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Cost of living

Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Friendly frugaleers as the leaves fall our bank balances will rise, hopefully!

997 replies

lifelongfrugaleer · 30/09/2019 12:48

Couldn't see one so took the liberty of starting a new thread.

OP posts:
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36
ememem84 · 17/10/2019 08:32

@Plancina hi! I’m sure you’ll find loads of tips here. Tell us a bit more about your situation and we’ll help you out!

Today I’m having a bash at vegan flapjacks. Should be ok to use coconut oil instead of butter right?!

Meeting dhs cousin and their baby today so Dd will have a playmate!!

Nsd planned.

Happierwithouthim · 17/10/2019 09:06

Seacow cook them & refreeze when cooked what a nightmare

Welcome @Plancina sorry to hear of your dps redundancy, go through bank statements & check for all standing orders & direct debits & see what you can cut out or reduce

Writing a shopping list & literally only buying what's on it & setting a budget helps me, some find online shopping where you can take stuff out of trolley if you're over budget helps

Little welcome to the bespectacled club Grin

ememem84 · 17/10/2019 09:24

Relative calm here at present. Laundry on. Blueberry flapjacks made and in oven. Fingers crossed.

Citrus cinnamon candle lit. House smells fresh and christmassey now. Yippee!!

And I’ve drink a whole bottle of water. Around 700ml. I am so slack at drinking water.

Also have sorted my subscribe and save orders. Cancelled all but the wet wipes. We were due a delivery of about 40 kitchen rolls. But we’ve had these recently and nowhere to put them all!!!!

Happierwithouthim · 17/10/2019 10:35

Went to Iceland to stock up for ds's birthday party using €10 off €50 voucher everything got for €42 total bill €69.95 less €10. They'd 110 fairy for dishwasher for €10.
€3.50 in fruit & veg shop on 5 pears & bottle of water to get change for outside laundry ds made a wee in my bed & wet my duvet Blush
€6 to wash & dry laundry
€50 in Dunnes on a jacket & trainers reduced to half price I would've bought shoes for work except they weren't in my size. My €17 in Penney's boots from 3 years ago no longer hold out the wet or the cold.
Parked outside the town & walked into bank to collect bank statements, will go to Penney's just to look at shoes or boots for work while I'm here then meeting a friend for lunch.
Making good use of my day off, ds went to school without his teeth brushed & dd without her hair brushed but pulled back in a ponytail I misjudged the take that everything would take. I don't normally do school mornings at home BlushBlush

Happierwithouthim · 17/10/2019 10:54

Went to Iceland to stock up for ds's birthday party using €10 off €50 voucher everything got for €42 total bill €69.95 less €10. They'd 110 fairy for dishwasher for €10.
€3.50 in fruit & veg shop on 5 pears & bottle of water to get change for outside laundry ds made a wee in my bed & wet my duvet Blush
€6 to wash & dry laundry
€50 in Dunnes on a jacket & trainers reduced to half price I would've bought shoes for work except they weren't in my size. My €17 in Penney's boots from 3 years ago no longer hold out the wet or the cold.
Parked outside the town & walked into bank to collect bank statements, will go to Penney's just to look at shoes or boots for work while I'm here then meeting a friend for lunch.
Making good use of my day off, ds went to school without his teeth brushed & dd without her hair brushed but pulled back in a ponytail I misjudged the take that everything would take. I don't normally do school mornings at home BlushBlush

€27 Penney's -€19 Stacey Solomon boots for work because they were comfy not because of her name & a hot water bottle with cover. Ds's hot water bottle stopper broke so he had mine, was hoping to replace stopper but for that price I won't bother.
I tried on several pairs of dressy boots as the wedges I'm wearing need to go in bin when I go home but they weren't right so I'll make do with what I've got at home.

Happierwithouthim · 17/10/2019 10:55

Used Apple Pay it's too convenient Grin

CurvyInAllTheWrongPlaces · 17/10/2019 10:56

Thanks Sea, I'm getting there, just really taking it slow, it takes me ages to just get from sitting to standing, haha.

Life, sorry to hear about DS, hope that he will grow out it Flowers.

Welcome Plancia, sorry to hear about your DP. I second what the others have said.

Sorry to all of you that still have an extra week before half term, I thought 7 weeks was brutal, but 8, that is inhumane!

Plancina · 17/10/2019 11:19

Hi em thanks Smile basically he has been made redundant in a restructure, he had gotten to the top of his pay scale and they clearly wanted to save money. It’s been a shock and he’s obviously really stressed about finding a new job. He will get paid for three months as notice pay then a small lump sum.
I earn much less than him but should be enough to pay the bills and rent while he job hunts, once he has a new job then we can go back to paying off debt (me) and saving (him).
I have 3k on a 0% card that I’m paying off as aggressively as I can. I have 3 DSC, older, their mum is a very high earner thankfully and she’s been really understanding about the situation as DP has always contributed as much as he can etc.
Basically I think we need to meal plan, proper budget and spend as little as we can. DP is used to earning well and his ex earned double what he did so they never really did shppping lists just bought what they fancied. I’ll need to re-educate him! Grin

WreckTangled · 17/10/2019 11:28

I might go to Iceland this week and see how much I can get. They have 20% off for nhs workers so might be worth it? Then I can pop across the road to aldi for other bits.

Lovemaltesers · 17/10/2019 12:55

happier my DD2 announced in the car on the way to school that she hadn’t done her teeth. Too late by then 😬 . What was she was doing whilst bickering with her sister in the bathroom this morning?!

Welcome placina. That sounds like quite a re-educate for your DP!

