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

[Cagliostro]

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!

Hi creme so lovely for you have popped on. I really miss your meal plans!

Have done my 2017 figures. Sorry for the swears but fucking disgraceful!

I broke even at least this year. But my credit card debt it is up, I can't even admit how much I owe now. I have been spending an average of £1500/month just on food/dc stuff/pets/all the rest. My direct debits have stabilised and are only up as I have 6 more orthadontic payments left. 13 months left on my car. And I only paid overdraft charges and interest 3 times (was £23/month before).

Amazon got £2730 half of that was for christmas.

How things are going to change for 2018.

Sound like a financial headache and a half!! Your accountant has a lot to answer for. At least you have an end date and this is temporary.

Prolific isn't a huge payer but I done some surveys while watching TV or on the train, some take seconds others take a few mins. I just got paid £36.50. My payment was through paypal who did take a small fee for the transaction but there is an option of your payment transfer through Circle who don't take a fee, I think Circle pay you for doing the transaction through them. I hadn't heard of circle before so stuck with paypal.

I've only started using top Cashback at the end of October, I've not had to pay them a fee to sign up and have over £41.27 sitting, you can't access it straight away. I think the company verify and pay top Cashback before they release funds. I've used it when buying christmas presents at disney store, Debenhams, Very, MandM direct. Washing machine from Currys, dog supplies from pets at home, Now tv package. I've noticed some companies offer a bigger payouts for new customers as well. I haven't withdrawn any funds yet but was under the impression it goes into your bank but I could be wrong and not aware of any fees.

Quidco are the same sort of thing and there is definitely no fees with them. Haven't tried TCB.

Added to my To Do list for tomorrow:

1. Check out Prolific
2. Water down kitchen cleaner

Cag/Fuzz. We used to chat back on those minimalism threads too. I'm a few name changes on though. Congrats on baby!!!

I'm still building on the principles we worked out several years ago. Some ups, some downs, but overall progressing.

Ah I see lots of people from those threads are here! Congrats on all the babies.

Hello all, another newbie here! I’d like to be better at tracking my spending and also have a CC bill to pay off. It’s a0% one and I reckon I’ll pay it off within the 18mth period by making minimum payments, but I’d like to do it within 12mths if I can.

Managing finances a bit tricky as DH is self-employed so I’m never quite sure what’s coming in. But I’ve told him I want to be in on the figures this year.

I have 3DC who do lots of activities - have worked out that’s where a lot of our money goes. But I know I can cut down on coffees etc. I have one quick question: I get a weekly online food shop delivered. My delivery pass is up for renewal but no offers to be had, should I change supermarket? It’s definitely a saving to have the pass as I get a shop every week, but it annoys me they never offer any savings at renewal time.

Looking forward to getting to know you all!

Morning😴😄cuppas all round☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️ and lemsips😷🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋🍋

Thank you! :)

Been up with baby so caught up with the thread. Huge welcome to all newbies, returnees and lurkers! It is amazing to have so many of us. This is going to be a very fast thread I reckon, January 2nd and already on page 8 :o it seems we are all getting motivated with the turn of a new year.

Creme thank you for posting, it is lovely to hear from you, sorry about the depression/anxiety, all-consuming bitch that it is! I am very glad you are getting treatment for it.

I’m intrigued now Rebecca obviously don’t say who if you don’t want though! I have given up remaining anonymous here not that I’m interesting enough to be outed TBH. :o

Yikes that is one hell of a bill and a huge FFS at your accountant moan I am the queen of procrastination but I don’t have someone’s business depending on me! (Must do my tax return though...) Not cool to fail to do something that massive when asked!

Rat that sounds tough, I thought everyone could claim HB if they rented? :(

That’s for the tip off about Prolific, I’ve signed up, and need to get back to doing Yougov, Panelbase and Valued Opinions regularly. I spend enough time faffing about online so may as well make a few pennies.

Cashback wise, I don’t make huge amounts as I don’t spend that much on the relevant things, I use TCB and Quidco and just look up the rates on each when I remember. The charges for both are optional for premium membership which gives you a little extra or something. I don’t think it was worth it for me. If I was organised enough to do things like switching bank accounts regularly then maybe! Need to check out kidstart too.

Lonely was there a quick way of getting your total amazon spends? Or did you go through and click each order? I might do that for Christmas spends at least, maybe 2017 and 2016 to compare. That should give me a figure to aim for with the gift card top up, which I think will be the simplest way for me to save up this year. I have spoken already in my account though which is strictly for me (plus a little from panelbase payout - might use that for a birthday present for DH as DS hasn’t chosen anything yet) so not sure when to start.

Also I need to think about how to manage cash this year. I will be starting to tutor again and with DH’s sports club (a class for home ed kids, it’s getting quite popular!) we end up with a lot of £5/£10 notes. It’s useful to have cash but it’s also easy to fritter. But I’m not sure about locking it up in a saving box yet. We both get some payments for our teaching via PayPal but I will probably leave that in there as most home ed events get paid for that way.

I started filling in the diary yesterday (NOTE TO SELF must add doctor appointments! ) with bill/income dates. Feels nice and organised! I realised I’ve never actually added up what my regular outgoings are, DH knows all his. It was an NSD, I was pondering walking to the shops and probably could have done with the fresh air but I know I’d have ended up picking up expensive convenient stuff for dinner, I was in that sort of mood. Did the usual pasta instead which at least sneaks some veg into fussy DS. Soooo bored with cooking for them TBH, but determined to stay more frugal with food this year.

Sorry for the epic waffle! Cagletini has finally settled back in her basket so I’m going to ignore the fact I’m hungry and try and go back to sleep!

Good to see you Creme I was thinking about you yesterday. Hope things improve for you this year.

