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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.

Lockdown (almost) over and frugalling continues!

999 replies

ememem84 · 26/06/2020 10:30

New thread. All welcome

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DarlingCoffee · 26/06/2020 10:44

Yes, we will join in please!

ememem84 · 26/06/2020 11:00

Hi Darling nice to have you Smile

Whats your story?

We're all here for various reasons - but its a very friendly corner.

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Lovemaltesers · 26/06/2020 11:24

Welcome darling

Thanks for the new thread em

Exciting times here today... took a trip to the tip with 10 bags of accumulated rubbish of the last 10 weeks. We can now get in our garage again! Still lots to go, but that’s DPs job with his bigger car.

Wolfcub · 26/06/2020 11:31

Thanks for the new Fred Em

Lovemaltesers · 26/06/2020 11:35

I keep meaning to ask wolf, how much more stuff do you still need to offload on ExDH? It seems never ending...

Wolfcub · 26/06/2020 11:42

Love I've just packed another five big bags!

I reckon another three weeks and that's all the things gone except for some crockery and glassware in the cellar. Then it's furniture which he won't want now until he moves again (could be bloody years at this rate) but I can't move on and get the house decorated and with the furniture I need until he does. I might have to force the situation because through the solicitors

I will of course have to pay for the removal men just like I'm paying for everything else Hmm

ememem84 · 26/06/2020 11:47

or just put it all outside

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Mrsmadevans · 26/06/2020 12:54

Thank you for the new thread Em 😀
Just coming from Mum & Bob's , bought them & us shopping £7 us £9
Left them with cottage pie and leeks and gravy 😋

TheDuchessofDukeStreet · 26/06/2020 13:43

Mrsmadevans, leeks and cottage pie go very well together. DP always asks me to put them into the mash when I make it. What with that and the afternoon tea, your Mum and Bob are doing very well.
On nights at the moment, only one more to go. I’ve set up camp on the day bed in the sitting room where it’s cool. I ought to be trying for some more sleep but instead I’m making a mental list for Costco tomorow. It’s going to include strawbs and raspberries, golden kiwis for DP who eats two a day and a big tub of buffalo mozzarella.

SnugglySnerd · 26/06/2020 15:12

Thanks Em and welcome to darling.

£167 in supermarket, included shopping for my mum so not quite as bad as it sounds. Unfortunately when I came to put it in the boot I remembered I'd put a lot of stuff for the charity shop in there so I had to wedge the shopping in random places, in between kids' car seats and so on!

LaneBoy · 26/06/2020 17:36

Hi hi :) thanks for new thread :)

I am trying to be frugal by making the most of the various free subs during lockdown and downloading what I can for DS’ home ed work as I’m planning next year now too.

Potentially spendy evening though - just saw that Cheekywipes have a sale on everything, so I will prob get some more of their period pants. I only like the sports ones rather than the regular kind (more protective) so will get a couple of those. :)

LonelyOversharer · 26/06/2020 18:14

Hey all, thanks em for the new thread, let see how I get on hanging around.

It's amazing to be back actually... You know when you've missed something but didn't know you'd missed it?

I need the accountability. And you lot 💖

Just £8.20 today, milk, an oven ready chuck (smells good, but we'll have it cold later) and co-op own frazzles to get me home.

Car very scary now. Dp too poorly to fit the new wheel bearing that's been on the dining table for 3 days. I'm just going to use his car until he does it.

We had a mad rain storm, which dealt with the humidity for about 45 mins. Its unbearable again now.

I'm hooked on watching US news! I watch NBC and CBS on you tube, its like watching a horror movie unfold!

DarlingCoffee · 26/06/2020 18:51

Thanks @ememem84 & everyone for the friendly welcome. My story in brief is DH recently made redundant, I work part time and we have two DC, a large mortgage and all the usuals. I definitely also have champagne tastes on lemonade money and need to stop the spending and finding more frugal ways to feel a little luxury!! Smile how’s everyone doing? Very happy to have found you, and have read the last thread.

SnugglySnerd · 26/06/2020 19:58

Sorry to hear about your dh Darling, was the redundancy linked to covid and lockdown at all? We'll help you to find some frugal ways.

Does anyone have all the good links from the old threads? I'm guessing there might be a few people lurking who have been furloughed or made redundant who might find them helpful at the moment.

Wolfcub · 26/06/2020 20:06

Welcome Darling

Lonely it's like you've never been away, but we definitely missed you a lot

lifelongfrugaleer · 26/06/2020 20:14

Fanks for da Fred em

Welcome darling.

lifelongfrugaleer · 26/06/2020 20:21

Yes definitely missed you lonely. So glad you hopped in again.

£74 Sainsbury's.

Darling that sound tight.
Have you been through your bills and either cancel or make sure you are on the best deal.
Internet shopping sign up for cash back sites
Use up everything you have hanging around half used
Sign up to mse weekly email.
Cupboard and freeze audit and meal plan.
Have you debt? Can you move it to a better interest rate?

I'm sure there's more

Unescorted · 26/06/2020 22:49

Evening.

