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Cost of living

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Summer savings support - be frugal

1000 replies

ememem84 · 23/06/2022 07:21

Running out of space on the old thread so here’s the new one. Everyone welcome.

for background this is a slice to share your No spend days, your big spend days your savings your situation. We all help each other out with advice and tips etc. but it’s mostly for friendly accountability.

OP posts:
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Wolfcub · 02/07/2022 20:57

@Unescorted it's Life with the spendy vet bills although chemical castration is £250 per year. And dog training is expensive. And pet insurance is about £35 a month.

Having a dog Makes a significant positive difference to your quality of life though

For those struggling with dog food costs have a look at all about dog food. It'll help you make an informed decision about what you can do best for your pet based on both breed and what you can afford. A £ pet kg approach does not work with dog food because different foods feed at different amounts. All about dog food will do this calculation for you

Unescorted · 02/07/2022 21:13

wolf that is not helpful...😉 Do goldfish not have wellbeing advantages? I could take them for a daily walk in a small plastic bag. The advantage is they won't chase sheep and a few flakes of fish food will leave enough budget for the family to eat too.

Life please tell me how your dog is bankrupting you. I need to stop looking at the poor cute homeless dogs.

Alfiemoon1 · 02/07/2022 21:36

My dog insurance is £65 as he’s 9 now. Never claimed until a few months ago £3500 for his cruiciate ligament and now he has a problem with his eye was £300 but his latest tiny bottle of drops is £125 thank goodness for I didn’t cancel the insurance. His grooming is £35 every 6-8 weeks.

Unescorted · 02/07/2022 21:56

Thank youAlfie. That is half a tank of petrol.

minesalargered · 03/07/2022 06:45

Hoping to see the new Elvis movie this week. Good to hear positive reviews.

Dogs are definitely expensive. Ddog1 costs a fortune as he is accident prone and now has the odd thing going wrong as he's gotten older. We are insured, but that's costly now.

Dogs most definitely enhance your life though!

Hopefully not too spendy a day. Volunteering at an event this morning and hopefully a quiet afternoon. Need to menu plan for the week but general idea is

Mushroom stroganoff, with jacket potatoes and veg.
Veggie sausage, mash and steamed veg.
Halloumi wraps and grilled veg.
One meal that will batch cook like veggie lasagna, chilli etc.
Frittata for lunches.
Big multi grain type salad for lunches,

minesalargered · 03/07/2022 06:46

I may need petrol too today, definitely early this week, which is £70 plus, these days.

lifelongfrugaleer · 03/07/2022 08:13

@Unescorted so my puppy cost me nigh on £1k for eating sweets. I paid £117 as thank god for insurance. Said insurance is £47 per month, £12 vet plan. £40 dog food every 2 months or so as well as ££&&& on lost balls, chewed todays and treats.
wouldn’t be without the dickhead though

mil is on about £8000 and counting as not insured and got a slipped disc after a fall

yes eight thousand pounds and still having physio and hydo
ther

lifelongfrugaleer · 03/07/2022 08:15

We’ve run out of milk so will walk to the shop or go when ferrying kids. Need food for dinner too as outlaws coming.
no full shop this weekend as determined we have enough in

Wolfcub · 03/07/2022 08:20

Unescorted · 02/07/2022 21:56

Thank youAlfie. That is half a tank of petrol.

Half a tank of petrol can't give you a cuddle or get you out of the house and into the fresh air when you're feeling blue, or bark at the postman, Amazon man and ocado man 😉

BigSkies2022 · 03/07/2022 09:04

DH and I went to see Nitram at the local fleapit, whose prices laugh in the face of inflation, and have remained at £4.99 all tickets, all performances since about 2004. We emerged hungry, and stopped off at an Afghan restaurant that had been recommended for takeaway biriyani and kebab. Turned out we got a vast amount of food and sides for £20, which fed us last night and will go again tonight. The owner (very proud of his food, said it is the best Afghan in London) said the high street had been very quiet since Jubilee weekend. Could be students going home and deserting their usual haunts, or could be the COLC I suppose?
Anyone watching the Danny Boyle Pistols? It's a cracker!

Unescorted · 03/07/2022 09:07

Life thank you.

Wolf I bark at the postman. I concede that they are very lovely in other ways.

Do you think there is a market gap for looking after a dog while the owner is at work? It could tuck up under my desk in a toasty warm dog bed. I can take it out for a walk at lunch time.... I can even arrange for a daily postal delivery and a couple of the neighbours cats to chase around the garden.

Taytocrisps · 03/07/2022 09:24

Morning everyone. I'm home from Lanzarote. We had a lovely time. Back to reality now. I've checked my bank balance and all is ok there. DD heads off on her holiday on Wednesday morning so she'll be unpacking, washing her clothes and then re-packing. Ex and I are both giving her some spending money, so I need to sort that out. Also, I need to check with the other girls' Mams, to see if anyone has booked a taxi transfer to/from the airport.

I need to pick up the cats shortly from the cattery. Unescorted that's another expense for you to consider.

I'm back in work on Tuesday. I'd planned two relaxing days off (Sunday and Monday) but one of my friends lives abroad and is home for a few days, so I've arranged to meet her on Monday. So that just leaves today to collect the cats, unpack, catch up on washing, do a grocery shop, cook dinner etc. Ah look, I can't complain. I've just had a lovely relaxing week away and had my dinner handed up to me every night. And I won't need too much groceries 'cos DD won't be here after Tuesday.

