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.

All my dc are similar age to yours and my budget is £75 a week. Sometimes it's nearer £85. This week was £80 but I needed four light bulbs and spent £15 on stuff I didn't need I agree with one big weekly shop and no top up shops. It all adds up to so much.

Also I had a cinnamon roll from lidl today. It was amazing.

Also we try to post meal plans on here so that might help?

This week isn't very healthy as I'm working all week apart from weds long days too so it's easy food, usually I only work mornings.

S: pizza (chosen by dc!)
S: nachos with chilli
M: spag bol
T: veggie burgers salad and new potatoes
W: will be in London
T: nuggets croquettes and veg
F: umm whatever I can find in the freezer.

Not a great example week. Breakfast will be cereal or toast for dc. Lunch will be couscous salad with feta and mint/pitta and humous/crudités/crackers

Hello all. Reading with interest!

I'm trying to be frugal this month and feeling very poor. my usual treat is takeaway coffee. I justify this to myself as I don't drink or smoke..still, have cut way way down and found nice instant coffee.

I'm out today and feeling a bit poor and sorry for myself and have worked out that Pret does the cheapest filter so I just popped in for one. The guy gave it to me for free! I forgot that pret staff can do that! Made me smile, in my frugal state!

Welcome newbies!

Definitely agree that meal planning is the way to cut down your food bills. That and doing an online shop probably saved us £30-40 a week at least. I love online shopping as it gives you a running total and I can pop and check whether we actually need stuff, or whether there's tins in the cupboard I'd forgotten about! I'm also less likely to stick to just what I need, rather than something catching my eye in the shop.

Aldi/Lidl or a local market do much cheaper fruit and veg than the big supermarkets so is worth a trip once a week or more if you can.

reader that's so lovely! We don't have a Pret down here :(

The sun has come out & the washing is out drying. The laundry powder did a very shit job of cleaning lightly soiled clothes though. In all the years I've been using laundry powders I've never known it not to work. I wonder if it's a sign that our washing machine is not working 100%. or was it a blip in the matrix?

DS is a new fan of Playmobil. So Im keeping an eye out for cheap kits for his birthday & Xmas. They can be SO expensive at full price!

I'm going to miss names and questions, but posting from a different time zone, truly zonked today as DH snored like the proverbial last night...

I use a cheap cafetiere from Tesco and brew fresh coffee. Ground coffee is always on offer, and Aldi do a really decent flavoured bag for less than £2. That's takeout coffee taste for a fraction of their prices. Use a flask if needed.

I do the same as many here. I simply deduct what my total monthly outgoings will be, from income, and work from that. It can help to budget for birthdays, Christmas, motor costs too on a monthly basis.

Stop ANY irrelevant direct debits and review the ones you have for best value, even a couple a month. Use cashback sites.

Ebay or sell unwanted stuff. Clothes go well if they are from higher end high street.

Most supermarket own label brands are fine, keep a few things that are branded that you love.

Packed lunches from home save a fortune. Meal planning ditto. One meat free meal a week too if relevant. One 'cheap' meal like jacket spuds or omelette works well too.

I've got DH, and DC (17, male, human dustbin and 15 DD) and I reckon my budget for food, cleaning products etc is £150 pw, a touch more if entertaining. We are not on the bread line, so it could go tons lower than this.

Had our meal cooked at our table last night, Japanese, it was amazing both visually and in terms of taste. I'll post a picture.

I've just found flights to nz for all four of us at Easter for £1420 wonder if MIL misses us enough to pay for us to visit...

Wow, wreck, what airline is that with?

Wreck, who's that with as we may be going next year for the rugby.

That's it, all of the frugaleers are off to NZ .

It's Thai airways through travel bag.

wreck that's amazing!!! We're going to go next year too for bils wedding. So need to start looking for flights.

Achievement of the day - cantering pony without stirrups. Two huge figure eights. And I stayed on. No saddle holding #thighsofsteel

Dh is currently pumping the paddle board up. It's bigger than I thought thatswhatshesaid at 12'6" it's basically taken up our entire living room.

Collie sign up on the playmobil web site. Nearer Christmas they do a 25% off event. Not always cheaper but handy anyway. Also they do bashed box sales where they are selling off returns. They are awesome for replacing parts for free too.

Booked it for £1289 we woke in laws up phoning them to ask if they'd like us to visit. We put it on a credit card but mil said she will pay towards it and Dh is owed £1000 in over time anyway.

Hi, MM, you're in the same situation as me, I realising I need to sort things out and I don't want to waste my soon to be freed up child care payments.
Thanks for all your ideas, Ive spoken to DH again about his drinking and he promises me he will stop in the week.
Our problem about a big shop is that we have a really small house/kitchen and so have a tiny fridge with those little bread freezer compartments, so I buy 3 or 4 days at lidl and then get lazy when that's used up and then end up going over the rd - but this must stop - I must be stronger!!!
I did well today out in town, got the bus spent a gift card and shut down a random bank account so got £16.23 back (whoop whoop).

I found the flights through holiday pirates btw

Hi All. Just being more aware today has put me more in control already. I've started an online Asda order, but have checked what we have first (freezer is stuffed so only spent £42 so far). Planned meals for tonight and tomorrow from what we have - I'm defrosting a massive leg of pork, will do pulled pork in the slow cooker tomorrow and batch freeze. I'll plan rest of weeks meals later tonight.
DS has gone to a birthday afternoon out and sleepover. Swimming, cinema and back to friends house. Normally I'd give him about £20 (and never see the change) but friends Mum had confirmed that she will pay for cinema entry and swimming so sent him with just enough for popcorn and a drink. Also put a £5 in friends card instead of £10 (he's 11 - was that a bit tight?). Anyway, the point is all this has been done from my purse, no withdrawals and dinner for tonight and tomorrow covered too. Starting to realise just how much I give/fritter away.

Good tips on take out coffees too. I'm a shift worker and really love my lattes, but I'm keen to find an alternative - any suggestions?

When do you have the latte?

A flask or one of those vacuum cups might be your answer, MM. Maybe you could still have one bought one once or twice a week as a treat?

Life, glad your DS is better today.

Wreck, wow! What a fantastic thing to have to look forward to! Very exciting!

mm I worked out I spent £500 a year on takeaway coffee....it's scary when you add it all up

Wreck That's one hell of a bargain. Do the children know yet?.

Mixed day here.

Found out I hadn't put money in for the sofa so the DD failed. Incurred od charge & £22 off the finance company.

But, I had no txt off the bank so I am going to complain about that. If I had I would've put the money in.

Phoned the co op bank who I tried to switch to in April, I have the card etc already but the switch never went through either. The co op said they requested it but that Yorkshire bank never responded. So I've put that in motion now.

so that's good because I've got £105 cashback if it goes through.

Luckily the sofa will be paid off in May next year so I'll put that money into the mortgage and it knocks two years off the term.

So, £85 to the sofa company.

I checked the barcode off my recent ikea receipts and I can claim a free doormat. I've got a reciept to check tomorrow as well to see if I've won anything worth claiming.

Onwards and upwards.

Ememem I'm a paramedic so grab one a shift usually at some point. 4 shifts a week at £2.40 a time. So....blimey, yes £499.20 a year!! Have a thermal cup, but instant coffee in it just isn't as nice

Sorry Fluffy just realised it was you that asked when...

Yes the children know as we had to phone PIL's to make sure it was ok and we woke them up

Mmm I loooove coffee a travel mug and some of those latte sachets maybe? I only drink black so not sure what they're like.