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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.

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

OP posts:
Thread gallery
20
Happierwithouthim · 24/09/2024 17:11

Happierwithouthim · 23/09/2024 18:42

I'm amused was behind a man at Lidl till nicely dressed buying all yellow sticker fish & coleslaw plus coffee, just saw him drive off in a new VW Tiguan!

These are foods I wouldn't be keen on as yellow sticker items, coleslaw goes off so fast anyway

OP posts:
Happierwithouthim · 24/09/2024 17:12

€2.55 on snacks on way to work this morning

OP posts:
Happierwithouthim · 24/09/2024 17:12

Nellie that made me smile so much about your dog Grin

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RumBananaSundae · 25/09/2024 05:09

Thank you north. I made it. Later than planned but I made it.

Hope the 50ths are going well life.

Sorry about your father martha. And the wages.

Bugger indeed on the pay cut Chile.

I used to notice that too Nellie at the big Asda. Stocking up on yellow stickers then out to a Lexus or Range Rover. I guess if you’re looking after the pennies.

Need to do some legal stuff. Trying to think about it but not at the same time. It needs to get done but well uncertainty is not my friend. It’s all so final too. Again good and bad about that.

My break was good. I’m not counting spending while away as it was all pre-spending. Might squeeze in a day trip maybe in December as I’d like to get a set of plates. I bought the bowls but couldn’t fit the plates in my bag. Took my weekend bag to have the zip replaced yesterday - £45 when I collect it. I’d only used it twice before and the second tine the zip was broken was a bit miffed at having to pay but it’s cheaper than a new bag.

Spending yesterday was higher than I’d have liked:
£4.59 on posting a parcel at the Post Office
£2.99 on a card for my friend
£4.80 (GC) in Asda on things I didn’t need
£1.50 (GC) in sainsbury on mince pieces that I definitely didn’t need
£105.50 putting money on my travelcard.

Did an audit of my gift card balances - they all started with £50 in August. Asda - £28.65, Waitrose £26.95, Marks and Spencer £34.43 and Sainsbury £34.92. Could be better but could be worse. Lidl have removed their cash self checkouts and rarely have tills open so I imagine I’ll be shopping there less.

Rainbow1901 · 25/09/2024 18:51

First Christmas present bought today for one of the GS - it was half price in Tesco! Not a real spend though as it came out of the Christmas savings.
While we were shopping DH and I each had a coffee and snack in Costa - but that was courtesy of a gift card win from the postcode lottery!! So no spends today!! 😎

Happierwithouthim · 25/09/2024 19:49

€24.21 in Tesco I only went in for milk & spinach

Payday tomorrow, survived my first month being paid monthly, looking forward to budgeting with YNAB tomorrow, I do have maintenance to budget each week but that takes seconds!

I went to the shopping centre to see if I could do my mystery shop because their opening hours weren't displayed on website but nope it's 6pm close. I'll have to do it Saturday

Rainbow that sounds like a nice shopping trip

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IDontHateRainbows · 25/09/2024 19:54

Nsd for me, technically maybe not as I sent something back on Amazon and bought something else to the same value, creative accounting maybe but still a net spend of 0.

I went without my daily coffee trip in favour of a warmed up mug of califia farms, not quite the same buzz as a freshly made cortado but will save around £15 a week.

Happierwithouthim · 25/09/2024 20:02

Just got an email to say vhi will pay half of my expenses from Monday. I'll also get 20% back on remainder from revenue in January. Grin

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ShortFatShambolicHouseElf · 26/09/2024 18:30

Another life admin task completed yesterday, and a long-awaited cheque paid into the bank.

The monthly gas direct debit has increased from £49 to £246. I knew it had been underestimated a couple of years back, but this was a bit of a shock.

DH and I were talking again today about our cars. I’m worried that we’re coming to the conclusion that mine is too expensive to keep going.

So many things coming to a head. I will not be buying any more costas, meal deals, etc. The savings will help, and resetting my frame if mind is just as important.

2024Hackathon · 26/09/2024 20:29

Read about this on another thread and then this blog post. Has anyone used it? I prefer paying for items with a disposable credit card because I am risk-averse about cloning and cybersecurity. However, I can see how the cashback on offer might be more than the usual ones (depending on intended purchases).

https://www.thepennypincher.co.uk/post/the-jamdoughnut-app-earn-instant-cashback-review

The JamDoughnut Cashback App 🍩

Find out about the JamDoughnut cashback app, what you can earn from it, and our verdict on whether you should use it!

https://www.thepennypincher.co.uk/post/the-jamdoughnut-app-earn-instant-cashback-review

RumBananaSundae · 26/09/2024 21:18

That was a lucky find Rainbow.

