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The frugaleers jovially jostle their way into June July and joyfulness

999 replies

Ememem84 · 22/06/2016 22:06

ta da!

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Canklesofglitter · 29/06/2016 15:01

It's difficult to know whether DH's industry is quiet because it always is over the summer or whether it is Brexit-induced. I guess time will tell.

Paying off the CC was a lot of careful budget tracking. If we didn't spend it we immediately moved it across online to the CC. It meant paying £20 here and £10 there but it all built up. We figured if it wasn't in the account we couldn't spend it! The buffer was a sort of right place right time thing. DH was offered some lucrative work but it meant working away. He did that for 9 months. I also had a promotion in that time (well three actually) but we didn't spend any of the extra and threw it all at reducing our debt. Then there's the usual stuff like meal planning, curtailing pester power etc. It was a lot of small things.

We've looked at the budget this morning and we can see a few places to tighten our belts. I've done a freezer inventory so I know what we have. I've been to the pound shop for toiletries and done an Aldi shop (we had got into the more expensive habit of booking online shops from Sainsburys)

I've started a list of free and cheap activities we can do with the children. I think I'm going to write them out on pieces of paper and pop them in a box. The children enjoyed not knowing what we were going to do when we did that before - kind of made otherwise normal activities into surprises.

Canklesofglitter · 29/06/2016 15:07

Sorry I didn't make it clear. The little bits were paid over to the CC all the time so it did mount up over time but if we'd budgeted £60 for something and only spent £55 then even the £5 went across. After a while it becomes a bit addictive. I also converted points into things we were going to buy anyway like cinema tickets or clothes from Sainsburys and then put that money against the CC bill too. I'm sure the CC company were a bit Confused by getting three payments a day at times but it worked!

ItalianWiking84 · 29/06/2016 15:44

wreck ah thanks for clarifying. Here it's mainly free meaning the state pays 75% and you pay the 25%

lilacclery · 29/06/2016 15:48

Cankles this is brilliant to read as this is exactly what I'm doing currently!!
Sorry to hear about your dh's job luckily ye have the skills in place to help deal with the situation

Badders123 · 29/06/2016 15:58

That sounds very sensible Dh is very against cutting back (things like cable etc)
We are in the middle of decorating ATM and need to finish as we have paid deposits etc
Sigh.
After that it will be no more spending :(
And paying off debt.

midnightmoomoo · 29/06/2016 16:35

Long time lurker here, cankles my situation is/was similar to yours....this might sound stupid but I didn't realise you can keep making payments to a CC! I've not thought of making more than the one monthly payment before. Can you do this with all credit cards?

lilacclery · 29/06/2016 16:52

cocococonuts I do to both my cards anyhow

Star2015 · 29/06/2016 17:26

Thanks for the welcomes everyone.

Hip hop hooray today was a nsd!!

The girls in the office were heading out to the shops but I declined as it was raining and I didn't want to spend anything

Hope you've all had good days!

Tryingtosaveup · 29/06/2016 17:57

I've just read through all the thread to catch up.
Love all the pet pics.
I had a lovely rescue cat but he died aged 17 a few years ago.
It took me ages to accept it. I kept expecting to see him coming in, or coming round the corner. He was lovely and I still miss him. I can't bring myself to get another pet....yet.

Ememem84 · 29/06/2016 17:58

italian not here in jersey. £120 for an X-ray and to be told that yes my teeth have moved slightly, there was popcorn in a wisdom tooth and that it's possible I have a sinus infection so go to the Drs. So am now at my GP's.

It has been confirmed that I have a sinus infection which she thinks caused the old dizziness over the weekend. Apparently She thinks I may have a bit of a not serious blockage in right sinus. Something may "eject" itself. Both grossed out and excited!

Dh also reminded me that I'm due a smear test. Brilliant.

Am now in the car. Waiting for Dh to bloody finish work.

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HarveySchlumpfenburger · 29/06/2016 18:47

I do not miss that at all Em. £70 my last check up cost. And the dentist was an arse. Which I mind when I've paid that much.

Off to catch up with the rest of the thread now.

babsmam · 29/06/2016 18:48

£18 on top up shop.

Welcome new people. No real rules, just sharing what works for each of us and being friendly.

Ememem84 · 29/06/2016 18:57

This has happened today. Bye bye bathroom.

The frugaleers jovially jostle their way into June July and joyfulness
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CremeEggThief · 29/06/2016 19:14

Pretty thorough job, Em.

babsmam · 29/06/2016 19:27

Ah washing is overrated anyway em.
That wall looks in decent condition though which is good

SnugglySnerd · 29/06/2016 19:30

Welcome newcomers!
Day out today and my goodness did it rain! DD was fab, she walked a really long way in torrential rain, missed her nap but was still smiling and singing all the way home.
Spent just under a tenner on much needed hot drinks and fudge and the mandatory fridge magnet.
We did well in June and managed to save £400. It would be nice if at least the first half of July could be really frugal so that I can relax a bit in the summer hols and have a few days out and treats. I like the idea of pulling activities out of a hat!
Been trying to post a picture of my moggie but my phone isn't co-operating.

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/06/2016 19:50

Welcome newbies and de-lurkers.

£10 in Tesco on small top up shop. Mainly prosecco and cava. Shopitize had an offer on so I got a bottle in anticipation of passing my nail exams.

Will get £1.25 back off shopitize.

Ememem84 · 29/06/2016 20:13

You haven't seen the other wall. It has a hole in it. From me trying to take the tiles off. Oopsy. Plasters coming in tomorrow.

We are ok. We have a second bathroom #fancypants

Hopefully only another week of this. Although the tradespeople have been super clean and tidy. If I hadn't opened the bathroom door I wouldn't have known it had been done.

What's going to happen tomorrow...?!

Fed dad this evening. Chilli sweet potato jackets and salad. Dad brought wine. He's the best.

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blueteapot · 29/06/2016 20:37

Evening all and welcome new folk :) cankles sorry to hear about your DHs job, thank goodness you have a buffer saved - the frugaleers will help you eek it out.

£10 or so top up shop and £7 on softplay / coffee earlier. Was payday earlier in the week so havw done the money shuffle. Finding saving v hard on my part time wage. Need to be adjusting lifestyle and cutting out things like softplay!

blueteapot · 29/06/2016 20:38

Em good luck with the bathroom I remember the day we demolished ours back to the plasterwork...

One word - THERAPY!

blueteapot · 29/06/2016 20:39

All those animal pics are almost making me want a pet... almost :)

Unescorted · 29/06/2016 20:46

I am back ... slowly getting over the shock of Friday. I feel weirdly rootless - my adopted country has collectively told me that I am only here under sufference. Having lived here longer than anywhere else I don't want to go to my birth country (many people would love to go there but it not my type of place) and have never lived in the country I am a citizen of.

We are going back on emergency frugaleering spends. I now feel that I have to have a really good buffer of savings.

cankles hope it isn't in construction - there were too many skilled trades lost in the recession. It will take decades to get the skill level back if we lose any more.

Tryingtosaveup · 29/06/2016 21:10

You'll have to post a picture of the bathroom when it's finished Em.

SnugglySnerd · 29/06/2016 21:51

Unescorted please don't feel like that. I get why you do but many, many people are really saddened by the nasty racism at the moment and I'm embarrassed to be British because if it. Flowers

WhatsGoingOnEh · 29/06/2016 22:17

Thanks for the welcome! 💕