Frugaleers Flying into the New Year All Welcome on the January Thread

[SpottyTeacakes]

New thread hopefully someone can add some old links?

Evening all! I'm just about keeping up with you all now we're back to school/work/swimming etc!

Spotty - could you do a bank switch to one that offers roadside cover?

I've had another NSD! 3 in a row I really need to order some plaster of paris to make some chalk paint but am going to wait til Friday when I know il be spending anyway. I thought I was going to have to buy toothpaste but DH remembered he has some in his (still unpacked since Christmas ) suitcase.

£10 on a dress in warehouse sale which is been listing after since about august! Will be perfect for my Italian adventure in August!

Other than that nsd. More bids on eBay stuff and cashback paid out today £8 ish. Yippee.

Been to the gym this evening. Second time this year. I paid £423 for my annual membership last week (so 2015 price) and have saved myself £105 by paying annually not monthly. Worked out today that a single session at the gym if I paid as I went would cost £7.85. So I need to go 51 times (I think) to get my money back. That's about once a week. I'm planning on going three times a week so will deff get my money's worth.

Girlfriend my great grandmother says to use bicard and lime in the water you rinse it with
Lime takes the smell and stain
And hang outside in as cold weather as possible and give it some good smack

I know it may not be for everyone spotty. I guess if you have a generally reliable car and want it just in case then it may be better. If you have a car that is more likely to let you down it may be better to pay for traditional breakdown cover. We were in the former and never had to claim so I don't know what repayment times are like but I think there is a whole mse thread on it

Also I appreciate not everyone can foot a bill upfront and that's fine. I believe in informed choices

And thanks for the good luck wishes for dh. He will know next week but thought it went okay... difficult being in a new country where you don't speak the language completely yet so I'm proud of him for already having an interview. Benefit is only 1800£ and salary will be 2400£ so quite a rise

Sorry Italian meant to say good luck but got distracted

Is today's Christmas money £3.62? Total saved so far £25ish? I'm in a right pickle already! Thanks!

Hang on, I'll check it Ursula.

£3.61 I think and total saved £21.81

spotty have you tried going direct to AA instead of through cashback? We got roadside recovery with them for about £40 the only a couple of weeks ago and got a £20 gift voucher. I noticed that insurance quotes through cash back sites are often dearer than going direct. I expect this type of thing to be the same.

£1 on emergency loaf of bread. I'm pleased I stayed focused and only got that but I'm annoyed I bought it at all. I forgot to make one until it was too late.

I just looked on their site without clicking on the cashback. I always do that then go through cashback site after. New customer is £35 but we add home start and onward travel/roadside recovery. Dh said no to auto aid so I'm back to square one.

Evening.

NSD, although vets phoned and paid £25 for antibiotics for ddog, really out to have been yesterdays spend though. Booked ddog2 in for the snip too. That will be £70 next week.

Welcome and congratulations on the job and your frugal ways lollipop

Fingers crossed about the job NK and for your DH Italian

Dragged myself to work today and to the farm at 6am, but this cold is killing me, I will admit to having a small and self-pitying weep while walking the dogs as I felt so crap. Also had a meeting at school at 5.30 about a visit to Berlin that DS has in February. Strongly suspect not doing anything for 2 days would be far better for me, but unlikely to happen

Refund of £5.50 for some clementine's that had gone mouldy quickly from Abel and Cole.

On the plus, I haven't had a drink since NYE, neither has DH and there's a garage full of booze.

£50.40 on an online shop for me today. Inc swim nappies, wash powder and 4/5 days of meals and fruit.

dH is eating healthily and I'm noticing it's a lot more expensive.

I need new breakdown cover too, that sounds ideal for us as we have a new car so unlikely to need it. babs, when you say pay up front I assume they'll accept a credit card?

Pointless apparently when you ring them they ask how you can pay but looking at the forum lots of people have said they haven't even paid and the companies have invoiced auto aid directly. All sounds good. We've only have the rac out once in ten years but it would be just my luck... Our car is ten years old now and is making a knocking sound

I've had auto aid in the past and stick it on a credit card and then pay off when my claim went through. Always worked very well for me. We have aa now and pay too much for it but DH sorted it

needastrongone hope you feel better soon - we have all just got over a monster cold that lasted a good 2 weeks. Hope you are on the mend soon

need hope you feel better soon.

Dh has agreed to auto aid thanks babs

Needa sorry to hear you are feeling poorly get yourself some lemsips and tucked up in bed

So swimming lessons for the term (up to Easter) was £49.50 which seems reasonable.

Dd pleased as she gets a night in my bed tonight, my mum has given me some enzyme eating spray that is meant for pet urine but have given the mattress a good go over with it anyway hopefully will help but going to take a while to dry out.

Will get another kylie for sure.

Feel better need!

I have an odd image of you all putting a towel with kylie Minogue on under your children and that it has magical waterproof properties.

Its good to see how many frugaleers there are these days, (but it does mean I am not keeping up with the chat)

January isnt going to be at all frugal Chez Laska as we have lots of big bills due and coming up , but i havent spent any money in a supermarket since NYand reckon I can get away with only basics this month. we have no plans for outings or any visitors and I'm hoping to spend as little as possiblte on 'basic living' this month

We are eating out of the freezer (as we need to replace it very soon) and left overs from celebrations. I have made a big batch of carrot and beetroot soup which is lunches this week and for evening meals ( just me here right now) have been things like cold meat and salad leftovers, I expect ill have to get more veg though by end of the week.

So the big spends so far for January :

I booked our holiday flights today (for June) £468, and we still have the accommodation to pay for and car hire ect, but that wont be until next month

House insurance is due, the quote is £305, (which does include travel insurance) , but ill see if I can get that down ,

Boiler repairs from just before Christmas ( £276) and car tax £145

and we still need to get the new fridge freezer

.. hmm ...so a spendy month it seems ,

I also bought a new dress yesterday in Monsoon sale for a wedding im going to in March and a navy jacket in TkMaxx for same, but they were only £50 for both , so am pleased with that .

but all budgetted for .. Im still with the old YNAB and happy with that ..

NK , job opportunity sounds very exciting . is all you family up for emigrating?

need get well soon..

spotty we gave up AA and RAC in disgust about 3 years ago , having never used them and the premiums kept going up , so far we've not regretted it as we still havent needed them but the car we have now is only 3 years old ( now I really shouldnt have said that should i? Fingers crossed !! )

Pleased you are sorted spotty, as what said yes pay on a credit card if you need them. The mse lot are pretty good at weighing up if something is worth it I find.
£4 for fit ness class.
Hope you feel better soon need.

breakdown cover chat my nan pays for my breakdown cover for my birthday and she registers my home address as her house, so I technically get home start. I'm not entirely sure of the implications but maybe worth a think? I'm with green flag and it was £30 for the year