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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.

September savers/frugaleers continue into October

999 replies

574ejones · 20/09/2015 17:43

All welcome!

OP posts:
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ipsos · 01/10/2015 17:51

That was a great idea Creme. I did that a couple of times this week and wished I'd thought of it months ago. I really felt a lot better afterwards. Well done there.

Thanks for the sympathetic words. I appreciate it. I think I've actually probably got the coldy/fluy thing that dh and ds had this week and last. My eyes are all watery now and I've never had that with a strep throat. On the plus side, they've both recovered which is quite encouraging. I'm definitely staying in bed though.

ipsos · 01/10/2015 17:55

I've done my end of month numbers now and I'm quite proud of my efforts. I reduced my grocery bill a bit, even though I bulk bought a whole lot of soap and stuff at the end of the month. I've reduced the amount I spend on ds a lot as well even though I did spend a bit a couple of times when it seemed sensible.

I spent an amount on house fixing but it wasn't for silly things and it wasn't huge. (Boiler service and laptop screen replacement)

The best thing is that I've got really good at always returning things that don't work or don't do what I need them to do. I think that's really helping.

I've also changed the heating and water so it's on for the minimum feasible time and on a lower temperature, and started using the washing line.

Thanks so much for all the encouragement. I'm definitely making progress here. Smile

CremeEggThief · 01/10/2015 17:57

Sounds great, ipsos. Frugaleering at its finest!

I think you're right. I felt guilty, as it was such a beautiful day, but sometimes you have to give in; you can't always battle through. And the sun was still there when I got up!

SpottyTeacakes · 01/10/2015 17:58

Can I remind everyone (and introduce newbies) about the free postcode lottery. Mine is yet to come up but it's worth checking!

Ememem84 · 01/10/2015 18:00

Take care ipsos I've had strep and it's not fun.

Warm water honey and thyme might help.

Nsd today. I went to the beauticians for waxing but her card machine was playing up and I didn't have cash. She's added it onto my next appointment (after payday luckily) so for now...free treatment! Yippee!

Day off tomorrow as its my birthday. Planning on staying home. Eating toast and jam and indulging in Netflix. Then steak dinner out. Yum.

Girlfriend36 · 01/10/2015 18:00

Ipsos Flowers hope you feel better soon.

Been at work and managed a NSD Smile my car has been repaired after a lady scrapped it in Lidls car park a few weeks back! Looks great, was starting to regret going through insurance as it's been a bit of a faff but actually am pleased I did now as it looks tons better and as an added bonus they have given it a mini valet!!

Urgently need two new tyres though, may try and sort that tomos or if not def Monday and an alert came up earlier to say check the battery - gah!! Cars are a never ending money pit.

Knackered today so early night for me.

Oh and noted the cat biscuits are getting pretty low so will need to pick those up at some point.

SpottyTeacakes · 01/10/2015 18:03

Girlie try etyres they come to your house and you can go through topcashback

Orangeisthenewbanana · 01/10/2015 18:03

Nsd here again (work is always good for that!) and quorn spag bol for tea.

Hope your throat feels better soon ipsos Must try and get my flu jab done soon. Our GP is really booked up but local pharmacist is doing a drop in service.

Haven't heard of the postcode lottery spotty, do you register online?

Fluffycloudland77 · 01/10/2015 18:05

www.johnlewis.com/miele-g6517-sci-xxl-semi-integrated-dishwasher-clean-steel/p1751249

ipsos I have this one, I found a builders merchants in Oxfordshire doing it cheap and swapped current accounts to get a £150 incentive so it was £980 in the end.

Well done on the frugality, it all adds up in the end. My ndn has packed her line away and I've still got washing out.

creme sometimes I go to bed really early but you feel so much better for it.

SpottyTeacakes · 01/10/2015 18:10

Yes orange you have to check it each day but it takes thirty seconds.

Nsd and washing dried on the line Xmas Grin

NK5BM3 · 01/10/2015 18:22

ipsos I have solar panels. Installed about last year this time. We've so far spent v little on electricity and because dh works from home, that makes even more sense. So on v sunny days (we are in se) the meter doesn't even move and we have the fridge freezers on of course, plus computers, radio, washing machine, dw... And it's all great - free electric. But they did say to us then that if we didn't get on board then, we wouldn't benefit as much if we waited, which I guess is just as well since they've announced the cut in rates. Which is ridiculous given all these typhoons, hurricanes, sinkholes and what not happening everywhere these days. No climate change?!

pink thanks - I took my administrator out for lunch today £9.90 because she was basically having a lack of confidence and I thought I needed to cheer her up. Plus I want her to be promoted and be at a higher grade. Problem with this place again, is that they don't seem to recognise talent or want to retain knowledge. Ridiculous. The twunt of a woman didn't turn up at work today. Not sure why. So email not replied.

