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.

Have a lovely lunch and catch up crème.
Cag, I'm shit at budgeting too.
Gah I need to get better at keeping up as I've forgotten the rest, sorry.
Welcome more newbies.

Went to a family friendly festival today. Didn't bother with the £25 to get near the stage but will next time. Probably spent £15 for a lovely day out

Welcome all newbies.
I also budget in the same way as the others. I work out all my essential bills and pay them all by DD. they change little every month so I know exactly how much is going out and on which dates. I have cancelled all non essential DDs.
I have more or less the same income each month although it does vary as I get expenses.
I am usually on my own but DP comes to stay as do the DGCs in the school holidays. These times are spendier.
I check my bank every day and record my spends and, whenever I can I transfer some money to my savings.
My goal is saving to get major work done on the house as I moved 6 months ago.
I shop in aldi and occasionally Tesco for stuff aldi don't have. I cook everything from scratch and meal plan always. Fortunately I hate shopping so I go in with a list and stick to it. When I go anywhere I always take food, especially with the DGCs. It's cheaper, I don't have to queue and I know it's something they will eat.
Spendy at t he moment as I have DGD ( and from tomorrow DGS as well).
Went to Countyfile Live today at Blenheim palace. Had free tickets and took a picnic and £10. Got free car parking and came home with 26p. So,quite pleased.

Wreck, those flights sound amazing. We went to NZ about 6 years ago and loved it so much we rang up and changed our flights home to stay longer.
Now, you've reminded me...I want to go again. I will save for that next.

Hope your MIL doesn't arrive Em. I am a MIL and I would never do that. And I would be nervous like you leaving my key with workmen. It's a normal response to be anxious about it.

Taking food & drink with you on days out is something I always try to do as I resent paying for it when out. One of dd's requests to do this summer is to walk up a local hill and have a flask of soup & then flapjack at the top! It's something we've done before & she loved it.

Tayto great deal on the door.
Creme enjoy your meet up, I'm looking forward to catching up with a few old friends when we go to Cornwall

We have a really handy small insulated bag I got from a product test. It fits just enough for us all. I think we are going to a national trust place tomorrow and I'll pack some food.

Last year we had a "prepping for a frugal Autumn / Winter" chat. I'm going to try and outline some of the points I remembered. It will help me and hopefully a couple of others too: it's a good time to check eBay for some Winter stuff!

Hats, gloves, scarves and thermals
Winter boots / wellies
A decent Winter coat
Puddlesuits
Slow cooker! (Stews, chilli, soup, spag bol, curries and casseroles!)
Stock up on hot chocolate, tinned soup, custard and other tinned foods
Pick blackberries for crumble
Fleece line curtains
Make your own draught excluders from old trousers, leggings or tights
Have a curtain over single glazed or draughty front doors
Add fleece blanket underneath bed sheet.
Have an extra blanket for on top of duvet
Brushed cotton bedding
Fleece blanket for the sofa
Thick socks, tights and leggings
Thick jumpers / fleeces
Rugs
Slippers and dressing gowns
Brushed cotton PJs
Hot water bottles or microwavable bean bag things
Stock up on strepsils, paracetamol, ibuprofen, cough syrup.
Not sure if it works but Wicks & Homebase sell "seasonal double glazing window film"
Lakeland's heated airer is less than 6p per hour to run.
Turn down water temp on the boiler.
And replace all your bulbs for LED bulbs!

I've obviously tried to type this out as quickly as possible. I know it's only August but some of the stuff above may be cheaper to buy now than waiting until it's in season. And some of it could be going cheaply on eBay.

I've worked out my budget and after bills I should have £650 a month to cover food for two weeks approx 60 per week ( partner pays the other two weeks) and prepayment meters so £40 electricity and around £20 gas a month.

Theoretically I should have enough to save but I'm always dipping into savings. Think I need to keep a daily diary of spending to see where it goes. Will start this when I get this months salary mid August.

I did set up a credit union savings account this month so £100 a month will come out of my salary before I get it and it's not easy to access.

Thank you all for the welcome. Afraid I can't remember all the names yet but...

Food- there are 6 of us and we spend on average £120 a week on food (about £100 term time, more in holidays for picnics etc.) That includes toiletries, household stuff and nappies for x2. Shop at Aldi when time and Tesco on-line when having a busy week. Always meal plan.

