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Cost of living

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Amigos actively attempting austere actions August 24>

711 replies

Happierwithouthim · 26/07/2024 17:15

Link to last thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/cost_of_living/5007277-familiar-friends-in-frugalityfeb-24?latest=1

All welcome, the vibe is frugal life to make the things that matter possible, which is different for everyone, some of us have overcome debt, separations etc. All are friendly and we're sometimes chatty, sometimes quiet.

Don't lurk, join in

Familiar Friends in Frugality(Feb 24>) | Mumsnet

Frugal Friends Facing Forward with Fortitude [[http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/cost_of_living/4957140-frugal-friends-facing-forward-with-fortitude http://...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/cost_of_living/5007277-familiar-friends-in-frugalityfeb-24?latest=1

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Thread gallery
20
Happierwithouthim · 10/09/2024 21:01

Timetoswitch · 10/09/2024 09:12

Currently sat in Costa with my £3.90 hot chocolate. Can’t remember the last time I went to a coffee shop though 😂

Sounds lovely time I hope you enjoyed the rest from being wanted & pulled in several directions

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Happierwithouthim · 10/09/2024 21:02

Readersgonnaread · 09/09/2024 19:53

Hi All. Hope it’s ok to post. Recently joined mumsnet again so I can get hopefully get some support/encouragement from this group! Although, I’ve been a ‘reader’ for ages.

I have a bit of debt to pay off and, if I stick to my plan, I can do it by Nov 25. Would like/need a new car by the end of next year so if I could do it any quicker, that’d be great.

I’m an emotional spender so always think I ‘deserve’ a treat but just end up spending money on stuff I don’t need. Hoping this thread will keep me accountable!

Welcome
What are you reading currently?

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kessiebird · 10/09/2024 23:04

Welcome readers

Hot chocolate sounds a good moment time

Yesterday was a NSD. Today has been £14.00 farm shop for eggs and logs, £2.04 coop and £8.60 Lidl. Free sough dough bread from Lidl Plus App. Electric clothes airer delivery tomorrow, much excitement 😂 but high hopes it will save me using radiators to dry washing in the winter.

Timetoswitch · 11/09/2024 02:50

Urgh, the lack of Dparent issues to deal with didn’t last long 😂 and now I can’t sleep.

RumBananaSundae · 11/09/2024 04:03

Oh Time. That’s not good. Hope you’ve managed to settle a bit.

ememem84 · 11/09/2024 13:09

Went riding today. Glorious autumnal sunshine. Good for the soul.

£48.

Happierwithouthim · 11/09/2024 13:17

Had a mystery transaction into my current account yesterday of €2616 turns out it's my cashback from mortgage. Have directed some of it to extension to cover the mortgage switch fees & think I might buy a cheap laptop from cex to enable myself to continue to take part in shop and scan and remainder will post my emergency fund & go towards furnishing extension.

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IDontHateRainbows · 11/09/2024 14:53

What a lovely surprise @Happierwithouthim !

Lowish spend day for me, coffee and cake @£7, I was sorely tempted to go for something stronger as not working at the moment, but resisted the siren call of the pub which was doing a pint and lunch deal for a tenner.

Happierwithouthim · 11/09/2024 17:31

Got another mystery shop at Lidl
€13 plus keep purchases & shopping bag (I never buy shopping bags Grin)
In ireland they are now charging for paper bags.

€8.20 at Aldi today a boredom shop at lunch got the birthday card I went in for plus dr Beckmann floor cleaning sheets, has anyone used them?, sour jelly beans & multi pack of twirls for the office.

Yesterday spent €57 on dunnes click & collect which actually had a good bit of meat & €16 in store also

@tayto saw on Instagram stories today that SuperValu have 1.9kg chickens for €2.94, half price, must see if I can make room in freezer we all love roast chicken in our house. Also bacon joints but we're not as keen on them & I wouldn't have the patience to slice into rashers

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needastrongoneagain · 11/09/2024 17:33

Welcome readers, we are a friendly bunch here.

Boo to the lack of time to yourself and also broken sleep.

It's glorious here too em, albeit with a shower or two. The butter cauliflower was lovely, I added chickpeas too as per the suggestion.

Awesome recipe the extra money happier.

A few spends last few days
£40 presents for DS.
£50 Marks - but that included sirloin steak for DS birthday tea on Friday. With chips. His choice. Can't remember when I last bought steak, it's probably 3 years at least. Other bits too we needed (yoghurt, fruit, a couple of cards) . Still cheaper than a meal,out, which he didn't fancy.
£10 local shop.

Using up some leftovers for tea so that'll save a bit and changed energy tariff which will be circa £30 a month cheaper. Cancelled another subscription no longer used at £20 a month to one we are using at £80 for a full year so a decent saving there.

needastrongoneagain · 11/09/2024 17:33

That reminds me I've a £5 voucher off a £25 shop for Lidl happier.

IDontHateRainbows · 11/09/2024 18:56

Manages to 'make' £35 today by phoning the membership people for my professional memvership subscription and asking to go on the reduced rate for those unemployed, was due to have a £55 debit at the end of the month which they've now agreed to reduce to £20. I get charged quarterly and whilst it's not s massive cost, everything helps if you're not earning.