She wanted some information from me and I gave it to her kinda, by enquiring about it and she's ended up with something like a 5mb email with lots of information which she can sift through. She wants detail, I got her detail. I was surprised at the amount of info that came back but hey... She wanted accuracy and so I gave it to her. She's so condescending too.

Spoke to other colleagues - a few are job hunting. Some are doing that to prevent themselves from getting too depressed. So better to jump ship now when one is relatively happy... Than to wait till shit hits fan. How true.

ipsos · 01/10/2015 18:23

Creme I totally agree. I think you did a good job stopping for a bit. I think it's easy to forget that we Mums need maintenance just like the house and the car and whatnot. The family would be stuck if we never rested and let ourselves disintegrate. I'm rubbish at actually doing it, but I know that in principle it's a good idea. I've discovered this youtube thing: Listening to it definitely helps me to stay resting for longer instead of rushing around.

I've made a summary of summaries table for my finances and it seems that all the bills I pay, and food and whatnot come to almost exactly £50 less than dh pays into my account each month, just by coincidence. That's a bit of luck, and also explains why I'm not saving anything. I will keep working on it. Nice to know where the money's going though.

ipsos · 01/10/2015 18:29

NK5 so sorry to hear about the difficult woman at work. I've had that twice in two different jobs and it's such a frustration not being able to get work done or enjoy life just because of an idiot and the management not doing anything. Can you go over her head?

Thanks for the info on the solar panels. Would you mind my asking how many you have? We only have a small rood, but in a very hot place.

Spotty postcode lottery sounds brilliant. If I had my head on straight and about three weeks free then I ought to be able to write a script that would automatically check that every day and email you if your postcode showed up. Unfortunately I have about 20 minutes free a day and no brain left. I'll have a think though. This is really the kind of thing that I ought to be able to at least learn to do.

ipsos · 01/10/2015 18:31

Oooo Fluffy! beautiful dishwasher. SmileSmileSmile Thank you for the vicarious dishwasher pleasure.

ipsos · 01/10/2015 18:32

Where is the postcode lottery?

SpottyTeacakes · 01/10/2015 18:38

Freepostcodelottery.com I think

ipsos · 01/10/2015 18:47

Thanks :-) I have no idea how to do this, but there's no harm trying is there? I think if I succeeded they'd bar me from accessing the server after a couple days.

ipsos · 01/10/2015 18:51

Nope, too tired. Rats. Maybe in about ten years when I've had some sleep.

SpottyTeacakes · 01/10/2015 18:56

Haha well done for trying!

bobblypop · 01/10/2015 19:00

evening all
turns out ds1 hadn't forgotten about the letter for the trip. He was going to tell his teacher he didn't want to go any more cause he didn't think we would be able to find the deposit money at such short notice. He didn't want to ask me because he thought it would stress me out. Bless him. I want to cry. Sad
anyway, I have paid the money so all good.
Had a horrendous day at work. had to send dd4 and ds 2 to after school club as I was late - which they hate - so now feeling bad about that.
Working tomorrow then on call all night, then on call again Sunday right through till 9am Monday.
so all in all feeling rather fed up and sorry for myself.

sorry...moan over. going to get v early night I think cause i'm totally shattered!

ipsos · 01/10/2015 19:05

Thanks spotty. I ought to try harder, but I'm sure they'd just bar me from accessing the site. Would be nice to do just to be a girl-geek for a while again. Hey ho. Zzzzz

ipsos · 01/10/2015 19:07

What sort of thing do you do bobbly. It sounds as if you have a lot on. Well done to your ds for thinking of you. That's great.

Pointlessfan · 01/10/2015 19:14

Fluffy I always assumed the quick wash was the cheapest to run and have never understood why the ecowash takes so much longer. Thanks for explaining, I feel a bit stupid now! I've already put it on tonight but from tomorrow onwards we are going to be an ecowash family!

NSD today - hooray! Even better though our mobile phones were well overdue an upgrade so we've done that but actually downgraded to a cheaper tariff, £7.50 per month each instead of £12.50 each so that's a tenner a month saved. Am going to divert it instantly into the "having a second child maternity leave fund" which needs a snappier name I think.

ipsos · 01/10/2015 19:18

I never understood the ecowash thing either. I just assumed it did a totally rubbish job of washing the dishes. Good to know.

I also (re)discovered the +1 setting on the central heating controls today. It adds an hour of extra hot water, so I can have the hot water on automatically for just two hours a day, and if an unexpected bath is had then I can press +1 and it will obligingly heat up the tank again so the next person doesn't get a cold shower. Fantastic.

Fluffycloudland77 · 01/10/2015 19:36

I think if your using a dw once a day and it's all dried on stuff it's better to use eco.

Your son sound lovely bobbly. Is there a fund for future trips?, talkinpeace on the debt threads always says lots go unclaimed, she always tries to help if she can with school trips.

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