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.

Hi all! I havent posted in a while but been dipping in and out :)

Cag we are on our hols on the north antrim coast so will prob visit the causeway at some point this week (for the millionth time lol!) - how come it's the topic? The hexagon smartie tube idea is genius...

Sorted my home insurance today too, must be something going on that so many are doing it at once! Got it for £10 less a month, plus a £20 M&S voucher, plus £25 cashback so I was pleased I took the time to do a few searches!

Hi Blue 🙋.
Just made £56.64 on eBay, on the last of DS's Lego, a teddy and a pack of cards.

Snugg- sorry if I missed it but when did they book your scan for? I'm another one who had quite a lot of bleeding with DS2 and it was all fine.

Unescorted - garden sounds lovely. I'very been buying soft fruit trees for £1.49 from Aldi this year in the hope of some frugal fruit next summer.

NSD today- positives of the day were wefound free parking, kids thing at gallery was fab (and free) then had lovely walk along river to free local farm. Came home and cooked dinners for the gang then my mum took me out for dinner at nice restaurant as a treat.

On the downside spent £30 on charger which didn't work so will return it but means 7 year old laptop might have finally died. Think I'll try taking it to work to see if technicians can do anything. If not we'll have to see how long we can manage without one...Probably not long as hubby and I bother use it a lot for work and can't imagine using phones will cut the mustard.

Tomorrow should hopefully be another NSD as have friend overy for lunch and DD and DH are starting work and replacing roof on extension.

A LSD here today as we need to withdraw £16 for the window cleaner. He's due this week. I didn't pay him last time so I owe him two lots of £8.

Frugal win - found £10 in an old coat

We're going to spend today at home pottering about. I'm a bit sleepy from watching a meteor shower last night for the 3rd night in a row.

snuggly hope it all went OK at OOH.
Methen it is hard work.... we too have the Aldi £1.49 fruit bushes. Today I am finishing the weeding, picking up the slate from my parents & finishing off the wall that dh started 18 mmonths ago. He and Ds are in France for the summer so I am using it as an oportunity to get the house & garden as I like it, without him getting in a strop about me doing "his" jobs.... I think he feels that he should do it but doesn't really want to - I don't care who does it, but just want it done. Male ego issues methinks.

I am going to see if I can get the kitchen herbs to go in the garden - I will harden them off over the next few days and plant at the end of the week. If they work it will be a frugal win - 69p per pot vs £3.50 from the garden center.

Morning all. Seeing my friends last night did me the world of good. Stayed up later than I intended and didn't sleep too well but it was lovely to see them and have a good catch up. £16 on take away with enough left for lunch today.
I have just gone through the freezer and chucked anything really ancient including the frozen peas I used as an ice pack for my poorly knee last year - yuk!
After last week's constant top up shops I have written a huge shopping list. Going to get a few extra instant things for the freezer because I'm struggling to cook when feeling nauseous.
Scan is tomorrow, trying not to think about it and to be optimistic.

I've been awol since beginning of month, apologies.

It's been quite a spendy month so far and will continue to be. I have car insurance due at end of the month.

We've had my DS birthday. He had a brilliant time and he's now on holiday with his dad for the week.

I've been poorly since Sunday evening with gastroenteritis- not fun. I was suppose to be working today but I've phoned in. It's not worth me putting others at risk.

I'm going to re look at my budget plan for August and sort a few things out.

Can anyone advise...when do you take out holiday insurance, if the holiday is next year do you do it for dates of holiday, or do you set the day for now until you get back from holiday to cover issues like illness? I'm confused.

I do it annually all the time just like house insurance because it then covers little holidays in the UK like weekends away. Also once I've booked a holiday I'm insured if I need to cancel for any reason.

Oh no, hope you feel better soon, don't.
Shopping was just over £80 which is about £25 more than usual but I've stocked up on extra snack things and I'm hoping we won't need to do top up shops apart from a couple of ingredients that won't keep until we want them for Saturday.

Hello all - may I join in?

Totted up total debts the other night and realised I am 10k in debt! This is mostly due to house improvements but I've put it all on credit cards :(

I am generally a loose kind of spender and will often live for the moment re spending thinking that life might be over by next week so why worry today? But I think I've been taking this attitude too far. I would love to have savings. I have no spending power really despite having a decent income.

I have three kids on disability so my income is high at approx 4K a month but a lot goes on them to pay for carer activities etc but I think I'm being too crazy with that as well.

