Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Cost of living

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
Ursulatodd · 16/08/2016 17:29

Snuggly GrinGrin!! I'm so pleased that everything was OK! Congratulations on the TWO healthy babies!! Having been in your position at 6 weeks I can completely understand the 'how the hell are we going to afford this?' but now with the end in sight, and getting out all of the things we already had for baby number one, it really feels manageable. Expect lots and lots of appointments and enjoy every 'you look like you're due any day' 'oh no, I'm not that far along its just that I'm having twins' ShockShock!!

lilacclery · 16/08/2016 17:32

I need to catch up here properly!

My spends since last weekend are as follows, we'd a mini break I guess you could call it.

My Spends
Sat Evening Meal Out €51.03
Sun Lunch Out €43.40
Sun IceCream €13 totally worth it
Sat Campsite €30
Craft Materials €4
Novelty Signs for our Kitchen €6.75(dh paid the rest)
Diesel €30
Joint Account Spends
5 sessions Halotherapy for dc €100
Main Grocery Shop Aldi €120.16
Groceries for Camping €27.31
Lunch at Deli Counter & Midnight Feast Goodies €21.60

Dh's spends
Boat Trip €40
Drinks €40?
Novelty Signs €20

Dh had bought me flowers for our anniversary I hadn't bought anything, plus I earn more so this is why the spends are so mismatched. I would prefer to put extra into our joint account and do the spending from there.

dwinnol · 16/08/2016 17:51

Snuggly Huge congratulations! What wonderfully news after all the worry. You'll manage financially with all of us posting links to savings and bargains. It'll be fine.
Italian wishing DD a speedy recovery, it's such a worry.

2 NSDs here. Got the Aldi shop in Sunday and stuck to the meal plan as its been working so well so far.
DP is off on his stag do car rally thing on Thursday morning so there has been a bit of a spend on travel insurance (£6 for the week!) and a few tshirts etc but all budgeted for. Shopping with a planned budget and not busting the limit is so smug making. I was trying to get DP to buy more!

Cagliostro · 16/08/2016 17:55

Oh my gosh! BOTH babies?! That is awesome! :o :o Congratulations! So glad all is well Thanks :) :) :)

Cagliostro · 16/08/2016 17:59

Just seen Italian has a poorly DD, sorry hope she gets better soon! DD was in for similar when she was a toddler, it was horrible, but they bounce back Thanks

Snuggly do you know if they're identical or not yet? (I have no idea if they can tell on a scan that early? As in whether it was 2 eggs or 1?)

SnugglySnerd · 16/08/2016 19:52

Crikey, creme that must have been a shock.
She's 2, Me, shell be 3 by the time they come along.
No idea if identical or not, Cag. I suspect not as there are two very clearly separate sacs on the picture.
Ursula you sound very organised. When is your due date?

I am of course still worrying something will go wrong, I'm getting more pessimistic with age and aware it is very early days but hopefully it'll all be ok.
DH is already researching child benefit etc, I'm very impressed with him!

Methenyouplus4 · 16/08/2016 19:57

Snuggly- DS2 was q months when DT arrived (they are now nearly 2). They'll be none identical if in 2 separate sacs. It's brilliant, tough at first but not as hard as others had made out and (so far) not much more expensive. Only real consideration was x2 car seats and X2 cots at same time but we managed to have car seat passed on by a friend and cots passed on by a lovely lady from a twin FB page.

Please feel free to fire away any questions.

ScarletPower · 16/08/2016 20:14

Evening all

Money in Jar: £0.00
Money in Purse: £10.30
Money in Bank: £1274.10
Grand Total: £1284.40
Reduction since yesterday: £143.52
Days to Pay Day: 29

Don't want to touch savings: £1607.23
50p savings; £1.00

Today's spends
£50.00 – Petrol DH
£28.00 – Petrol me
£31.99 – DS2 trainers (£8.01 under budget with free delivery – woo)
£45.00 – catalogue
£6.94 – Amazon Kindle books
£1.59 – some daft thing off ebay

ScarletPower · 16/08/2016 20:21

Well done to those who remember me. Yes, Northender, I am the football fan. I had trouble when MN got hacked and we all had to log out and create new passwords, so I just created a new account. I'm named after my hairdye now.

Tryingtosaveup · 16/08/2016 20:32

OMG Snuggly....that's fantastic, congratulations. That is so exciting
Italian, hope your little DD is better very soon.
NSD here.

Tryingtosaveup · 16/08/2016 20:48

That's my 5th NSD this August. I am aiming for 15.
Yikes Snuggly I am so happy for you.

lifelongfrugaleer · 16/08/2016 20:52

Take it easy snuggly. They will no doubt keep a closer eye on you anyway.
I remember your posting style scarlet but am rubbish with mane changers. Welcome back.

All packed and setting off at 4am so see you all on 28 August, unless I can be faffed with wifi.

BertieTodd · 16/08/2016 20:58

Hope DD is back to normal soon Italian.

