Frugaleers chatting and saving into August...

[ipsogenix]

Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

Useful links 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'm only meant to spend £900 a month - so at least I know where I'm going wrong now.

Good luck with toilet training. I've never trained dd, she sort of trained herself lol. Came one day a month ago and asked to go to the toilet. She went and since then only had 2 accidents. She sleeps with her nappy on and have one on for daytime nap, but the rest is fine. No potty training or getting fancy things. She wanna use the big toilet like us so we lift her abs help hold her. Gave her as a present big girl pants with doc mcstuffins and moomin on

No one will be shocked or appalled honest. That's what most Months looked like for me before I set budgets and tracked to them. I had no idea how often I was popping to the shops for a few bits and spending £30+ extra a few times a week and then going and buying myself a new top and then getting a take away. It never felt like much but it was really, really adding up.

From that you can see where your holes are. I now shop in aldi and almost never top up shop. I keep a list going in the kitchen as I use things up and I meal plan hard.

Those of you with Tesco orchard accounts, check your account. I've just signed up for a £5 off joints of meat coupon.

The offer is £5 off BBQ and saus, £5 off cheese or £5 off joints/or whole chickens. Your meant to buy wine with it but the details are vague.

All. Don't be embarrassed, your doing something about it now.

Awareness is the first big step, All. Well done.

Don't suppose you have a toddler, creme? Mine adores cleaning the windows and often asks to clean them! They are the cleanest thing in the house!!
Collie we got an Ikea toddler bed, it was inexpensive and has a detachable bed guard with it. I was dreading the transition from the cot but she was so excited to have a big girl bed there were no problems.
Have to buy 3 birthday pressies tomorrow and don't have a clue about two of them (my dad and MIL). Any ideas? I'd ideally like something inexpensive that looks like it cost more!

Going rate for biogel is £39 here. There are places which are less. My sister goes to a lady's house and pays £15. But she only works until 5 and is out of town. So I can't make it after work.My pedi was a gel one too so a but pricier than a usual one but will last if the old ones anything to go by about 4 months...

I'm going to find a new waxer I think. My lady's good. But I got my eyebrows done at another place in June and they were £3 cheaper, closer to work and actually better I think. Haven't tried for bikini wax yet. But next month.

all well done for getting things worked out. That's usually the most difficult bit. Or it was in my case. Actually facing up to it. Now you know you can fix it.

Riding tomorrow morning. But free lesson as am helping with a pony morning. So everyone's a winner there.

Dh is frantic that I've cancelled now tv. We were paying for Netflix and Amazon prime tv too. So didn't make sense to keep all 4 (now tv entertainment and movies) and he won't get rid of Amazon.

He's also annoyed because I paid for my sunscreen out of our joint account. Have asked him where HIS sunscreen is. Apparently hell just share mine...so it's coming out of the joint ac.

Nsd hurrah.
Went to my aunt's for lunch. But lost off but I will try and catch up.
Well done with the numbers all. Tis a good start. We are very open minded here.
Gws collie
Nice room Italian

Not sure if many of you know about vouchers on local radio station for half price eating and days out. Well worth a look for half price things.

www.minsterfm.com/vp/vouchers/-/vouchers/

Here is one in york for example. Not all local stations do then but it's worth a look at your local or where you are going

Well done getting it itemised allthebest. It's actually really scary when you see how all the tiny shops add up.

Good luck potty training Snuggly and collie. We did DC1 over the last Easter weekend and it wasn't actually as bad as i thought. Still in pull ups at night, but not too bothered about that yet.

Em lol at your DH and the sunscreen.

NSD here and should be low tomorrow too - just need cheese. More Olympic watching tonight. Caught some of the ladies windsurfing earlier and was at their lovely toned, tanned legs. Mind you, it looks like bloody hard work!

