Friendly Frugaleers chat their way into February...

[Ipsos]

Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

By popular request - copied from last year

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.

www.checkoutsmart.com/ Plus this.

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

I think a good clear out is good for the soul Don't I use 'if I don't love it, use or need it then get rid' motto! Funnily enough I have been sorting my bedroom this morning, i haven't slept that well the last few nights and I think having a messy, cluttered bedroom doesn't help!

You poor thing, we see lots of those wounds - not nice and surprisingly common!

That's great fuzz. Well done!

I've been working on a plan to civilise our garden. I think it might be a good plan, but not a cheap plan. I wish I had any idea at all of how much these things cost.

jeepers I bought the Marie Kondo book I must find it and read it.

don't I recently tidied half of my bedroom and it looks great, now for the rest of it - what I tidied was just clothes really other half is like you books, stuff, and kids clothes that are too small etc

want to organise our bedroom but cant see any way i can do it due to the lack of space and no storage its making me grumpy

Hi, I'd like to join the thread please! I've been quietly snooping in on your lives for some time, (last 2 threads!) and you've given me the kick up the bum I need, so thankyou all!

My problem is that even though I have enough money to last the month, it comes in erratically (tax credits every 4 weeks, and ex pays maintenance, but never on the same day, can be up to two weeks 'late'), and I am constantly right at the end of my (1.5K) overdraft. Which is awful.

I have 4 DC (3 DD's with ex, DS with DP), a DP, and a house full of pets, plus about 30 chickens. I'm in the very lucky position to own my house outright (no boast, it's in very bad shape, needs many thousands spending on it), but have currently 17K on credit cards (holy shit).

So, my aim is to get out of my overdraft, by spending less; and paying down as much as I can off my credit cards.

I have been HITS (head in the sand) for so long, not daring to check the bank, panicking that my credit card will be rejected...I have had enough.

Banking app now installed and checked every day. Am keeping track of my spends, and we are on week 2 of meal planning.

Oops spent £59 in asda

Tracksuit bottoms for dh for work
Four polo shirts for dd
Two cardigans for school
A back pack (she needs for school trip her last one we donated to Syrian refugees)
New pants for ds
New knickers for me
A t shirt for ds (not needed but he loves paw patrol!)
A valentines card
A birthday card and present for a party dd is going to Monday
Tomato purée
3 packs vesta beef curry. It's my guilty pleasure my dad used to make it for us and asda is the only place I can buy it!

£8 on lunch in the café for me and ds.

£30 petrol.

£9.50 on a backpack for ds had to order online as asda didn't have any at all and his has a hole in

All in all very spendy. Good job I didn't have to pay for the car... I

Vesta curry is still around???

I also miss tinned "minced beef and peas". We used to have that when we went on our Haven holidays to Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Fantastic stuff.

Hi idstill.

Hi idstill

Hi idstill welcome to the thread :)

£10 amazon due on surveys so will pay for half of friends gift, she has just had a new baby but id like to buy something for her little boy who is 4 in with the parcel going to send straight from amazon so no postage.

Brothers birthday so cash gift as no clue what to get for him he is very particular!

Not feeling good this afternoon so not trecking to town i dont think so the packed lunch refill will be more expensive as at local shop but never mind, got a really mega busy few weeks with appointments and things and still not feeling 100 percent back to myself so trying to take it easy when i need to

Yes creme mmmm!

Welcome idstill

I'm not looking forward to getting dd from the bus in a minute. I think we might get blown away...

Beef stir fry for dinner. Will make my own sauce.

idstill Welcome.

Hope you are feeling better soon mario.

Looks like you got quite a lot for your money spotty.

£25 Aldi, but bought a cheap rug for the kitchen for the dogs to lie on.

Have had to text dh as dd's front tooth fell out at school and I don't have any change!

Good grief spotty what a day you are having.

£20 gas card and 78 pence on a couple of lemons for Pancake Day tomorrow. I'll need £1.80 for my bus back from Pilates tonight, but that should be all.

Have been reading a few links on frugaleering - think this one was most striking to reset your thinking on money have 72 hours where you spend nothing at all, online or otherwise. I would do this almost every week but it got me thinking what if I did it on the weekend! Fri/Sat/Sun are definitely my spendiest days.

Hi all and welcome idstill.
Miserable weather today!! NSD here. In the spirit of keeping food bills down I've challenged myself to get through another week on what is already in the house. So today I found a single steak lurking in the freezer and have defrosted and thinly sliced it, and marinated in soy, honey, garlic, and ginger for a stir fry tonight. Have also found a bag of frozen broccoli that DH must have bought which will be good for a cream of broccoli soup. Made two loaves of bread yesterday...am feeling up to the challenge!

Just had to spend £25 on a new kettle, ours is leaking everywhere. It was bought when we moved in, 4.5 years ago. I am not sure how long kettles last, but I suspect if you work out how many times they are used a day, it's reasonably good value. Has to red though, to go with the colour scheme

slightly The steak stir fry sounds lovely.

lila I read that and thought 'easy', but I suspect it's quite hard not to spend a pound or two.

Welcome Idstill

Runkeeper seems to be not very accurate today. It's just clocked my normal 1.5mile walk from work as 4miles. Unsurprisingly, I've just set a new personal record for walking speed at 8mph. Might have to delete that and try something else for the bounts credits.

Interesting about the 72hrs without spending. Might give that a try.

Fuzz ds just saw me looking at mumsnet and asked how you are getting on.

Hope everyone is ok today!

spotty hope car gets sorted soon

rafa wow! Well done on the cc payment. It is a huge amount. But good work.

£4 ish in boots on travel deodourant dry shampoo and a toothbrush.

refund from Amazon on the way. £17.50

Aww Ipsos what a sweetheart! :) Please tell him I am doing well, thank you, and had a lovely morning at the library :o

Excellent. He'll be pleased to hear that.

New main bulb for car £7 no other spends.