorrento before we had DC when we still had some money
Gorgeous.

SpottyTeacakes · 01/09/2015 16:02

I must start batch cooking again I've been really slack.

So a list of stuff I batch cook:

Soup
Chilli
Bolognese
Beef casserole
Chicken and chorizo casserole
Lasagne
Shepherds pie

They're my staples I think. I'm going to try beef curry too Smile

Nsd. I've got a cold nose. Feels autumnal.

We're going to legoland tomorrow as I got free tickets with the sun will take a picnic but probs end up buying dinner as we won't be home in time not sure what's best.

ipsos · 01/09/2015 16:11

Thanks for the batch cooking ideas spotty. I'd like to learn to make shepherd's pie and chicken and chorizo casserole next. I think they would be well received here. Smile

I know what you mean about the cold nose. My whole family are really run down and barely want to leave the house. The summer turned into winter suddenly last week and we're all wrong-footed by it.

needastrongone · 01/09/2015 16:23

badders It ain't cheap is it? It's our first 'grown up' holiday with the DC, at an 'adult' hotel i.e one with no kids clubs and discos and no inflatables in the pool etc. Had our fair share of these!! DC are very content with this actually, especially as there's wi-fi Smile. We've stayed by the pool today as we arrived very late last night, but are going to venture into Sorrento itself tomorrow (the hotel is on the hillside overlooking the town and Vesuvious) and explore. Pompei, Capri etc also on the list.

The only down side is that we are half board, the drinks are expensive, so I will be bringing water back to the room. We did budget for this though. There's a white wine local to the area, which is lovely, I will remember the name and see if you know it?

Ordered and online shop from Morrisons while chillin' though!! And already read a book. I downloaded a few of the 99p ones onto my Kindle. Life is too hectic to read usually.

SpottyTeacakes · 01/09/2015 16:32

Sounds amazing need!

I put olives in my chicken and chorizo casserole. The great thing about using chorizo is it gives so much flavour you don't need to add much more.

needastrongone · 01/09/2015 16:40

Chicken and chorizo casserole is yum!

I am not great at batch cooking I must admit, I have tried. Good at meal planning itself and using leftovers for lunches, but freezing stuff doesn't work for me as I forget to use stuff again.

Swipe left for the next trending thread