Good luck to those trying to potty train little ones.
Collie definitely worth looking at the house, might not be as bad an area as you think. Can I ask roughly where it is, SW still i presume?
I'm sporting v cheap nails at the moment as dd did them for me! I've never had mine professionally done but can't wear for work anyway so would be pointless.
Em glad you're enjoying your holiday so far.
£12 spent on lunch out with dd & £6 on 2 pieces of fabric for quilting. Mum drove us to a local small town for my first trip out since being home from hospital. It was good but quite tiring.
Work started in earnest on the loft today. So far they seem very good at cleaning up after themselves which has to be a good thing. Exciting times.....

Are you getting plenty of rest North?

Love your nails Em. Enjoy Italy.
Good luck with the potty training Snuggly and Collie. At least you have the weather for it. When it's warm like this they can run about outside with very little on.
All...well done. You've done the hard bit now. Most people were where you are. Putting it all down makes you realise just where it all goes. Took me ages to learn that you could only spend each £ once.
Took DGCs out again today but stuck to my frugal August list and took a picnic. Just paid £11.50 for us to get into a wild fowl centre with children's farm. Did the trick with the ice creams too....can't remember who suggested it ....but promised a special (Aldi ) when we got home. So just paid entrance fee.
Just realised got to MOT and tax car this month. Still budgeted for, so ok.
Getting on with saving my 50p as well.
Neighbour just gave me 4 courgettes. They don't freeze so will make soup and see if I can freeze that. Or any other suggestions please.

Ipso, I am amazed at the amount of electricity that the microwave uses. It never occurred to me. I am careful with other stuff but I use the microwave to heat things all the time. Thanks for letting us know. I will definitely cut down my usage now.

Slice, blanch & freeze? They'll still be ok for soups or roasting. It depends on the way you like to eat them.

I bet your neighbour has loads.

Watching eat well for less.

It's really surprising isn't it Trying. I almost thought of the microwave as using no power as it's so quick. But actually it's a huge contributor to the electricity bill. Who knew?

Lila no I'm not. I've finished it and started doing ripped in 30 but I can't find time to do it in the summer hols. Just got back from spinning. So tired sorry I can't catch up.

Ipsos that's very helpful! Thank you. I'm also very surprised shows I still have a lot to learn in this Frugaleering malarkey.

North Cornwall :) glad you had a nice trip.

snuggly that sounds absolutely brilliant! Hoping DS will be that easy.

Right then, off to do a weekly meal plan for £56!

ipsos thanks for sharing the microwave useage - back to soaking things in cold water to defrost them in a hurry.

Toilet training is one of the things that made me grateful that DH was the primary carer at that age.

I am resting enough I think. I've been doing crosswords, colouring & I'm going to start reading books that I've been meaning to read for ages but never seemed to have the time.

Courgette fritters are one of my favourite summer recipes and I reckon they would freeze well. Roasted veg (courgettes, peppers, aubergine, tomatoes) also freeze okay

950w for 10 minutes on a 12p per kWh is about 2p though.

having a toddler our microwave iis constantly on pinging something -today ravioli for third breakfast!!! All before 7.30am (he was up at 5.15)

trying what about this for your courgettes? It looks amazing!

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/633634/chocolate-courgette-cake

ipso I had no idea that microwaves use so much.

We don't have one because we don't currently have the space. But it was something that was on the list for our new house along with kitchenaid mixer

May strike it off the list. The only time we ever wish we had one is jacket potato time.

Am so sleepy. Had a day of relaxation. Dh and I went to the spa courthouse of a half price couples voucher, his bonus and a gift voucher which we'd forgotten about. Mud thing and a full body massage x2 with pool steam sauna hot tub and drinks for the total cash money sum of.......£35. Win. Feeling thoroughly pampered.

trying have a look for the red velvet chocolate heartache book. It's full of veg cake recipes. Dh bought it for me ages ago. There's a great courgette chocolate mint cake recipe in there. Cupcakes taste like mint areos.