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.

Mummy, I know a few women who use them.and are very satisfied

I just worry it will leak, that's why I don't use tampons. I do have to find something, I'll wait till my quidco pays out and then buy one.

Would reuseable towels suit you? There cotton.

They're

Again I worry about leaking, it's taking the gamble on something. I might try and buy one super type reusable lad.

He does indeed fluffy if its not chocolate cake then a cake isn't worth eating! Oh even the colour of the writing and what it said was all his idea

Hope you feel better soon all. East that cake looks so yummy! The 2 DC are both a bit snotty and I feel a bit bunged up on and off, so hoping it doesn't develop into anything.

£37 in Aldi (but that includes 2 boxes of nappies) and £6 for Slimming World.

That cake is magnificent, East. How could you not have any?!

I also feel like I'm coming down with a nasty, old summer cold cold. My nose is either slightly blocked or slightly runny, my throat is tickly and I just feel bleurgh.

NSD here but just been tidying house.

Loving all camping tips. Defo going to keep my eyes open for a bargain kitchen type unit. Do they pack away small? We have a 7 seater (will remove 1 seat) and roof box but boot is tiny (and will contain double buggy and nothing else) so need to squash in tent, airbeds, camping stove, sleeping bags, clothes, cooking utensils. ...Ekk!

Ahh creme all 3 boys in bed my two and the sleepover friend quite impressed was expecting lots of empty threats to get two bigger boys to sleep but knackered. So I am now going for tea and hugggee bit cake.

Forgot to add, frugal efforts caused 'words' with DH earlier. We were out on (very rare) night out together last night (prepaid for). He bought a beer for £5 and thinks this should come out of (already very tight) famity socialising budget (£100 per month but have 4 kids) or family food budget (£120 weekly for family of 6 Inc all toiletries, nappies for x2 babies etc). I think it should come out of his personal spending budget (£50 monthly) which is what he uses if going out with friends etc (I have the same). I don't see why it should be any different because we were out together (especially as I didn't have a drink). He said I'm 'losing sight of things' as in I should be more laid back, but I just don't see point of spending ages working out then agreeing budget if within a couple of weeks we are making exceptions to the rules.

Just for you creme

Plusfour - why not suggest an increased family budget and reduced individual budgets if he wants iit that way

East- I did, he's being a real pain in the backside about it. I feel like he's being almost like a rebellious teen kicking back against the boundaries! Really annoying. I pointed out that it has to come from somewhere e.g. holiday fund/food etc and he was huffing and puffing. He said "How long do you realistically think we can stock to this budget?" And I pointed out all year if we want to have enough to go on holiday!

Regardless, we need to cut back as I don't want to keep dipping into an overdraft or borrowing off my parents for car insurance etc (we always pay them off within a couple of months but still, we need to be a bit less frivolous and a bit more independent).

Rice cooking - full kettle of water brought to the boil in your largest pan. Measure your rice in a cup... one big mug gives enough for 4-6 people. Sprinkle the rice over the boiling water. I don't bother rinsing it as it sticks together... never good for rice. As the rice starts to cook (about a minute or 2) stir with a fork or slotted spoon to break the grains up. Then leave it alone until it is cooked. Strain it & rinse it through with boiled water... unless you are doing fried rice then rinse it with cold water (and leave it for a couple of hours).

east a very good looking cake.

The cake looks amazing, especially the slice.

Sorry for the frugaleers and DC that have sniffles or summer colds. It's a strange temperature at the minute. The pony is actually starting to get his winter coat, so can naturally sense autumn is coming, I find this quite amazing they figure this out.

£47 in Aldi, but bought sun cream, and moisturiser, and some scales... the scales are not a happy purchase, we are all 10lbs heavier than we thought we were.... apart from DS, who is 10lb lighter. Weird.

Me Tricky. I would think that would be out of the personal spends budget surely? My DH isn't on board with budgeting. It's hard.

We had morrocan pork mince for tea. With rice. Home made. Nice.

We have an advantage when we 'camp' in our horse boxes. One of our friends and team members have a restaurant. We are away tomorrow. We are having a choice of lobster or sirloin with ginger for tea, all cooked on a tiny stove I wouldn't have a clue!

Methen could you challenge him to a budget - get him to agree the priorities and let him set the spend boundries. My dh was a spendthrift until he took over the budgets - including the meal planning / supermarket spends / debt repayment / kids needs / household bills & transport costs. He knows how much is needed for things we no longer go overboard. Before he took it over we agreed that we needed to pay down the debt and once that was done we revisted the priorities.

Needastrong- I totally agree with you, it's obvious to me. We even talked the other day about how budget made us reevaluate buying drinks out as rarely contributes much to how much we enjoy an evening considering they are £££.

Unes- possibly. I tend to take in the role as DH is full time and has a huge take home work load (I work 3 days and am able to go in early so rarely take things home). Also, he is really laid back when it comes to money (affluent middle class childhood where money was never discussed as an issue, versus my very working class childhood where I was often told we couldn't have/do x or y because of lack of money). We did go through each section of budget and agree it. Not quite sure why he's now trying to bend rules.

Might just leave it and see if it's a one off but if it happens again then I'll say he needs to take more responsibility for finances or tell DC we won't be going on the holiday we'very planned!

Topcashback - do they not do amazon? Can't find them when I search.

Hi all, have had a lovely day in Devon seeing some family who are down here on their holidays we did get a soaking at one point but I saw a Kingfisher for the very first time which more than made up for it

Have managed a LSD spent £1.20 on a couple of bits, my relatives treated us to lunch and ice creams.

The thing with rice is to NOT stir it, stirring it breaks down the starch or something so put the lid on and leave it alone! I use twice as much water as rice and start off with cold water, once cooked rinse with boiled water and Bobs your uncle

Frugal win a friend of mine has given me two big bags of clothes for dd, have just had a look through and there is loads so am very pleased.

Dd has a riding show tomorrow Need and she will be looking super smart

Me - I agree with you, its is hard for dh to agree that a budget is to be carried out not just an after thought.
East - I want a slice too!
Need - that camping dinner sounds lush.

Its taken me these couple of weeks (since joining the thread) to combine my dh to be on board with the budget, plus getting him yo not drink in the week as that's a huge cost/health saving. Having the cash in envelopes is just te start of realising how much we spend on frivolous items. Dh does all the cooking, but I buy the food, so we've agreed to stop the 'popping' into the Tesco express all the time.
I'm on holiday at the moment, I just hope our new regime will carry on from September.

Allthebest- I find planning in extra treats/ lazy dinners are key to avoid going to shop midweek. That way we don't feel deprived/ resort to take away/lunch at Cafe etc. So for us we generally have things like frozen apple pis and long life cream/ sorbet (handy treat), a couple of frozen pizzas (can be had with salad/beans/corn on cob etc if feeling lazy) and tapas style nipples that have long life e.g. feta, olives, continental meats, pickled onions etc so I can always make a fresh loaf or use oven bake baguette for indulgent picnic/easy super. I buy these in addition to 7 meals (stuff for lunch etc) as very rarely does the meal planning go exactly according to plan.

Some good tips there methen, we have a spendy habit of popping to the shops on days off for something nice for lunch, so need to come up with nice lunch ideas that can be bought with weekly shop.
Hope you get your budget sorted with DH.

£82 on groceries

He sounds like my 14yr old me, agree with adjusting the balance between family/personal spends.