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

Hiya, can I join in please?!
Recently dropped my hours at work after having a baby and massive drop on wages to go with it which I'm trying and failing to adjust to!

Welcome MonkenDrunky

(whoops, posted on the closed August thread - DUH)

Hi All

I'm back with a new username - I was Bantam Girl and also ClaretandAmberforever but hacking shenanigans have rendered both accounts inaccessible. I swear to God, I wish mine had been one of them published online because I'd have done anything to be able to log back in again. I've had to open this one with DS1's e-mail address.

Anyway I have been bloody heamorrhaging money over the summer holidays, my hand has been constantly in and out of my pocket. I have a new hobby - adult colouring - (don't laugh, it stops me snacking) but I have spent loads of money buying markers and pencils and felt-tips and buying books! Anyway - enough is enough

I must have added well over £1k to my credit card debt this month too as DH's car needed repairing which was £600+ and I've had to buy all the associated school uniform paraphernalia - I'm really mad with myself.

On the positive side, DS1 now has a job (WHIROOOOOOO) at a discount supermarket where I get a 10% discount (the one that sounds like 'Little') and he's starting at Uni next month and he gets a bursary (whooooo) so I'm going to see some board money. He will take over his own mobile phone (only a tenner) but I'm going to charge him £100 and he also has to pay his car insurance back (£115 per month), so hopefully my credit cards will start to go downwards.

So, now I can get back on the site, I'll start interacting on this thread and doing my daily spends again, if no one minds

Welcome back houseworkfairy and welcome other newbies!

I'm working today so it should be a nsd all being well.

Oh and hwf I am getting into the adult colouring book thing as well I find it very relaxing!

Spent £30 at the market, got A table cloth £6, air fresheners £10, some fruit £3, a birthday present for FIL £3 and other food stuff - icing sugar, drinks, biscuits and snacks £8.

I booked a Groupon offer of Cut, full head colour and blow dry for £28, tried to call to make an appointment 4 times but no answer, will keep trying.

The Festive Fivers link is fab, I've just ordered the stuff to make bath bombs (£5) with dd1, we will give them as gifts if they turn out ok. Dd also likes the look of the bird feeder but we will need to find some pine cones first.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Colouring in is brilliant! I also love Japanese puzzles like Hanjie, as they combing colouring in with logic :o

In other news I have finally put up a proper advert for music lessons (previously just put text on there) so fingers crossed. I figured with 'back to school' being in everyone's minds at the moment it might be clever timing.

In other other news we have decided we may take a trip to Birmingham next June for the Games Expo - we are HUGE board game addicts, and apparently it's a pretty good event. So we will need to save up not just for a Travelodge/train (we are down south and I couldn't manage a day trip - we are going to make it into a mini holiday with some home ed learning visits thrown in) but I am hoping we will have about £100 to buy games we fall in love with while we are there (a decent big board game is often around £30-40). Actually I might restart the £2 coin collection - I did that a couple of years ago for Christmas and I was amazed how much I saved, well over £100. Although I don't use cash as much these days - mainly due to using an app for my bus tickets - it's still worth a try as it's a pretty mindless, effort-free way of saving money!

Went into a hairdressers and was given colour consultation, booked appt.....thought best check how much I need to bring with me.....

120pound!!!!:o :o : o for cut and colour. It's not a chain hairdressers or even in a well to do area...nearly fell over!!! I tried these cause my usual one is 75pound a time...

Crikey! I'm guessing those :o were meant to be !

I'm really lazy with my hair, TBH I just have it up most of the time anyway but when I need a trim I usually just do the ol' MN haircut. My hair is wavy so I can get away with it. Same with DD - she's 8 and never had a paid haircut

wheely I know. I pay £100 every six weeks for cut and colour, but I have finally found a hairdresser who can cut my hair. I feel so confident with my hair now so am not giving her up.
I do not need ANY new clothes this winter at all as I have loads from.pre divorce days.
So that's a huge saving

I'm having a NSD as I'm in bed with a bit of a dodgy stomach. Rats.

I bought a mindfulness colouring book and a pack of 24 pencils the other day. My only problem? Not enough colours. I need more pencils.

Today's explore into cupboards has uncovered 4 half open/used shower gels. A brand new pair of ballet flats, and a load more things to sell.

Is anybody else nervous about the dcs going back to school? I am. I feel he's not developmentally ready for what they're asking of him and I don't like watching him go downhill and get demoralised and ill as the year goes on. Not sure what to do about it really. I think maybe I need to just keep him off longer when he's under the weather.

Sorry, I know it's not really a frugaleer question.

Sorry to hear your not feeling well ipsos hope you feel better soon.

It sounded like your ds had a tough year last year but he might be much better this year, being a bit older and different class etc. I know what you mean though, i have concerns over my dd going back i'm not impressed with the classroom she is going to be in (not designed to be a classroom ) plus none of her good friends will be with her.

That said she needs to go back as all the spellings and maths I said I would do with her over the hols has not materialised I honestly don't know how you home school fuzz the minute i try and do anything resembling work with dd she starts rolling around on the floor groaning

Aw ipsos :( how old is DS? I felt like that with DS (summer baby - in fact he's 6 tomorrow!), he had a speech disorder too. I agree it's worth keeping sick children off when they need it - it's just not worth pushing them if they aren't fully recovered from a bug

Thanks Girlie. My ds also kicks off when we try to do homework. I've no idea how anyone homeschools. I think they probably have different children from me.

I was thinking that to make it easier, I could start focusing on the practical stuff, like a good frugaleer. I could meal plan so that he always has good food and plan my time will so that I have lots of listening time for him when he is home. That would be a good start wouldn't it?

I suspect he is braver than I am. He is already warming up for the year by fantasizing about battles.

Do you think it's reasonable just to come up with five daily meal plans and use one each day, for the five days of the week, every week, rather than having to come up with a new one every week? We only have a very limited range of things that we can eat. Maybe I could do that now.

Xpost, Girl :o in all honesty I don't know either - we've been very low key so far (and believe me they did plenty of rolling around and groaning!) - had a break for summer (largely because I was ill, but it worked out better as DD could see her friends more) and we will be starting to have a little more structure in a couple of weeks... so I may yet regret the decision! :o

I love the colouring in books for adults. I have some too. I love it!

Hope you feel better soon ipsos! Its miserable being groggy and ill.

I refuse to spend money on my hair. I'm always left feeling disappointed and looking like Moaning Myrtle.

We spent £16 on shoes for DS for the winter. The other ones were canvas so not ideal for slightly damp weather (when its not quite welly weather) Had to buy margerine & a bottle of water.

Well after much teeth gnashing and discussion have ordered an Indesit from JL. Am hoping by taking out a 5 yr guarantee it will offset buying a 'cheap' machine.

Would really have loved a Miele but not this time????

Welcome to newbies!

Good luck fuzz. :-) I'm a scientist/computer person if you want any ideas. Botany is the thing I'm handiest at.

Thanks collie.

I know what you mean about hair cutting. I always get a short layered hair cut which sort of gradually develops into a long layered hair cut, and can last the best part of 6 months.

Ps Fluffy, was it you who mentioned Kidstart? Thank you!

ipsos yes I think that sounds very sensible. And children like routine, so even if you find it a bit frustrating having the same food every week, your DS may welcome it. In the past when we've had similar they loved knowing it was pasta night, jacket potato night or whatever.

I'm gradually trying to increase the range of meals we have (our limitation is really due to DS' pickiness, although we are limited as for the days DH eats with us as he is coeliac) but do it very slowly. We don't currently have a weekly plan but we have a lot of the usual favourites bulk cooked and in the freezer. Which works when I'm organised enough to defrost them.

ipsos if you are limited to meals I would either do a meal plan like you suggested. Or I'd write a list of stuff you can have and attach it to the fridge for frequent inspiration. I do that with slow cooker meals.
Sometimes my brain is so foggy I only remember spag bol and chilli. So my list helps me to remember loads more recipes.

But I am a list addict. They are everywhere! I even have 3 notebooks of lists... And several thousand million lists on Excel.

ipsos thank you! Very kind. And oooh botany! Cool, my DCs are big nature lovers :)