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Cost of living

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Fantastic Frugaleers Continuing Austere April!

998 replies

Cagliostro · 15/04/2016 17:49

Hello! :)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
AuditAngel · 25/04/2016 22:41

Forgot to say, show finishes Friday

AuditAngel · 25/04/2016 23:02

Received my first cheque for the solar panels today £95. The bill last week was originally £450 in debit, but submitting meter reading it became £126 owed. This is great as usually our estimated bills are under actual usage.

The feed in tariff is rubbish for 3 months, but was late December to March. This month so far the power generated is over 50% of the previous 3 months.

WreckTangled · 26/04/2016 06:05

Oh no Cag

Welcome back audit.

I'm aiming for a nsd. Off to work in a minute I just hung out all the washing Halo indoors but still hung out.

WreckTangled · 26/04/2016 06:05

Oh no Cag

Welcome back audit.

I'm aiming for a nsd. Off to work in a minute I just hung out all the washing Halo indoors but still hung out.

WreckTangled · 26/04/2016 06:06

Ffs

DontLetMeLetYouGo · 26/04/2016 06:11

I'm off to work today. I feel tired this morning and have a lot to sort out. My next day off is tomorrow and then I'm working for 7 days straight then I will be leaving. I'll be on the staff bank and shall pick up shifts both hospital and community to fit around me and DS. It will be a huge relief.

Yesterday my spends were £13 to renew my dbs certificate for the year. Needs must and all that.

babsmam · 26/04/2016 06:31

Yesterday £15 in Morrison's.
Nsd planned today. Tired from a late night beaver meeting

Ememem84 · 26/04/2016 06:48

Today's spends will be about £14 at beauticians.

WreckTangled · 26/04/2016 07:11

Woo hoo I've been paid a day early and it's more than I expected!

babsmam · 26/04/2016 07:18

Wreck that's a bit of good news

Colliefeatures · 26/04/2016 07:22

wreck love it when that happens!

Our pay day is Friday. Can't wait!

PurpleRibbons · 26/04/2016 07:25

Morning all! My week started with an NSD yesterday so that's good and I finally managed to log into my online banking, it was playing up last week. The good part of that was that because I wasn't sure how much we had I was careful not to overspend and we actually have a little bit more than I thought.
Supermarket today and I need to get a friend a birthday present.

AuditAngel · 26/04/2016 07:35

Should be LSD today. I ordered a small cool bag for our Center Parcs holiday, should get it today. £5.

Other than that, I have the opticians this afternoon, but check ups are included in my monthly plan so not expecting to pay anything there.

needastrongone · 26/04/2016 09:19

Welcome back Audit, DC's activities take up sooo much time, energy and money don't they?

Good news on the pay wrecked, how was the tagine?

We've just been paid, but I'm still in last months money, and hoping to stay that way this week.

Ipsos · 26/04/2016 10:39

I cheerfully went off to the shoe sales this week as my shoes, winter boots and sandals are all disintegrating. I usually buy Ecco shoes and get the same over and over as they fit really well. However they used to be £50 and now they are £110. I couldn't find anything to fit in the sales even online and the sizing is really inconsistent these days so that I am a 41 in some styles and a 39 in others. Tricky. I wondered if I am not profligate to be an Ecco customer any more?

Ipsos · 26/04/2016 10:39

profligate enough, I mean.

Karcheer · 26/04/2016 11:08

Hello,

Please can I join. I'm rubbish, I'll warn you!

I think food is probably my biggest outlay, so any top tips very welcome!

PurpleRibbons · 26/04/2016 12:20

Welcome karcheer!
Managed a very cheap weekly shop (under £50) then threw in a top for DD and some reduced summer bulbs. In fairness I was planning to buy bulbs at the garden centre anyway so at least I got some reduced ones!
Meal plan:
Today - sausages, mash and veg
Tomorrow - pasta with peppers and tomato sauce with cream cheese
Thurs - chilli from freezer with jacket potatoes
Fri - random freezer/left overs type meal
Sat - spinach & cream cheese lasagne
Sun - pies and veg
Mon - sweet potato curry
All that should nicely use up bits in the freezer ready for a restock after payday.

Ememem84 · 26/04/2016 14:02

£14 on bikini/eyebrow wax. And £44 in Dorothy Perkins on 2 maxi skirts and a pair of cropped ankle grazer pants.

Holiday essentials. Obvs.

CremeEggThief · 26/04/2016 14:05

Good work with the shopping, Purple.

Welcome, Karcheer.

Ipsos · 26/04/2016 14:11

Welcome Karcheer. I'm rubbish too and it's all food that the money goes on.

WreckTangled · 26/04/2016 14:15

It was ok thanks need not great. What recipe do you use?

Welcome Karcheer!

So Barclays won't refund dh's bank charges because it was opened more than six years ago and closed more than three years ago Angry

needastrongone · 26/04/2016 14:40

Welcome Karcheer. The things that work for me with food shopping is menu planning, so you only buy what you need. Doing the shop online and having it delivered, stops you sneaking stuff into the trolley. Trying to buy my staples when on offer. Usually, supermarket brands are just fine, with the odd exception. Have a day a week where you have a 'cheap' meal. Omelette, pasta and pesto, jacket spuds or whatever. Aldi is brilliant too for value.

I'll find the recipe wrecked, although I very rarely stick to one, I tend to add in things like harissa paste, umami paste, honey, or whatever I think the recipe needs. I cook by feel, but I'll definitely come back with the original recipe. Bad news re the bank charges.

Nice meal plan purple

Spends today will be £10 for DD hair cut and £6 on a Ukranian recipe book. I am very into cooking Moroccan and Middle Eastern, Eastern European stuff at the minute.

Not such an early start, as I have been off today, so I fed the pony at lunchtime. I got charged at by one of the other ponies, so he got booted. Luckily our pony will follow me down the field with no head collar, so I had two hands free, it gets more scary trying to lead one pony and fight with another Grin

Colliefeatures · 26/04/2016 14:49

Argghhh I lost a long post to karcheer. But I basically said what need said! A few of us on the thread eat veggie meals half the week as it saves some money.
Also make sure you use your Clubcard or Nectar card!

wreck grrr at Barclay's. Dicks!

Lovely meal plan Purple thank you for posting as I find them inspiring!

I'm exhausted.

DS has put Nutella handprints on our white wall! Grin I'm too tired to care today

WreckTangled · 26/04/2016 15:34

Does anyone know if it's worth going to the financial ombudsman or if it's too long ago?

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