Thanks for the new Fred Em
Welcome Darling that must be a scary place to be with the current economic situation. I will have a hunt through the old threads tomorrow to find the list of money saving things we have accumulated over the year.
Mrs you are right - Lonely has been much missed.
Wolf … em has a good strategy, unless you get done for fly tipping, but you could always mock up a bill with his address in - that way they will take it round to him.

I am so glad this is the end of the week - it has been a shitty, long and frustrating one. To cheer me up DH & Ds went to Ikea to buy a book case … and also came back with some bowls to replace the ones I broke, some bigger flatter ones to put brothy noodles & other millennial Instagram meals in ( new dinners - where is the Champagne) and light fittings. They then fitted the lights without passing go. Even the old ones are in the bin and the packaging in recycling. I have died and gone to heaven.

ememem84 · 27/06/2020 07:12

darling

Second what life said re the obvious ways to cut back

Do you have sky? Can you ditch innfavour of netflix/amazon prime/Nowtv?

Phones - are they on a contract or sim only?

Debt - if you have any (aside from mortgage) can you use the standing order trick to reduce it?

I regularly put myself on a no new clothes ban. I’m on one again (much easier this time in the times of corona because shops are only just opening here and I cba to go and queue...)

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ememem84 · 27/06/2020 07:19

I also finished my assignment. Haven’t submitted it yet as I need to check whether there’s a submission form to be printed and signed etc. I think there will be so will do that on Wednesday when I go into the office.

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Wolfcub · 27/06/2020 07:50

My top tips are work out an annual budget and pay yourself first every month - it really worked for me

ememem84 · 27/06/2020 08:08

Yes to paying yourself first. Treat savings like a bill.

I still haven’t quite got a budget sorted out. I do it then dh (accountant) criticises and says I haven’t done it right so I leave him to it.

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LonelyOversharer · 27/06/2020 08:27

Morning!

OK. Meal plan done. Shopping list made. I'm going in targeted today for the first time this year. We survived the first (!) lockdown but I have to stop hemorrhaging money.

Big Aldi and sweep up in Morrisons.
Plus chicken food - they've stopped laying in the heat.

Just having my second coffee then I'll go.

Hey darling it's an awful situation to find yourself in through no fault of your own. Bar checking all your direct debits, I second binning sky if you have it; and meal planning made an immediate difference to me.

Unescorted · 27/06/2020 08:32

When we went on our debt reduction trip the most effective thing was to reduce the spend triggers.

I spent time learning how to cook - we love good food and used to spend a fortune on "foodie" food. Most of which is really easy to cook but costs a fortune. It also means that when you go to the supermarket you can take advantage of the yellow sticker section - eg I have 500g of Fennel (total cost 52p) that is going to be roasted with chilli and lemon and coupled with pasta for tonight's dinner. Total for 4 including the salad is no more than £2-3.

We shopped once a month in Aldi, cooking everything from scratch - I bought the same basics every month. For top up shops I would cost everything I needed and then take just enough cash to buy the list. That way I couldn't be tempted by random things throwing themselves into the trolley. Frozen vege and fruit are your friends here.

To make the food interesting I spent up on spices and sauces from the international supermarkets - Indian, Chinese and Persian. I would spend a day making up spice mixes so we weren't tempted to order take aways. While I was there I would stock up on noodles, rice, grains and pulses. One investment I did make was a £10 coffee grinder - to grind the spices.

I took to growing my own herbs and lettuces - expensive to buy but easy to grow. Lonely very kindly shared her seed collection when we were in a really hard space. She saved us from scurvy.

We got rid of one car - keeping the most fuel efficient one.

I got rid of my mobile phone - I had a work one people could ring me on if it was urgent. I love not being at everyone's beck & call so I have never got around to getting another one.

We stopped giving the kids pocket money (5 and 8 at the time) and introduced the concept of a family budget - they are sighted on all the bills & if they want something it gets given the same consideration as mine and dh discretionary spend. They could see the choices that had to be made and it stopped the nagging in the shop.

Re configured our social life - instead of meeting friends at the pub we just have an open house. Our friends drop in or we invite people over. It helps that we live in an area that people come to visit - if we lived in the suburbs of a minor city it may not be a successful model.

I found that if we replaced things with a different joy it was easier to keep the savings going. If you constantly feel you are depriving yourself then it becomes a grind. If you change your mindset to the swap is an improvement it is easier - going to the pub to be talked at by the village bar fly or having friends over for a super relaxed dinner?

DarlingCoffee · 27/06/2020 09:00

Thank you @lifelongfrugaleer and everyone for all the great advice, you are such a good bunch. I don’t have many friends in real life so it’s wonderful to have found a group like you that’s so supportive and caring. Yes, I’m doing all the things above. I manage the money for the family so definitely know we are on the best deals, and have removed anything surplus that we don’t need eg the Disney channel now we have seen most things! Also renewed our child benefit which has been a big help with food costs. The tip about using up what we have is also such a good one, so will be definitely spending this weekend going through our cupboards and considering swaps to be made! We will be ok, but frugal is the word now and yes, no more clothes/online shopping!