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Original poster

We’ve had our Merry Thriftmas, now bring on the Happy Fru Year! All welcome as we Frugaleer our way into January 2018.

999 replies

Cagliostro · 31/12/2017 20:22

A new thread in case we are too tipsy (or in my case, asleep on the sofa) to remember later.

This is a friendly group where we chat all things money related and all things everything else related. Everyone welcome so settle in and let’s make 2018 the year we save money!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
30
Annwithnoe · 01/01/2018 08:04

Can I join too? Hoping to create some new habits in 2018.

Wolfcub · 01/01/2018 08:07

Happy frugal new year everyone

needastrongone · 01/01/2018 08:12

All welcome for sure.

My frugal win yesterday was that I exchanged DD's Doc's for her and she chose a different style, much cheaper. DH had lost the receipt (which is why I do all the financial stuff usually.....) and they don't give credit notes so I found a pair of children's ones for me. DD got a pair she actually preferred anyway and I got a pair of new shoes too. They are the T bar ones in black, so versatile.

I'm thinking they will work well with my Hush ruched skirts in particular when I don't fancy wearing boots.

WreckTangled · 01/01/2018 08:15

Perfect need!

Thanks cag Smile

I was in bed by ten but couldn't sleep. Also I placed a late night bid on some boots the other day on eBay and won them Blush today I'm going to bake and sort stuff to sell on eBay to try and pay for my boots in my defence the boots are from next and currently on sale at £65. I wanted them but didn't get them then saw them on eBay so bid £25 and won.

Also yesterday spent £16.99 at hollister online for my little sisters birthday which is next week. Have two more birthdays to buy for this month. Gah.

TheDuchessofDukeStreet · 01/01/2018 08:15

Happy new year! I should like to join if I may.
Goals so far are to use up all food, baking supplies especially, and toiletries. Anything I can't use I will charity shop or give to the food bank. Going to meal plan and bake things for packed lunches.

Also should like to have enough saved to go on holiday with DP.

lifelongfrugaleer · 01/01/2018 08:15

Morning all.

Welcome newbies. YY to what need says. We do gob on and chat but there is frugalness at the heart of what we do. The chat helps with the link between emotions and money. and we are a chatty and nosey lot

Love I'm stealing yours, except pay the mortgage off. I require a new savings account. Going to do the post office one.

National trust today with a pic nic. Decathlon on the way as 3 need swim stuff and I could do with a gym hoodie as mine are both bobbled to bits and look awful.

lifelongfrugaleer · 01/01/2018 08:18

Are we allowed to enable this year? Grin I'm sure I got a 20% off at hush code. I was going to get a striped top but I'm converted to seasalt

OctopusArmEnvy · 01/01/2018 08:26

Happy New Year Everyone!!
I need to strip back my monthly spends and make sure I’ve got all the best deals on energy etc. I want to try and half my debt by the end of 2018. Xx

needastrongone · 01/01/2018 08:33

Welcome octopus.

You can TRY to enable, but I remain resolute and firm, even this far into January....

I've already got the codes.....

needastrongone · 01/01/2018 08:34

Bargain boots then wreckedSmile

swimster01 · 01/01/2018 08:35

I would like to join please - I want to move house this year and need to save up towards moving costs etc - every little helps!

AmUsername · 01/01/2018 08:44

Newbie over here!
Must, must, must do something about my credit cards this year. Starting to lose sleep about them!
Starting with a no spend January and trying to keep food costs right down. Shouldn't be hard as I'm doing a food replacement diet, so only have to feed DH and DC.

Good luck all and Happy New Year!

Unescorted · 01/01/2018 08:48

Morning everyone. Happy New Year.

The Helpful verbs are
To be
To have
To want
To do
Could
Should
Would
Can
Shall
Will
May
Might
Must.

The other nifty tricks to know the Cognates.....words that are the same root in the target language as English. Eg in Spanish all English words ending -ous end -oso in Spanish. Curious is curioso. I have come across 20 so far. So once I can recall them my vocabulary should have 1000s of words.

ememem84 · 01/01/2018 08:55

MORning all hello to newbies!

My goal for 2018 is to try and move house (again). So I’m saving mostly for that.

I’ll be on maternity leave until 1 May when I go back to work and we’ll be paying £1200 a month nursery fees for ds. So need to get the budget in Check and make it work.

Unescorted · 01/01/2018 09:00

I forgot my manners welcome swim octopus and am. It is always lovely to have joiners (we love our lurkers too). And anyone I forgot from the end of the last thread.

