Frugaleers chatting and saving even further into August...

[AGenie]

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.

That's lovely allthebest.

I just went and test drove a Nissan Leaf, which is an entirely automatic car. It seemed okay, but it was so different from a normal car that it totally weirded me out and I ended up getting back out of the car after 200 yards feeling all wibbley. Isn't the human body odd? The salesman said that is how most people feel, so the company offers four-day long test drives so people can get used to the car gradually. They were really quite keen to just give me it home. Very different from the corsa at least.

Em feeling the way I'm feeling today I think I should join you in not drinking until October. Very hungover but had a great night.
I'm just buying a bowl of soup for my lunch now while my colleague is at a meeting, I didn't attend as I'm finished up with the company now.
I've spent quite a lot of money eating out in August, got to get that under control. I don't think it'll be too hard as I'll have time of cooking new things again now that I've my evenings back.

Methenyou where did you find the cashback offer for Asda please?

Don't worry about it being pending still, it really varies between retailers.

Sorry, I meant the leaf is an electric car.

Agenie - I was going to google that car to know how it knew to indicate (gullible).

Cag thanks for the link, I've never used eBay shops before & just bought dds winter coat now, for £31.95 with free shipping. She loves unicorns & horses

Cag thanks for the link, I've never used eBay shops before & just bought dds winter coat now, for £31.95 with free shipping. She loves unicorns & horses

Allthebest yes there are also self-driving cars like the google car. They know when to indicate because you tell them the destination and they just follow their own satnav instructions. There are a few on the road already and I believe they're pretty good. I find that idea pretty scary, but I imagine that they will be a real Godsend for people who have disabilities that stop them being able to drive for themselves.

Interesting to hear that about the leaf genie I toyed with the idea of electric car but I travel to see my parents quite often & it would add 30 mins onto my journey each way for a charging session on a journey that takes 2 hours 45 mins already so not practical for me.

Allthebest you've a lovely dad. I'm going to learn to use my sewing machine this winter. Have it at least 5 years but classes clashed with my evening work.

Those Google cars freak me out!
I parked the car I test drove very carefully during the week & when I finished discovered the reversing camera!

Crappy crap McCrapness. Think I have a tooth abscess :( doesn't hurt but...

Oh AND my spare bra just broke properly. I only have an uncomfortable non-wired one, and one decent (which is ripped as well! Not for any filthy reason I might add, it's just old :o :o). I also only have one pair of jeans as my better pair and my knee length ones are falling apart beyond repair. DH needs boxers too as they're all ancient and holey. Why is it so easy to spend money on house/Caglets/home ed etc, and really hard to buy things we actually need for ourselves?

Ooh, nice coat Lilac! :) I was looking at some Hatley stuff when searching for jammies, it was really pricey so I bet that price for a coat is a major bargain. I got a 'seconds' Superdry dress once from their outlet on ebay, for DSD - it was perfect though, really nothing wrong with it at all.

Do you have a M&S Sparks card cag? The offers are often a bit crappy, but mine this fortnight had 20% off ladies jeans/jeggings. I'm not sure if the offers are personalised they never seem to relate to what I've bought!

It would have been €52 incl postage from their own site & including postage I paid €40.50! The actual coat was only £3 cheaper.

Think you need to include clothes in your budget cag dh's boxers are also all holey & he needs new clothes but won't buy any for himself as trying to pay down debt. I've decided dc will replenish his wardrobe a little as his Christmas present.

Sierra, is it worth getting a sparks card? What are the benefits? Thanks

Tbh, it's one of the worst loyalty cards. The offers are random and often rubbish - 20% off asparagus anyone? However, every so often you do get something better, like this 20% off jeans, or women's or kidswear. Or a money off voucher at the till. Plus, you choose one of 4 charities when you sign up and M&S donate some money to it as you collect points. It's free, so you might as well have it, as although it could be much better, you do benefit from it occasionally.

I'm the same, Cag, I only have 3 bras and none of them fits very well. I've been holding off buying more because of TTC but actually it would have probably been more economical to buy another than to keep having to wash them so often! Going to get fitted for maternity bras soon though. DH's socks are full of holes too but it doesn't seem to bother him as much as it would bother me.

Picked 1.8kg of blackberries. Hm. Need to get some ham sugar and the. I can get cooking. Shop tomorrow. Coop had double dividend day on a bank holiday.

My eBay items are doing well so should make £25 this evening.

cag my favourite bra broke the other day. The strap snapped off. As I was walking home from work. just happy it didn't happen while at work.

lilac after blackberries we stopped at the pub for a burger and a drink. I had a pint of my childhood favourite - black currant and lemonade. I am trying my hardest to drink more water. Have a 2l bottle next to me and am just sipping away at it. I drink loads while at work but when I'm home I find it difficult.

That's a great haul of blackberries, Em.
I'm still in bed. Feel very lazy, I never stay in bed. Starting to feel a little better though.

Take it easy snuggly

Next do bras in their sale all year round too. cag I recommend them. I got a 2 pack for £10 last month! They may still have some in your size.

Went to go to the woods and realised DS had outgrown his wellies. It's been raining so it's really muddy and we couldn't go. Everywhere shuts early or is closed on Sundays so we couldn't get new wellies in time :( hadn't noticed they were so small as we haven't needed them all Summer.

Glad you are feeling a touch better snuggly, a day of rest was just what you needed. I am terrible too at doing this, and DH gets really mad!

Good blackberry haul Em.

I'm not convinced about not buying clothes. I did it for a long time. It leaves you with a ton of stuff that is old, faded, needing repair or simply past it. It also doesn't make you feel very good about yourself, and dents your confidence. So, now I buy just one or two things each month. My favourite T Shirt at the minute is a grey striped one from Primark that cost £3, so it needn't be expensive.

I ended up having to buy us all a ton of clothes recently, and I think it has cost more, or certainly felt more of a financial hit than a few bits each, each month.

Spends
£20 WH Smith on stationary for 6th form, and New Scientist magazine for DS.
£40 Primark, 3 pairs of jeans for DS (6th form, no uniform) and a school bag.
£55 jumper from French Connection, may return but I do like it.

Walked into M&S to get food for tea, but walked out again and have cooked a home made lasagna for tea. I'm on festival duty again, collecting DH and DD at various points.

I'm 38HH so generally go for a specific brand as not much fits me :( having big boobs is pricey and the bras are boring :(

Think they had toddler sizes in some of those welly listings on ebay Collie