Super Scrimpers sashay, save & --squander-- their way through September

[lilacclery]

Thought I'd start us off!

Another avid reader here, though I don't get as much chance at the moment as I would like with the little DC around. I still love my Kindle purely as we just don't have any more space in the house for more books. I also use Goodreads creme, it's really useful isn't it?

£20 in Co-op today on various bits including calpol and some baby formula - roll on the cows milk here too!

I LOVED the Book Thief. Unlike many 'modern classic' type books I've read, I do think this was worth all the hype.

I agree, Cag. It's unusual for DH and I to enjoy the same books but we both loved it. I'm pleased I read it first though as he cannot read a book without telling me all about it!
I don't know if it is translated, sorry.

italian now I'm debating if I should order for the dc, that's a fab pack

Oh, I am excited about The Book Thief now, it will be here today.

Do you know what, I can't believe I hadn't thought about the library. We have one in the village, which only opens very minimal hours now, due to cuts. I only have 3 more weekends away and then I've got so much more time (and energy). It would be good to support it.

I love the feel of the book I think, I can't even imagine getting a cookery book on the Kindle.

Ours is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings and we are in a very deprived area, so I feel it's a case of use it or lose it.

There's a new Philipa Gregory book out, I'll buy that in hardback. Dh loves it because he doesn't see me for two days.

Duchess I'd heard hull wasn't serviced by BT et al. Look on money saving expert or google energy saving tips. I switched our hob and microwave off at the wall after reading it can cost more to run a microwave clock all year than it does to actually use it to cook with. Also think about LED light bulbs off led hut.co.uk. You save more than you'd think with them. I even put one in the fridge.

You can save money by lowering thermostats on the fridge, freezer and the hot water tank if you have one. Factory preset seems to be 70c. You can lower that to 60c safely. Gas boilers take 20-30 mins to heat a full tank. Not much heat should escape from them if they're lagged with a jacket and thick foam on the pipes around it that get hot.

If you check online for dishwasher manuals or washing machine manuals they should tell you the cheapest cycles to use. Our old machine used more electric on Eco than a normal cycle. Weird.

£4.49 aldi cava. Got the last bottle.
£1.99 Tesco on curry paste and a joint of beef using my orchard voucher. I'll freeze the beef for slow cooking in the winter.

I love her too, Fluffy.

No I don't have certain things on Kindle either. I love my paperwhite (it was a gift) but I mostly use it for fiction. I LOVE being able to look up a word instantly though. I occasionally find myself wanting to press a word in an actual book if I don't know what it means.

Yep libraries are use it or lose it really. We're very lucky in our county but in mum's it's a totally different story - they've already cut some opening hours, and they may be making some smaller branches entirely volunteer run as they 'can't justify' the cost of staff. :(

Creme, similar hours, affluent area and (I think) volunteers manning it. It's a lifeline for the older folk here.

Our library is open 7-22:00 or something but it's located in a centre with a gym and stuff.

NSD number 3!!

Dd got her clubs lost through and she wants to learn recorder but it's £15 per week. I really can't afford it.

The book thief is written by an Australian author so assume original language is English....
I know Lila; it's a fab pack. Just love their clothes and prints...

We love actual books and we are hopefully moving to a town with a big library. Very excited! I find too much screen time (any screen) hard on the eyes and for some reason my brain absorbs more info if it's on paper. I am a bit backwards haha!

Got to go to Sainsbury's to buy nappies and wipes but I've taken those off the shop due for delivery tomorrow.

I have found a small hoard of Winter size 10 clothes that I used to have (possibly 6 years old!) Really really happy! It was like going shopping & they'll fit now I lost weight.

My Nectar balance is going up and up nicely. Taking advantage of all mycoupons, Nectar offers and doing surveys.

07-22.00?[envy] Just how amazing would that be!! Our 'big' library in Durham city is 09-19.00. I occasionally use it, if I have to wait for a bus or a person and have often wished it did stay open later; for example, if I had to take DS to a Scouts trip in town, that used to finish at 9 p.m., so there was nowhere free to go and wait.

Thanks Italian. I realise I was getting mixed up with "The Reader", which was originally written in German.

Sainsburys delivery just came, so £42.90 will come out tomorrow.

Nails £39, sandwich £3 and a new bright yellow scarf even though it's 21 degrees here £11 (from oasis. Usually £14 but the store it's in is having a relaunch so it's discounted everything).

Making a list of cat things I need:

-litter tray
-food/water bowls

• bed

-transport box -oodles of toys (not necessary

Our library, which is in walking distance from us is being closed at the end of the month which I think is horrifying. It's one of the most used libraries in the area too but the land is prime for development so I'm sure will be sold off. I love being able to borrow books, I tend to borrow cookbooks and then decide whether I want to buy them or not.
LED bulbs have definitely helped us bring our electricity costs down.

Today I spent £2.30 parking in town, £13.50 on lunch out with a friend but took back a couple of things to M&S and was refunded about £20.
Bought a CD for dd's birthday (November) £8 and definitely starting to think about Christmas shopping now.

£15 a week for recorder?! That's a typo right?

I wonder if there's a fund for parents who can't afford music lessons.

I thought that Cag, I'm sure it was free when the DC were at primary. But, in any event, that surely can't be right?

We got DD's recorder club free when she was at school, as we were on FSM at the time. But even without that it was £10 for a term. Even the expensive clubs like drumming and yoga were £5 a week.

For comparison, I'm charging £2 per child for recorder. Admittedly it's a 'loss leader' (hoping they'll want to then do other classes with me :o) but still! I always think of recorder as an affordable group instrument.

Dh has found his car keys!! After 2 weeks.

He's feeling very smug.

Success - Legal & General do a slightly better policy for about the same as in paying now, plus I get a £50 M&S voucher by going through Mobey Saving Expert.

Bought some nice cardigans and bodysuits from Lidl for DS2 and now wondering if I should get the Smafolk packs for my two. We can eat nothing but beans for a few days to cover it!!

No it's £15 for a half hour lesson. You can choose piano, guitar, voice, flute, clarinet or recorder.

I got it free at school too. We won't get any help as we're in that awful position of earning too much for help and not enough for a decent life

How on earth can recorder classes cost that much? DD's ballet lessons are only £5 a week.
My mum is an excellent musician and was also a primary teacher, she used to do recorders twice a week at school for free. She even ordered all the instruments at a cheap price.
I have another bad head.