My DS ate 3 months of contraceptive pills a few months ago- I felt like the worst parent ever but thankfully he was absolutely fine.

£2 today for parking at big local park but took picnic.

Yesterday was £120 Aldi food shop and £38 on 5 of the 6 of us having (long overdue) hair cuts.

Thanks Collie, that is really useful. I definitely need to stock up on stuff for the slow cooker because I use it lots in the winter. I am currently freezing extra veg so I will have a stock for the winter.
And this house is drafty so I need to get my old curtains out from my last house and alter them to fit here, and line them with fleece.
And I am stocking up on wood ( scavenging) for my wood burner as I don't want to have to buy it.

collie great list. I've just managed to tick about half off.

I need new jammies wI'll maybe see if j can get some for my birthday. I only wear the short ones. But if I'm lazing about the house wear my years old belonged to ex ex boyfriend jack wills joggers. So. Comfy.

We have the window film. I think it works.

I also put a double duvet (we have a king bed) under the fitted sheet for extra coziness.

Just returned from another theatre trip. Oddsocks' Macbeth. Was really good. We picniced in the park then watched the show. Nice evening.

Great list! (Can't help wondering if there'll now be frugaleer bidding wars on winter clothing!)

Glad you enjoyed the Macbeth! I think I might read it after I've finished the books I'm currently on. I hated it at school/college but I rather fancy giving it a go now!

Will have a nsd today. Going to try to teach the dc to ride their bikes...

02 priority are doing a swing all for £5 from halfords. I might get one next time I'm near one.

*ball not all

Nsd planned today. Dh and friends doing a 10k so home made poster as it comes past the end of our street.
Park or NT this afternoon

So guess i need to start saving for NZ too as you all clearly love it. When the dc are teens I think.
Nice bargain wreck.

Thanks for the list collie. Have missed your lists

I still can't believe it. Flights are usually about £800. PIL's have a three bedroom apartment so we will have our own rooms with en suite. They have a pool on their roof and are practically on the beach. I can't wait. And it's all cheaper than a week in Spain. Obviously we will need spending money. Mil said she will pay for flights from Auckland to where they live as its a four hour drive otherwise.

Hoping for my first NSD today. We are planning a day at home so should be easy if I avoid eBay and Amazon.

Off to see BFG today but am taking crisps as NOT spending a fortune on rubbish as we go in.

trying enjoy! I've heard great things about it. Am dying to see it. But Dh not so keen.

cag Macbeth was awesome. They steampunk-ed it. It was all a bit odd with robots etc. But as Oddsocks always do they made it understandable. My dad (who we took with us) was dubious as he thought they'd ruin it. But they used pretty much all original dialogue.

I'm off to "watch" Dh play paddleboarding. And by watch I mean go to the beach and drop him off on a man play date with my friends husband while we play good wifeys and have brunch at her house. She's promised a French Caribbean breakfast feast. I'm hoping for fruits. Not rum (she's originally from Guadeloupe via Paris).

Going grocery shopping later
Food plan for next week
S: noodles with chicken and veggies
M: frikadeller with rice
T: burgers and hot dogs (clear out from freezer)
W: forloren hare (meatloaf )
T: lefties from w
F: snitzel
S: homemade pita kebab and pizzas

Wreck: good deal on flight. Spend a week in nz when I was traveling Australia around. It's a stunning country and welcoming ppl...

Morning all. Hoping for no spend day today as plenty of snacks for lunch picnic and possibly off to local attraction we bought family pass for months ago (used loads so totally worth the £).

Any ideas on best way to work out if i'm on best electricity deal? Is best way to use a comparison site then use topcashback to get money back from transfer?

Morning all! Another one here who is about NZ! We lived there for a year in our youth and would love to take children at some point in the future.

Today has to be a NSD as I've spent all of the £60 in my purse! Collie you're so right about being realistic about budgets. I thought £60 would cover food shop and all entertainment for the week. However I hadn't factored in a local festival and gorgeous 'must be spontaneous' sunny weather! I would say DH has put in another £30 over the weekend. So £60 would be perfect for food shop plus my own activities with the kids but we need to add an extra sum of money for family outings.

I'm sticking with £60 for this coming week though as we'll mainly be decorating next weekend, DD is at grandad's house and my mum is coming to stay (she always stocks up the cupboards as she is at how empty our fridge and pantry always are - I just let her get on with it now after years of futilely telling her that's how we like to live!)