Hope you are on the mend curvy

1 more week for us here until half term. I’ve done 9 weeks as I have to work the week before term starts too. DP and I are just about hanging on in there, I have no idea how the teachers manage it drink wine

Spendy day
£300 course fees. But frugal win as work offered to pay the other half. I’d only asked if I could go on work time, they then offered to pay half.
£27 Tesco

I forgot to get petrol or anything to roast for Sunday lunch.

Lovemaltesers · 17/10/2019 12:58

I must catch up on EWFL too. My mum and grandma had type 2 diabetes. I must really cut back on the sugar as I think it is likely to be inevitable for me.

Happierwithouthim · 17/10/2019 13:38

Love you can't bicker & brush teeth Grin
€8.45 on catch up lunch with a friend

We've another week until half term too

Wreck once you're smart shopping there you'll be fine.

Think myself & ds will make up his party bags when he gets home. I've frugally kept the ones they bring home from parties just because I hate throwing stuff that's functional away so we might have enough.

Must go pay property tax on way to collect dd & her friend from basketball later

Plancina · 17/10/2019 15:22

We’ve done a budget - it’s made us both feel calmer and I’ve cancelled gym membership as has DP. We are moving this month to a much cheaper rental, luckily we had the money for deposit etc.
He has applied for a similar role at a new place so fingers crossed he will get an interview. He hasn’t had a job interview in seventeen years so he’s pretty nervous 😂

Happierwithouthim · 17/10/2019 15:37

Great stuff plancina

WreckTangled · 17/10/2019 15:45

Plancina I have a job interview next week so your dh and I can be nervous together Grin

Happier it's an Iceland warehouse. I'm not sure if any of the fresh stuff will be cheaper than Aldi even with the discount and we don't have a massive freezer. I'm trying to find out if there's a minimum spend on the nhs discount.

Plancina · 17/10/2019 16:13

How much do people budget for groceries and cleaning stuff per month? We budgeted £300, to cover all food, cleaning supplies/laundry liquid/cat food and litter etc. I get lunch at work for free which is a massive help.

CurvyInAllTheWrongPlaces · 17/10/2019 16:40

Love, I'm taking it easy, the drugs help!
NSD today.
But have ocado coming tomorrow, just over £40, ex will go out tomorrow to get some extra bits, shouldn't be more than £20.

WreckTangled · 17/10/2019 17:10

We budget £80 a week but I struggle to stick to that at the moment. That's for household bits as well.

Girliefriendlikescake · 17/10/2019 17:25

Welcome palcina sounds like you're off to a great start, make sure you go through all the direct debits to make sure you're on the cheapest tariffs. How many people is that budget for? I budget around £200 a month but there's just me and teenage dd. Pet food not included and that's probably another £40 a month.

I've put the heating on as it felt really chilly when I got in from work 🥶

Wolfcub · 17/10/2019 21:28

Terrible news here tonight about a friend’s baby Sad puts all the work shit in perspective

Bornlazy · 17/10/2019 22:01

Oh Wolf it sure does. I work in an area where people have had life changing accidents and it certainly makes you grateful for what you have. Life can be very cruel.

Spends today £4.50 for drinks from vending machine as MIL ended up in hospital after a fall. She is definitely going to need more support when she gets home as this is her third fall in the last few months.

lifelongfrugaleer · 18/10/2019 06:17

Oh wolf Flowers for you and friends

OP posts:
maddenlightfoot · 18/10/2019 06:49

Wolf Thanks, I can only imagine 😢.

...and you're right. There are moments in life that make us stop and get a grip, as it all boils down to our loved ones and their health and happiness. Will be giving my babies an extra squeeze this morning x

ememem84 · 18/10/2019 09:11

wolf your right. Things like that put everything into perspective.

Had an argument with dh last night. Apparently I’m being controlling (again). Because I’ve asked him not to go to work early on Monday, and also have asked him to find out what the hell is going on this weekend with his dad.

For context:

Monday morning there will be an extinction rebellion protest at rush hour time. Designed to stop traffic. Dh is planning on getting the early bus (at 630) instead of his 745 bus. This means he won’t be late for work. Which I understand but he’s also working late on Monday and I’ll be on my own with both kids all day and could do without having to get up at 5 so I can get dressed/shower etc. Am happy to drop him in to be there for just after 9. He could also work from home for a bit.

This weekend Fil is 70. He’s having a party on sat night which the kiddies aren’t invited to. Dh hasn’t organised a babysitter. Everyone we know is either away or will be at the party or is busy. I’m waiting on a family friend to come back to me (but have a feeling she won’t get back from her holiday until tomorrow). Have said to dh that if we can’t get anyone hell have to go on his own as we can’t take them and can’t leave them.

Dh wants to go for Sunday lunch with Fil too as Sunday is his actual birthday. Fil and his gf are being very vague about making plans. The gf has suggested breakfast on Sunday. Either way we’ll need to book somewhere as will need space for the pram and a highchair. And places get busy. I’ve suggested just booking somewhere (then we can always cancel). But nope. Controlling.

Is it controlling to want to know what we’re doing and to want to make sure kids are looked after. I don’t particularly want to go to the party anyway. But that’s not the point.

I also have worked out that the venue is completely cashless. Which isn’t a problem if you know about it. I doubt Fil and gf know this. I doubt their mates know this. Most of the ones I’ve met use cash only when they go out....

ememem84 · 18/10/2019 09:12

Anyway. Swimming with ds this morning. Then might do lunch.

Out to dinner at the bosses house tonight. His wife is cooking Thai. Can’t wait.

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