The other day we ate out twice. £60 in one day on meals!

Sorry for long post.

Welcometo the thread, Katinkka.

I always buy travel insurance as soon as I've booked a holiday, Allthebest.

Kat welcome!

Has anyone seen any reduced beach towels? I've been meaning to buy some for a few years now but keep forgetting! Then Summer arrives again and I refuse to pay full price

I got 1 in Primark for £4 last month, Collie. I think they had some for £3.

Welcome Katkkina.
Asda might have some reduced beach towels, they were flogging off all their swimwear when I went this morning.

Hi all, welcome Kat (and I've probably missed some other newbies so welcome to everyone!)

I haven't seen any towels, unless there's a BHS near you still doing clearance?

I need to get duvets - only DD has a single one and it's frankly in a horrible state - want to get two before winter, now that DS is on a single bed, and we can get rid of various other covers. I may get them a new duvet cover each, we have four but two are really tatty/holey etc.

DH had to get a puncture repair kit/pump and while in Tesco he found the Lego I've been looking for on half price. So that'll be put away for Christmas. We did have a giftcard to use but it's not working apparently .

Also bought yet more books and DH got some top up shopping, as we're having the neighbour to stay as a favour to her mum. Not particularly looking forward to it. Argh.

Hi Kat - I'm new on the thread too and everyone's been good with ideas for a budget. If you can go back and read the thread it really makes you think about all the little spends that add up.
Thanks for holiday advice ill book annual cover and then I know I'm sorted.
Nsd aa am stuck waiting in the doctors...no doubt they'll be grumpy!

Thanks for the beach towel ideas. I'll have a look!

Just bought a toddler kite for £3.65! It's only 30 x 30cm but it'll be great on windy beach days! DS will love it. A great frugal Autumn / Winter & Spring activity!

Off to a poor start. Kids been awful this morning and Carer just taken two of them out. Sought refuge in local cafe. Just going to write it all down. I plan to budget in cafe visits anyway as i come here a lot and love it. Just need to set a limit on it I guess.

Bank nightmare here. My credit card has been declined but I had cash to cover the spend so no issue called the bank who said that the active card they have for me is not the one I have. Mine is due to expire at the end of the month. Theyve updated their records to show the new card as the active one. And sent me a new card.

This is great. Except I'm not at home. So can't get the card. Bah.

My debit cards are fine though. And I can transfer cash. But still. Bit of an annoyance.

Today's spends €5.70 on three pastries for breakfast. We shared. And €24 on tickets to the museum and gallery. Climber the tower of the palazzo vecchio. 223 steps to the top. Great views.

Back at hotel now. Need a dip in the pool. It's about 37 degrees. 🌞🌞🌞

That's annoying Em, hope you are still enjoying yourself anyway.

Welcome Kat. Sounds like you have your hands full. Yes, it's amazing what monitoring your spending and setting budgets can do, without actually needing to ban things completely at all.

NSD here, but only because DS was out of sorts with teething this afternoon so we didn't go into town to do grocery shopping.

Ooh that's frustrating Em! Thank goodness you aren't stranded without money. But still, irritating.

Memory lane trip right now, DD has a friend round for a sleepover and we're watching ET! Must be around 20 years since I last saw it.

Oh DH ordered some more bits for his sports club. He's terrified, bless him! I think he will be brilliant though. I don't think it's going to be a big earner (due to cost of equipment) but it's a great thing he's doing. There's not much general sport/athletics stuff round here, compared to things like gymnastics, so it will be really beneficial for the local HE community. IMHO. :) :)

Welcome Kat this thread is great for making you think about what you spend! If you haven't already go through your accounts and tot up exactly what comes in and out each month then set a rough budgets for everything else plus beginning to pay off the debt. If your own your own house it might be worth seeing if the debt could be added onto the mortgage. My friend did this and it saved her a lot of money each month.

We have had a quiet sort of a day in the end, my friends dd was ill so Lyme Regis was cancelled. Decided to do some more garden stuff which meant a trip to b&q and spending £30, so much for my £15 budget till Thursday. I sort of decided that I needed to pay for some of the house related stuff I have bought recently out of my savings as that is what they are there for really!

I got a lot for £30 including 3 loads of compost, flowers, paint brushes and gardening tools and spent a nice afternoon potting up plants! Have also painted my shed forest green

Dd been slightly under the weather, complaining of headache and tiredness so prob just as well we stayed home today.