DH first day back at work today. It already feels stressful and he hasn't gone yet!

Morning all - on the train heading to work and catching up with the thread.

Quick question if I may. For those with kids, what do you do with regard to pocket money? Our DD is 6.5 and has started to ask for pocket money (not in a grabby way). Do you give cash? Or straight in a bank account? How much? Was thinking the same amount per week as her age - so £6 per week. But is that too much?!

Aiming for a NSD today. Have lunch packed (it's a bit weird as Ocado isn't arriving until tonight, but never mind!) and shouldn't need to buy anything else. Need to pay a cheque in at lunchtime so bank balance should be a bit healthier in a couple of days time.

Have good days everyone ☕️

Morning all and a happy new year!

Yesterday i spent £10.01 in coop on - 2 whole chickens, bag white potatos, two packs hotdog buns and a pack of ham.

We had a roast for tea and there is chicken left for curry tonight. Then ill use the other chicken later in the week

I dread to think how much i spend on amazon in total!

Re pocket money we are starting on 10th birthday with £10 per month. I was thinking cash but maybe look into an account if any good ones are suggested?
As for an amount it depends on what you have. What the dc will spend it on. My dn is 6 and gets 40 a month to spend as he pleases. I think thats a bit silly, it just gets spent for the sake of spending

Creme delighted to see you back, sorry to hear you've not been well

My dc don't get pocket money yet she's almost 8 and he's 4. We save for them to have a spend on toys in summer as birthdays and Christmas fall close together, they enjoyed managing their money for that.

Tomorrow I will pay big chunks against credit cards for holiday, doing it today would involve going to town specially 13.5 miles away & it suits me to go that way tomo or thurs morn.

Wheely sorry to hear you're under the weather

Monkeytennismum I'm not in uk but I guess if you said which supermarket fluffy could advise you. Isn't there a website you can put your weekly shop into & it gives you what shop is cheapest, this might help guide?

I'm off to water down all purpose cleaner, today is tidy playroom day, take dc to dentist & unpack from Christmas visiting & find homes for new toys

First I'm standing on scales & restarting rhfitness after a break for Christmas, logging food in mfp and wearing my Fitbit - project get lean in 2018 is underway

Good morning all.

@cagliostro are Yougov, panal base and valued opinions all survey based and worth signing up too?

Can I join?

Determined to save a bit of money this year and finally get out of the overdraft

@Soubriquet of course everyone welcome here, you can post as much or as little as you want, seek advice/give advice, ponder and chit chat

Hello! Can I join? I'm lucky enough to not have masses of debt but me and DH are awful with money. We overspend every month so we have very little left in our savings account. We have birthdays for 2 of our kids this month so we're going to struggle to be frugal in January. I've decided to use this month as an audit of our normal spending and really get a handle on where our money is going. Then we can work out where we can save money.

My biggest challenge is going to be DH unfortunately. Whilst he is hardly the type to spend loads on expensive stuff or going out, he is very reluctant to cut back anywhere. He gets all pouty at the idea of not being able to do anything whereas I see it as being about making choices rather than not being able to do stuff.

I'm looking forward to picking up some money saving ideas from you lot!

shoop my DSis gives my 7 year old nephew £5 per week but he has to keep his room clean, tidy toys away at end of each day for that otherwise he doesn’t get it, of the £5 he has to save £2 in his piggy bank and the rest he can spend but he quite often saves it all!

aunt I feel your pain, my DH is very much “it will all be fine we don’t need to cut back or budget” and I’ve had real difficulty getting him to sit down and work out outgoings, have been nagging him to close his CC for over a year, he will put work expenses on it and then dilly-dally about claiming them back for months. Drives me mad!

Welcome lydia and soubriquet :)

Chocco yougov is good because it’s consistent, it just takes a long time to build up to £50 which is when you can claim the money. I find panelbase much better than valued opinions as I don’t get screened out as much.

My two are 10 and 8 and they get a fiver each per month, in cash. We are starting to increase chores but I don’t link it to money. I may increase the amount they get but I’d have to be stricter with it I think. DH especially is often buying them sweets which they are supposed to do with their own money!

I didn’t really get any sleep after all. I may pop into town just for a break as I am super grumpy now.

Placemarking. I'm back to work next week after 10 months of mat leave with my second (and last!) DC. I intend to career change in the next few years so want to clear my CC debt and have a little slush fund.

@auntlydia I feel your pain re January birthdays. I have a few birthdays this week.

Friends DD today - £20 Lush stuff.
Friends tomorrow - £20 benefit make up set. (Boots had a tin with 3 eyeshadow cream bases and a mini they're real mascara for £5 and eyeshadow pallate for £15).
Aunts on Saturday - flowers
DB on Sunday - £35 Superdry
DM on Sunday - £60 spa treatment (half in in so also £120 for my own).

I had a serious indulgent overspend on myself on 31st Dec in M&S - 1 pair of heeled ankle boots, 1 pair over the knee boots, 4 new pillows, 3 candle stick holders, 3 pairs new jammies and a house coat £234

I also have to pay £500 towards mortgage renewal as they won't offer me the full amount requested now I don't have ex dp contribution

I feel sick seeing it the cost written down! All the above will have to come from savings

chocco could you return some stuff to m&s? Only my opinion but your gifts seem on the expensive side

Welcome ouch

Blatantly sharing my topcashback referral link

Woah so much to catch up on!

I'm going to sign up to some surveys.

Creme thanks for popping by I hope you're ok

My dc are 7&5 and don't get any pocket money. They get money for birthdays and Christmas from people so put some in their bank account and some in their piggy banks. If dd really wants something I tend to just buy it

Need to check the bank balance. Luckily dh gets paid Friday. We all slept in this morning dh was meant to be at work at 8 but dd came in and woke us up at 7:45