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.

£41 in aldi. More than I wanted to spend but I stocked up on razor blades and bought a roasting joint so not awful. Took back some trousers to next and picked up an order at boots. New slippers for £5 instead of £13 and some nail varnish frackers reduced from £25 to £5. Putting those away for Christmas. I love the bargain thread!

Trying I did the nectar vue cinema thing so only paid for 1 of us and sweets. We usually go to an Indy cinema which is between £5-7 each though.

£4.80 and ! Out for a park play date in the morning so will take a picnic. We're out to a local event on Saturday and DH suggested a picnic thought it might be me convincing him! x

Oh, I see Life.
I have just got a nectar card so should be able to do that next time.
I had a brill indy cinema where I used to live and can't get used to these main cinema prices. They're outrageous, but I only do it when thevDGCs are staying.

Cinema prices have become ridiculous haven't they? We haven't been much over the last 3 years with the DC arriving, but even if we were still footloose and fancyfree, I don't think we'd go very often anymore. You're looking at £20 for 2 adults, just for seats . At uni 15 odd years ago, you could get in for £2.50.

Hello!

Nsd today. Yippee. And I spent £1 yesterday at the theatre on the worlds smallest bottle of water.

Went for dinner with dm to bella italia. It was ok. I had a voucher buy one main and get a second for £1. Yippee! Have only just re-discovered vouchercloud!

The cinemas in Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunderland do tickets for a fiver or just under on Tuesdays, so that's when I go. I haven't been for about 6 months though.

Thanks for Quidco advice Life it's all very new to me! I'll check if it's tracked tomorrow and then email if it hasn't.

I really want to see the BFG! It is horrifically pricey though. I have sometimes used clubcard vouchers. Also I am seriously excited about the Swallows and Amazons film!

It's such a first world problem but I'm really missing my free DVD rentals, which was a staff perk in my job. Ugh, paying to watch stuff. :o

Saw the Imitation Game last night on telly, oh my word. DH and I were blubbering wrecks.

Hello!
I'm new to this,but am super impressed with all your budgeting.
Really need to do this myself, I'm bad for spending a lot of money on pointless things we don't need

welcome :)

I'm browsing for ear defenders. Decided to take the plunge as both DCs (with probable ASD) are really struggling with loud/echoey noises. Will order tomorrow.

We need carpet and curtain for dds new room today....

NSD today but we're phoning the bank later hoping to rejiggle a few things that may save us quite a lot of money. Excited and nervous!!

Thank you collie for the congrats, we're really happy in the new home :)
girlie, how is your new pad?
LSD yesterday, I bought my DD some sweets to take away on her holiday, £2.30.
I made a macaroni cheese dish, the rest I put in freezer bags, 4 more dinners ready to go (for me and DD). With a bit of salad on the side and some pudding, it will be enough.

I have a huge list of admin stuff for the house but I work this weekend, so maybe on my day off next week, I'll tackle it.
I need to do a Lidl at some point, I am having my dishwasher installed and I need tablets and salt? I haven't had a dishwasher in years, I forgot what I need for it. I am ridiculously excited about it, my DD was teasing me last night, but I really missed it!

Right, I must meal plan and sort out accounts. I am waiting for the natwest account paperwork to come through. I will feed that account with £500 per month for bills. The mortgage comes out of the account I get paid in. And I'll use the nationwide account for groceries.

Got two weeks annual leave soon to sort out the last of the boxes and properly settle in and then we'll settle in for the autumn and winter :)

I need to get some bits for lunch today we have no food at all. So annoying.

8

You need rinse aid too. Aldi have salt for 99p, a litre of rinse aid for £1.69.

Dishwashers are fab, they save so much water.

Need to get a new kettle today. That's it.
Welcome mummy

its my last day of work before my holidays!!!

Handed everything over to the team yesterday clever so will just be there today to catch up on a backlog of paperwork and answer questions.

Taking the team out for lunch today as a pre-emptive "thanks for dealing with all my shot while I'm chillin" curry. Yum. So should spend about £40. the curry place we like does a £9 lunchtime thing. Sri Lankan curry, flat breads and coconut salad and rice and a beer. Great stuff.

I've been refunded £120 for some accupuncture sessions from my medical insurance. Yay! And I get paid on 19th August. The day we come back from Italy double yay! So I can have my finances sorted before we go back to work.

cag have you looked at Wuaki? It's basically PAYG film streaming, so no subscription. Films are usually £3.50 for HD or £2.50 for SD, but about once a month you get sent a code which gives you a film for 99p. TBH, DH and I only really use it with the code, but because there's no subscription, it doesn't matter.

Marking place

Hello all. Joining as we're usually pretty good but I've noticed lately that we've slipped and started wasting money on silly things e.g. drinks and food when out for the day (that often we don't even enjoy). I always follow a budget too and have let that slide, as a result it's now a few days after payday, we're £300 into overdraft with £500 still to pay in bills-Ekk!

Going to start a fresh this evening when kids are in bed and look again at finances and go through all of the links at the start of this thread.

Off the top of my head, I have some premium bonds my mum gave me to cash in (about £200) and someone mentioned if I swap the union i'm in I often get a year free (saving £20 per month). Also need to look at tax/electricity rate etc. I find all of this stuff far less interesting than meal planning etc.

Yesterday's spends:
€3 work canteen

Today will be more spendy as the gas man is coming to service our gas fire so have to pay for that. Also, DF is going to let him in as DH and I are both at work so I'm going to pick up some food treats for he and DM from the deli near my work to say thanks for that and for babysitting last weekend.

You must be so excited for your hols em. Do you think you will break out of frugal habits or are you planning to stick with them? We are going to Spain next month so it will be interesting to see how frugal I manage to be there

Hello to newcomers!

Interesting that you can cash in Premium Bonds. I have a few. In fact I have no idea how to find out if they've won anything!

at dishwashers :o

Sierra I'd not heard of wuaki, thanks I will check that out :)