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Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

The Friendly Frugaleers, saving and chatting as autumn arrives

986 replies

AGenie · 09/10/2016 10:22

Hello all :-)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
43
SnugglySnerd · 12/10/2016 09:59

£53 on weekly shop, much better than the last few weeks. Going to make soup for lunch.

Collieballs · 12/10/2016 10:17

wreck they really are. I'm so lucky. My previous Doctors surgery wasn't like this at all. I don't want to change doctors when I move but I ought to. I'll be about 10 miles away Sad I'll send them all a thank you card when I move though.

WreckTangled · 12/10/2016 10:21

Quick question of WWYD. I'm fixed in my electricity contract until March '17 with a. £50 termination fee. Uswitch reckons I could save £348 a year with £15 cashback if I switch. Should I do it?

mammymammyIRL · 12/10/2016 10:23

Lads I've a dilemna our latest budget means I'll be paying €15 less pcm on usc, what will I spend it on Grin
Although I will also be entitled to teeth cleaning annually through my prsi and a free pair of cheap glasses or €42 off a more expensive pair which is all a bonus I guess. I already get a free pair of glasses as part of my contacts subscription so not sure if it can be used in conjunction with this to get extra off a better pair.

Mon & Tues NSD of personal money, today will be €10 on Unislim class, tomorrow or Friday I will buy diesel, €50 full tank will have done 18 days and about 600 miles then.

mummy how are you getting on with reducing your mileage?

AdoraBell · 12/10/2016 10:25

Ooh Grin mammy what breed is your gorgeous dog?

Wreck if you can afford to pay the £50 now I would switch.

WreckTangled · 12/10/2016 10:27

Not really adora but we are over £400 in credit with our electricity at the moment so hopefully once they bill us there'll be enough left to cover it?

Collieballs · 12/10/2016 10:27

Just bought a vacuum cleaner £63 Inc same day delivery Sad

wreck definitely if you can afford the £50

mammymammyIRL · 12/10/2016 10:28

Wreck will that offer still be available in March, if so you would save the full £348 rather than £292 by switching now

WreckTangled · 12/10/2016 10:30

Probably mammy but in the mean time I'll have 'overpaid' £120

mammymammyIRL · 12/10/2016 10:48

Adora the big guy is an Japanese Akita and the smaller one(not small dog either!) is a Siberian Husky. We did boundary walls in past year and just got gates up last weekend so it was the first time roaming free in our garden. It's brilliant Smile

In frugal news, my newly installed outside clothesline under cover is brilliant put out wash yesterday morning and dry when I came home last night, they may need about 10 mins in dryer of an evening but that's it. Means my 12 year old tumble dryer will stay going because it won't be used as frequently and for clothes straight out of washing machine anymore. Must get a few of those socks holders to hang from roof of shelter and a sensor battery operated light to light up the place max spend about €10 and clothesline cost €15 as it's a retractable one. Roof was already there to shelter turf and we recycled a old gate to keep the dogs from accessing the clothesSmile

wreck that sounds like a good idea especially when you are struggling with a big electricity dd too

Eva50 · 12/10/2016 10:54

I hope all the poorly people are feeling better. collie Thank goodness they are taking it seriously, I hope the hydrotherapy helps. I use Naproxen on and off and would struggle without it.

NSD yesterday. We visited a friend who keeps chickens and were given a dozen eggs so hope to do something eggy for dinner tonight.

A good friend called to ask if I wanted to go for coffee and I invited her here. I would have had to take ds3 with me which would have been expensive. I have made cupcakes and chocolate crispie cakes so that's a big saving.

Piano lessons tonight so £15 for ds3. Ds2 pays his own. I sold some carpet cleaner on gumtree for £15 so that evens things out. I could almost claim a NSD! Also got a school uniform allowance for ds3 which is wonderful as he is still wearing the shoes we got in the Mumsnet Brantano product test in, ahem, June 2015. They do still fit, I'm not that awful, but they have seen better days. Shoe shopping this week then!

needastrongone · 12/10/2016 11:59

If you can manage to fine the £50, seems a no brainer. Although, I think they cannot enforce the get out fee within 40 days of the contract expiring. Money Saving Expert or Fluffy will confirm. Worth considering, but still worth paying the £50 I think.

Love the dog-a-logs, nice to get some balance! I'll treat you all to a picture of the pony soon. Smile

I've sold a Jack Wills hoody for £20 on a FB selling site. Was brand new with tags that fussy DS never wore. I suspect I under priced as I had an offer in 10 minutes!

Boobs, can I ask if you know how much the Hush skirt went for? I am thinking of the re-sale value of my stuff for the future.

WreckTangled · 12/10/2016 12:21

I've done it. The direct debit is actually £30 a month less so seems like a no brainier and it's only a years contract.

Girliefriendlikesflowers · 12/10/2016 12:43

Wreck I would do it, your current DD is huge even for storage heaters.

Yes Need agree with you, I think its all still quite raw for me even though it was 6 months ago already! Although (I was thinking about this last night) in the end out of the 4 weeks dd was ill for (1 week ill at home, 1 week in hospital and 2 week recovery) I only took one day as official 'parental leave' the rest was either annual leave or it went down as me being off 'sick' with stress Hmm

Have had a nice morning, been to the garage and they reckon it will need a new rear bumper! Apparently the boot is out of alignment which I didn't realise. Went to a discount home and garden type place which was next to the garage and spent £22, got tons for that including cleaning stuff, cat food, a few bits for the garden and a few bits for my house Smile

Resisted going into town as decided I didn't really need anything and would only spend randomly if I went! Did go to Morrisons and spent £20 on fresh stuff mostly but did treat myself to Hello magazine Blush its a rare treat to buy myself a trashy magazine but am really looking forward to chilling out with it later!