Readersgonnaread · 11/09/2024 19:34

Happierwithouthim · 10/09/2024 21:02

Welcome
What are you reading currently?

@Happierwithouthim I have just finished the only one left by Riley Sagar for book club. Would recommend. About to start the paradise problem by Christina Lauren.

Thanks for all the welcomes. Spent £23 at gymshark today on a new bag. In my defence, I had seen it last week and left it. Been thinking about it since so bought it. Reduced from £55 to £22 and then I got another 10% off with blue light.

Tomorrow the new Richard Osman comes out and I have money put by to purchase that. Hoping to then not spend anything else for the rest of the week 🤞

lifelongfrugaleer · 11/09/2024 19:52

Welcome reader

great news on the cash back happier & the mystery shops
as you say rainbow it all helps and if you are entitled to the reduction do it

hurrah on the lesson em
it was nice and autumnal here today.

i think it’s important if you can to have treat money in the budget. Not a lot but something that you can just splurge

they charge for paper bags here. I refuse to pay as that was not the point of the policy. And I don’t believe it goes to charity as they say

kessiebird · 12/09/2024 09:07

Bouncing around on the bus on the way to work so I will log spends and catch up later on.

Yesterday a few spends:
£17 Starbucks treat for DD for getting a praise postcode
£29.99 new smartwatch as my strap snapped. Reduced from £99 so will see if it's any good...
£20.09 Asda
£6.55 Home Bargains

So far today bus fare of £2. Working late so likely to be a LSD.

Happierwithouthim · 12/09/2024 18:18
Grin
Amigos actively attempting austere actions August 24>
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lifelongfrugaleer · 12/09/2024 18:37

True story

by Heck I think it’s a NSD

Happierwithouthim · 12/09/2024 19:19

I spent €1.15 but I dropped my car to garage to get alternator replaced so tomorrows gonna be a HSD Confused

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RumBananaSundae · 12/09/2024 19:44

Very nice on the cashback Happier. And it’s going to good use. Not sure my pile of receipts would be such a tiny book. Ouch for the car.

Well done Rainbows. It’s £35 in your pocket and not some else’s.

Spent £5.35 yesterday in Waitrose (gift card) and £19.90 in Uniqlo on a bag.

Made a few more reservations for journées européennes du patrimoine. Think I might need Pegasus to get between places. Found £20 in my bag. Rather pleased. Feeling rather autumnal. I could see my breath this morning.

needastrongoneagain · 13/09/2024 14:14

Usual ££££ food shop and a few quid at Amazon on general house related produce, I can't see us spending much this weekend but I did say that last weekend too!! Must look at food budget and general spends a bit more closely.

How did things go yesterday @ememem84 ❤️

Nellieinthebarn · 13/09/2024 17:50

Big shop at Aldi, £160. Thats all of the meat, cheese, bread, tins and frozen food, all the house things like dishwasher tablets and loo rolls for the month, as well as fresh fruit and veg for a week-ish. I will have to do at least 2 top ups for more fruit and veg, and possibly milk and bread later in the month. Not too bad though.

I've also got £650 in credit for electric, so that's a win going into winter, thats overpaying in the summer and solar panel credit added to the balance. Water charge has gone up to £46 a month though, seems a bit steep, but still less than before we had a meter.

I am looking for some warmer trousers, there is no warmth in jeans, but I don't know what to wear instead. I'm not keen on joggers, and too wide legs are a pain when wearing wellies. Which I do at least once a day when walking the dog during the winter. I also don't like the cossack look when I tuck wide trousers in my boots. I'm definitely not built for leggings. It won't be this month though, I have my son's birthday, so I don't think there will be much to spare.

Happierwithouthim · 13/09/2024 17:51

Mystery shopping for last month is in my PayPal account,
Did a Lidl mystery shop this eve part of it was to visit the toilets there were all male staff on duty, I said on form that there was someone else in there so I couldn't take a photo, hopefully won't be disqualified
€16.99 including fee & reimbursements and I got the few bits dd had on shopping list plus a stock of cat food.
Total spent €28.96

Former colleague bought my lunch €20 he will expense it Grin

€3.05 on a can of monster zero being in the office alone is conducive to picking

My car is ready so must collect
Both dc home from school sick today, day 4 for dd, a bug

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lifelongfrugaleer · 13/09/2024 18:17

What about thick tights under your jeans?

Also £££ on food

Nellieinthebarn · 13/09/2024 20:22

lifelongfrugaleer · 13/09/2024 18:17

What about thick tights under your jeans?

Also £££ on food

Good idea, but I should have said that cannot bear the restrictive feeling of tights, and wooly ones would drive me mad with the texture. I have sensory issues with clothes, and since menopause, my already very low tolerance for irritation has got much worse. Clothes and everything else it seems. 😂

lifelongfrugaleer · 14/09/2024 07:40

Ah ok. So fleece lined jeans would be out.
what about outdoors type trousers. Not very stylish though.

have to go to Sainsbury’s today. And the range. Will be ££££