Spent €68 in supermarket this afternoon; my months grocery budget is almost gone, and it's only the 16th, I think it might have been a bit optimistic though, will have to adjust upwards for the future I think.

allthebestplease · 16/08/2016 21:02

For those using YNAB, then you might be interested in 'ontrees', its from the guys who do moneysavingexpert.
Its a UK based system that tracks your bank account, you can set a budget for lots of categories. It highlights if you're on track or not. You have to rejig it a bit at first but its very simple.
And its FREE...yippee 😤

Colliefeatures · 16/08/2016 21:03

Today wasn't a NSD after all.

£6 on a child's garden seat
£17 on paint and some bits to make my own table lamp.

Just felt like I needed a little project / hobby Blush

But tomorrow won't be as spendy as I imagined. Just need to spend £2 on the bus and buy some saffron buns. And maybe some chestnut brown hair dye. Well - a pretty autumnal colour. :)

Dizzylizzie29 · 16/08/2016 21:14

Hello
Jumping on board. Nearly one month of using YNAB and was doing really well until an unexpected visit from the in laws and a broken car
Feeling Abit fed up. Lots of red in the budget and no money to shift around to rescue it.
By now I would normally be on the cc but it's been ripped up, so small victory I guess

Fluffycloudland77 · 16/08/2016 21:20

I'm going to do that OnTrees tomorrow. Thank you All

Have you left the hospital Italian? She's too young to remember it luckily. It must be awful seeing them poorly.

Girliefriendlikesflowers · 16/08/2016 21:25

italian its awful when little ones are so poorly, dd had noro virus when she was 10 months and came so close to being admitted - its not nice Sad hope she picks up soon and at least she is in the right place for them to keep an eye on her.

Snuggly Shock wow! Thats amazing! Did they say if the bleeding was anything to worry about? When is your due date?

Have had a nice day, finished painting my shed this morning and am really pleased with it! Dds best friend came over this afternoon and I took them swimming, they are at an age now where I don't need to get in with them so I sat and read my book while they swam for 2 hours Shock We went for tea in Morrisons afterwards which was nice and they have played and played since being home.

Spends
£3 parking
£4 ice creams
£5 swimming
£11 tea in Morrisons
£5 on a few bits in Morrisons.

My account is beyond empty so going to move some funds about now.

SnugglySnerd · 16/08/2016 22:15

I remember you Scarlett, your team had a good cup run a couple if season ago I think?

Too early to know due date but it's going to be around the time of DD's birthday. We didn't plan that very well from a budgeting point of view!

Need to think what to do tomorrow. Need to buy a birthday pressie but apart from that have a free day.

Methenyouplus4 · 16/08/2016 22:31

Forgot to update my £ as too excited by Snuggly twin news.

£2 yesterday- had friend overy for lunch then went to see 'No Man's Land' with Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian Mckellan- booked ages ago- free city centre parking (after 6) and £1 each for DH and I for bag of sweets each (took own drinks). It was amazing!

Today ended up being more than expected- £18 on new inner tube for pushchair and that foam stuff that stops them getting punctures (1 wheel already done and enough left in tube to do other 2 so no more punctures) then £15 for extra bits needed for the roof. Other than that just picnic at park. Lovely evening sat outside with eldest playing games.

Either low or no SD again tomorrow as off to (different) park with picnic. Trying to make most of nice weather with kids as I'm aware winter entertainment generally costs more.

Methenyouplus4 · 16/08/2016 22:31

Also cheers for heads up on on trees. Will try as soon as I can borrow a laptop (ours still dead)-boo.

allthebestplease · 16/08/2016 22:42

I think you can download the app for ontrees if you have an iphone.

CremeEggThief · 16/08/2016 22:58

Back with spends. £4.04, Co-op; £2.40 bus fare (I got on ONE stop after the one I got on last week to the same place and it was 50 pence less!) and £15 on my meal with my friend. I tried to pay for her too, as she's always treating me, but she insisted on giving me a tenner back.

Cagliostro · 16/08/2016 23:41

Ohh I think I know who Scarlet is. :)

We were supposed to be going to DD's writing club, and I would've earned from a piano lesson there too, but I am still not up to it. Sad to lose out on the earnings but then it would've only really been about a quid because we would've needed bus passes to get there. Definitely wouldn't have been worth it to push myself too much today. I haven't been out of the house for a week though. Except to sit outside yesterday when the Caglets were doing long jump :o (DD jumped 2 metres, not too shabby for a newbie!).

Meeting a couple of friends tomorrow for dinner, am really nervous about going out in case I'm in pain. But need to do it sometime and at least this way I will only be responsible for myself and not the Caglets. DH is off the next two days, thank goodness.

DH massively ballsed up the other day. He sponsored his friend who is going to a sports thing to compete, and only realised too late that he did too many zeros. That's right, £100 instead of £10 :( Shock Angry but luckily he's not been spending his pocket money for a few months, so he's taken the £90 overspend off that. So although it's a lot of money, in the budgeting sense it's covered IYSWIM.

I have achieved sod all the last week or so, but at least I haven't been going out spending I guess! Actually one thing I've done is eat Smarties so as to empty the tubes we need for our craft project... :)

Sierra259 · 17/08/2016 06:04

Hello everyone! Been a bit preoccupied the last few days and rubbish at keeping up. Off to catch up now but many congratulations Snuggly! That's amazing news! Smile