Her Majesty has just texted me her order for sausage rolls, so I'm assuming she's awake Grin. I'd better get dressed and nip down to the shop.

marthasmum · 03/07/2022 10:17

Manchester was fab, she definitely wants to go and the course is great, but very competitive. DP and I met there (I did my midwifery training there) so felt poignant taking our baby to look at uni. But I am that way out with the ‘about to fly the nest emotions as they all get older.
I’m with wolf on the dog - ours is the best loved member of the family I think and someone for all the teens to bond with. But I do remember telling the kids when we got her that we could either have a dog, or holidays abroad. I reckon I budget around £200 a month for food, insurance, vets, dog walker. If anyone is looking for dog insurance I’d definitely recommend ManyPets - insures for very high amounts of cover and cheap.

on that note, I’ve just noticed ManyPets have a monthly flea/ worm plan that’s about half the price of what I pay the vet. But they are different products and when I’ve read up on it, what you can buy from the vets is likely to be better as it’s prescribed. We once had a hideous few infestation (as students) so I’m wary of getting it wrong. Can I ask where others get there products? Think I’m going to ask the vet about it.
thank you yes for the tips on energy. Our actual costs are currently around £220 so as we have 5 in the house and are less careful than you, we’re on a similar level.
do I need technology for the smart light bulbs?

marthasmum · 03/07/2022 10:18

A flea infestation not few!

Wolfcub · 03/07/2022 11:05

Martha I get Simparica Trio from the vet which is fleas ticks and worms. Probably works out at about £10 a month.

Unescorted you could definitely make money doing that as a sideline

Decafflatteplease · 03/07/2022 12:19

Morning all,

all this talk about the expense of dogs is interesting, we all would like a dog but I feel it would be too much, not just money but time aswell. I'm so broody for a dog though (can you even be broody for a dog??!!)

Nic relaxed Day today just pottering this morning getting ready for the week etc and now we are just about to go to the Inlaws for the afternoon

£60 spent on ocado this morning. Fridge freezer and cupboards are now full really hoping not to do a top up shop this week.

Cheap meal idea....pancakes for breakfast we had that this morning for brunch. DC like lemon and sugar (lemons are currently 4 for 50p in aldi) I like tinned pear and (own brand) Nutella.

Spaghetti carbonara for dinner everyone likes this and it's cheap.

lifelongfrugaleer · 03/07/2022 12:45

@Unescorted absolutely. Doggy day care is a thing. And holiday care

£81 sainsburys but that included some non food and offers

ememem84 · 03/07/2022 12:46

Sympathy please. Migraine last night. Am at adventure park with the kids. Man I feel rough.

OP posts:
lifelongfrugaleer · 03/07/2022 12:47

We are with many pets and they are excellent.
oh yes kennels for holidays few hundred pounds. Extra charges for taking dogs away in the uk

would I be without a dog , definitely not

lifelongfrugaleer · 03/07/2022 12:48

Ooo migraine after effects , worse than a
hangover

ememem84 · 03/07/2022 13:05

lifelongfrugaleer · 03/07/2022 12:48

Ooo migraine after effects , worse than a
hangover

Yep. I’ve just had to take a tactical break. Red coke and I’ve thrown up. So that’s fun.

DH is here with us so he’s doing most of the parenting today. I’m here for moral support.

OP posts:
minesalargered · 03/07/2022 13:47

Oh thanks re the lemons as I need some for a potential recipe.

Boo to the migraine, I get them, my mum used to suffer terribly too.

Indeed dogs rock, I adore mine, but hell they cost too! That said, we've had more family holidays with the DC because of the dogs, in that they adore them too and somehow going up mountains in Scotland is fine with dogs when they'd never 'just' walk up a hill with their parents in normal circumstances!

Definitely a gap in the market unescorted. Have you considered looking at Borrow my Doggy (think that's the right name), you look after folks dogs when they can't due to a holiday or whatever but just for short periods. I don't know full details though.

Should be doing stuff but I'm having a bit of a rest for a bit to recharge.

Revised menu plan based on fridge items
Smoky bean stew with ciabatta or rice (will decide)
Chunky vegetable soup to use up some bits.
Veggie sausages and mash.
Mushroom stroganoff.
Sweet potato dhal.
Lemon risotto (if needed)
Roasted vegetable pasta (if needed).

Everything is in the house for these, so I might just need milk, bread, cheese.

Never tried Afghan food, sounds really interesting though. Lidl's next promotion for food is Eastern European themed, but seems quite meat based.

Ps - ddog1 had a slipped disc too life, the operation was £8k, thankfully mostly insured but wow, what a cost!

minesalargered · 03/07/2022 13:57

Ps - I got a voucher for continuing to do the ONS covid survey, it's once a month for £25 (test and antibody test), exchanged for Sainsbury's voucher, will use for food.

lifelongfrugaleer · 03/07/2022 15:38

I’ve made over ripe bananas into 2 loads. Testing Paul v Mary recipes

sausage and Yorkshire puddings for dinner plus de sprouted the potatoes for mash.

TheNewlmprovedMrsMadEvans · 03/07/2022 20:01

Oh Em hope you feel much better very soon bless you 💐
Mines borrow my doggy sounds amazing! ☺️
My BF has adopted a beautiful dog from Macedonia she came home today , she's beautiful ☺️ ❤️
Spends today Morrisons 36 but l bought a pretty Dress and 2 PRS of Collottes in that total will post pics if l can ☺️

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