Festive Frugaleers - Chatting and saving through Christmas.

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Just setting up the new thread for the chatty Frugaleers.

By popular request - copied from an old thread grin

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.

Inspired by girlie I'm getting my car washed. It's first time some of my family & many friends will see it so want it to be shining
I'm impressed by the washing here, they're opening the doors to power wash the surrounds of the door.
It costs €7 I'm tipping €2. It's so good
Brought apples & bananas in car to avoid spends on snacks. It's a 3 hour journey dc now happily munching on fruit. Ds slept for most of the 2.5 hour journey so he'll be in great form when we get there in 15 mins or so.

How long until your ds's birthday?

Dd's birthday girlie stupid autocorrect?

Cag, why not do the standing order thing they recommend on MSE. Instead of paying by DD and the amount you pay going down each month ( thereby keeping the debt and therefore the interest, artificially high) you set up a standing order for this month's amount. It stays the same each month and gets the debt down much more quickly.
Em and Cath I do hope you both feel better soon. I agree that if men had periods there would be solutions by now....probably Government funding for it ( or, dare I say it, EU funding)
Cag, £304 sounds a good deal for 3 for a bus pass. Perhaps not a good idea getting an annual one anyway at the moment because you might be moving ( let's hope) and it may be different routes....or will it make no difference.
I've got 2 large bags of kids' books to take to the CS ...they were from my own DCs and I kept them for the DGCs but they have their own now and mine look dated. Also a bout 8 lampshades that don't fit this house.
Got my towels in the sale in Dunelm mill. Delighted.

Chickened out and have cancelled my appointment tomorrow. Would rather speak to lady gp. So will make a new appointment for next week when she's back.

Girlie, please can you let me know about the books that help confidence in girls because DGD is quiet and shy and I will get her the books if you think they will help. She's just 8 but a very confident bookworm.

Thanks all.

If we move it will be within the town anyway presumably (it's a town council rather than county) so bus pass would be the same. We do travel out of the town for some things but not enough to make it worth paying for the larger area pass

I actually have no idea how to go about getting a 0% thing how does it even work? We have both only ever used one CC from Natwest

"Oh hello. I'd really like to sit on your lap but I'm scared"

Aaah she is so cute 😍

So sweet, Em. She's come so far.

Cag, go on Money Saving Expert with your DH and use the eligibility tool, which will check if there are any 0% cards you can do a balance transfer to. The eligibility tool calculates your chances of being accepted and it won't harm your credit rating. Once you've set it up, set up a standing order to make a payment towards every month. I switched my MBNA card to Tesco Bank in October, as there were no fees and no interest for 25 months and I calculated £65 a month will clear the balance within 25 months. If it hadn't, I would have been looking to switch once the interest fee period was up. Obviously, never, ever spend on this card, once you've switched. Ever!

Spends: £22.35 on a pub lunch at our local foodie pub, a mile away, so managed to get a 2 mile walk in as well; £1 milk; £6.08 vitamins and nasal spray. Total: £29.43.

Anything over the minimum balance is chipping away at the total Cag, and YY to the standing order suggestion.

We've also had a massive clear out today and a couple of trips to the tip have been made, with other things reserved to sell.

Em. Fair enough regarding the GP. Just occurred to me, and it's only a small thing. If you feel up to it, get dressed in decent (ish) clothes and put your make up on. What I mean is, slopping around with no make up and messy clothes messes with my head, just makes me feel even less inclined to be bothered and less good about myself. I've not done anything major today, but have a lovely Boden jumper and trusted Hush skirt, bit of makeup, nothing major. But I feel better for making some effort at least. And I don't think that's vain.

Chugging through getting the house sorted. DH has bought a mahoosive clock for the hallway, which is 5ft in diameter and all distressed and vintage. Will look great.

A willow sculpture course sounds interesting Girlie.

need I hear you. I'm already on it. Skinnies slippers white Tshirt and a super comfy cardigan. Full face and a messt updo.

I'm watching Netflix and eating twiglets. Out of a bowl. Not the tub.

Thanks :) will check that out then. We never pay just the minimum, DH pays £100 a month I think. But definitely want to do more than that to get it down a bit

He's also bought a wine rack/table from the Cotswold company too, which was ££££, but his call/money on this occasion. The slow process of changing all our crap stuff into good quality, timeless pieces that give pleasure continues. It's been many years coming and will be a long time to finish. Hey ho, first world issue. I am lucky. I know this.

Obviously, never, ever spend on this card, once you've switched. Ever!

That's what I'm worried about, what if we need to? Like when moving - Caglets will need new beds as theirs won't survive being dismantled and, er, remantled 😂

Or is it still preferable?! I am useless at this stuff

Vair stylish Em, vair stylish.

Keep the original card and spend on that. You could transfer it to your 0% later, if you can't pay it off quickly. My Argos bed that I bought in 2002 has survived 4 moves now, including 2 long distance, so it might be okay, Cag.

Home now. V tired. It was fun though.

Em the Drs where I work would prefer you to see a female anyway. They wouldn't tell you that but they do tend to know more about lady things as they see more of it.

Oh, so you still keep the original card? I didn't even know that!

DS' bed definitely won't survive due to the way it's made - it's a one time assembly thing and is falling apart as it is. The desk bit is literally taped together :o

Hi all. I normally just lurk on here but want to get more of a grip this year. What's the app to track spending? Is "you need a budget" appropriate? When I was a student & first working, I used to write everything down in a notebook but there must be something more sophisticated these days!

Hiya, crazy work days £40 Morrison's on kitchenware, £20 aldi top up, £15 sainsburys.

Welcome back frugaleers and welcome newbies.

Cag, look on mse for the best 0% card you can get. if you have a high credit limit on your existing card look to reduce it as they look at affordability now and having a lot of un used credit isn't good. Leave yourself enough room for new spends and interest though as you don't want to go over. Once you know which card apply and tell them y you want to balance transfer as it can all be done at once. Do not spend on 0% card. Keep old card but reduce credit limit of you want.
Pay off highest interest rate first and min on the other.
If you are paying interest look at the minimum payment but also the estimated interest to see which is greater. Try and pay the larger amount plus a bit too start reducing the capital.
The only warning is if you reduce your limit and need putting up again it's not guaranteed so think before you reduce it too much.
Hth if you have any more question shout as I used to work for a cc and I don't think it's changed much.

Welcome Stillwant, several people on here use that app, am sure someone knowledgeable will be here shortly!
Em I never wear nice clothes in the house because the cat keeps sitting on me making them all furry and pulling threads with his claws - make the most of it before she gets a bit braver!!

Need nye sounds great. Could I have steak pie instead though.

How old will dd be girlie?

Hope you get answers soon em. Cat face is a cutey.

Cag I think the bus pass sounds sensible compromise.

Probably missed loads but I am reading. Working for a living gets right in the way of frugal chat

Thanks Trying. I really definitely wouldn't recommend whatever it is that's wrong with me. I woke up this morning knowing it was a bit of an off day and haven't been able to eat since breakfast. Silly hormones.

Em Good idea to wait for the lady GP. Being able to explain is definitely critical to getting it solved. Oddly I seem only to be allowed to see the one GP in my new surgery. No idea why.

Cag I think you get the 0% cc for your accrued balance and for the new spends you stick with the card that you have and pay it off in full each month, if you can. Is that feasible?

Sorry Cag. Spoke too soon before reading other posts.

Wreck that's interesting that your surgery prefer people to see female gps about women's stuff. I've been definitely told I can only see the GP I'm allotted to and he's a bloke. Maybe I'll figure it out once I've been there for a bit longer.