Marvellous Frugaleers - Chatting and saving through November, and into December.

[CathodeRayTube]

Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

By popular request - copied from an old thread

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.

Holy hell trying what a nightmare. Hope it gets sorted quick. Great builder you've got there.

Today's spends

£48 dh's bike jacket for Christmas.
£11 on Christmas tree decorations
£22.50 red skinnies.

Paid in £382 into our account. All coin. 😀

Veggie massaman curry for dinner. Washing done. New load on. Sorting out some of my shit tonight. Tidy house tidy mind and al that.

Making a vow not to buy any new make up/beauty products next year unless I have run out of a particular something. Making a list to see what I have. I like lists.

Oh trying somehow missed that post. Poor you I hope it gets fixed quickly the builder sounds great.

Hope it gets sorted soon trying. What a nightmare.
Gws collie.
Hey Bertie, come and go as you like.
Nice lights

Nsd

Yes, fluffy, I'm insured. So will be able to claim for repairs. Sitting room will need redecorating when it dries out. Just glad I knew the builder. He came out at20 past midnight.
Fluffy, what are you doing about GB energy. I have taken meter reading and am just waiting to hear who new supplier is and will then change, probably to Bristol.

Wow thank you for all the good luck messages.

I wish I had news for you all. But we got to the drop in and they turned us away because there were too many people there already. Literally wouldn't let us in. Gave us a number to phone and said well everyone else here is in the same boat. Left message on said number, they'll get back to us in 5-7 working days.

This was DH's last free day for a couple of weeks as well. SO much we needed to be doing today.

Good grief Cag. You really could do with some good luck.

trying I haven't done anything TBH.

Oh cag that's just rubbish. Be kind to yourself tonight

Cag. Don't give up; keep trying as often as you can. Eventually they'll give in. It might even be worth taking the kids along, to pull on their heartstrings a bit, although I know it'll be boring for them.

Cag Keep fighting, keep fighting. I think that's what you will need to do to get somewhere.

Sorry things didn't work out for you today Cag. Keeping fingers crossed for your luck to change soon.
Trying to have a much more frugal few days her. Dh's parents were here for the weekend which made it spendy. It was good to see them but it's also quite a relief when they leave too! They don't have much positive to say about things & so I feel all the positive energy being sucked out of me.
Going to the Knitting & Stitching show on Friday has inspired me to get cracking with some projects. I bought a load of Christmassy fabrics last year to make bunting with but then didn't get it done. So I've dug them out and have started. This year there will be bunting everywhere!! There should also be enough offcuts to make a couple of festive cushion covers. I'll try to post some pics as I go along.
My meal plan so far this week:
M: Pasta with bacon & leeks
T: Jacket spuds (various fillings
W: Spag bol
Th: Hot pot
Fri: Pizzas
Not sure beyond that, but it's a start

cag, sorry to hear! About time you had some good news, no?
trying, that's horrible, sorry for your troubles!
girlie, well done for all the shopping. I have done a lot of overtime last month, guess what, they forgot to pay me!!! I'm about £400 down. Well, it means more money for sales, but still...
wreck, lovely lights!!!

NSD today, quite frankly it'll be a bit tight this month. But, the plan was not to spend anything in december anyway.

Thanks everyone.
Trying - it's not a new new house, but only fifteen years old, it was occupied by a very elderly couple though so the current decor is quite dated; it's tempting to rip everything out and start from scratch but it's all in excellent condition so it will be more sensible to do it gradually and have a decent budget to do the various things instead of dividing our current budget between everything.
You poor thing, what a nightmare of a night. Thankfully your insurance will cover it; still a stress you could have really done without though.

Trying. Apparently I'm now with co op energy, same price as bg and the same fixed term.

So that's nice.

North I am interested in the cushion covers. Do you pipe the edges?.

Fluffy, same here. Coop energy. They sound ok. Same terms.

Good job it's coming out anyway.
-3 degrees here😧

Here Is my list.

17 eyeliners (varying colours and styles - gel pencil felt tip half black)
7 mascara's
3foundations
4unused lipsticks
Pressed powder
Bronzer
4 eyeshadow pallets (nudes, brights, glittery and "smokey")
8 eyeshadow singles (as above)
3 primers
2 highlighters
3 fave moisturisers (day and night)
Eye cream and gel
3 Toners
2 cleansers
Half a frizz ease
7(!) dry shampoos
2 shampoos and conditioners (1litre bottles)
5 moisturises
1 fake tan
8 make up wipes
3 deodoirants

And 10 packs of cotton wool pads.

I think it's safe to say I'm good for products. And am on a spending ban. Unless I run out.

cag that's shit. NO other words. Agree with the others though. Keep going back. Persevere.

Bloomin heck Em what a lot! I am pretty boring with my cosmetics and hold onto them for years that said I seem to have developed a slight hoarding problem with various shampoos and conditioners that promise me luscious locks I have about 6 lots atm

Just back from dds football practice, it is freezing here

8 was wondering how you were getting on, thats rubbish they 'forgot' to pay your overtime, we had that recently with millage and there was an uproar Can you complain and see if they will pay you mid month, thats what we did and amazingly they did pay us!

Have you added up how much all of it cost you Em?.

Trying Thank God you weren't in the lounge when it went. all those years it's been leaking away like that.

Estimating I've probably got about £500 worth of stuff there. I know one pallet was £35. Another £40+ (special edition....I know....I know....) I'm going to have a stab at using it up and replacing an item when Ive got none left.

so much for embracing my "naked" face.

It will all get used. And although they do all have expiry dates I believe it's only once opened. The majority are unopened. So I reckon I'm good for at least the next year.

There is usually a symbol on the back em with an open lid and a number. But yes as long as they are sealed they will be fine.

8 that's crap, will they advance you?
Nsd planned today. Dd ballet exam and need to plan for tomorrow late night shopping trip.

Oh an it's my last payday before Christmas.

Pah to naked face I say *Em'

Look, it's a thing you love and gives you pleasure and you can afford it. That may change. Lots of us on here have hobbies or interests or their DC do that cost more. I'm more skincare than makeup itself but love the stuff too. A pair of running shoes is £50 but that sort of seems more 'acceptable'. It shouldn't I don't think.

I'll post more later when on laptop.

And I had to look up what a dressage whip even was!!

I would get hung drawn and quartered if I forgot to pay the guys their overtime. It's totally not acceptable, especially at this time of year.

Blimey Em that's a lot of make up!
fluffy I don't pipe the edges, I do very basic cushion covers where the fabric overlaps at the back, if that makes sense?
Just had our first Virgin media bill through since getting the improved deal. It's even better than expected as it has 2 months worth of discount (due to advance payments) so £40 cheaper in total than we were paying, frugal surprise win!
Our other frugal surprise win of the last 24 hours was that the monthly payment for our sofas has shown up as the final payment & I thought there was another year to go. It was £35 a month and will now go to overpay the mortgage.