Everybody is really helpful and supportive. We may seem a little chatty and sometimes we do splash out or go on holidays, but everybody here has different goals. These lovely ladies helped me pay off £37k of debt without going stark raving bonkers. It can take the form of really practical advice to just holding your hand as you try to work out how you can make a meal from half a packet of pasta and 2cloves of garlic.

ememem84 · 01/01/2018 09:35

Account balances:

My ac: £945
Joint ac: £1430
Credit card: £2078 - this will be paid off this month.

Godotsarrived · 01/01/2018 09:41

I’m in as well if that’s ok. It’s paying down debt and getting a bit straighter for me, this year :)

northender · 01/01/2018 09:57

Happy New Year to all!
Thanks to Cag for the new thread and welcome to all newbies, you'll get lots of support and advice here and, most importantly, no judging.
While I'm thinking on it, is Creme still around? I'm rubbish with name changes but don't feel like I've seen her for a while.

We had a good nye at the cricket club, relatively quiet, we were back home for 1230. We had planned to do a bit of reflecting and planning over a drop of port when we got home, but it didn't quite work out as I felt a bit out of sorts & went to bed straight away. We will have a ponder today & I'll post some financial goals later.

RosieposiePuddingandPi · 01/01/2018 09:59

I'm attempting to rejoin now January is here Smile I'm back to work tomorrow after just over a year of maternity leave and as DS's nursery fees mean I'll be bringing in a lot less than I used to, I need to get on top of our finances this year. We're not aiming for anything in particular, just curbing our random un-needed spending and trying to keep our house's finances more in order.
Happy new year everyone!

Girliefriendlikesflowers · 01/01/2018 10:12

Happy new year everyone!

Thanks for lovely new thread cag

LonelyOversharer · 01/01/2018 10:21

Happy New Year to everyone!

And welcome to all the newbies. I joined this time last year, for me the thread has been amazing. My spending is mostly emotional overspending at the supermarket (so not even on anything fancy). I have 4dc, dp and a truckload of pets, so it is easy to buy too much, as we need a lot.

Anyway, I climbed out from the end of my overdraft (1.5k) and for six or so months haven't been in it at all. Now I need to just stop bloody spending on my credit cards and pay off the debt. This will take years, but every quid I pay, is one less.

We stayed up until midnight by watching lego batman twice. Its all go here! Out for tea tonight to my sisters, will need to car share with my parents as the big car is parked (unsafe) and my c1 only has 4 seats. Annoying but must be done.

I am not spending a penny in January that I don't consider vital. But need chicken and ferret food tomorrow.

yummyeclair · 01/01/2018 10:22

Going to stop buying stuff on impulse in 2018!

ememem84 · 01/01/2018 10:28

lonely re credit card debt - I cleared mine by paying the minimum as a standing order and adding £10 onto it (and also making as many bigger payments as I could afford). Cleared around £4.5k in a couple of years doing this.

Original poster
Cagliostro · 01/01/2018 11:00

Morning all! Lovely to see so many newbies too, I love a busy thread, loads of advice to share and plenty of encouragement.

Also a big yes to what need said, I should’ve put that in the OP - we all have different circumstances, and thus different aims, but here, that doesn’t matter. We all want the same thing - to make the best use of what we have and live within our means. Whether it’s from a big income or tiny, no matter what our outgoings are or whether we have no debt or lots. Makes no difference here. I think the different perspectives make it a varied and interesting place to be :)

And yes we do spend, on a huge range of things. This isn’t a don’t spend anything place although that may be the aim of some of us and all are supported here. For many of us the aim is to save so that we can prioritise spending on what matters to us and again that varies hugely.

No judging, only encouragement and support here :)

OP posts:
Original poster
Cagliostro · 01/01/2018 11:11

Unescorted huge thank you for posting that, I had no idea about the cognates either! That will be super helpful :) I think we will start term next Monday (for newbies, my two older DC - aka the Caglets - are home educated) and I’m determined to get going with the Spanish properly. They have quite good memories for vocab but I think conjugation will be more tricky, I don’t remember doing that until secondary (they are 8 and 10).

Need to do a Tesco order later but must do an inventory first. Now that we’ve used up all our entertaining supplies the fridge and freezer suddenly look rather bare. And yet we have chocolate left! Shock

This month sees me hopefully return to my self employed work (music/maths tutoring - other home ed kids so all very casual and the mums are happy to hold the baby!) and I must do my tax return . DH will also be starting up his HE sports club again this term but not sure when yet as it’s weather dependant. He’s finally found the one remaining sports equipment set we’ve been hoping to find (we have all the usual basketball, hockey etc)... the big pop lacrosse set is down to £100! It’s the biggest spend yet but it’ll be made back quite quickly and also as it’s enough for ten kids I’m thinking we might run a specific 1-2hr workshop or two as well as using it in the general classes. I loved pop lacrosse at school!

OP posts: