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Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Frugaleers chatting and saving into August...

990 replies

ipsogenix · 03/08/2016 21:40

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
14
ScarletPower · 15/08/2016 19:51

Mammoth budgeting post

Money in Jar: £0.00
Money in Purse: £10.30
Money in Bank: £1417.62 (more than usual – got a bit of overtime and mileage)
Grand Total: £1427.92
Days to Pay Day: 30

Don't want to touch savings: £1607.23
50p savings; £1.00 (dunno what I am saving up for but I just started today)

This month's budget.....
DH spends: £160 budgeted / £20 taken / £140 remaining
Gyms: £43.99 (need to cancel mine but it's only a tenner)
Credit Card: £80 (ish)
Catalogue: £45
Bills Shortfall: £160.01
Pre-pay Prescription: £10.40 (paid today)
DS2 Football (cash): £9.00 – paying weekly for the summer
DS2 Football (standing order) £15.00 – then move onto monthly payments
DS2 bus fare: £7.20
Petrol Budget: £160 (slightly less as DS1 now has his own wheels)
Grocery Budget: £340 (slightly more – put the petrol savings into this)
Leaves for everything else: £417.42

Today's spends...
£20.00 on some pre-loved baby clothes for my niece who is due in November (squee)
£20.00 – cash DH (don't know why he didn't just take the lot in one go)
£4.75 – top for me
£10.00 – two Jumpers for DH
£2.00 – DS2 football dream team subscription
£4.76 – Christmas present number 1 bought (Bottle of Prosecco for SIL)
£68.84 – Grocery shopping at Lidl (can easily reduce this)
£1.00 – 2 x birthday cards
£10.40 – prescription pre-payment

Planned stuff / birthdays in this pay-period
Anytime: DS2 needs new trainers (£40 budgeted)
17th August – hair cut (£20 budgeted)
18th August – meal and drinks for best friend's birthday (£40 budgeted)
20th August – best friend (£20 budgeted)
21st August – Night out to watch a band (free entry but will have to pay for drinks) - £30 budgeted
22nd August – best friend's son (5) - £15 budgeted
27th August – Nephew (14) - £10 in a card
29th August – best friend's daughter (10) - £10 in a card
1st September – Dentist for a filling (£50)
3rd September – Nephew (6) - £10
12th September – DS1 birthday (20) - £100
Hmmmm..... this is a bit optimistic that my 'everything else' budget might cover it. Will probably need to take something out of the savings.

Moneysaving things I did today...

  1. Paid catalogue bill
  2. Checked internet banking – horrified to see I went overdrawn (into an agreed overdraft) for one day last month and I have been charged 6! So I have put £100 into my current account (Bills account) so hopefully that won't happen again
  3. Took a packed lunch to work today.
  4. DH is getting a company car, so we'll be able to sell his and hopefully pay a loan off.
  5. Got petrol today. DS1 bought his own car a fortnight ago, so I'll be interested to see how long my petrol lasts just for me.
  6. Didn't go round the shops at lunchtime
  7. Sold a 2nd class stamp that I found in my purse. Probably lost money as I didn't know how much they cost so just asked colleague for 50p.
  8. Started a 50p savings pot.
  9. Got all organised making this post.

Well done for reading if you got this far!

Colliefeatures · 15/08/2016 19:54

girlie that's so cool! Love the sound of forest green too! And yes that's what savings are for. :)

I've downloaded the Christmas Present app to track my expenditure this year. I've been thinking about DS's favourite toys from last Christmas!

  1. Alfie books
  2. A pack of cards - animal snap
  3. Bubbles
  4. watering can
  5. little diecast cars

He does play with Happyland etc but no where near the amount he plays with the above stuff! Just shows you don't have to spend ££ on toddlers. So this year I'm really cutting back. I will buy him a small playmobil toy as he loves it. But nothing fancy!

cag your DHs project sounds exciting!!

CremeEggThief · 15/08/2016 19:57

Blimey, you were busy this afternoon, Girlie. It's all coming together though, isn't it?

Cag, sounds great about your DH and his sports club. It might take a while, but I bet it'll be a success, if it's something different in your local area. Hope you enjoyed E.T. too. I think I last saw it in 2010, so not that long ago.

Spends: £16.05 shop at the Co-op and £1.90 bus fare home. I haven't needed to do a full shop since the 4th and won't do one until the 23rd, when DS gets back. So, meal plan:
Today: lentil Bolognese (from the freezer) with spaghetti.
Tomorrow : meal out.
Wednesday: tofu and veggie stir fry with noodles.
Thursday: same.
Friday: veggie burger and chips.
Saturday: pizza (still need to buy this)
Sunday: veggie cottage pie (freezer) with peas.
I'm not exactly on a diet, but this week I'll be having green smoothie (almond milk, kale and banana) for breakfast, either scrambled eggs or 2 hardboiled eggs with 1 slice of buttered toast and a peach for lunch and dinner as above, with a small glass of juice and Greek yogurt with honey for pudding. I'll also have 1 small chocolate bar a day and 2 cups of tea or coffee. Weekend will be a bit more relaxed, as I'll have wine and either granola or porridge for breakfast, with 2 Quorn sausages, 1 fried egg, 2 potato waffles and baked beans for lunch.

Colliefeatures · 15/08/2016 19:58

Wow scarlet that's an amazing post! It's inspiring to have it all written down like that.

Fluffycloudland77 · 15/08/2016 19:58

Welcome Kat

£1.25 on a bottle of beer.

CremeEggThief · 15/08/2016 20:41

Aha, Scarlet, I've worked out who you are now. Welcome back! Smile

needastrongone · 15/08/2016 20:43

Evening.

£53 today, pony feed, chicken feed and jodphur boots for DD.

Creme, is it strange without your DS? Any reason for the 'non diet'? Smile

Great post Scarlet.

Welcome Kat. All friendly and welcome here.

Love the kite idea Collie.

Been a busy day, as first day back at work, tired tonight.

needastrongone · 15/08/2016 20:44

Never work out who anyone is, had no idea that Ipsos had changed her name!

Girliefriendlikesflowers · 15/08/2016 20:50

Collie toddlers are so easily pleased, I would make the most of that as ime kids tastes get decidedly more pricey the older they get! The Mulberry Bush link do some lovely traditional toys that always stood the test of time with dd.

Good to see you Scarlett your posts always make me want to get an even better grip on my spends! Welcome back Smile

CremeEggThief · 15/08/2016 20:53

Need, kinda, but this is the 4th summer we've been apart from each other for up to 3 weeks at a time and I know he's having a good time. He's a very lucky boy for someone on FSM- Crete, London and Cornwall all in the same summer!

Non-diet is trying to lose a bit of weight in a painless way. Small portions, less sugar and bread, plenty of good protein and some fats, but with small treats and full of foods I enjoy. I think my portion sizes are too big when DS is here and he also wouldn't touch green smoothies. If it works, I might stick to it for a while, although I doubt green smoothies will be as appealing in winter!Grin

allthebestplease · 15/08/2016 20:58

Great post scarlet...ive not added it up, but are you on track to only spend £450 odd pounds on stuff for the month?

DH gets paid on Friday so I will be starting my inspired budget then.

CremeEggThief · 15/08/2016 21:01

In fact, I'll probably swap to scrambled eggs for breakfast and soup in winter, Need.

Fluffycloudland77 · 15/08/2016 21:01

I recognise scarlets posting style but cannot remember her old nn which is kind of the idea of nc.

Adults would love free lunches.

Just watched eat well for less on catch up. The episode where they've been buying Yorkshire tea for 20 years but can't recognise it and think it's a swap 😂. Dh has told me I'm deeply sad. Like I didn't know already 🙄

needastrongone · 15/08/2016 21:10

It does help if you know they are safe and enjoying themselves, Creme. We are doing similar here, re food. It's easy at the minute, with all the soft fruit and salad available. I'm getting back into the running, which makes the weight drop off me as I step up the miles.

CremeEggThief · 15/08/2016 21:21

Yes, it is easier in summer, Need. I wish I could try running, but it's too high impact for me. I walk a fair bit at a reasonable pace (25 minutes for 1.75 miles), but I could do more. I want to get the non diet more established before increasing exercise, in case it makes me hungrier!

Girliefriendlikesflowers · 15/08/2016 21:31

Creme that sounds like my kind of diet! I am trying running but find it so hard, my legs turn to jelly after about 2 mins Grin have put dd and I down for a charity 5k in Oct so would like to improve slightly!

Fluffy that episode cracked me up Grin it just goes to show the power of a package!!

SnugglySnerd · 15/08/2016 21:36

That's funny collie, I was thinking today how DD's favourite "toys" are the simplest: Filling/emptying/sitting in the laundry basket, stacking things - literally anything, preferably my Tupperware off the draining board, and het most prized thing to get her hands on - the cheese grater!! Don't know why we buy her stuff at all really.

CremeEggThief · 15/08/2016 21:37

Great incentive, Girlie. Keep at it!

Ememem84 · 15/08/2016 21:54

cag annoying but all is good. I consoled myself this evening with a three glassEs of prosecco a pizza and a pineapple and chocolate gelato, because you know, stressed!!

Ememem84 · 15/08/2016 21:55

I also love ET. It's the first film I remember watching at home. It scared the shit out of me. I must have been 5/6? Saw it again the other week. Made me cry.

Cagliostro · 15/08/2016 22:21

I didn't get to watch much of it in the end! I will try again at some point though. The Caglets seemed to enjoy it anyway (at least between giggling fits with no apparent cause).

Thank you re: the sports club, I'm really excited for him but a little nervous too. It's a much bigger undertaking than teaching a bit of maths/music? With the outlay and everything. But I'm hopeful. It'll be hopefully teaching lots of different sports skills, fun and games based type stuff but learning proper techniques. Hopefully. :)

Cagliostro · 15/08/2016 22:22

Oooh I had pineapple ice cream at a fancypants gelato stand in Birmingham. Le Yum

Cagliostro · 15/08/2016 22:23

I don't think ET ever made me cry. Homeward Bound on the other hand...

northender · 15/08/2016 22:48

I'm hopeless with name changes! Scarlett are you a football fan or am I completely wrong?
snuggly good luck with your scan tomorrow.

Had a good day today, went for a walk at a local nature reserve, car parking & an ice cream each was £11.70.
Good news from the holiday insurance, it has been approved and a cheque should be with us in 3-5 days, woohoo!

CremeEggThief · 15/08/2016 22:51

That's great news, North. Sounds like you're making really good progress too.Star

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