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

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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.

life I've only recently found out what that symbol means...!

Thing have been organised. Cleared out and put in some order. I figure I'm not going to need shampoo for at least a year. And will probably only need to replace cotton wool pads make up wipes and deodourant next year. So it's frugal next year. Not so much in the past.

Dh suggested I give it away - pointed out if I gifted it I'd have to buy more...so I'm better off keeping and working through it. The basics are good (foundations are the same shade - two liquid one powder/mineral. And it's nothing ridiculous (except the blue glitter eyeliner....))

Busy work day today (lots of meetings) then meeting a friend for a drink after work. Yay!

north great result re couch payment. That happened to us with our kitchen. £60 a month has now joined other savings for our house deposit.

em can I be cheeky and suggest you purchase reusuable wipes/pads instead of cotton wool ones when you need to purchase?

I had Cheeky Wipes for ds when cloth nappying and these are now my make up removers, dirty hands wipes, shower scrubs etc. There are other brands available too.

Dh had shopping list made out when I got home last night, I didn't get to check it but added stuff I wanted in case he hadn't them on list, it's very large

Yesterday's post brought €10 boots voucher from doing surveys and Friday's brought €20 argos voucher from doing shop and scan (Does anyone else do this?) Oh and my littlewoods bill which had interest added, thought it was 16th dec interest free period finished it wasn't it was 16th nov so 83c interest added, will pay off in next couple of weeks and no purchases planned for my buy now pay 6 months later code either.

north that's a fantastic discovery about your sofas

bertie very excited for you guys, and brilliant that house is ready to move in to also as saves a lot of expense for you guys
trying that's a very nice builder you've got there, not many would even answer their phones at that hour
em that's a staggering amount of make up!

Just been on my internet banking and discovered that I took advantage of two reward offers through my bank at the weekend without being aware - spent more than €25 in lidl last thurs so got €5 back and more than €30 in boots so another €5 back due, missed out on one buying au pair an irish rail ticket would have gotten me another €5 but I'm up €10 without chasing a special offer so happy with that.

em take a photo of all your make up and beauty products, print photo out and date it, you could fo it on January 1st as you may get more stuff for Xmas, the stick the photo up somewhere prominent so your goal is obvious. Think about how much you'll save by Jan 1st 2018.
I think its wrong how hltas are treated by teachers and smt.

mammy good shout. I would have never thought to get those!! Great idea. Frugal and environmentally friendly

I've bookmarked the page so when I run out I'll remember.

It's -7 here and dh's handbrake has frozen. Brrrr. I want macdonalds for lunch

I'm all about reduce, reuse, recycle!

Two years ago I purchased a Brita water jug, eliminating 8+ bottles of plastic from our weekly shop, plus cartridges are recyclable at Argos so I just store them up until I'm buying my next annual pack.

Last month I purchased a decent set of tupperware boxes and haven't used clingfilm since for leftovers or lunches, need something to hold two slices of bread now though, any suggestions?

Have the reusable wipes 3 years now and they're marvelous.

When I eventually get my period back I will buy an Organicup.

Always striving to do more, am a member of Zero Waste Ireland on facebook but they're a bit too extreme for me.

In past few months I reverted back to a bar of soap in bathroom as ds was pouring liquid soap down the sink, now that bar is almost gone I'm thinking of not going back to liquid soap at all.

Wow wreck -7, -4 here this morning and that was cold enough

Mammy i use ziplock bags. I wash and reuse them. They are very strong and durable and last a very long time.

allthebest LOL about the staples. I do like paperwork

Lovely lights wreck.

Sorry to hear about the leak Trying Very good idea to go on MN and have a bit of time off. Sounds complicated.

Sorry to hear that the housing place didn't work out Cag. I suppose that queue in itself gives you some feedback on the likelyhood of getting help. Do you have any other options, and how long is it until the rent rise happens?

Em I love your list. If I posted my list of electronic gadgets it would look similar. Do you enjoy sorting your collection of products? I think there's something very satisfying about having a collection like that and sorting them and enjoying having them. I find the temptation to add to my collection very tricky too.

It's flippin' freezing here. I've stopped using the tumble dryer, which vents through an open window, and am hanging stuff in the airing cupboard. It's helping, but I'm going to get under a duvet anyway.

Mammy for a sandwich or two slices of bread I use the sistema sandwich box. Fits very neatly and no waste of space.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B003HIVAP6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480501915&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=sistema+sandwich&dpPl=1&dpID=414uGJQODtL&ref=plSrch

You can buy them individually although the three of us have our colour-coded ones for days out

Cag I am really sorry to hear about yesterday - so frustrating after getting all geared up. Are you just going to have to camp out on the pavement 2 hrs before they open? I know that is a problem with the DCs, apart from anything else. It would probably be completely pointless but I would write a letter of complaint pointing out that the lack of appointment system makes it very difficult with DCs, as you cannot take them along as you do not wish them to witness a discussion about the precariousness of your housing situation. There really should be a better system

Trying that sounds awful! So lucky your builder was helpful(and you are insured). Still it's horrible living in mess.