I am finding the heating in the house really confusing, it only seems to work if i whack the thermostats right up and have it on 'on' if its on any other setting like 'auto' or 'day' nothing happens Confused Not sure if its broken or just me Grin TBF have been really impressed at how warm the house stays so don't need the heating on for more than 30 mins or so anyway at the min......

Glad you are feeling better Collie Smile

Feeling left out with all the pet pics so here at my two Grin boy cat the diabetic is the black and white one and girl cat the naughty tortie Wink

The Friendly Frugaleers, saving and chatting as autumn arrives
The Friendly Frugaleers, saving and chatting as autumn arrives
SnugglySnerd · 12/10/2016 12:53

Lovely cats, Girlie.

I have a cold Sad

Fluffycloudland77 · 12/10/2016 13:00

49 days before a tariff ends you can end it. You might need to chase your credit balance though.

Have you read the manual Girlie?.

NSD.

Sierra259 · 12/10/2016 13:37

Gorgeous dogs mammy and cats girlie
Hope your cold isn't too bad snuggly DH has been off sick with a bug the last few days.

£5 on brunch with some of the other mums after DC2's baby class. £10 on Oyster card and £10 in Co-op. Shouldn't be any more spends today.

Off to look at a school for DC1 for the first time today Shock How is she that old already??

Shesgotelectricboobs · 12/10/2016 13:50

mammy gorgeous dogfaces!!

need I think the hush skirt went for £25. I was optimistic with my low bid.

I've sold a weekend bag today. Listed at £15 Ono. Best offer was £13.50. Win.

And have spent £4 on freshly roasted decaf coffee 200g for dh and 79p for popcorn for me.

He is home with the cold today. I was going to go spinning. But also have to do a food shop. Spinning is from 6-7. It'll take a max of half hour to get changed afterwards. Then a max of 20 minutes to get to the shop. And it'll take 45 minutes to shop. The shop closes at 9.

So my dilemma is - do I go to spinning. If I do I'll be home and having dinner by 930. Sad if not I can go straight from work and be home dinnering by 7.

(This is one of those times where I wish we had online supermarket delivery here).

Collieballs · 12/10/2016 13:51

girlie is it a Danfoss thermostat??

8FencingWire · 12/10/2016 14:03

girlie, thank you, the pad is lovely! I smile every time I'm on my way home, so so happy with it! Mine is really warm too, no heating on yet, but, like you, I find it puzzling. So, if the temperature shows 22 degrees (in the hallway, but we keep the bedrooms doors closed at all times due to mad cat), I have to jack it up to 24 for the heating to kick in. Which is attained in 20 mins, then it turns itself off. I managed to program it though.

Gah, exH has no control over me anymore so he is using his own daughter, the twat! Nevermind, I've always managed, I'll manage this time too. I'm not being nasty, we have people coming from abroad, he knew about it for weeks, months even. He always refused to host these family meals (I did anyway, but with him being rude, unpleasant and needy and moody), now he wants his DD. wreck, she knows, she already said she'd rather stay and see the family. But I'm not going to tell him that, I don't want her in the middle, iyswim.

Sorry about the rant, ignore me please.

£75 in tescoShock. I've gone £35 over budget. But I bought a 20 kg litter bag, 4kg of dry food, 3 for £3 dove shower gel, shampoo for DD and 3 for £5 escalopes, that's 3 meals. And an alarm clock. I am going to keep the mobile out of my bedroom, so I needed something. The rest was budgeted for (lentils, fresh vegetables, milk etc). Still, expensive.

SnugglySnerd · 12/10/2016 14:18

I must have missed the dog pics earlier, they are lovely!
Have just come to garden centre to look for birthday present for my mum. DD has fallen asleep in the car so I'm having a little rest until she wakes up.

WreckTangled · 12/10/2016 15:45

Back from the vets £61 but that included the flea spot on for three months.

Saw a lovely vet this time, she thinks:

He's overweight Blush
He has a bit of Maine coone in him
He still has fleas
He also has allergies

Plan:

Give him low cal cat food
Steroid injection as needed
Try to give him a wash Shock
Get him a harness and take him on walks Grin

WreckTangled · 12/10/2016 15:54

Also having cancelled sky and changed energy suppliers I'm feeling much more positive. Oh and paying off the dw. Phew! Smile thanks everyone

Collieballs · 12/10/2016 16:03

Thats a productive day wreck!

I have decided to pay Royal Mail £31.99 to redirect my post when we move.

Also, going to put all savings in a bank account completely disconnected from my current account as I mentioned last month to stop me from doing same day transfers. Was just about to do it and realised DH had my debit card so I couldn't use my card reader. So I'll do it tonight. I'm all ready to go!

Feeling empowered! Rar & grrrrr. Grin

needastrongone · 12/10/2016 16:05

Great stuff Wreck, glad you feel better.

Boob Thanks for the Ebay info on the Hush skirt. I am feeling positive I can get resale value on my stuff.

Today I have made £20 on Facebook. £20 on a bag on Ebay, £30 cashback from TBC and reduced the D'debit by £15 a month (4 months free too).

Spent £40 on Amazon on some High Viz running tops as I have none and it's dangerous.
Ordered sedation for the pony from the vet too, yet to pay.

Chilli for tea.

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