Spending yesterday was £1.59 in Waitrose (gift card balance now £22.16). Today I had lunch with a friend £29 (£13.90 for a martini) and £144 on a Eurostar gift card that I have spent booking a ticket.

Had some rather strange news today (family related) and not sure what to do. Will probably ignore it and pretend I don’t know. I’m not sure I can deal with any fallout. Especially at the moment. Uggggg life should not be so complicated.

lifelongfrugaleer · 27/09/2024 08:10

Never used that hack.

ignore rum if you don’t need to deal with it.

spendy in and out days
roll on Monday payday

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 27/09/2024 18:27

Fell off thread a bit but have been fairly good.

Had a non spend week last week! Didn't buy anything for 6 days, dd picked a few groceries up and was a bit shocked when I gently suggested she could now contribute towards the household food as she's not in college and is working!!

Bless her the reality of being a grown up is a bit of a shock 🙈😂

Anyway got paid today and it's been spendy 😬

I have bought a telly off my brother for £100 which is a massive upgrade on the old one.

£30 to my brother for his bday

£52 for the dogs training class

£68 Amazon on the start of Christmas stuff

£20 on dog treats and chews

Think that's it for now...

northender · 28/09/2024 10:52

Waiting at the airport to fly home with acute end of holiday blues 😢. We've had a great time, it was more active than originally planned but still very relaxing & the UV boost was very welcome. Not a very frugal holiday but dh & I have had some good conversations about our financial present and future so I feel very positive about things. Our first chat will be tomorrow to plan October spends.
We've got 3 weekends away before Christmas & little left in the holiday budget so need to plan how to fund them. Altogether 4 nights of accommodation needed as we're staying with family for the rest of the nights. Lots of frugal meal planning to be done. It'll be interesting to see how much less our food bills and energy usage will be going from 4 adults over the summer to 2 for the winter.

RumBananaSundae · 28/09/2024 16:23

I will life - thank you.

A whole week? Good going Girlie and well done.

Hope you enjoyed your break north. I’m already thinking of moving my December trip forward. And I only booked it on Thursday.

Have you tried JamDoughnut Hack? I had a quick look and they have Aldi gift cards. I’ve never done any cash back things.

Yesterday was a no spend day. Spending today:
Aldi £5.54
Lidl £1.50
Asda 38p (gift card new balance £28.27)
Marks and Spencer £12 (gift card new balance is £22.43)
Health food shop £6.28
Credit card 3p - no idea where that came from. Will have to check.
John Lewis £100 (for work should get this back will keep it myself otherwise)

Arsehole is being an arsehole. Am day 13 of no TGTG purchases.

Sortingmyselfoutdayatatime · 28/09/2024 23:46

Fell off as I pad logged me out and I couldn’t be bothered to sort it😁 back on it for October

lifelongfrugaleer · 29/09/2024 08:46

Lots of spending lost out for the eom
payday day tomorrow

pleased you enjoyed the holidays north

ememem84 · 29/09/2024 10:07

Hello!

ds is now 7! How’d that happen?!

2024Hackathon · 29/09/2024 10:46

ememem84 · 29/09/2024 10:07

Hello!

ds is now 7! How’d that happen?!

How was DS' birthday? Did you manage to fit everything in on that packed day?

Happierwithouthim · 29/09/2024 12:25

€61.24 on dunnes click & collect
€3750 to builder

Happy Birthday to em's ds!

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Mirren22 · 29/09/2024 12:40

I'm a fan of keeping an eye on optimum reduced sticker time. I'll often find a big pack of chicken breasts, whole chicken or fish with up to 75% in Aldi, handy to pop into freezer. I buy the Aldi cheap loo roll and set myself a daily spend limit (for a normal week with normal activities on) if I don't spend the amount for that day I note it down and do bulk transfer to savings. I love frugality!

ememem84 · 29/09/2024 13:38

2024Hackathon · 29/09/2024 10:46

How was DS' birthday? Did you manage to fit everything in on that packed day?

We did!

made it to dinner at the pub. Burgers all round (despite me feeling a bit grotty).

best part though was his cake for his party yesterday (bowling party £195 - 13 boys plus dd bowling did everything for us except the cake which was £100)

ememem84 · 29/09/2024 13:39

The cake.

isn’t he amazing. I did not make him.

Amigos actively attempting austere actions August 24>
Happierwithouthim · 29/09/2024 14:29

Cake is super em

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2024Hackathon · 29/09/2024 15:19

ememem84 · 29/09/2024 13:39

The cake.

isn’t he amazing. I did not make him.

The cake is grand. I'm a very good baker but can't decorate for toffee so that looks like a sensible item to have outsourced!

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