Em that is a lot of makeup! I bought a set of everything posh did my wedding 2 years ago. Worn twice. I should make more effort. I do put tinted moisturiser on every day to even out my blotchiness but that's all. As I get older I need more help!

I am irritate tiday - have the termly review meeting for DS with the LA and nursery. Checked the time, duly turned up at 9.30am only to wait 40 mins to find the LA people are coming for 11am! Not worth going home do I am round the corner in Starbucks, eating cake I don't even really want. £4.70 and I am still grumpy. Morning wasted and I have lots to do, I could have used those wasted 90 child-free minutes!

I've had a busy few days and there's a lot to catch up on! Sorry you didn't get to speak to anyone Cag, will you try again?
Live the lights, Wreck, might put ours up on Saturday.
I've just realised we spend £17 a week on cat food and litter for ONE cat! He is elderly, not very well and on a special diet but that seems excessive.
Discounting the cat expenditure the weekly shop was about £48, I'm quite pleased with that.
Got one of Jack Monroe's books from the library so trying a couple of cheap meals this week. Meal plan is:
W - smoky aubergine pasta
Th - pizza, chips & salad
F - Tofu & broccoli stir fry with ginger, honey & soy
Sa - squash soup & bread for lunch, roasted veg with cous cous and halloumi for tea.
S - out with family for Sunday lunch, leftover soup for tea.
M - pasta with peppers and creamy tomato sauce
Tu - sweet potato curry.

I've come up with a plan - I'm going doing a sewing machine course and we've been told to bring an item to repair .

What I want from a sandwich bag is something like this
Amazon link

I've got well washed nappy bags from ds, would it be disgusting to use these?

My friend bought some of the fabric before I'll ask her if she has some I could buy off her. That would be far better wouldn't it?

Love sistema! We've lots of it already, I often bring 3 tupperware tubs as it is so thinking a bag would be better. I carry them in a lovely small cloth shopping bag that I got as a promotion gift in class from Low Low a few years ago.

mammy I steal the bread bags from the supermarket to my bread in, I use them also for loaves of bread that I make in the bread maker. Eventually they get recycled.

Seacow that's really annoying

Ds cried at swimming again had to get out early.

Dh's van's hand break has finally thawed out he had to leave it in the sun.

£11 tesco top up (fruit bread butter and essential doughnuts)

Enjoying the sun..

mammy bulldog clip for sandwiches??? Haha!!

Hi all, I've had a rough 24 hours. I have felt so poorly! girlie it definitely seemed like flu but I feel a touch better now so perhaps just an awful virus as flu tends to last longer (as you know :(). The body aches, sore tingly skin, fever and shivering was the worst.

Didn't have much of a sore throat / snuffles though. Bizarre! DH has it now!

I knew I was feeling better when I could use my tablet again.

NSD

Sorry to hear you are poorly, Collie.
It's such a beautiful day I really want to go out for a walk with DD but my sciatica is so bad today I can hardly move. I woke up in the night with it too, seeing physio tomorrow thank goodness.
I am wondering if we can manage a no-spend January except for food and essentials. We need some baby items and a new car but not counting those as they will come out of money we've saved.

Hello new here! Desperate to sort out money. Currently doing overtime to repay debts to parents. Have just signed up to quidco and as of tomorrow starting to write every penny I spend for a month.

Where I go wrong:
Being a bloody procrastinator. For some reason I hate making lunches for the next day...leave it to morning...oh no time! Or even worse I take lunch and still get something crap out vending machine!!

Currently shop at lidls x

Hope you feel better soon Collie and anyone else under the weather!

Well we have had one bit of good luck. DD's got her appointment letter through to see a pediatrician before Christmas. I know they won't diagnose there and then but I'm happy we can get the ball rolling, especially as going by the housing thread I started a diagnosis/specialist may really help push us up the priority list with the council.

That's good news, Cag.
Welcome, User, you will get lots of good advice hear. Why not make an early resolution about taking your lunch to work? It must save us £30ish a week. I find it easiest to make something like a big pan of soup on Sunday to reheat each day at work then there's not really any effort involved in the evening/morning. Or sometimes we take leftovers to reheat.

That's great Cag. Seeing a pediatrician really helped us massively. I hope yours really helps too.

I just noticed that Clark's have some school shoes on sale at the moment. Ds suddenly hit the end of his shoes with his toes.

Sorry to hear you have that bad virus Collie. I'm glad you're back MNing. I hope that means it's on the way out.